Ikelite LX15 User manual

Product Registration
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Underwater Housing for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10,
LX15
Product Number 6171.01

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About this Product
Thank you for your purchase of Ikelite equipment. Please read this
instruction manual completely before attempting to operate or dive
with this product. Please visit ikelite.com to register your product
to receive information on any updates or notices pertaining to your
equipment.
Included in the Box
• Housing
• Port Cover # 0200
• Control + Push Button Tip Assortment # 9249.3
• Lubricant # 0184.1
• .050 Hex Key
Specifications
• Specications
• 200 ft (60m) depth rating
• Controls for all important camera functions. Control not provided for
the Flash Open Lever.
• Near neutral buoyancy in fresh water
• 1/4-20 thread tray mounting with 3 inch (76 mm) spacing
• Weight 2.6 lb (1.2 kg)
• Dimensions 5.3 x 5.1 x 6.9” (135 x 130 x 175 mm)
• 3 inch (76 mm) diameter glass lens port

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Important Notices
»To prevent salt build-up and sticking controls, submerge the
empty housing in clean, freshwater. Operate the controls
several times each while underwater to ush out any residue.
»Never leave a housing in a rinse tank, even if it is the only
system in the tank. Most catastrophic oods happen when the
user walks away from a housing while it is in the rinse tank.
»Do not use alcohol, cleaning agents, spray lubricants, Rain-X,
or other solvents on the housing or lens port. Use of an
incompatible chemical compound can damage the plastic and
o-rings, and may result in leaking.
Accessory Port
»Do not remove the Accessory Port Hole Plug unless you are
installing a compatible accessory.
Your housing features two 1/2-20 threaded Accessory Port which may
be used for attachment of factory optional or aftermarket housing
accessories. Visit ikelite.com for an updated list of factory optional
accessories.

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Contents
Product Registration 1
About this Product 2
Included in the Box 2
Specications 2
Important Notices 3
Accessory Port 3
Getting to Know Your Housing 5
Getting to Know Your Housing - continued 6
Setting Up Your Camera 7
Pre-Installation Checklist & Initial Camera Settings 7
Attach Aperture Gear Ring to Camera 8
Setting Up Your Housing 9
Opening the Housing 9
Inserting the Camera 10
Closing the Housing 11
Setting Up An External Strobe 12
About the Built-In Flash 12
Attaching a Fiber Optic Cord 12
Final Check 13
Entering the Water 14
Installing an Accessory via the Accessory Port 15
Maintenance 16
Post-Dive 16
Travel and Storage 16
Troubleshooting 17
Spare Parts 19
Limited Warranty 19
Service and Repairs 19
Contact Us 20

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Getting to Know Your Housing
Shutter
Button
Tray Mounts
Lens Port
Lid
Snap
Accessory
Port Hole
Plug
Aperture
Ring
Fiber Optic
Ports
Motion Picture
Button
Zoom
Lever

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Fn1
DISP
4K
WB
MF
Housing Main
O-Ring
Camera
Mounting Plate
MENU/SET
Button
Housing Plate
Mount
Self-Timer
Control Ring
Mode Dial
ON/OFF
Rear Dial
Lanyard
Getting to Know Your Housing - continued

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Setting Up Your Camera
Pre-Installation Checklist & Initial Camera Settings
1. Fully charge camera battery.
2. Insert and format an SD card.
3. Set Mode dial to “A” aperture priority. Minimum shutter speed with
ash activated is 1/60th second. If a faster shutter speed is desired
or the ash is not activated, switch to “M” manual mode. Maximum
recommended shutter speed with an external strobe is 1/250th
second.
4. Set ISO to “200.”
5. Set AF Mode to “1-Area.”
6. Set Focus Mode to “AF-S.”
7. Set Metering Mode to “Center-weighted.”
8. Set Flash Mode to “ .”
9. In Touch Settings, set Touch Screen to “OFF.”
10. Set AF Assist Lamp to “OFF.”
11. Set Focus/Release Priority to “FOCUS.”
12. Set Auto Review to “5SEC.”
13. EXTEND camera ash if using an external strobe(s).
Flash cannot be extended after housing is closed.
Settings not mentioned should be set to the user’s preference

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Attach Aperture Gear Ring to Camera
1. Using the .050 Hex Key, DIAGRAM B, page 9, back off the set
screws so the screw ends are not showing inside the Gear Ring.
2. Align Aperture Gear Ring Recesses over Aperture Tabs on camera,
Diagram A.
L
Lumix
Aperture Gear
Ring Recesses
Diagram A
Aperture Tabs
3. Press Gear Ring over Aperture Tabs.

