ColinMunro 0 Posted June 15, 2009 I've just spent the past couple of days shooting basking sharks off the tip of cornwall, shooting video on a Z1 in a Gates housing. The weather was typical for this part of the world. Sunshine, cloud, rain squalls and big rolling swell. We were working out of a small (5 metre) Zodiac, so everything was on deck the whole time at sea, about 10 hours each day. On the second morning I was going through my kit setup when I noticed the end of the viewfinder appeared to have melted. The small LCD screen was corrugated with large spots of dead pixels, and the little spring loaded 'lip' that locks the removeable eyepiece in place looked as if someone had taken a cigarette lighter to it. It was so distorted it would not move. After going through all the unlikely scenarios of some mysterious corrosive substance somehow landing on only the viewfinder during the night, and discounting them I am left with the only plausible explanation being that sunlight occasionally shining through the housing viewfinder had been focussed by the housing viewfinder optic - rather like a magnifying glass - creating sufficient heat to melt the plastic. Although I can think of no other explanation I still find it hard to believe. This wasn't focussed intense tropical sunshine, this was the housing sitting in a tub in the bottom of a small, bouncy boat on a big sea with overcast skies and occasional outbreaks of sunshine. We all know about being careful to keep direct sunshine off lens ports, but viewfinders? If anyone else has experienced this problem I'd be very interested to know about it. I'll try and post some pics soon. Colin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimonSpear 65 Posted June 15, 2009 Sounds very strange Colin. I can't honestly think that it would have been focused sunlight that caused the damage. The only associated problems I've ever had in the UK were with Polycarbonate(?) housings overheating when left on deck or in a RIB, but that's more of a fogging issue especially with a warm housing going into cold water. What you describe sounds very weird - I guess it would require a constant directed beam which sounds unlikely. Cheers, Simon P.S how were the Baskers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted June 15, 2009 Colin that is a VERY old problem that still catches many people. As long as you have a magnified VF, you run that risk of light being focused onto the LCD. That's why many newer housings have built-in shades. The thing is you don't even need direct sunlight for it to happen with a magnifier. ALWAYS cover up your VF. I fried my ancient VX1000 13 years ago that way because someone lifted my towel on the VF and it caught just 15 minutes of incidental rays. If you read your manual, it'll be written in there somewhere NOT to expose the VF to direct sunlight. Sorry you had to find out the hard way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMunro 0 Posted June 15, 2009 Thanks for the feedback guys. An expensive lesson indeed! I was simply surprised that such intermittent and relatively low levels of light would do so much damage. The vf could only have been catching direct sunlight for seconds at a time. But not only was the viewfinder damaged, the plastic casing around melted. See pic attached. Hi Simon, the baskers were good. We had one on its own thats was travelling, and a group of three (one large and two smaller) that were feeding and very relaxed around us. The weather was not ideal, with a fair chop on top of the swell but vis was ok. First pic has just been uploaded on to the front page of my site. www.colinmunrophotography.com. I'll be adding more within the site over the next few days. Colin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimonSpear 65 Posted June 15, 2009 (edited) Ah well there you go. Drew jumps in and I'm talking crap again. Oh well The Baskers sound great Colin! Had a call last week when a boat out of Newquay apparently had 15 or so around it. Now I just need to work out a way to travel from London to Cornwall in under 15 mins! Cheers, Simon edit - Colin just looked at the pic on the front page...jeez what was the vis? That looks spectacular! Edited June 15, 2009 by SimonSpear Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMunro 0 Posted June 15, 2009 Ah well there you go. Drew jumps in and I'm talking crap again. Oh well The Baskers sound great Colin! Had a call last week when a boat out of Newquay apparently had 15 or so around it. Now I just need to work out a way to travel from London to Cornwall in under 15 mins! Cheers, Simon edit - Colin just looked at the pic on the front page...jeez what was the vis? That looks spectacular! Hi Simon vis was good, but not spectacular. maybe 8 metres. porthkerris divers are running trips from falmouth area