The first camera was the size of a room, and the first picture was taken through a hole in the wall. The first underwater camera was a huge copper box. Mine was a Nikonos I, more than 30 years ago. The big concern then was keeping the water from getting inside the camera. As sophisticated and technologically-advanced as today’s underwater gear is, the big concern has remain unchanged.

No matter how much experience you have taking underwater images, you must always be vigilant about keeping the water out! When I sold camera equipment at my shop, Liburdi’s Scuba Center, I never let anyone take a new camera system into the water without first completing a lesson on proper care and maintenance of the O-ring. The O-ring creates the seal that keeps the water out. The second important lesson was on how to prevent condensation from forming within the camera itself. Condensation within the camera can and will cause serious problems.

According to Dan Blodget at Sub Aquatic Camera Repair, the authorized repair facility for Sea & Sea, condensation has become one of the most frequently seen causes of camera malfunction in digital cameras.

What is a digital underwater photographer to do? Let me begin with a true story.

A few months ago I took a group to the Philippines. One of my good friends was on the trip. He was diving with a Sea & Sea DX5000 digital system. Everything worked perfectly for the first two days and then suddenly on the third day the camera failed to produce an image on the LCD screen. After the dive, we checked the batteries (always the first step in troubleshooting), then inspected the exterior of the camera and interior of the housing for signs of flooding. Not a trace of water was evident. On the next dive the camera worked for a while and then the LCD failed again. We again checked for flooding. No water in the housing. This pattern repeated itself for a few days. Then the camera died.

After arriving home, we sent the camera and housing to the Sea & Sea repair facility. The camera was field stripped. Low and behold, evidence of water damage in the form of small salt crystals were scattered throughout the interior of the camera. Of course, my friend did not believe this was possible. He hadn’t seen any water. In fact, I hadn’t either. So I had the repair facility take close-up pictures of the evidence and had them e-mailed to me. The pictures clearly revealed the damage. This is one of the pictures. All those white spots are salt crystals.

Okay, what caused this? This is an easy one. Land cameras are not sealed to keep foreign matter and moisture out. The housing you put the camera in is O-ring sealed, and when there is a malfunction you look to see where water has penetrated the housing. If none is found, you don’t think to look inside the camera. After all, how would water get in there if not through the housing?

Water does not have to penetrate the housing to cause malfunction. Water can penetrate the camera through the air. Moisture can be trapped within a camera when the camera is taken outside from a cold air-conditioned room to the hot humid air temperure. The difference in temperature causes moisture condensation within the camera, which in turn causes internal camera corrosion, which in turn causes camera failure.

Another problem occurs when cameras are removed from the housing on boats or on shore between dives. Any time you remove the camera from the housing, it is exposed air which, if moist, can penetrate the camera.

How do we prevent this? By following the few steps listed.

1. Make sure the room air temperature is equal to that of the outside air temperature when preparing your system for the diving day. Turn off the air conditioning and let the room air warm up.
2. Make sure the camera has fresh batteries and memory card to last at least three dives without opening the housing to change batteries and card. Fire a few test shots to make sure the camera is working before putting it in the housing.
3. Prepare the housing by cleaning and lubricating the O-rings. Make sure you have silica gel absorbent packs in the housing (usually included when you buy the housing; if not included, buy some specifically made for u/w housings), insert the camera, and lock the housing. Test fire a few shots again to make sure all systems are working. Before your dive, do a pre-dive leak test of the system.
4. Most important, if it’s necessary to open the housing for any reason after a dive, make sure you peel off your wet suit, dry your upper body, arms, hands, and hair.
5. Dry the housing completely. Find a dry, clean, enclosed area if possible away from wind and water spray.
6. Open and make sure no water droplets have landed on the camera. If so wipe off immediately.
7. Never expose your system to the hot rays of the sun. Keep it cool and shaded at all times.

Joe is offering photo lessons for the beginner at a reasonable price of $50 per hour, minimum three hours. The classes are one-on-one and conducted either at his home in Aliso Viejo or at Liburdi’s Scuba Center in Costa Mesa. By appointment only. Call 949-448-0499 or e-mail Joe at orca2@cox.net for details.

New PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Course will be given at our Underwater Imaging Academy in La Paz.. For details please visit www.JoeLiburdi.com

Joe’s own underwater video system is for sale! It is a professional, high-performance, compact system that includes: the Sony DVCAM DSR-PDX10, Light & Motion Bluefin housing with dual power grips, monitor, zoom lens, macro lens, battery, battery charger, and Pelican case. Annual overhaul May 2006. Like new condition. Retail value: $6800 Sale price only $3500 E-mail inquiries to Joe at orca2@cox.net.