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4. Tighten the 3 set screws, DIAGRAM B, with the .050 hex key. The
set screws are considered tight when they are “snug” against the
camera aperture ring. DO NOT overtighten. Overtightening will
cause the Gear Ring to warp.
L
Lumix
Set Screw
Diagram B
.050 Hex Key
Setting Up Your Housing
Opening the Housing
1. Push the lid snap lock forward and start to lift the curved end away
from the housing.

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2. Lid snaps are designed to provide enough force to compress the
o-ring for a proper seal. Keep rm pressure against the lid snap
while lifting it away.
Lid Snap Lock
3. Repeat with remaining lid snap(s).
4. Remove the housing back.
Inserting the Camera
1. Remove any lanyard or neck strap which may be attached to the
camera.
2. Remove the Camera Mounting Plate from the housing.

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3. Line up the Mounting Screw with the Camera Tripod Socket. Use
a coin or at head screwdriver (preferred) to tighten the mounting
plate to the camera.
1/4-20 Mounting Screw Camera Tripod Socket
Camera Mounting Plate
4. Pull out on the housing control knobs to move them out of the way.
5. EXTEND the camera ash when using an external strobe(s).
Flash cannot be extended after housing is closed.
6. Insert the Mounting Plate into the slot on the inside bottom of the
housing. Push the camera all of the way forward until the back
of the Mounting Plate is ush with the back of the Housing Plate
Mount, page 6.
Closing the Housing
1. Make sure the o-ring is clean and in its proper location on the back
of the housing. The main o-ring does not require lubricant to make
a seal.

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2. Place the back onto the housing front.
3. Make sure no controls or wires are interfering with the o-ring or the
back of the housing.
4. Place each lid snap into the corresponding hook on the housing
back.
5. Push the lid snaps towards the housing until they are at against
the housing and the lock has engaged. Close opposing lid snaps at
the same time.
6. Check the o-ring seal. The o-ring should form a uniform, solid line
around the back of the housing. There will be a small, even gap
around the housing between the housing back and the housing
front.
Setting Up An External Strobe
About the Built-In Flash
Due to the opaque housing design, the internal “built-in” ash can
only be used to trigger external ber optic strobes. To shoot ash
photography underwater, an external strobe must be connected to
the housing and then triggered via ber optic cord. Always extend the
ash BEFORE closing the camera inside the housing.
We recommend attaching an external strobe for the optimal color
and clarity in a wide variety of shooting situations, including daylight
photography.
Attaching a Fiber Optic Cord
1. Check the end of the ber optic cord to ensure that it is clean and
smooth.

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2. Ensure that the ber optic cord o-ring is in place. This o-ring does
not provide waterproong, however it does keep the ber optic cord
in place.
3. Attach one end of the ber optic cord into one of the ber optic ports
on the front of the housing. The connector is a press-t into the ber
optic port.
O-ring
Fiber Optic Cord
4. Attach the other end of the ber optic cord to a compatible strobe.
5. Set the strobe to the appropriate setting based on manufacturer
recommendations.
6. Turn the camera on and pop up the built-in ash.
7. Turn the strobe(s) on.
8. Take a test photo to ensure that your strobe(s) are functioning
properly.
Final Check
1. Re-check the o-ring seal. The seal should form an even, solid line
around the back of the housing.

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2. Turn on the camera and check all control functions.
3. Make sure that the camera can obtain focus and take a photo.
4. Check battery life and open storage space on your memory card.
5. Check the ash/strobes, if using.
6. Submerge the housing in a fresh water tank dedicated to
underwater photography equipment. Visually conrm that there are
no signs of water intrusion or a steady stream of bubbles coming
from one of the housing seals.
Entering the Water
1. If possible, we recommend entering the water without your housing
to ensure that you are comfortable and your life-saving equipment
is in working order. Once you are stable, have someone pass your
camera housing to you.
2. Before entering the water, turn the camera ON and operate each
of the housing controls to get a feel for using the camera in the
housing.
3. As soon as you enter the water, take a moment and check to see
that the housing is properly sealed. If possible, rst water test the
housing with no camera inside to assure a safe and watertight
environment.
4. Submerge the housing at the surface of the water and visually
conrm that there are no signs of water intrusion or a steady stream
of bubbles coming from one of the housing’s seals. If water does
appear to be entering the housing, point the lens port downward
and return the housing to the surface as quickly as possible. Please
observe all necessary safety precautions. NEVER ascend faster
than accepted safety limits.

