Snorkeling Camera Care – Maintenance And Cleaning Tips
Your underwater camera is the most costly part of your snorkel gear, so you want it to last for many years. As with every electronic device, photography gear needs maintenance, too. However, underwater cameras are a bit more complex, as there are before- and after-dive steps you need to pay attention to.
But don’t worry; it is not as difficult as it may initially sound. Snorkelers usually don’t use complex camera systems, so the process is pretty simple: with regular cleaning, you can keep the camera’s sealing in good condition, minimizing the risk of water damage and ensuring your device lasts the longest time possible.
In this snorkeling camera maintenance guide, we will share how we take care of our gear, which includes all types of UW cameras, including a waterproof Olympus TG model, a Canon G7XII with housing, and a GoPro action camera, which we use with and without a case. We will also explain quickly what to do in case of water damage and give you valuable tips on avoiding lens fogging.
What Type of UW Cameras Require Maintenance?
All types of snorkeling cameras require maintenance, so whether you have a compact waterproof model, a standard camera that you use in a housing, a GoPro, or even a smartphone with a waterproof cover, you need to learn how to do basic cleaning and care for it to preserve the device.
Only the process differs a bit. Suppose you have a waterproof camera without any additional case or fully sealed model (for example, one of the latest GoPros). In that case, you must clean and check the camera’s body and sealings.
Those using a regular non-waterproof digital camera in housing (or their iPhone or Android phone in a cover) must clean and examine the housing and its O-rings.
If you notice any damage, such as a tear in the sealing, crack in the housing, or damage to the O-ring, don’t take the camera underwater!
What To Check On Your Camera Before Taking It Into Water
A quick visual check-up is crucial to maintaining underwater cameras and must become a habit. This 3-step before-dive checklist will help minimize the risk of water damage!
Make sure the sealing is clean and damage-free
Any foreign objects on the seal, such as fine sand, salt particles, dust, or hair, can cause leaking. To clean the sealing, use a lint-free cloth, mini brush, air blower cleaner, or cotton swab.
Compact waterproof cameras usually have only one opening door at the battery, where you can insert the memory card. If you have a model with more doors, like a separate media card slot door, clean and check the seals individually.
If you use a camera with UW housing, you must examine the O-ring and check if all buttons function.
Check if the locking system works properly
Once you are ready with the cleaning, close the opening door while paying attention to the locking mechanism. The way cameras and housings lock varies by manufacturer and model, therefore, make sure that you know how to close the camera properly.
When unsure, consult the manual for guidance. When closing, you should usually hear a ‘clicking’ sound.
If using new underwater housing or fresh O-rings, the best thing is to test the diving case empty by putting a dry tissue inside. Submerge it to see if the paper gets wet. If not, the sealing is good, and the housing works well.
Observe the camera when submerging
After the visual check-up, you can enter the water if everything seems OK. The best practice is to enter the water from the shore or through a ladder or stairs and slowly immerse the camera while observing for leaks.
You should not jump into the water with your photo equipment in your hand, especially if you have a big system. If you need to jump from a boat, try holding the camera above your head while you jump and putting it underwater only when you have your mask on so you can watch the camera while submerging it.
You might experience moderate bubbling, but that is normal since some air will escape from the mic/speaker openings. This should last only a few seconds. If air escapes around the battery chamber door or other openings, remove the camera immediately from the water and dry it.
Tip: Attach an adjustable wrist strap to your camera to prevent losing it. A floating strap is also a great idea to keep your device from sinking to the bottom of the sea if you accidentally let it go of your hand.
Camera Cleaning After Snorkeling – Diving
After an enjoyable snorkeling session or dive, you must clean the camera or the underwater house as soon as possible.
First, rinse the camera/housing with fresh water. Use fresh water only and avoid soap and detergents. Never wipe it before rinsing because salt and sand parts can scratch the lens! If possible, fill a bucket with water and immerse the camera; rinse it thoroughly.
Press the power button to clean the sealing around it. Don’t open the battery cover of the underwater case if it is still wet. Dry it properly with a clean, soft microfiber towel or cloth. Never let it dry with water droplets on the lens because the scale will build on it!