this week I know. However, with the S'westerlies we've been having the south coast is not great at the moment. If you can get round to the northern side of Land's End - St Just to St Ives, there seems to be a few that are hanging around there at the moment. We found the same group of three in almost exactly the same area over a couple of days Cheers Colin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeanB 19 Posted June 15, 2009 Ah well there you go. Drew jumps in and I'm talking crap again. Oh well Awww come on Simon you can't be expected to know everything... Dive safe DeanB Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted June 15, 2009 Thanks for the feedback guys. An expensive lesson indeed! I was simply surprised that such intermittent and relatively low levels of light would do so much damage. The vf could only have been catching direct sunlight for seconds at a time. But not only was the viewfinder damaged, the plastic casing around melted. See pic attached. Ah well Colin. I learnt the basic physics of magnifying lenses by starting camp fires and burning my name on pieces of paper as a kid at summer camps. Later I used the same method to disfigure tree logs to profess undying love at 13. It is because of such life lessons that I knew to always cover up any lenses outdoors. But I guess being in the UK with the 3 weeks of real sunlight, that sort of thing isn't as easy to learn. It really doesn't take much sunlight to do it. Focused energy is pretty destructive on sensitive LCD. You said you were out for 10 hours... all you need is about 2 minutes of sunlight to do damage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dixter 0 Posted June 16, 2009 I have seen the sun do this to more than one camera :-( Amphibico makes a neoprene eyepiece cover just for this issue.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nick Hope 151 Posted June 16, 2009 Yep, I fried a VX1000 eyepiece in a Gates housing just like that, and my Z1P eyepiece shows signs of a little too much heat. I've always been diligent about covering it, but it only takes a few moments to start causing damage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimonSpear 65 Posted June 16, 2009 Awww come on Simon you can't be expected to know everything... Dive safe DeanB Hell mate I sometimes think I don't know anything. It's a real struggle getting up in the morning and remembering I have to put clothes on before I head out of the door. If it was just a little warmer during our balmy summer then I could quite easily get arrested! Cheers, Simon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMunro 0 Posted June 17, 2009 It worked out an expensive trip. Snapped the boat engine gear linkage (not really what you want off Land's End) -so an interesting jury-rig required in a hurry, trashed the viewfinder and ALMOST wrote off my Landrover (too embarressing to retell). I'll be getting a reputation and no-ne will want to risk diving with me. Still, at least I got the shots. Vid still to be edited but a view pics are now up.Basking Shark pics Colin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferg42 13 Posted June 17, 2009 Nice pics Colin. I'm keep meaning to have a good go at shooting some baskers. So far only managed a fleeting glimpse by snorkelling out from Sennen last summer. Must be a lovely experience. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Douglas 16 Posted June 18, 2009 You know, it is possible, if you have cam insurance with Depp or Dan, that this might be covered. Doesn't hurt to check it out. Steve Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pmooney 6 Posted June 18, 2009 While I'm not an Insurance adjuster , we have done many quotes for this type of damage over the years. I am not aware of any unique claim for this type of damage being covered. ( some insurance companies cited a thing called contributory negligence rather than an accident ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marksm 0 Posted June 19, 2009 Order a scope cover from BASS PRO SHOPS...they work awesome and dont get lost. Here is a pic of my old EX1 viewfinder with one attached. Sorry about your loss though. That sucks. Mark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wydeangle 60 Posted June 21, 2009 Colin, Welcome to the fried viewfinder club! I fried a PD-150 viewfinder inside an Amphibico housing in the Galapagos. Of course, Amphibico denied it could have happened. I resorted to a thin piece of flat, opaque rubber placed under the viewfinder's screw-on rubber rim. It works and is easy to remove. The PD-150 which I still have required delicate surgery to replace the viewfinder LCD which BTW cost $220US just for the part... Good notice for everyone here to pay attention to this hazard! Tom Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
