Sounds obvious, doesn’t it, but even the most experienced professional will occasionally forget to check for grit or sand in the O-ring as they race to get into the water to film something passing, such as a whale or turtle. Ninety-nine per cent of the time it’s okay, but at one point or another, that little bit of sand is going to let in water. Probably not much, but any water at all has the potential to get onto the lens or into the very delicate electronics. Video cameras and modern electronics have a horrible intolerance to water and salt. So without question, before the start of your diving day, have a routine of pre-dive checks and repeat them every time you open the housing.

Batteries

Did you put your camera and light batteries on charge, and are they at high enough capacity to last the duration of your diving? It is always a good idea to charge all batteries overnight, long before your dive. If any battery will not last a whole day, then carry at least one spare for that device.

Dirt

Is your lens clean and the inside of your port free from dust and hairs, etc.? To clean either, first gently blow away any visible debris. This is best done with a gentle squirt from a can of photographic compressed air. You can lightly blow with your mouth, but if you do, make sure it is free from any spittle. Next, gently wipe the surface with a good quality lens cloth, or a clean soft cotton hanky. Lastly, give the lens and port one more gentle squirt of air. If either is greasy, use a good quality lens cleaning liquid and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Ports are mostly made of plastic and will scratch easily if rubbed too hard.

Memory cards and hard drives

Whether you are using a memory card or your camera’s hard drive, make sure you have downloaded previous material onto a laptop or other storage device and that you have plenty of space for the next video session. Regular formatting of your card or drive is recommended over just deleting files, as this will make more space for new data to be written perfectly and will help stop card or drive corruption. Formatting is preferred over deletion, as your device will then overwrite old material as needed, rather than delete all of it straight away. So, in the event of losing your downloaded files, some of your older material may survive on your memory card.

It is also advisable not to use the same card for more than one device, as this can damage file structure and lead to storage media corruption. If this happens, the card or drive has to be replaced.

It is heartbreaking to go into the water with only a short amount of time left on your card because, as luck would have it, that will be the time a dolphin decides to come and play with you for an hour, or you find you are swimming with two mating turtles. In addition, should you have a leak, then not only will you lose your camera but also all the wonderful material you shot on your previous dives.

O-rings

O-rings are incredibly cheap compared to the overall cost of a camera. They are crucial to keeping the water out of your electronics and optics. Action cameras are pretty well foolproof against flooding. However, it does happen and this is usually down to operator error. If the camera is in a housing, make sure the O-rings are clean and free from sand or grit. A plastic guitar plectrum is the ideal tool for removing one, as it will not tear or damage it. Take the O-ring out and clean it gently between your fingers, also making sure the groove in which it sits is free of dirt. Blue paper cloth is useful for cleaning and is often available in dive centres and on dive boats.

Inspect the O-ring for any damage such as deterioration, cracks or nicks. Generally, if it is black, then it will need a small amount of silicone grease to lubricate it. Do not put on too much, as this will decrease the O-ring’s efficiency and may cause leaking. Just put a small amount of grease between your finger and thumb and then gently pull and roll the O-ring through to make sure of even coverage. When finished, it should have just a light sheen. This type of O-ring is mostly found on lights as well as more professional housings.

If the O-ring is orange, red or white, then the general rule is to not apply grease, as this may well deform it and cause a leak. Simply roll and slide it across your tongue to feel if there is any grit present, and at the same time your spit will be sufficient lubrication.

Before doing either of the above, make sure you read the manufacturer’s notes to see if the supplied O-ring needs lubrication or not.

Having re-seated the seal into the housing, close the port, making sure it pushes the O-ring firmly into place without trapping it. A pinched, twisted or trapped O-ring in the lid will let water into your housing.

Many action cameras are waterproof in their own right and so have no additional housing. For these cameras, there still may be a port to access the memory card and battery. Here the O-rings are usually flat and not removable. They also will not need lubrication, but do make sure they are clean and undamaged.

Whether your camera is old or new, it is important to have spare O-rings with you at all times. Action camera O-rings are very sturdy, but it is always possible for damage or loss to occur. Whatever camera I am using, I always make sure I have at least two spare O-rings on hand.

Make sure your housing is closed properly, that all the catches work easily and smoothly and are locked in place so they won’t be accidentally snagged and opened while underwater. If you feel some resistance to the catch closing, then it probably means the O-ring is not seated fully and is trapped and being pinched. Do not force it. Open the case and check all is clear.

NEXT WEEK:

Part 5 of 6 –  Filming Techniques 

Action Camera Underwater Video Basics by Jeff Goodman is available now from DIVEDUP Publications:
https://www.divedup.com/shop/action-camera-underwater-video-basics-the-essential-guide-to-making-underwater-films/

About Jeff Goodman

Precise buoyancy control is essential to taking good underwater video. Unlike taking a photo, where the image is captured in a fraction of a second, video shooting requires that you hold the camera steady on the subject for a number of seconds or minutes. It is important to be able to hover, without finning, for long periods in one place and at any depth. The hover needs to be steady so as to minimise any possible body and camera movement. While usually in the horizontal position, it is often necessary to hover in the vertical, as when filming at a coral or cliff face.

Buoyancy control is an important part of diver training and should not be overlooked. It is crucial for camera work as well as for comfortable diving with minimal expenditure of energy and breathing gas. An added bonus to this is if you are relaxed and able to move slowly and surely then most wildlife around you will also relax and not hurry away.

Although buoyancy control training is down to a dive instructor who will give all the advice and knowledge needed for safe and comfortable diving, I will explain what works for me. My buoyancy drill changes slightly depending on where I am and under what conditions I am filming. In normal circumstances I set my buoyancy in the standard way. If I breathe in deeply I slowly go up and if I exhale, I slowly go down. But if I know I am to be filming on the seabed in a current or surge, then I like to slightly over-weight myself so as to be able to stay on the bottom with minimum effort. I then make small adjustments to my buoyancy with my BCD and compensate as needed, making sure I let air out as I surface to control my rate of ascent.

If you have difficulty remaining horizontal, ask an instructor about trim weights that can be distributed in different parts of a BCD rather than carrying all of it around your waist on a belt.

Being on the bottom is not always a good idea. Think about the silt or sand you may kick up and hence ruin the visibility. Other divers near you won’t be too pleased either.

NEXT WEEK:

Part 4 of 6 – Pre-Dive Equipment Checks

Action Camera Underwater Video Basics by Jeff Goodman is available now from DIVEDUP Publications:
https://www.divedup.com/shop/action-camera-underwater-video-basics-the-essential-guide-to-making-underwater-films/

About Jeff Goodman

Jeff is a multiple award-winning freelance TV cameraman/filmmaker and author. Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world’s oceans and their conservation that hold his passion, with over 10,000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and as author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the Underwater Action Camera course for the RAID training agency.

Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment, and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life. He has witnessed, first-hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time.

Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.