Once dry and clean, you can open the battery compartment (or the underwater case) to remove the battery and memory card – clean foreign matters, like sand, salt, hair, etc., from the seals.
You can leave the battery door open while charging, but if you are in a place with high humidity, it is better to place a small packet of silica gel inside and close the battery cover door. Like this, the silica will absorb the moisture (see more about this below in the Camera Lens fogging part).
After Vacation Care – Deep Cleaning And Storing Tips
The underwater camera maintenance doesn’t end when your vacation finishes! How you handle your equipment when returning home from a short or long beach vacation is also important.
You need to deep-clean it to remove all stuck particles and store it correctly until subsequent use. Here is a quick best practice guide:
- Clean it thoroughly. After days of constant use, the best is to soak the camera in a bucket of water for a longer time (30-60 mins). This removes sand and salt particles that may get stuck in the tiny gaps. For cleaning, use only fresh water and a lint-free cloth. Never apply chemicals, alcohol, or anti-fog spray, as they could damage the seals.
- Dry it completely. Using a microfiber cloth, wipe off all droplets until no water spots remain. Ensure that all openings, seals, and O-rings are free of water.
- Store it at room temperature in a dry, ventilated place. Don’t leave it for long periods over 104°F (40°C) or below 14°F (-10°C).
- Remove the battery. Although it is OK to leave the battery in the camera for a week or two, remove it if you’re not planning to use it for a more extended period.
- Lubricate the O-rings. If you use an underwater housing, you must lubricate the O-rings periodically using silicone grease to keep them from drying out. Silicone helps the O-rings to form a perfect seal. The process is straightforward: put a tiny droplet of silicone grease between your index finger and thumb finger. Pull the O-ring until it becomes coated with silicone. Use only special underwater camera silicone grease for O-rings. Other lubes, like paraffin-based ones and vaseline, can cause damage. To prevent the O-ring from being compressed, dive housings should be stored unlocked when not in use, with the O-rings removed. You can place them in a ziplock bag and store them in that.
- Schedule professional maintenance. We are sure you love your equipment and take underwater camera maintenance seriously, but there are things you cannot investigate yourself. To preserve the waterproof feature (and warranty), take your camera to a certified service center to check the device and change the seals if necessary.
Tools You Will Need
When purchasing a new waterproof camera, big brands’ packages often include essential items or cleaning and maintenance. These complimentary kits usually include a cleaning cloth, mini brush, or even silicone grease.
Don’t worry if you didn’t get them. You can buy these accessories online or in camera shops for a few bucks.
See here a few useful underwater camera maintenance tools that we recommend to purchase:
Moreover, we recommend always keeping fitting O-rings with you. Don’t let a damaged seal ruin your holiday; have spare ones to change!
What Are The Risks of Not Caring for Your Snorkeling Camera?
Underwater camera maintenance ensures that the opening doors close correctly and the sealings are dirt and damage-free. Hence, the device is in perfect condition and can be safely used in the water.
Manufacturing defects are responsible for only a tiny percentage of underwater camera problems. In most cases, improper usage or lack of cleaning causes water damage; this is, in the end, the user.
When there is no manufacturing issue, the camera can leak if the openings, such as the battery door or port doors, are not closed properly or if sand, salt, and dust block the sealing.
These problems are easily preventable if you learn how to care for your equipment.
How To Travel With Your Underwater Camera?
Getting to your favorite diving or snorkeling destinations often requires air travel. Flying with a camera has potential risks; it can get easily damaged if you don’t pack it correctly. Following these easy steps can keep your gear safe and ensure a hassle-free trip for your underwater photography equipment.
Always carry your camera and the accessories in your carry-on, never in a checked bag. This is the best way to ensure they are not damaged or stolen. Ideally, use a padded camera bag for extra protection.
Although it is unnecessary, removing the battery from the camera is a good practice to eliminate the possibility that it turns on accidentally. If you can, keep the batteries separate in Lipo Safe bags. And don’t forget that batteries are not permitted to go in the hold and must be in the carry-on.
