Safe Housing Handling

How are you guys getting your housed cameras out of their housings??

With my Nikonos V, I would get back from local night dives and soak the system in water at least overnight, then remove the film the next day and go for processing. It's a nice thing to have local sites - my gear is always nicely rinsed after each trip.

With my new digital setup, though, I now have this great 'instant gratification'. I want to get that thing out of my housing as soon as I get home so I can see where I screwed up my shots

So, what do you guys do? Do you use a lint free chamois or towel to dry the housing, then take the camera out and reload/whatever, and then close up and put the housing in for a soak, or what?

I guess on trips you have to do this. My worry is that salt water may eventually get into the system if I open before a good soak.

I usually dive in a very dry place so I don't have that problem.

After a dive I wash my housing well by soaking it in water and then in the shower and after 15 minutes it’s all dry again and I can take out the camera.

The beauty of a housed camera is that when you remove the camera from the housing, you are not openenig the camera. I simply gave my setup the vigorous agitating in the fresh water rinse tank. Then blow (air hoses on live-aboards) or wipe off all visible water before opening the housing. If you are very careful, no water will get inside the housing and since the camera's internals are not exposed, there very little risk. If you do get a drop on the camera, promptly wipe it off. I am a former Nikonos user and this is always a problem when you expose the inside of the camera to water droplets.

Is it a good idea to use compressed air on a housing?

I thought that might cause problems with the seals/rings.

Compressed air no. It can drive stuff pass the O-rings. I give my housing a rinse in the rinse tank. I then dry off the back and remove the camera so I can download, use, change the batteries, etc. At the end of the trip I then reassemble the housing without the camera in it and then soak it overnight. I don't take out synch cords or take apart strobes until after the 24 hour soak. I don't worry as much about a prolonged soak during the trip as I use to do with the Nikonos. I just give the housing a quick rinse and then get it out of the rinse tank to avoid damage from other housings. Sometimes I bring my own rinse tank and then I leave the camera in it longer as long as the boat isn't moving too far.