flood contingency plan?

I am curious how others are handling this situation. I have a DSLR (Fuji S2) in a fairly form-fitting Subal Housing. I have to accept that one of these days despite best efforts an errant piece of sand or inattention or whatever may cause the dreaded camera flood. Yes its insured but the problem is, will the camera the housings' made to accommodate be able to accommodate the S3? Or its follow-on if I can prevent flooding that long? Unlike the long stability of film bodies, digital designs aren't stable so the housing can become obselete for a person who succeeds to stave off a flood for a few years. I am wondering if most S2 housings can also accommodate the S3 which is said to be a bit thicker and rounder and some functions in different places?

Or are most folks in this situation investing in second bodies of like kind, just in case? Or is everyone rich enough to just replace the housing, if the digital camera bites the dust?

Glo

I know that s*** happens. But I don't think one should assume that eventually their housing will flood.

Other than for design errors e.g. the Olympus PT 015 housing, I don't read about many floods and, while insured, I don't expect one myself.

Also, when my PT 015 flooded, H2O paid to replace both the housing and the camera. At that time, the design defect had not been identified and I took the position that, since I did nothing wrong and the housing leaked, that it would be foolish to put another camera in the housing i.e. the dog gets one bite.

Buy a second camera while the going is good! If you wait a little while after the camera is first sold, you can often get them at a very good price. But the fast transition between one digital model and the next is certainly a pain when it comes to buying and keeping housings. I bought two CP5000s for this reason. The CP5400 is subtly different and won't fit in the Subal CP5000 housing.

TimG -

Yes, this seems to be the solution when having a camera along adds a large measure of fun and interest. The camera (which I like) is expensive but the housing even more so. I'm taking the best care re cleaning o-rings, grooves and such that I know how to - yet on the second day of a recent trip, 'had a small (thankfully non-damaging) leak with the camera sitting in a couple inches of fresh water. Made me realize that despite best efforts and attentiveness, xxxx can still happen.

I'm thinking best strategy is to start monitoring ebay and boards for sales on the heels of the follow-on (S3) coming out. The only remaining question is how an insurer (mine's DEPP) would handle the situation of someone remedying the situation from their own pre-positioned "stocks" as it were. (When I called them with this question, I received a somewhat ambiguous answer about it being subject to negotiation with an adjustor (unless the housing itself were found to be at fault in which case it too would be eligible for replacement.)

Anyway thanks for replying -- I just wondered how others who love having cameras on their dives were handling this dilemma. Digital has many advantages but for those investing in u/w housings (none of which are cheap) the body design instability is a real drawback.

Glo

Gloria I have been seeing more and more people that are starting to get rid of their S2's. I know you will be able to pick one up in ebay without too much trouble. Sorry, I didn't hear from you sooner.

Tony

If you like the quality of the photos you get with your current lens/camera/housing get a second body. Lenses will be available forever and if you don't have pixel envy then you should be fine for as long as the shutter will last.

BVA

I think it would ne unwise to buy a second DLSR body (at great expense and with guaranteed depreciation) on the basis that you won't be able to replace your camera post flood. Check any reasonably popular camera from 5 years ago on ebay and there should be plenty to choose from. I broke my powershot G1 a year ago and keep meaning to replace it - the longer I procrastinate, the cheaper it gets! It's now down to 5-10% of initial purchase price.

There are other reasons to carry a second camera body, but I'm not convinced this is one of them.

From now on, I will not go on a trip without two camera bodies. That of course doesn't answer the question 100%. If you do flood one, I think there is a VERY high chance you will be able to find Fuji S2's either new or used for quite some time. With the Dan policy, they cut you a check, and you can buy used if you want. That's what I did - well, I bought new on Ebay...

Cheers

James

Two SLR/n's are going to cost you a bit!

As a fully paid up member of the flooded camera club I have to agree with James.

If you compare the cost of a spare body to the overall cost of setting your rig up and getting yourself & it to a location for a few days of shooting it begins to look like a pretty cheap option. It get's even better when you look at the convenience of using the spare as your topside unit.

Once you have spent the first day of a big trip going #*?>!! and the rest of it dwelling on what could have been you will certainly agree.

Just my thoughts.

Peter

Thanks all for the consideration on this.

My close call and seeing how easily it can happen, causes me despite the cost to lean towards James' and several others' same idea of traveling with two camera bodies. (One can be the Land camera unless/until duty calls.) Peace of mind alone is worth a lot, against the potential of losing photoing ability early on a visit to some expensive-to-get-to gorgeous reef in outer West Cupcake.

Gloria

I flooded my D100 in may 2004 and was very bummed out that i could not shoot more pics that trip. I am thinking of getting another body to bring along so i won't be out of luck on a trip again.

the expense of missing some great pics far out ways the cost of a new body. I kinda think that technology evolves so fast that our digital cameras, computers etc are almost a disposable item that needs to be upgraded eery 2-4 years. Happy Diving

Dan -

how did your housing flood again? didnt you have your glove stuck between the two halves? we'd like to hear again how that happened.

your friend,

Mike. )

Talking floods - the one area that worries me most is the fresh water rinse tank. I have seen far more floods in these (post-dive) than anywhere else.

Many photographers just hand their camera up from the water to the crew - who may grab it, loosen a port or something, and i floods (I've seen that this year with a housing on its second dive).

Others leave there camera in the fresh water for the boat ride home - and I have seen floods from seals disturbed during boat travel.

Finally I have seen floods in the rinse tank when an o ring hasn't seated properly and survived the dive, but the pressure release of coming up at the end of the dive and moved it further and it floods in the rinse tank.

I also know a couple of photographers who have made several thousand dives with cameras and have never had a flood (even some with Nikonoses).

I don't know what others think but I reckon that the Nikonos was far more succeptable to flooding that housings. I would be interested in collecting some data on the number of floods made with particular systems and how many floods people have experienced to see if any trends appear.

Alex

My Nexus housing flooded in May during a dive trip with my trusted dive buddy and side kick Ross. I did not see that the external gasket on the under side of the case hd partially peeled off and folded into the case. Of course my dive buddy and mentor Mike Starbuck was quick to point out that if i had an Ikelite case i would have seen this. In any case when i entered the water massive amounts of air bubbles exited the case. And I thought that is unusual. Needless to say the camera and lens were toast. I got a nice ins check from H20 though. So all is well in the end.