Canon WP-DC300 housing

Hi,

Considering the few messages posted about the Canon WP-DC300 housing I'd like to tell you about my experience with the Canon housings ...

I owned a digital IXUS and the housing for it (max 3 meters). I used it for about a year snorkeling and never had any problem.

I sold it last year and the one who bought it is still using it underwater and is happy with it.

I then bought the S40 and housing WP-DC300. I did some snorkeling in the south of France. I must say that I was really happy at that time.

That housing is really well built and fun to use. You've got access to every features.

At the end of August 2002 I decided to get a diving licence. I went for the PADI course and got the AWD end of September.

In October I went in Safaga - Egypt and started to use the S40 underwater in "real" condition. I did four wonderfull dives and took about 300 pics.

I'm used to the pre-dive/post-dive maintenance of the housing. It was the third time in Egypt and therefore I experienced the maintenance with IXUS housing already. On the third day diving I got the housing flooded after a few minutes. The depth was already of about 15 meters.

The camera, housing and microdrive (YES -> microdrive don't like water neither) went back to Canon middle of October.

Finally Canon sent me a new camera, housing and the shop gave me a new microdrive... 2 weeks ago !!

I must say :

1. Thanks to Canon ... this is what we could call "good service" but you need be patient

2. I'm not sure that I will ever go again underwater with that housing. A friend of mine just came back from a 2 weeks diving trip in Mexico where he took about 500 pics with his Sony cam. He did 20 dives and during one of them met a guy using a S40/WP-DC300 that got .... FLOODED ..

Now I really wonder if that housing is build for dive up to 30 meters depth ... any comment on this ??

Btw: pics of my last trip taken with a Sea&Sea MX5-II camera .. @ http://www.gordhdmn.easynet.be/index.htm

I use the WP-DC 300 with the S40 and have seen many others using it. I did approx. 25 Dives with it and had no problems.

I grease the o-ring every day (so after every 2nd dive) and don't remove it.

Simon

Hi Simon,

It's good to hear that. Like I said I did use the S40 a few times in snorkeling condition before I went deeper with it.

I was really confident the day I dove with it. It was the fifth dive and everything went fine the first two days.

I had the time to think about what happened that day. Normally I don't just jump in the water with the camera. I ask someone to give it to me.

But on the fourth dive I jumped from the boat holding the camera and lost the strobe. One of the guide found it a few minutes after ... but may be the housing got wicked at that time !!? I had no prob during that dive but the next day the accident happened ...

I bought a Sea&Sea MX5 camera. I did 10 dives with it and got no probs.

Canon didn't tell anything about the housing. They just sent a new one so I guess they found something ... No I'm trying to get an insurance for that specific risk before I go underwater with it again. I'm still waiting for an answer but I'll post message as soon as I know (for Belgium)

:ph34r:

Housings flood no matter how cheap or expensive. I have been lucky, but have had friends, who used expensive video and still camera housings, who did perfect predive maintenace, flood their housings and cameras. It only takes a speck of dust, a hair, lint from your cleaning rag, or a slight nick in an o-ring. It only takes one drop of salt water to fry a digital camera or camcorder. I find it enlighting that Canon is replacing cameras and housings, most companies will charge you for trying to repair the housing and camera, then sell you a new housing and camera at full price if they are unsuccessful. Insurance companies only pay off if your housing and camera were accidentally dropped overbaord (hint)! Don't try it, may not work every time.

Insurance companies only pay off if your housing and camera were accidentally dropped overbaord (hint)!

That's not true -- there are insurance companies that insure flooded housings.

And insurance companies always pay 100% of their legitimate claims. Sorry for the negativism, but I have experienced otherwise.

Hey, cer -

I've seen people get money back -- 100% -- for flooded cameras (D60, in a swimming pool, for example). This is with DAN's H20Insurance.

The same insurance I carry. I figure if I can trust them with medical expenses, then I can trust them with video and digital camera equipment.

I uses the S30 / WP-DC 300 for 10 months for around 40 dives with no problems.

Until now I dive with it to 30m only, a friend of mine was with his WP-DC 300 at 40m deep with no problems.

I've got an S40 and WP-DC300, have taken it to 36m no probs, about 100 dives with it and very happy, although, I did just get a CP5000, just waiting on my Ike housing !!! Arrives next week, can't wait!

A

Thanks for your replies guys ... I think that I had no luck with that housing. I checked but I can't get an insurance for that risk here in Belgium.

I'm going again in Egypt (Safaga) next week ... I'll try to use it ... can't help it. I have a Sea&Sea MX5 that I used during my last trip but this is really frustrating when you compare with digital underwater .. no need to explain !!

Regarding insurance I can recommend the "Equipment protection program"

DEPP

Their based in the US but will payout worldwide, Im in Germany and have had them send me "New for old" when ever I've had to make a claim.

Reasonably priced and very nice to deal with.

Skinny.