EM1 Nauticam Housing Challenge

Hi, I have been using my EM1 Nauticam housing since mid February without a challenge. However over the past few dives I've noticed it is becoming harder to use the back lever (AEL/AFL) assigned to focus. I really have to push the lever with more than usual pressure before it engages the AEL/AFL button. And even then, it sometimes doesn't engage. It's as if the lever is too short… if that makes sense.

Has anyone else had this challenge? If so, other than return it for service, what am I able to do to fix it?

I've removed the camera, reinserted and still have the same problem

Hope someone out there is able to assist. I live on a remote island, so sending the housing back right now is not doable.

Cheers - Karn

It looks like the internal gear is not making contact with the camera controls. Open the housing and look at which gear gets in touch with the specific button. Examine if there is any grit or if the part is worn out and clean it carefully from the inside. Also check that the camera itself operates properly outside the housing

If the button has dual function rotation and push it is possible that as the internal gear wears out you loose grip a replacement of the part fixes the issue

Maybe you can post some pictures of the inside of the housing with the affected parts

Good luck

I had this issue previously with my Sea & Sea housing for Canon 5D MRK II. Now it is not an issue any more, as the remedy that fixed it is simply nudging the camera slightly until it perfectly sits on the base making sure that the gears are in contact with eachother.

Hi Karn,

As someone who actually owns the EM-1 housing or has at least looked inside the housing you already know that the AEL/AFL control has no gears and is just a simple rocking arm which should not be knocked out of alignment and is made of high quality steal which should not bend by pressing the control lever on the read door of the housing.

We have had four of these very popular housing this week at our Underwater Digital Fiesta workshop in Cozumel Mexico. They have been used on over 150 dives without any problems.

I would be looking at the alignment of the camera on the tray, i.e. properly aligning the LCD screen on the tray and making sure the tray is properly mounted into the housing with any zoom gear properly aligned. The shoulder strap mounting points (little metal triangles on the sides of the camera) can also be a problem if they bind in the housing. They should be DOWN against the camera body or they may misalign the camera when installing.

I have used this system for over 100 dives as well and I have not encounter this problem. Photo of proper install, shoulder strap mounting points down.

Hi.

I had a similar issue with my Nauticam housing for the NEX5. On the steel shafts without any gear there is usually a little black "tip" glued to the end making the contact with the camera control. In my housing one of this tips did become loose and so the button did not make contact anymore. I fixed this by glueing a short snippet of a Q-Tip stick instead and all was working properly again. Alternatively you can surely send it in to Nauticam for repair - but in case you need something quick' dirty.

Cheers.

Andy.

When I said gear I didn't mean zoom gear I meant anything inside the housing made of rubber. I would hope a person that has done 100 dives with a housing knows how to align the camera inside it. Those little parts being those button pushers rings or levers all are subject to wear and tear and can dislodge

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. I have not changed the way I align the camera into the housing - I'm very careful how I do this, but really the tray screws on the base of the camera and then slides into the housing… you can't muck that up! I noticed it was becoming harder and harder to obtain a connection with the lever to the button on the camera. I tried a little blue tack to "lengthen" the rubber on the lever - that worked for a couple of dives. Yesterday I just went back to using the 1/2 press shutter / shoot lever. I'd much prefer to use the back lever for focussing though.

Maybe the rubber on the lever has fallen off??? I also note that the lever switch that changes AEL/AFL 1 to 2 and visa versa on the rear of the camera, does not work - it just doesn't move (well it moves millimetres) but no way is it able to move the switch on the camera. I don't use it…. but if it is there, it should work.

cheers - Karen

Hi Karn,

 

As someone who actually owns the EM-1 housing or has at least looked inside the housing you already know that the AEL/AFL control has no gears and is just a simple rocking arm which should not be knocked out of alignment and is made of high quality steal which should not bend by pressing the control lever on the read door of the housing.

 

We have had four of these very popular housing this week at our Underwater Digital Fiesta workshop in Cozumel Mexico. They have been used on over 150 dives without any problems.

 

I would be looking at the alignment of the camera on the tray, i.e. properly aligning the LCD screen on the tray and making sure the tray is properly mounted into the housing with any zoom gear properly aligned. The shoulder strap mounting points (little metal triangles on the sides of the camera) can also be a problem if they bind in the housing. They should be DOWN against the camera body or they may misalign the camera when installing.

 

I have used this system for over 100 dives as well and I have not encounter this problem. Photo of proper install, shoulder strap mounting points down.

