Question(s) bout putting the housing together

When putting the superwide extension into the base of the dome, the directions say to "Screw the body in until it stops." Am I correct that this is supposed to be "finger tight", i.e., turn until it stops spinning freely and then give it a little nudge tighter? But NOT to keep turning it until it won't turn anymore?

Second, I replaced the port locks with the low profile locks, lined up the "divot" with the port lock and was able to drop the dome on (after making sure locks were pushed in. But directions say to psh down and rotate the port clockwise "until it stops." Not sure what I am doing wrong, but the dome continues to turn and does not ever seem to stop. Does that mean I have to push down harder?

I keep editing with questions as I go through this process....the darned thing, all put together but can't get the "on/off" switch to work. I am very frustrated by this process. Seems like it should be easier to make work. I took the camera out, turned it on, and managed to get the control to turn it OFF, but not back on again. I think I'm not cut out for this....don't have the patience.

Thanks for the advice.

By the way, I was disappointed that Ikelite ships with non-reusable o-ring grease. The good folks at backscatter said I could use sea&sea grease if I wanted to have a tube with a cap on it. Can't quite figure out what Ikelite is thinking by using tiny little packets with snap off caps.

Okay, I think I answered my own questions. Hand tighten. Push down a little harder on the dome and it does indeed stop turning at the rights spot. And, reinsert camera with on/off lever "up and out of the way" and I was able to turn on/off. Oddly calling backscatter, they had the same problem with the non-functioning on-off switch. I'm too tired to play with it anymore to confirm how to make the switch work.

I bought a loweprow trekker II. Damned thing is huge, but still seems challenging to get the housing in it. Time to look at some wetpixel pictures of housings being stored. I wanted to to dive the aquarium tomorrow with camera, but not sure I am up for it just yet. We shall see.

By the way, I was disappointed that Ikelite ships with non-reusable o-ring grease. The good folks at backscatter said I could use sea&sea grease if I wanted to have a tube with a cap on it. Can't quite figure out what Ikelite is thinking by using tiny little packets with snap off caps.

Hi David,

I don't think that those little packets with snap off caps are necessarily non-reusable. I took those packets on a trip last summer and didn't use all of the o-ring grease inside the packet. I took the packets that were opened but not totally unused and put them inside some sandwich sized zip lock baggies and saved them for the next trip. If any of the grease comes out of the packet, the zip lock baggy keeps it from getting all over everything else in my luggage.

When I go on a trip, I always pack a number of zip lock baggies with me in various sizes. They are very useful when packing and, since they are so cheap, it hardly costs me anything.

Cheers,

Ellen

I don't think that those little packets with snap off caps are necessarily non-reusable. I took those packets on a trip last summer and didn't use all of the o-ring grease inside the packet. I took the packets that were opened but not totally unused and put them inside some sandwich sized zip lock baggies and saved them for the next trip. If any of the grease comes out of the packet, the zip lock baggy keeps it from getting all over everything else in my luggage.

I'm with Ellen. While I use the ziplock bags, I generally don't even seal them. My tubes of O ring lubricant last until they are empty, which may be months if I don't get to dive often.

I have been using standard white colored Silicone Grease from Innovative Scuba in its nice little screw top container for over a year now on all my Ikelite orings with no problem. That translates to about 400 or so dives and there has been absolutely no problem with swelling or softening.

I also on the zip-locks to reuse the little pouches and it works very well. Just make sure you only cut a little hole when first opening them. One thing about pretty much any grease is that they all contains solvents which evaporate over time. Having the little pouches is a bit annoying, but it will ensure that you always have "good" grease.

I also on the zip-locks to reuse the little pouches and it works very well. Just make sure you only cut a little hole when first opening them. One thing about pretty much any grease is that they all contains solvents which evaporate over time. Having the little pouches is a bit annoying, but it will ensure that you always have "good" grease.

Funny to be reading this today

I spent a good amount of time putting my new Ikelite together yesterday for a D80.

Had the same issue with the extension tube and the dome.

The manual says to turn until the edge of the dome and the extension are flush with each other.

Well............I can't get them to be flush. Maybe if I tried REAL HARD but I did not want to do that. Plus, if you get them flush.........must be very hard to unscrew them. Is there a trick, tool etc??

If the O'ring is seated flat on the lip, I have no trouble getting it flush by doing it finger tight. Basically, turn it until it stops moving easily and that should do it. Of course you'll turn it that "little extra" just for good measure, and I think that is why it becomes impossible to unscrew later without the strap wrench. But as for tightening it, you don't need a tool to get it on. Maybe the grooves are not lined up right.

If the O'ring is seated flat on the lip, I have no trouble getting it flush by doing it finger tight. Basically, turn it until it stops moving easily and that should do it. Of course you'll turn it that "little extra" just for good measure, and I think that is why it becomes impossible to unscrew later without the strap wrench. But as for tightening it, you don't need a tool to get it on. Maybe the grooves are not lined up right.

