Underwater camera longevity

I've  been using a Pentax WG-3 intermittently for a while in wet environments and snorkeling for several years.  I've taken care to rinse the camera thoroughly with fresh water after salt water exposure.  It's given acceptable results overall. Unfortunately, with this last snorkel, a leak developed and dead camera. From what I can tell, is it fair to say that all of these types of cameras will eventually leak?  So, now I'll want to look for a replacement before our trip to the Galapagos in January.  Are there any of this class of camera with better seals with better longevity?  Any tips/tricks to help any of them last longer?  Since this will be something for casual use, I would not consider expensive underwater housings.  Here are some of the last images.  RIP.

I can't really speak to the current crop of budget underwater cameras, but I can say you'd like to have one with vacuum leak detection in the housing.   That is a feature found on some more expensive housings as an option.  Gives one great peace of mind.

Well, my TG-1 from 2012 is still going strong. I treat the seals with silicon grease once a year ... before that I had a faulty Panasonic tough. An this summer I was stupid enough to forget to put in the second rubber band of my Meikon LX100/LX100II housing. Funny enough half of the camera still works despite being soaked with saltwater and the being rinsed with mineral water, but not the OIS and the zoom mechanism.

Cheers

ShatteredSky wrote:

Well, my TG-1 from 2012 is still going strong. I treat the seals with silicon grease once a year ... before that I had a faulty Panasonic tough. An this summer I was stupid enough to forget to put in the second rubber band of my Meikon LX100/LX100II housing. Funny enough half of the camera still works despite being soaked with saltwater and the being rinsed with mineral water, but not the OIS and the zoom mechanism.

Cheers

Perhaps using some silicon grease on the battery compartment seals is the key. Is there a particular brand you use? Any thoughts on the current batch of underwater cameras?

By the way, and knock on wood here, I've never had a camera flood.

I've had Canon SD630 (lost from baggage in shipping)

Two Canon SD870is (both had zoom retraction failure, eventually)

Canon s95 (zoom retract failure)

Used Canon s95 (zoom retract failure)

All the above with matching Canon dive housings.  (Look like Meikon products rebadged)

Canon s120 (not used much yet, and not sure now where it is)

Sony RX100 II - Nauticam housing, simple leak detector

Nikon D810 - Nauticam housing, vacuum leak detector

Nikon D850 - Nauticam housing, vacuum leak detector

I am not very anal about o-ring maintenance.  I certainly never try to do a daily o-ring grease.  I tend to look over a housing before a trip, maybe put on some new grease and then I generally leave those o-rings alone during a trip.  The only reason you grease them is to allow them to twist in their channels and not rip.  Can't need to be regreased all that often, and every time you take out a non-leaking o-ring you have the chance to reseat it on top of a hair or bit of dirt.

Well, since I also got the XZ-2 with the Olympus housing I use that grease at the moment. The companies always say to only use their brand of grease (naturally), but how much can they differ?

Cheers

Battery compartments can be kept separate from the rest of the camera and allow for flooding without ruination.

Yes, eliminating need to open to remove cards would be an asset.

In my case, except for the first camera (lost from luggage), all my point-n-shoots failed above water, and all from zoom retraction failures.  Except the latest camera, the s120 I can't seem to locate.

I think that even with an exposed battery opening there would be damage with salt water exposure that would corrode the electrical connection to the camera. I had a Sony battery that was ruined by accidentally going through the wash. Anyway, I bought a renewed Lumix DC-TS7 for $149 that will be fine for my use in the wet/snorkeling until such time it leaks too. Interestingly, this is from the owner's manual:

"Check for cracks and deformation of the rubber seal on the side door.
• The integrity of the rubber seals may decrease after about 1 year, with use and age. To
avoid permanently damaging the camera, the seals should be replaced once each year.
Please contact Panasonic for related costs and other information."

I would guess it would not be cost effective to ship the camera to Panasonic every year and pay for new seals to be cost effective.  I think I will try a thin layer of silicon grease periodically on the seals for the battery/SD card door.  Perhaps that will extend the life of the camera to some degree.

Shrug.   I flooded the battery compartment of my Ikelite AF-35 external flash and didn't even notice until the next day.  I thought the batteries gave out.   A lot of brown water came out when I opened it.    Took a lot of cleaning with some alcohol and q-tips, but it still works, and that happened in 2009.

I also flooded the battery compartment of a Sea and Sea strobe, though at least I cleaned it out at the end of the dive.

Both designs have any connectors solidly encased in plastic to seal off the battery compartment with the rest of the electronics.

kelpdiver wrote:

The only way the tough camera class could win out is if they shift to wireless charging and file transfer. Then they never need to be opened up, at the cost of fixed storage and battery.