Remember not to seal it completely when you’re on the go with your underwater camera case, especially when flying. Remove the O-rings and the port, or leave the back door open to avoid any vacuum issues during the flight.
Also, it’s a good idea not to leave your camera inside the housing while you travel. Luggage can take a beating; those bumps might damage the controls or your camera.
Regulations regarding transporting electronic equipment can change, so remember to check the websites of both TSA (Transportation Security Administration) and the airline you are flying with to ensure you know the latest rules.
Things To Know About Camera Water Damage
Water, particularly salty water, is highly damaging to sensitive electronics. Sand and dirt particles in the water can block openings like the mic and speaker, and if water gets inside the camera, it results in irreversible corrosion and rust build-up on metal parts. This may not cause immediate issues but gradually leads to problems by slowly killing the internal circuitry, so errors might occur only after some time.
The chances that a camera will work after getting wet depend on how much water gets into it. For example, if you used it while surface snorkeling and there was only a tiny issue with the seal, ideally, only a few drops can enter the inside of the device; such situations can be solved by drying and cleaning the camera.
However, when it is completely flooded (for example, when used at greater depths or if the seal totally fails), the damage is usually so severe that it can’t be repaired.
What To Do In Case Of Water Damage?
If you experience any sign of leaking, immediately remove the camera from the water and turn off the power. Less time in the water means a better chance of avoiding damage. Dry it with a clean towel, and remove the memory card (even if the camera is totally damaged, at least you save your memories) and the battery.
Never dry it with a hairdryer, as heat might damage the plastic and rubber components, causing more problems. If you have silica packs, put the camera in a ziplock bag with silica packets and leave it for a few hours (even for days, depending on how severe the damage was) to absorb the water.
A DIY solution is to use rice, which works as a desiccant! Close all camera openings, put the camera in a sealable plastic bag filled with uncooked rice, and let the rice absorb the water.
If you are lucky and the amount of water that got into the device was small (I mean a few drops), the camera will work with no problem once it dries completely. However, remember that saltwater is highly damaging to fine electronics. Therefore, sending the device to an underwater camera service department for a professional investigation is best.
About UW Camera Lens Fogging – Why It Happens, How To Prevent It?
Camera lens fogging is a very common problem in hot, humid, and windy environments. It is caused by significant temperature changes, which condense the lens’s inner side and make your images blurry.
When does lens fogging happen?
- camera temperature is too high, and you suddenly put it underwater
- you moved the camera from a cold area (for example, an air-conditioned room) to a warm area (in the sun)
- the camera’s side door and/or battery compartment was opened in a high-humidity environment, and when closed, the sealing kept moisture in
What do you do if your camera fogs up?
When underwater, once the lens has fogged up, you can only wait until the temperature inside and outside equalizes and the condensation disappears. Usually, this happens within 10 minutes.
If the lens foggs up on land, leave the camera in a shady room, open the battery compartment, and let it dry out. If condensation occurs on the inner side of your underwater housing, remove the camera and dry it with a clean cloth.
Tips to prevent camera lens fogging
We know how annoying it is if the best shots of your snorkeling holiday come out blurry because of a foggy lens… Luckily, there are some easy tricks to prevent camera lens fogging!
Follow these tips to prevent camera fogging!
- First, don’t leave setting up your underwater photo equipment until the last second. Always prepare your gear in advance to avoid big temperature differences.
- Use moisture-absorbing Silica packs! These tiny desiccant packs are used by divers who regularly place them in the underwater camera housing, but they are helpful for waterproof cameras, too. While charging your battery, put a pack of silica gel inside the camera and close the battery door. It will absorb moisture so your lens won’t fog up. Remove it before placing the battery back. If you don’t find silica packs, you can use GoPro anti-fog inserts, too! These thin moisture-removing pads can be easily placed in any housing system!
- While preparing for snorkeling or diving, leave your camera in the shade, never in direct sunlight.
- Don’t turn the camera lens towards the wind. Strong wind can cool down the lens in seconds, causing instant fogging.
We hope you found our Underwater Camera Maintenance helpful guide, and our caring tips will help you keep your camera in top condition and take fantastic photos while snorkeling. Save it for yourself and share it with your like-minded friends!
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