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Ewa Tips & TricksHow deep can I dive with these waterproof cases?For the average camera / camcorder the following depths have been tested:Camcorder Cases = max. 10m / 30 feet Compact Camera Case = max. 10m / 30 feet SLR-Manual Cases = max. 15m / 45 feet SLR-AF-Cases = max. 20-50m / 60-150 feet (depending on the model, as per our typesheet) The depths given are maximum figures, which should not be exceeded. The protective case will not start leaking at greater depths, but the handling of the camera / camcorder will restricted. As the water-pressure increases, the foil wraps around the camera like a skin. Due to this, the foil can start to press the start / record button, other buttons or even stop the tape from moving (in the case of camcorders). Stop the descent immediately! As you go back towards the surface, the pressure decreases and all should go back to normal. Do I have to remove excess air from the camera case? In accordance with the law of physics according to Boyle-Mariotte (pressure x volume = constant) the volume of air in the housing (just as that in the lungs, diving jacket and the air inclusions in the diving suit) decreases as you descend under water. The air is pressed into the camera / camcorder. As we want the pressure inside the housing to be the same as the surrounding pressure, we have to start the dive with a suitable amount of air inside the housing. The foam pads supplied with the housing are part of this air "reservoir". In the case of the U-A, U-AX and U-AXP additional air can be blown into the housing to ensure, that the maximum potential volume is being utilized. On the other hand, if you only want to snorkel, you might want the housing to handle relatively neutral in the water.... Tip: If you want to snorkel or film on the beach, remove all excess air. If you want to go diving, ensure that there is enough air depending on your expected dive depth. How can I operate the protected equipment in the flexible waterproof case? The zoom and record / shutter buttons can be operated from the outside on all housings. In some cases we have fitted a "finger" into the housing to allow you to reach a control better. Any controls that you can not reach should be set to automatic or switched off. What do I need the AV110 and the C-AF adapter for? The auto-focus adapter AV110 (included from factory with all U-A, U-AX, U-AXP and U-AZ waterproof camera cases) is bolted into the tripod mount of the camera and is used to maintain a pre-determined distance between the camera body and the front port of the housing. The one end is bolted onto the camera and the clear poly-carbonate ring is clicked onto the outside of the inner frame of the front port. The AV110 function is to ensure that the water pressure can not press against the lens. This is extremely important in the case of externally focusing lenses, as the pressure would change the pre-selected settings of the lens and stop operation of the auto-focus. Unfortunately the AV also hinders you from adjusting lens settings(zoom etc.) while underwater. These settings have to be pre-selected. On the other hand, if you would like to make pictures above water or are only using fully internally focusing lenses, we can also recommend the C-AF-adapter set. (the C-AF is standard with all U-F... series housings as well as C-AF and C-AFX) The C-AF is used in place of the AV-110 and screws directly into the filter thread of the lens. It is then clicked directly into the front port. The special rotating ring allows the lens to turn while securely docked into the front port. In most cases, the zoom on externally focusing lenses can now be adjusted inside a housing of the U-A... series by gently pulling or pushing on the front port. (But only above water!!) Can I still use the microphone? The sound will be transmitted through the foil. There will be a certain loss in quality against the use outside the housing. The sound will be somewhat muffled. If you need perfect sound, while protecting your valuable asset, please enquire as to our cable outlet for up to 4 cables, for an absolutely waterproof camcorder case of this type. What maintenance does the housing require? There is no need to apply a special lotion or other chemical agent to the housing at regular intervals (on the contrary, this could cause damage, depending on its chemical properties!) After use in salt water, all that has to be done, is to rinse the housing in clear, fresh water at the end of the day. After returning home at the end of your holiday, a drop of regular machine oil onto the screws of the closing rail can be recommended. As you know, salt water is a very aggressive environment for any material: so just rinse it off and dry the housing. That's all. Do not expose the housing to direct sunlight for extended periods of time. A greenhouse effect will develop inside the housing and that is something that will do neither camera, film or housing any good. Cover it with your towel. With regards to long term storage, keep the housing in a dark, dry place and do not flatten it by putting other things on top of the housing. Folds in the material, and/or extreme fluctuations of temperature together with the time factor can start microscopic cracks forming in the foil. So, store its loosely and put a piece of foam into the opening to allow the air to circulate. Are these flexible camera cases really waterproof? All our camera cases are absolutely water-tight. We have been manufacturing this kind of housing since 1970. If they weren't perfectly safe and waterproof it is unlikely that we would have survived this long as the leading manufacturer of waterproof protection for cameras and have sold over 850,000 units world wide. The foil is formed and welded on special machines, some of which have been tailor made for our products. Every single housing is subjected to a series of rigorous tests before being made ready for shipping. All products are manufactured in our factory in Kirchheim near Munich, Germany. Quality "Made in Germany". Each time before taking the housing into the water you should conduct your own test. Who knows if the unit has not been damaged by negligence, vibrations during transport, etc. since you last used it? Just close the empty case with as much air as possible, submerge it completely under water and apply additional pressure. If it has a puncture, you will see bubbles rising from the hole, if not, all is well and ready for action. As the internal and external pressure are always the same in the flexible housings, (the air inside the housing gets compressed as you dive), a housing that is waterproof at 1 ft. will also remain waterproof up to 100 ft and more. NOTE: There is a groove at the rear of the closing rail. As you submerge the housing bubbles will escape from this groove. This should last for about 1/2 minute before coming to an end. This phenomena is normal and has nothing to do with whether the housing is waterproof or not. What is the "Silica-Gel" supposed to be good for? Air, especially warm air in the vicinity of water, contains moisture. This moisture gets caught in the case when you install your camera or camcorder. When you enter the cooler water, this moisture will appear as drops of condensation on the front port, the lens or on the body of the camera. This phenomena can be eliminated by adding a "silica-gel" drying agent into the housing. The more humid the air, the more you will need. Add the sachets and close the housing about 15-20 minutes before diving to give chemicals time to act. Our CD-5, "camera dry" is supplied as standard with all video and SLR-housings. The moisture will change the colour of the crystals from blue to pink, when saturated. They can be dried again in the sun or with a hair dryer. This process can be repeated 4-5 times. How durable are these cases and what kind of life expectancy do they have? That depends entirely on the user... Although our products generally have no moving parts, you will expose them to a very aggressive environment. A little tender love and care will be well rewarded and give you many years of pleasure. Don't just throw the waterproof camera case into your garage, cellar or attic after you've returned home! If you've been in salt water, please rinse the housing with (luke warm) fresh water at the end of the day. Put a drop of oil onto the thread of the closing rail screw before putting it back into storage. And, be careful of sharp coral, wrecks, diving knifes, nails and splinters sticking out of the jetty. We regularly meet people at shows who still own and happily use housings from our first year of manufacturing these products. Model year 1970. How long will you be using your waterproof camera case? Is it possible to repair a housing if it should get damaged? In most cases we are able to repair any damage caused by wear and tear as well as force. (No repair will be possible, if an attempt has been made to glue the housing. Glue damages the molecular structure irreversibly. In case of an emergency only the use of silicon glue may be used to seal the housing provisionally.) Please send the damaged housing to the following address with a note explaining the problem. In case of shipments from outside the EU, mark the parcel "damaged goods for repair by manufacturer" and state a value of US$ 1,-- or Euro 1,-- for custom purposes. Also include payment for the return shipment or your UPS, DHL or FedEx customer account number.
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