That's what I've been asking for years ... the Sealife is not quite there yet.

Regards

Robaire wrote:

I've been using a Pentax WG-3 intermittently for a while in wet environments and snorkeling for several years. I've taken care to rinse the camera thoroughly with fresh water after salt water exposure. It's given acceptable results overall. Unfortunately, with this last snorkel, a leak developed and dead camera. From what I can tell, is it fair to say that all of these types of cameras will eventually leak? So, now I'll want to look for a replacement before our trip to the Galapagos in January. Are there any of this class of camera with better seals with better longevity? Any tips/tricks to help any of them last longer? Since this will be something for casual use, I would not consider expensive underwater housings. Here are some of the last images. RIP.

You can get some less expensive cameras with less expensive housings that are still dive-rated. For years I used a Nikon D7000 ($400 new at the time) with a Polaroid housing (also $400) that is rated to 60 meters. My shoots were mainly pool and swimsuit in-water shots, but they were crystal clear at the end of the day. Canon and Sony also makes some good point n shoot models that you can get a basic hard-case for (I would not recommend the soft-sided cases at all; the seams can split on you too easily IMO).

Either option gives you a bit more protection than the built-in seals of the "tough" cameras, and can also be used on-land without the housing.

James809 wrote:

Robaire wrote:

I've been using a Pentax WG-3 intermittently for a while in wet environments and snorkeling for several years. I've taken care to rinse the camera thoroughly with fresh water after salt water exposure. It's given acceptable results overall. Unfortunately, with this last snorkel, a leak developed and dead camera. From what I can tell, is it fair to say that all of these types of cameras will eventually leak? So, now I'll want to look for a replacement before our trip to the Galapagos in January. Are there any of this class of camera with better seals with better longevity? Any tips/tricks to help any of them last longer? Since this will be something for casual use, I would not consider expensive underwater housings. Here are some of the last images. RIP.

You can get some less expensive cameras with less expensive housings that are still dive-rated. For years I used a Nikon D7000 ($400 new at the time) with a Polaroid housing (also $400) that is rated to 60 meters. My shoots were mainly pool and swimsuit in-water shots, but they were crystal clear at the end of the day. Canon and Sony also makes some good point n shoot models that you can get a basic hard-case for (I would not recommend the soft-sided cases at all; the seams can split on you too easily IMO).

Either option gives you a bit more protection than the built-in seals of the "tough" cameras, and can also be used on-land without the housing.

Thanks for this info. The Polaroid and Meikon housings for my Sony Nex-7 are inexpensive, and imagine they would work with my 16 mm or 30 mm lenses.  However, in the meantime, I bought a renewed Lumix TS-7 that I can use for snorkeling, etc.  When it eventually leaks sometime down the road, I'll definitely look into one of these housings.

kelpdiver wrote:

Robaire wrote:

Thanks for this info. The Polaroid and Meikon housings for my Sony Nex-7 are inexpensive, and imagine they would work with my 16 mm or 30 mm lenses. However,

every lens/port combination has to be confirmed - can't be presumed. A bad match, even if it fits inside, can translate to some pretty bad image distortion.

Oh. Thanks for pointing this out. There are cases for the Nex 7 with the 18-55.  Too bad I had that lens and sold it a while back

kelpdiver wrote:

Robaire wrote:

kelpdiver wrote:

every lens/port combination has to be confirmed - can't be presumed. A bad match, even if it fits inside, can translate to some pretty bad image distortion.

Oh. Thanks for pointing this out. There are cases for the Nex 7 with the 18-55. Too bad I had that lens and sold it a while back

isn't the 18-55 the kit lens? If true, should be pretty cheap to reacquire.

However, the broad zoom is usually a compromise choice. Versatile, but difficult to optimize on the optics. For the 4/3rds class, the majority use 2 lenses - the 8mm fisheye or the 60mm macro. For sharkers, one of the 7-14s, or the 8-16, but that requires a 6" or greater dome to be effective, and erases much of the compactness.

Yes, the 18-55 is the kit lens. Since I have the the Sony/Zeiss 16-70, I sold the 18-55. But, you are correct, replacement 18-55's are easy to find and cheap, especially with silver finish. Anyway, I appreciate the input on these enclosures and options for future choices.

My first TG3 popped open as I was climbing onto a boat after a dive (got caught on my bcd and somehow triggered both the lock and open switch on the mem card door, flooding it.) It was replaced under warranty. Prior to that it survived many salt water snorkels and dives with no signs of issues, corrosion etc. That said, I shelled out for a dive housing for the replacement when it arrived, to me it was worth the piece of mind. That setup is going strong for 4-5 years now.