Underwater compact suggestions

[aftercrasher]

Hi Mates. I am thinking of getting an underwater compact for my diving trips (twice a year averagely)
What are your suggestions/experience for a casual shooter.

I am thinking of an Olympus TG-2 with an Olympus Housing. Reason I chose a TG-2 is because, since the cam is already waterproof and in an event that the case floods, the cam is still usable. I'm a little bit paranoid of flooding as i've seen 2 of my friends' Canon S100 die because their cases flooded underwater.

I've tried the TG-2 last week at TK photo and I reckon the camera is quite alright (spec wise). and the super macro function would be really helpful to photograph and macro subjects.
And also Olympus has thier own flash kits so I think it's quite a complete system? or not?

I am more worried about the quality of images. I have not used an Olympus up to now and they seem to be the less popular choice for compact cameras.

 

[diver-hloc]

Let me breakdown your question so that its easier to answer...

Hi Mates. I am thinking of getting an underwater compact for my diving trips (twice a year averagely)
What are your suggestions/experience for a casual shooter.

Ans: Canon G15, S110 / Oly XZ-1 / Panasonic LX5/7...

I am thinking of an Olympus TG-2 with an Olympus Housing. Reason I chose a TG-2 is because, since the cam is already waterproof and in an event that the case floods, the cam is still usable. I'm a little bit paranoid of flooding as i've seen 2 of my friends' Canon S100 die because their cases flooded underwater.

It doesn't really work this way... example, if the flooding of the casing occurs at 25m and your camera is dive-able to 15m.... :think:

I've tried the TG-2 last week at TK photo and I reckon the camera is quite alright (spec wise). and the super macro function would be really helpful to photograph and macro subjects.
And also Olympus has thier own flash kits so I think it's quite a complete system? or not?

Have not seen the IQ of TG-2 before... therefore No Comment. As of the 'Olympus own Flash'... its nothing but a Sea & Sea Strobe (strobe is the correct term) with the name branded onto the strobe... therefore, with the correct triggering tools... your camera could use almost all the U/W Strobe lights available in the open market.

I am more worried about the quality of images. I have not used an Olympus up to now and they seem to be the less popular choice for compact cameras.

It is less popular largely due to marketing.... I can confirm the XZ-1 produce very good underwater image... :thumbsup:

 

[aftercrasher]

Thanks for the advise mate.
I thought that if the casing floods [mildly] at 25m, the pressure inside the case would be different and the camera's ability to stand up to 15 meters would be helpful as a 2nd barrier of protection.

HOw common are flooding's anyway? assuming I follow all procedures before taking my cam for a dip. Every photographer i dived with seems to have flooded at least 2 camera's.

Oh yeah its called a strobe. Haven't been diving for a while and forgot all about it.

I noticed 1 lack of the TG-2 is the lack of RAW capture. So correcting bad WB is almost impossible. Unless if I had a strobe to provide a more neutral light? (considering anything more than 15m would be blue).

I shall search for XZ-1 images.

 

[diver-hloc]

Thanks for the advise mate.
I thought that if the casing floods [mildly] at 25m, the pressure inside the case would be different and the camera's ability to stand up to 15 meters would be helpful as a 2nd barrier of protection.

Ans: If the casing is under pressure at 25m... inside the casing, the pressure won't be 10m... it will be the same 25m...

HOw common are flooding's anyway? assuming I follow all procedures before taking my cam for a dip. Every photographer i dived with seems to have flooded at least 2 camera's.

Ans: Flooding is as common... and as Uncommon as it can be... meaning, it all depends on you doing the correct checks and the right way to prepare your casing before dive... A check list helps. I've been using a U/W camera since 2005... from compact PnS to my current DSLR... minor flooding, twice... serious flooding till camera 'up lorry', ZERO....

I noticed 1 lack of the TG-2 is the lack of RAW capture. So correcting bad WB is almost impossible. Unless if I had a strobe to provide a more neutral light? (considering anything more than 15m would be blue).

Ans: Even with RAW... unless you are in waters no deeper than 5-8m on a very sunny day... there isn't alot you can do to get colors without a Strobe. If you are taking close-up photograph (Macro)... then the camera in-built flash could do the job... barely. But don't even try that for Wide Angle or most things over 1.5-2m and further.... all you'll get is Backscatter... for Wide... Blue, or better still, convert to Black & White... is preferred.