Thanks Phil for your image as a sample. I've place the camera into the housing exactly as you have…. been using the camera since February and all has been fine until this week diving on Christmas Island. It's as if the rubber on the lever has fallen off and it is now too short. Perhaps you could also confirm whether the AEL/AFL 1 & 2 lever actually does work? Because mine definitely doesn't. I note the slot is there inside the housing the align with the lever on the camera… but when you try to move the lever on the housing it just doesn't move at all.

Cheers - Karen (least I spelt my name correctly this time!)

Hi all... I finally found out why I was having the challenges with the AEL/AFL lever not enabling the focussing. After contacting Nauticam who promptly returned an email expressing their concern with my challenge, I sent them images of inside the housing. It turns out that a tiny silver pin on the lever had worked its way loose and was poking up beyond where it should have been.

A quick fix... pushed it down back into place and now everything is as it should be.

Great service and KUDOS to Nauticam for their assistance.

Cheers - Karen

Your post prompted me to have a look at the record lever on my NA-EM5 housing which I use for auto focus when shooting macro. I note Karen that you have upgraded to an EM1, however the pin on mine was also sticking out a fraction so thanks for the heads up!

Give my regards to Dieter.

Eden

Hi all... I finally found out why I was having the challenges with the AEL/AFL lever not enabling the focussing. After contacting Nauticam who promptly returned an email expressing their concern with my challenge, I sent them images of inside the housing. It turns out that a tiny silver pin on the lever had worked its way loose and was poking up beyond where it should have been.

 

A quick fix... pushed it down back into place and now everything is as it should be.

 

Great service and KUDOS to Nauticam for their assistance.

 

Cheers - Karen

Could you please share the photo and point out which pin is the culprit.

Hi Eden, glad my challenge has been of assistance.

Cheers - Karen

Your post prompted me to have a look at the record lever on my NA-EM5 housing which I use for auto focus when shooting macro. I note Karen that you have upgraded to an EM1, however the pin on mine was also sticking out a fraction so thanks for the heads up!

 

Give my regards to Dieter.

 

Eden

I'm embarrassed to say I have deleted the image Otherwise I would have posted. When looking at the inside of the housing where the AEL/AFL lever is, there is a pin right in the middle of the lever. Mine had moved upwards which then jammed the other lever from moving the AEL/AFL to either position 1 or 2. Hope this makes sense.

Could you please share the photo and point out which pin is the culprit.

I had this problem last night with my E-M1 housing. Having seen it here, I was able to quickly diagnose the problem. In my case, the pin was sticking up far enough to also prevent the AE 1/2 lever from functioning. Looking at the area with a magnifying glass I noticed a small amount of 'black stuff' on the pin. It looked like it might have been a bit of sealer similar to what's on all the set screws in that area. Maybe they put a drop on the top of the pin to keep it in place. If so, it didn't work and it looks like this may be becoming a pervasive problem. Maybe someone who hasn't had the problem could check to see if there is, in fact, a bit of sealer on the top of the pin.

I have to wonder: 1) Why did the pin push up in the first place? 2) What's to keep it from pusing up again?

Of course, after pushing the pin back down, I said to myself, "Damn, I should have taken a picture of this". Next time.

Bob W

Here is a picture that shows where the pin was sticking up into the gear.

Bob W

Used the camera today. When I opened the housing to turn off the leak detector and take out the SD card I checked the pin. Yep, it had worked its way up again. Fortunately, I had no focusing problems, but the pin wasn't quite as high up as the last time. Tomorrow I'll see what the pros have to say about it.

Bob W

I have been wondering what you learned from Nauticam about this issue and what they suggest as a more long-term fix.

Any update?

I have been wondering what you learned from Nauticam about this issue and what they suggest as a more long-term fix.

 

Any update?

I took the housing to Reef Photo the next day. The tech reseated the pin, perhaps pressing it a little further down into the block than I had. He said that if it did it again he'd look at replacing the assembly. I have not had a chance to test it out again. A report was sent to Nauticam, along with the picture.

It would be interesting to know how many others, besides KarenW and myself, have experienced this problem. If you have, please add a reply to this topic.

Also, no one has replied as to whether or not they see a little dab of black sealer on the top of the block that the pin is set into. In my 1st post I reported that I saw what appeared to be a bit of sealer on the elevated pin. I've considered putting a dot of Locktite over the pin hole.

Bob W