Sony MPKTHA Marine Pack for the DSCT1 Digital Camera

Rating:
Summary: Marine pack, my foot
Review: I've been taking underwater photos for almost 10 years without any problem, so I am quite aware of the precautions to take with the marine packs. With this one, on the second time I used it, water got into the casing and the camera was ruined. I complained to Sony about it and all I got was a cold shoulder and a lame explanation that the marine pack instructions specified that, in the improbable case of a malfuncion, Sony was not responsible for the camera, batery, etc. Of course, it really was in the instruction manual, so there was no recourse on my part. However, you have to read the manual in order to find out that the marine pack si not guaranteed to keep the interior dry. I follow the instruction in the manual that specifies that after you clean and grease the seal you have to put the marine pack under water without the camera to see if there are any bubbles, which I did and it was OK. I presumed it was all I needed to do and put the machine in and went to the boat. However, in another place the manual says that one should submerge with the camera 3 to 4 feet and observe if there is any leak and come out inmediatly if that is the case. If you have dived you would know that it is not easy to do, particularly in a drift diving as was my case. It seems Sony has filled the instruction manual with all kind of disclaimers that make me suspect they know the product is defective and has done everything possible to avoid responsability. In spite that most of my electronic products are Sony, I will not buy another product from them.

Rating:
Summary: It's the man, not the machine
Review: Just to clarify another reviewer's bad experience with this product. I've used the Marine Pack on several dives and it worked fine. It didn't flood and I didn't even get any moisture inside the housing. Sony recommends to test the housing for 10 seconds at 30cm deep, then for a couple of minutes; I've done it systematically prior to every dive IN A SINK, not in open water. Blaming Sony for a flooded camera housing is unfair, blaming them for taking legal precautions is plain ------. A responsible diver would always check his equipment prior to a dive. So would a responsible underwater photographer. I give it a 4 stars because it does what a cheap housing is supposed to do: it lets you take nice, non-professional, non-artistic holiday (underwater) snapshots. It is by the way very slim and fits nicely into a BCD pocket. Setting it up is very easy and the 5 minute post-dive maintenance is straightforward. Good product, if the user is not foolish. Naturally.