How long will my point-and-shoot underwater digital camera stay waterproof?

August 6, 2009 12:39 AM

How long will my point-and-shoot underwater digital camera stay waterproof?

For my work, I need to take some underwater shots (not diving, just wading in shallow water), so just picked up one of the new type of simple point-and-shoot digitals that are claimed to be waterproof to about 10 feet - the Fuji Z33WP.

It's working great in my first testing, but - and this is something that I didn't discover until reading the fine print in the manual - it seems that it may not stay waterproof. Namely: "The waterproof sealing material is replaceable at cost. The material should be replaced once a year to maintain the camera’s water resistance."

There is a nifty rubbery gasket that covers the battery/card compartment, which I imagine would degrade at some point in the future and need replacing, but 'once a year' sounds a bit iffy to me.

Does anybody have any experience with this? Will I really have to replace this annually?

posted by woodblock100 to Technology (10 answers total)

This seems to me like a disclaimer. You can expect the seals to stay waterproof for a very long time, especially if the camera is only used near the surface, so water pressure plays almost no role here. You should check the seals from time to time to see if there are cracks forming. Rinse the camera after each use and avoid leaving it in direct sunlight and it should stay waterproof for many years.
posted by cronholio at 1:12 AM on August 6, 2009

Response by poster: Yes, I'm suspicious that it may just be CYA ... but not sure. I think what I might do - considering how quickly products go off the market here (in Japan) - is see if I can pick up a few of those gaskets and save them for future use. (Although now that I think of it, those would probably degrade too ...)
posted by woodblock100 at 1:20 AM on August 6, 2009

No, they will not degrade while they are stored. UV rays, temperature changes and salt water are what makes them age.
posted by cronholio at 1:46 AM on August 6, 2009

And phyisical damage from opening and closing the door and compression while closed. I'd consider leaving the door open anytime you are storing the camera.
posted by Mitheral at 1:51 AM on August 6, 2009

Depending on what the gaskets are made out of, they might benefit from a little light lubrication.
posted by box at 4:56 AM on August 6, 2009

I wouldn't use any means of lubrication unless it came with the gaskets, there is too much risk of damage in case the materials are not compatible (I assume that's what you mean when you say it depends on what they're made of).
posted by cronholio at 5:25 AM on August 6, 2009

Response by poster: The manual says (in various places):

• Do not use any soapy water, mild detergents, alcohol or similar liquids to clean the camera. They may make the camera less resistant to water.
• Do not use alcohol, thinner, or other volatile chemicals.
• Do not store the camera in locations that are ... next to rubber or vinyl products

Just the usual common-sense stuff, I think.
posted by woodblock100 at 5:48 AM on August 6, 2009

I had one die when I forgot to rinse the salt water off after use. I'd make sure to rinse with fresh water after every use in a pool or in the ocean. Lakes and rivers, I wouldn't worry so much.
posted by Four Flavors at 10:22 AM on August 6, 2009

Judging by the warnings against detergents, etc, if the gasket feels slippery, it may have a silicone grease applied to it (common for marine waterproofing applications). When not in use, it protects the rubber from degradation, and when in use, it enhances the seal. You can buy the grease in marine stores and keep the gasket protected with it.
posted by -harlequin- at 11:23 AM on August 6, 2009

Our 1.5 year-old Vivitar camera is still water proof as of last week with no gasket changes, though I think it came with one or two extra gaskets.
posted by NortonDC at 11:43 AM on August 6, 2009