On-going problems with SeaLife DC500 U/W Camera

Hi there, Bubbles hubbie here with a query,

About 18 months ago my wife brought me a brand-new ultra-expensive SeaLife DC500 U/W camera with all the trappings (flash, waterproof housing, wide-angle lens etc). Have used it twice so far (Maldives 2006, Jamaica 2007) and had intermittent problems with it. It takes v good (for a beginner!) u/w photos but have had several technical problems.
Basically it suffers from two frustrating faults. Firstly, the camera itself seems to suffer from a kind of intermittent seizure, where the whole camera locks itself (usually just after a photos has been taken, you can see it in the viewfinder but it won't clear and none of the buttons will respond). This has happened loads of times, both u/w and also when have been experimenting with it on dry land. The recommended solution (as provided by the shop we brought it from, Cameras Underwater, in Devon) is to open the battery cover and take the battery out, wait 2 minutes then put back in and start up again to clear the fault. Yes, I do agree that this does clear the fault when it happens on dry land, but is impossible to do underwater! Also it is impossible to predict when it will strike, particularly when you have a very rare Quinny Fin Blenny in front of you at 20m in Discovery Bay, Jamaica, and no working camera.
The other intermittent problem it suffers with, and this usually only happens when you switch it on after a period of no use or re-charging, is that when you switch it on to take a photo for the first time, starts up OK but when you press the 'shutter' button on top, it tells you that the battery is flat (even though it is registering 'full' battery!) and immediately switches itself off! This will happen a few times but if you persevere with it, then eventually it will click in and start behaving itself.

I have sent my camera back to the original shop, Cameras Underwater, in Devon at least twice, but each time they have just said that it has been impossible to re-create the fault, and that they couldn't find anything wrong with the camera! I however, given that they recommend you lubricate the casings 'O'-ring regularly (the official instructions say DO NOT lubricate, and when we spoke to the original manufacturer in the US they confirmed not to lubricate!), do not have that much confidence in them.
We have tried writing to the US about this problem, they helped us out with the 'O'-ring query but have not replied to these software/electronic issues.

This is supposed to be one of the best beginner U/W cameras on the market and recommended by 'Which' yet these software/electronic problems are a real bug-bear. Has anybody out there had a similar experience or got any ideas/solutions? Should we try to contact the US again although I am concerned if we are able to send it back to America without it being ruinously expensive.

Thanks for listening

Bubbles-

Sorry to hear about the problems you've been having. I think you got a bum camera.

I have the DC600 and I think that dollar-for-dollar it's one of the best cameras out there. I have never experienced the seizure issue you speak of, which is why I think your particular unit is faulty. As long as it's still under warranty I would demand a replacement.

As for the second issue about turning it on after prolonged down time, I do have one suggestion I have learned the hard way with one of my other digital cameras. Take the battery out when the camera is not in use. They have a tendency to discharge over time which can destroy the battery. My Sony DSC-3 was behaving exactly the same way you described. I replaced the battery at ridiculous cost and it started doing the same thing within a couple of months. When I bought the third battery, the guy at the camera shop finally told me not to leave the battery in the camera.

Good Luck.

Mountain Dog

Dear Mountain Dog

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Unfortunately the camera is no longer under warranty :( It only came with one years worth and although it went back and forth several times during that year, they never offered to replace it only look at it. Perhaps we should have been more forceful...
Now I am not sure what we can do, although I will try and talk to the US about it but the best alternative may be just to buy another camera!.

Concerning the battery no I do not take it out when not in use but will definitely do so in the future. Have you any recommendations on how to store it to prolong battery life as they are very expensive in the UK

Thanks once again

Even though the warranty has expired, you began chasing this problem before that point. It seems to me that you should still be able to get a warranty replacement. I would get very forceful about it and demand a replacement camera. You spent good money on the rig and this is clearly not an acceptable situation. Any camera shop that sells underwater cameras should understand that ejecting the battery to reboot the camera is NOT an acceptable solution below sea level. They need to make good on this deal.

As for battery storage, the best bet is to fully charge it after use, then eject it and keep it with the camera. The DC600 comes with a leather carry case that has a seperate little pocket just for the battery. They do discharge over time, so if it sits for a while be sure to top off the charge before you giant stride.

Mountain Dog

Thanks for the tip, I will get in touch with Cameras Underwater and pursue the matter with them. You are right, this problem has gone on for some time, it's not even if I use the camera that often - we only have one dive holiday a year. Other than that it's all above the level of the ocean! And they certainly should have a long record of my complaints!

Re the battery, I've had a look in the travel case and there isn't a specific battery-case (unlike the one you describe) but fortunately I had a spare plastic container in which the SD memory chip came and this fits the battery OK. Thanks!

Save yourself a lot of greif. Order a new identical camera, put the old one in the box and return it. Now you will have a new working camera that you originally paid for. I know it is not the "right" way to do things, but it sounds like you have been burned and need some way to make things right.

I agree with mountaindog on this, since the problems began while the camera was under warranty and were never resolved to your satisfaction, these problems should still be covered. I would suggest contacting the manufacturer directly and submitting copies of all your paperwork showing where you submitted the camera for repairs under warranty. Ace's suggestion might work, but you have to hope that no one will think to match the serial numbers on the box with what is on the camera.

FWIW, I went through a similar experience with a Sony TV and was able to finally get a replacement almost a year after the original warranty had expired; I simply showed the documentation where the set kept getting sent back in for the same problem.

Bubbles,

On your behalf, I just got off the phone directly with SeaLife about your camera.

They agreed to take care of your camera problems for you. They would like you to send it in directly to them.

I am going to PM you this afternoon with all the pertinent info. Afterwards, let us know how it all went, as we'd like to let everyone know that they really stood behind their product.

Gosh THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH for doing this for us. We will look out for the personal PM from you. Please tell us any reference number or person's contact name we need to quote and we will send it off this weekend. It is sooooooooooo kind of you to help us and get involved - we really appreciate it! :) :) :) :)

Off course we will let you know how it went.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Publisher

Bubbles,

On your behalf, I just got off the phone directly with SeaLife about your camera.

They agreed to take care of your camera problems for you. They would like you to send it in directly to them.

I am going to PM you this afternoon with all the pertinent info. Afterwards, let us know how it all went, as we'd like to let everyone know that they really stood behind their product.

---

Nice work. Sealife has a good reputation and their response doesn't surprise me at all.

However, Bubbles, in the future I think you should go to a different camera shop. If they had done what The Publisher did in the first place, you would have had a new camera in your hands a long time ago. That they sent you out of their shop with a malfunctioning camera and instructions to eject the battery to fix the issue is inexcusable. Spend your money someplace else.

Mountain Dog

Totally agree with you but Cameras Underwater are the main dealer selling these cameras in the UK. Am hoping we will now be able to deal with sealife direct - thanks to the help of Publisher - who we are sooooooooooo greatful too. I will keep you all posted about what happens. Have just picked up the pm from publisher and will be acting on it. Thanks again Publisher. :)

Membership DOES have it's benifits!!!

Hi there, just thought you might like an update.

We have been in direct touch with SeaLife cameras in the US, and they are going to send us a job or purchase order number + an address to snail-mail the camera to. Hopefully that should arrive tomorrow!

Stay tuned

Chris and Ingrid