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5. Use your hand to gently ush away any small bubbles that may be
on the face of the lens port. Bubbles will produce soft focus spots in
your photo or video.
Installing an Accessory via the Accessory Port
1. Remove the Hole Plug using an 11/16” open end wrench.
2. Check the accessory tting o-ring sealing area. Check o-ring and
housing o-ring sealing area. All should be clean and free of hair,
sand, or other debris.
3. Lightly lubricate o-ring with Ikelite lubricant. Use ONLY Ikelite
lubricant. Other manufacturer lubricants can cause the o-ring to
swell.
4. Carefully screw in and tighten accessory tting. The accessory port
features a 1/2-20 threaded hole. Make sure your tting is the same
thread pattern. DO NOT cross-thread. DO NOT overtighten.
5. After installing an accessory, pressure test the housing by diving
without a camera inside.
NOTICE: Your Ikelite housing warranty DOES NOT extend
to cover the attachment of aftermarket housing accessories or
accessory ttings by 3rd parties. Warranty DOES cover factory
optional accessories attached by certied Ikelite service technicians.
»Do not remove the Accessory Port Hole Plug unless you are
installing a compatible accessory.

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Maintenance
Post-Dive
1. Rinse the housing in fresh water. Rotate the housing’s controls and
press each button while submerged in fresh water to ush out any
salt or debris to ensure smooth operation on future dives.
2. NEVER leave your housing in the fresh water rinse tank. Collisions
with other peoples’ gear can cause scratches or damage to your
equipment.
3. Stow the housing in a shaded place where it is protected from
impact or overheating. If no shade is available, we recommend
covering the housing with a towel or cloth.
4. Check the memory card capacity and battery life of your camera
and strobe(s). Recharge as necessary.
5. Always recheck o-ring seal after opening the housing.
Travel and Storage
1. Remove the camera from the housing for travel or storage.
2. Check the main housing o-ring.
3. Close the empty housing and submerge in lukewarm fresh water.
While submerged, rotate each control and depress each button to
ush out any salt or debris.
4. Remove the housing from water and rinse with running water.
5. Do not rinse the inside of the housing or submerge the open
housing in water. If the inside of the housing needs to be cleaned,
wipe with a clean, slightly damp cloth.
6. Dry the housing with a clean, lint-free cloth.
7. Store in a cool, dry place.

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8. Like regulators and other pressure-sensitive equipment, we
recommend careful care and cleaning along with annual
replacement of the factory seals.
Troubleshooting
Water enters the housing
• Re-clean and re-install the main o-ring.
• Take the housing underwater without a camera installed to ensure
that the leaking has been corrected.
Photos are over-exposed (too light)
• Adjust aperture (smaller), shutter speed (faster), or ISO (lower)
setting.
• Move lights(s) farther away from your subject.
• Adjust exposure compensation in the camera.
• Adjust lighting power.
Photos are under-exposed (too dark)
• Adjust aperture (larger), shutter speed (slower), or ISO (higher)
setting.
• Move light(s) closer to your subject.
• Adjust exposure compensation in the camera.
• Adjust lighting power.
Strobe will not re
• Turn on strobe.
• Make sure that the camera’s ash is set to re on every photo.
• Check that the ber optic cord or sync cord properly is attached.

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Buttons are stuck
•Soak the housing in lukewarm fresh water. Depress each button
several times while the housing is submerged.
•Apply lubricant to the button. Press the button several times to
distribute the lubricant.
Button(s) or control(s) do not line up
• Ensure that nothing is preventing the camera from going into the
housing.
• Push the camera mounting plate forward until it is ush with the
housing base plate.
• Camera should be “tight” against the mounting plate. Check
tightness using a coin or screwdriver (preferred).
Camera is not functioning normally underwater
• Ensure that the camera mounting plate is pushed all of the way into
the housing mounting plate.
• Check each housing control while underwater to ensure that
they are disengaged. An inadvertently engaged control may limit
functioning of the camera.
Backscatter or “snow” in images
• Position strobes or lights farther away from your lens and at a slight
angle.
• Avoid using strobes in extremely low-visibility conditions.
Spare Parts
• Housing Rear O-Ring # 0109
• Port Cover # 0200

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• Silicone lubricant resealable 2cc tube # 0184.2
Limited Warranty
This Ikelite product is warranted against any manufacturing defects for
a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase. Defective
products should be returned to Ikelite postage paid. Ikelite will, at
its sole discretion, repair or replace such products, and will return to
customer postage paid. All other claims of any nature are not covered.
Except as mentioned above, no other warranty expressed or implied
applies to this Ikelite product.
Service and Repairs
Ikelite is most interested in performing any service to ensure that all
products perform as intended. Evidence of purchase date must be
provided to obtain warranty service. No prior authorization is required.
You may return directly to us or through your dealer. Please include a
brief description of the problem, any relevant email correspondence,
and/or description of the service request. Always include name,
shipping address, email address, and phone number inside of the
package.
Send postage paid to:
Ikelite Underwater Systems
Attn: Service Department
50 West 33rd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA

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Contact Us
If you have any questions about your product or need advice
on getting the images you want, please contact us and we’ll do
everything we can to help you capture your unique perspective.
Ikelite Underwater Systems
50 W 33rd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA
[phone]
[email protected]
6171.01_Panasonic_LX10_1-0617