 

[crabball]

Any compact camera with a good housing will do. Personally, I believe a strobe is more important.

As for macro distance, how close do you dare to go n how skitterish is the critter will determine what is the useable macro distance for you.

Worse case you can get a close up lens to shorten ur focusing distance. Just make sure your housing support wet lens..

The above are my personal opnion hope it helps

 

[Mr Khaw]

Pentax WG2 and WG3

 

[aftercrasher]

I've obtained myself a good condition XZ-1 yesterday. Been familiarizing myself with the cam today. I must say it is quite an impressive camera.
I am now on the hunt for a underwater case but went Funan today, and none of them has stock. Now I am a bit worried that I might not be able to get a housing because it is a 'discontinued' model.

Anyone knows where can I get (possibly) in Singapore?
I searched online adorama and BHphoto and saw that they sell for about 250USD inclusive shipping.

 

[nikefreekz]

BHphoto was retailing the housing for USD119 and free domestic shipping a while back...

 

[aftercrasher]

Damn. I have missed that. It is 199 now at BHphoto. Adorama is selling for 189 for a used. which isnt worth it IMO.
I would try a few shops tomorrow. Namely the 1 in Eunos and the 1 near Sim Lim.

 

[nikefreekz]

USD119 with free domestic shipping was indeed really cheap, i almost bought it too

 

[GRbenji]

Flooding most of the time are due to user fault. Usually carelessness like having sand or hair trapped on the O-ring, or pinching the O-ring when closing the cover are the culprits.

1 misconception is greasing of O-ring. Some thought the grease is used to prevent flooding and applied heavily. Some grease their O-ring on every dive or every time the cover is opened. The stickiness of the grease in fact helps trap unwanted particles that caused flooding.

The grease is to prevent the drying up and hardening of O-ring, and also make it smooth so as to reduce the chance of pinching it when closing cover.

I usually grease the O-ring just before trip and seldom grease it again during the trip. When in storage, I'll grease them after every few months. Never has any flooding so far.

PS - Have a blower. It is most useful.

 

[aftercrasher]

I was reading articles online and have gotten so many different opinions that I am not sure who to follow.

Amongst which are:
1. Best to clean the O-ring after every end of the dive day
2. clean and lube it before your dives after a surface interval if you open the case
3. clean and lube it when your trip starts and never touch it again.
:dunno:

So the best way (i presume) is to clean,inspect and lube the O-ring at the start of every dive day. And just do a water leak test before every dive?
If it doesn't leak during the test, it should stay safe over the hour of diving?

Also are all silicon grease the same? Most makers would recommend using their own brand of silicon grease. Which cost a bomb compared to any generic silicon grease.

 

[diver-hloc]

I was reading articles online and have gotten so many different opinions that I am not sure who to follow.

Amongst which are:
1. Best to clean the O-ring after every end of the dive day
2. clean and lube it before your dives after a surface interval if you open the case
3. clean and lube it when your trip starts and never touch it again.


So the best way (i presume) is to clean,inspect and lube the O-ring at the start of every dive day. And just do a water leak test before every dive?
If it doesn't leak during the test, it should stay safe over the hour of diving?

Also are all silicon grease the same? Most makers would recommend using their own brand of silicon grease. Which cost a bomb compared to any generic silicon grease.

Since most diver has their own way of preparing their gears... I could only tell you my own experience...

Pre-Dive
* Lightly grease the O Ring and feel for hair or sand on the Ring... with the grease, the Ring should be smooth and without 'Bumps'.
* Check the glove where the O Ring sits on the Housing for Sand, Salt Crystal, Hair.
* Install O Ring onto Housing without over stretching the O Ring.
* Lock Housing and use the DC's camera tank for flood test... if no tank, use the sea.
* On 1st dive (and every dive after you've opened the housing)... Sink slowly and check for leak often... under pressure, leaks will occur fast. Check as often as possible.

