Olympus O-ring Grease - Alternatives ?

I have an Olympus C-5050z and PT-015, which was recently stolen, and fortunately recovered by the police. But many of the supplementary stuff, like O-ring grease, lens caps, etc is missing.

The O-rings were also full of grit, so I need to clean them and re-grease before I can use the housing again.

It will take me some time and effort to get hold of new Olympus O-ring grease.

Is there an alternative that I can use, for example the Sea & Sea grease as used on the Mx-10 - also a coloured (blue) O-ring. Is the material here the same as the Olympus PT-015 O-rings? I have some of that grease available.

Or is there something else that one can use?

You should be able to buy silicone grease from your local dive shop.

If you can’t fine any, I’ll send you a free tube.

Marc

Marc, thanks for the reply, I do have some of the standard silicone grease.

But Olympus, etc, are always going on about how you can't use the grease for the black rings on the coloured rings, and vice versa, so I just don't know what I can or can't use.

The standard grease won't damage the O-rings, will it ?

PS: The stuff that I have is called "Spanjaard Silicone Paste" and comes from the UK.

Olympus recommendations might be a precautionary measure against using a improper lubrication product. Using petroleum based type products will have a detrimental effect on your o-rings, for an example( Vaseline ). It also might be a marketing strategy to get you to buy their own brand of lubrication, which probably is silicone.

I’m not familiar with what your o-rings are made from, so I can’t be sure on what effect silicone would have on them . I can say that silicone is an inert substance and I’ve never heard of anyone have any type of problem using it. I only know of one product that Dow Corning makes that swells o-rings after applied, and I believe it’s meant to do so buy design. This would not be recommended for your use.

Maybe someone else like Ike could give us his insight to your question, or who ever ?

Marc

Typically the coloured O-Rings are longer lasting, i.e. when you grease them the grease absorbs and the oring remains greased for longer. Where as with the black ones you must grease everytime you us them (although i always grease my orings every time i use the housing)

If you go to a dive shop they will have the oring grease for both types of orings, i suspectt he sea and sea grease will be just fine and is prolly the same.

Olympus make the big deal about it so that you buy from them thats all.

Browse one of the many online seal shops that sell orings. Orings are made frome different materials and each one has specifics about what lubricants should be used. You've been warned.

Thanks Robert, but I can't get hold of the correct grease easily.

Most of the US online shops either don't ship internationally, or require to be paid with a US credit card. The one or two that are more flexible don't have it in stock. Adorama have it in stock, and will ship, but want to charge me USD112 for ordinary airmail postage (usually USD10 for an item like that).

Locally only the Sea & Sea grease is generally available. That's why I asked the question.

the correct type of grease isnt that bigger deal it really isnt ... you just dont want to make a habit of it .. and have you tried phoning olympus and asking them to send you some .. they may even send it for free .. or any local retailers of the housing if there are any may have some.

:freak:

This is a good site that will help you figure out what’s compatible with your silicone o-rings.

http://www.allorings.com/compatibility.htm

Marc

...for example the Sea & Sea grease as used on the Mx-10 - also a coloured (blue) O-ring.

I use the sea & sea grease with the blue cap... is that what you have? if so it works fine with the coloured o-rings in the pt15

hth

Why take the risk on an item that costs a few dollars but if chosen incorrectly can have potentially disasterous financial consequences ?

You can order the Olympus o-ring grease from Yuzo at uwdigitalcamera.com. I've ordered from him several times now and his service is IMHO second to none. He answers all e-mails promptly. I once placed an order for a lens on a Friday and had it in my hot hands Monday morning (like him, I'm located in Asia). While he is located in Japan, you can pay by Paypal.

This is the link to his site in English:

uwdigitalcamera.com

Click on the tab marked "supplies" and you should find the genuine Olympus o-ring grease and other related supplies listed.

Cheers.

Thanks guys!

I'll try to get the real stuff asap. In the meantime if I dive before I get it I will use the Sea & Sea grease (blue cap). Once I get the real stuff I will clean the O-rings properly and then revert to using the proper Olympus grease.

Also, when cleaning the orings, be very careful to check for cuts and nicks since you don't know how the orings accumulated debris. They might have been stepped on for all you know while they were out of your possession and a nick in the oring could have disatrous results.