WTB Sea & Sea MDX-D500 or MDX-D850

[Mark H]

Hi All
Just suffered a catastrophic failure of my housing, killing my D500, 60mm macro, strobe controller N1 and vacuum sentinel V. The failure was zoom wheel failing causing a full flood of the housing.

While I've lost a my current system, I'm still wedded to my collection of F mount lenses and my D850 which I use topside. At the moment it is in for assessment by the insurers. However, the D500 and the housing are both obsolete. My preferred solution is a working housing for the D500 and I'll pick up a 2nd hand good quality (hardly used - we know people buy cameras and never use them right). OR If there is a D850 housing out there I could swap to taking that underwater - though that isn't my preference (I loved my D500 underwater).
As I have port, zoom gear, 45degree viewfinder etc for Sea&Sea, I'm kind of wedded to them.
Just asking just in case anyone is only just moving to mirrorless, though I'm guessing it is a vain hope.

Cheers

Mark

[TimG]

Hey Mark

 

So sorry to read this. What an utter bummer. As a D500 user myself, I think I’d be looking for a D500 second hand. I would have thought the housing would be serviceable and fixable. 
 

Best of luck with the recovery process. Our thoughts are with you! 

[Mark H]

1 hour ago, TimG said:

Best of luck with the recovery process. Our thoughts are with you! 

Thanks Tim. Yes I've already started the process of buying a 2nd hand D500 and contacted Sea&Sea about parts and servicing of the housing. I think that is the easiest route but wondered if there was a housing and maybe camera out there, so I thought I'd ask.

 

I was really quite low when it happened and couldn't bring myself to even look at it for a week (obviously I flushed it out on the day and retrieved my memory cards). However, I didn't notice the broken external zoom wheel until I started to put details together for my insurance. I really don't know why it happened. Not very nice but at least I don't feel bad that it was my fault on o rings or similar. That was what was worrying me, as I didn't know how I could have had such a major flood.

[TimG]

Totally understand your feelings! As you say, it’s not just the camera but all the peripherals and having to replace them.

 

Maybe worth giving Miso a shout on the Sentinel. He may be able to send you replacement guts. The Sentinel isn’t hard to rebuild.

 

The strobe controller? 😱
 

Really good you found the cause though. Some consolation I guess that it wasn’t user error. But maybe not much! 
 

Great you have insurance. Phew! 

[tkdcol]

Did you have a leak sentinel on this housing when it flooded?

[Mark H]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:11 PM, tkdcol said:

Did you have a leak sentinel on this housing when it flooded?

Yes, however the failure was the external zoom/focus wheel came off. I don't know why and hadn't noticed any failure with it before. Sadly I'd put a macro lens on so the housing gears weren't engaged with anything. Pressure pushed the rod with the gears on in losing seal with the hole and causing a catastrophic failure. I wasn't paying any attention to the sentinel flashing LED as I descended either. I was just task loaded descending a shot in a slight current and busy sorting out my descent and checking on my buddy. I started switching my strobes on but the housing felt heavy and that was when I realised I'd got half a housing full of water . 

 

Would I do anything different? I don't know. I was diving in the UK with quite a lots of equipment and had a shot in current to get to (jump in and swim to the shot). Jumping in is just part of UK diving - I really haven't found a solution that means I can have the camera handed to me!!!! The camera was ok on the surface, I'd sealed it up about an hour before and the light was flashing green on vacuum before jumping in so I thought all was go. Underwater I will probably do more of a check once on the shot and then maybe I'd catch it before too much damage was done???

 

Thanks for the interest.