After Dive
* Soak Housing in freshwater to dissolve salt from the Housing... Salt crystal are known to cause flooding when they get onto the O Ring.
* If you are still diving after opening the Housing to replace batteries/memory card... just take a look on the O Ring for signs of Sand or Hair... if Non, then just lock the Housing and do another flood test and slow sink.
* If its the end of the day... remove O Ring from Housing and clean the O Ring with a lint free paper... I use those that is used in cleaning the kitchen. Also clean the Glove where the O Ring sits on the Housing.
* In the morning when you set up your camera... repent Pre-Dive.

Storage
* Using a lint free paper towel... wipe off all the silicon grease from the O Ring.
* Lightly grease the O Ring with fresh grease.
* Stored the O Ring inside a Zip-lock bag.
* Keep O Ring away from the sun.


Never use too much Silicon Grease on your O Ring... the grease isn't 'Waterproofing' your Housing... it is NOT a sealant. The grease... like its names suggest, is to make it easy to slip the O Ring into place... and during storage, prevent the O Ring from hardening. Too much grease will make the O Ring into a dirt and hair magnet... Be forewarn.

Also... DON'T MIX use Silicon Grease... Some O Rings are made of certain material that will expend, or harden if the wrong silicon grease are used. In Feb 2012... a friend of mine 'Drown' his new Oly XZ-1 diving in Philippines... he use Canon's silicon grease, left over from his old Housing, on the new Oly Housing O Ring. No problem for the 1st few days... but the O Ring expended till it doesn't fit well into the Housing... the camera flooded at 10m. :bsmilie:

 

[aftercrasher]

Thanks for the very elaborate advise.
So I should have a spare O-ring with me always on my dive trip? just in case the o-ring needs replacement.
The tip on the silicon grease is a very good one. I shall only stick to Olympus greases from now on.

After the entire trip when it is time to keep my camera and the housing, should I take out the O-ring and store it separately? or just grease it and keep it on the case as it came when it was new.

And Do I have to lubricate the buttons/zoom levers?

 

[diver-hloc]

Thanks for the very elaborate advise.
So I should have a spare O-ring with me always on my dive trip? just in case the o-ring needs replacement.
The tip on the silicon grease is a very good one. I shall only stick to Olympus greases from now on.

After the entire trip when it is time to keep my camera and the housing, should I take out the O-ring and store it separately? or just grease it and keep it on the case as it came when it was new.

And Do I have to lubricate the buttons/zoom levers?

While it will be good to have a spare O Ring... as far as I know, nobody buy one till your current one is either harden or frail... if you store your O Ring properly like I said... lightly greased and stored in Zip-Lock bag (of course removed from housing already)... then your O Ring will last a long time... longer than your Model of camera last in the market :bsmilie:

As for levels and switches... use a toothpick, coat a small amount of Silicon Grease on the tip... push down the button or switch to expose the metal shaft. Coat the shaft with grease and release button... press and release a few times. A brand new casing shouldn't need to do this.... but its good maintenance practice. Just stored your housing with O Ring removed in a cloth bag away from sun and heat...

 

[aftercrasher]

I've took my housing with and without camera for a dip today.
Seems fine. no leaks or whatever. It's all ready for my dive in 1 months time

After drying the cam housing I tried to do a "practice" cleaning routine. So I used a blower to clean off any particles along the groove and lightly re-greased the o-ring.
Upon inspecting the o-ring before I placed it on the housing, I noticed that there are some strands of fine lint (i presume from my microfiber towel) which I painstakingly removed. Would those be a risk and cause the sealing to break thus a leak? or only larger sized lint/hair would be a risk to leak?

 

[diver-hloc]

I've took my housing with and without camera for a dip today.
Seems fine. no leaks or whatever. It's all ready for my dive in 1 months time

After drying the cam housing I tried to do a "practice" cleaning routine. So I used a blower to clean off any particles along the groove and lightly re-greased the o-ring.
Upon inspecting the o-ring before I placed it on the housing, I noticed that there are some strands of fine lint (i presume from my microfiber towel) which I painstakingly removed. Would those be a risk and cause the sealing to break thus a leak? or only larger sized lint/hair would be a risk to leak?

Fine hair don't always cause leak... but you'll never be sure... suggest you use lint free kitchen cleaning paper... clean a few can throw.