Thanks.I did not force it and will try again

Tell me about the strap wrench. I use the short port mount so where do you apply the strp wrench. (Strap wrench as for removing oil filters etc???)

Thanks for your help

Regarding the on-off switch, if it's like mine, you can also 'pull out' on the on-off control knob, parallel to the shaft...there's some length to the shaft to let it slip far enough the on/off grabber at the end isn't engaged with the camera's switch. Then you can rotate it so when you slide it back in it re-engages with the camera switch.

Don't have the ultra-wide (weitwinkel) port body so will stay out of that one.

Alternative to the small zip-lock bags is a piece of cling film from kitchen.

Regarding the on-off switch, if it's like mine, you can also 'pull out' on the on-off control knob, parallel to the shaft...there's some length to the shaft to let it slip far enough the on/off grabber at the end isn't engaged with the camera's switch. Then you can rotate it so when you slide it back in it re-engages with the camera switch.

 

Don't have the ultra-wide (weitwinkel) port body so will stay out of that one.

Ikelite advised that the on/off switch did not work as well as they'd like for the D300. I had an IMPOSSIBLE time turning the camera on (mattered not whether I pulled up on the knob before turning it). Crazily, without doing anything but leaving the camera on the camera table overnight, the next morning the switch worked flawlessly. Camera must have shifted a tiny bit while leaning forward in the housing.

Then I noticed the subcommand dial did not work when housed. But that was "fixed" after I took the camera out for some land shots and then set it back in the housing. I believe, what I am learning, is that the camera should be pushed forward on the tray, and tightened very snugly before being housed (I thought this was done anyway, but everything worked better after taking it off the mount and remounting).

Then I noticed the subcommand dial did not work when housed. But that was "fixed" after I took the camera out for some land shots and then set it back in the housing. I believe, what I am learning, is that the camera should be pushed forward on the tray, and tightened very snugly before being housed (I thought this was done anyway, but everything worked better after taking it off the mount and remounting).

Yep - the positioning of the D300 body is reasonably sensitive..I had the same issue to start with - the sub-command dial not having sufficient friction with the rubber control wheel. I founf that overtightening the base screw actually makes things worse as it pulls the body slightly forward. I now assemble the body onto the plate with the entire rig angled back into my lap, then tightening the screw...seems to have cured the occasional rage when I have to pull the body back out of the housing 'cos the bloody dial doesn't work

Steve

I will definitely fool around with it a bit before my next trip to see how I can install to make sub-command and on/off switch work when housed. The rage is a bad thing...I finally gave up trying to get the zoom claim to work on my Tokina 10-17 and just zoomed it out to 17 and started my diving. I have to figure that one out too. Someone mentioned possibly removing the rubber from the zoom ring on the lens...haven't looked into that yet.

My trouble is the darned clamp won't engage with the teeth attached to the housing dial, unless I push the clam lower on the lens and then it falls off the barrel when I do it.

Have a question on Ike synch cord -- the small o-ring on the connectors, does that get removed when greased, or do you just grease around it while it is attached to the chord? Seems like removing it will stretch it.

Have a question on Ike synch cord -- the small o-ring on the connectors, does that get removed when greased, or do you just grease around it while it is attached to the chord? Seems like removing it will stretch it.

I never remove these or grease them. I don't think I've greased that o-ring in 5 years.

Just about the only O-ring in the Ikelite DSLR housings that needs to be LIGHTLY greased on occasion is the Port o-ring. The main body backplate o-ring is a compression seal, and does not need grease. Grease attracts dirt and hairs and excessive handling stretches them out. Keep em clean, don't handle more than you must.

I do lightly grease the o-ring (and threads) on the sync connector, but don't remove the o-ring to do so.

Dave, for what it is worth, Ikelite recommends greasing (but not removing) the O ring in the synchcord (just got that response from them). And also recommends greasing the O ring on the back plate.

I believe that the reason to do so is to keep the rubber supple but also believe that the directions with the housing say to do so each time the housing is opened. The only ring the instructions say not to grease because of its compression nature is the ring on the DS-125 Strobe...

I have used my D300 housing for 12 dives now and I have not had any issues with on/off switch. The only issue I had with the sub-command dial was on my very first dive because of the proximity between it and the shutter release leaver. Each time I went to change the f/stop, I took a photograph. I have gotten over that now.

I do have issues with the main command dial but mainly above water. Underwater there's enough pressure to push it on to the dial on the camera.

As to greasing o rings, I grease all mine (housing, port and sync cables) each time I use the housing. The housing and port o rings are lightly greased while separate and I use the time to feel for nicks, cracks and debris in/on the o ring. I did the same thing with my D70 housing and was able to use the same o ring for over 70 dives. I grease the o ring on the batteries for my DS-125 every now and then more to help protect the o ring from drying out and also to check for damage.