Sea & Sea MDX-RX100 III User manual

UNDERWATER HOUSING for
SONY DSC-RX100M3
English
Instruction Manual
06171

E-1
Contents
Introduction
Note:
Thank you for purchasing SEA&SEA products.
Please read this instruction manual carefully prior to using this product.
Only with a thorough understanding of this manual’s content will you
be able to use the housing correctly. After reading the manual, please
be sure to keep it in a place where you can easily come back to it at
any time.
Pressure-resistance inspection sticker
Products bearing this sticker are those that have passed SEA&SEA’s
criteria-based inspection for pressure resistance.
The appearance of color evenness or weld lines on the external body
of the product is normal and will not affect its performance.
Safety Precautions ......................................................................... E-2
Precautions on Handling the O-ring ............................................... E-4
Identification of Parts ..................................................................... E-6
Preparation for Setting Up ............................................................. E-7
Prepare the housing ................................................................ E-7
Prepare the digital camera ....................................................... E-7
Prepare the connecting accessories ........................................ E-7
Opening and Closing the Housing ................................................. E-8
Mounting the Camera in the Housing .......................................... E-10
Connecting the Strobe ................................................................. E-12
External Controls .......................................................................... E-13
Attaching the Hand Strap ............................................................. E-14
Attaching the Optional Accessories .............................................. E-15
Maintenance and Storage .............................................................E-18
Specifications ................................................................................E-19

E-2
WARNING
CAUTION
Safety Precautions
WARNING Situations that could result in severe injury or death.
CAUTION Situations that could result in property damage or
personal injury.
Carefully observe the instruction manual for the compatible camera for this product
before use.
This product has been designed and manufactured for use at a water depth within
100m / 330ft. Please note that diving to a depth in excess of 100m / 330ft may
cause damage to the product or may lead to water leakage.
Unauthorized disassembling and/or modification could result in malfunction or flooding,
and void product warranty. Take the product to a SEA&SEA authorized service
center for repair or inspection.
Should you notice smoke or an unusual smell coming from the product, turn it off and
remove the batteries immediately, taking care to avoid burns. Continued operation
could result in injury. After removing the battery, take the product to a SEA&SEA
authorized service center for inspection.
Discontinue use and turn the product off immediately should you notice flooding or
leakage.
When the product is flooding, interior pressure may build up. Please be careful when
opening the product as water may spurt out or the cap may open explosively and
cause injuries.
The product has been constructed with an airtight seal. When packing the product
for airplane travel, do not seal-up the product to alleviate pressure build up due to
atmospheric changes.
Do not open the product in a wet or sandy environment. Protect the interior from
moisture and debris in order to prevent malfunction or flooding.
Avoid strong shocks/impacts or excess stress to prevent malfunction, damage or
breakdown. Make sure that the product has been securely mounted to other products
in order to prevent injury, fall or missing.
Keep out of reach of children to prevent accidental ingestion. If swallowed, seek
medical advice immediately.
Failure to heed the precautions listed below could result in serious
consequences. To prevent injury or damage to yourself and/or others,
please observe the precautions as they contain highly important
information related to personal and product safety.
For safe handling of the product, please read the following precautions
carefully before use.

E-3
Safety Precautions
Do not rest heavy weight on the product. It might deform the outer casing, damage
internal parts, make the waterproofing fail, or result in fire or electric shock.
Please note that some marks may be left on the camera scraping against the dials
or gears of the housing.
Handle the product carefully so as not to scratch the front port, the lens, the flash
window or the finder.
Always dry the front port, the lens, the flash window or the finder using a soft cloth to
prevent stain or salt residue from marring the glass surface.
Rinse the product with fresh water, after underwater use. Ensure that the product is
waterproofed before rinsing. Refer to [Maintenance and Storage] (P.E-19) for details.
Make sure that the connectors have been secured with the connector caps before
rinsing the product with fresh water, after removal from other products.
Never use chemicals, cosmetics, any petroleum solvents such as paint thinner, or
neutral detergent on the product. They may deform and damage the product.
Do not leave the product in places with hot temperatures such as inside of a car or in
a car trunk in summer. The heat may deform plastic parts of the product, damaging
internal parts and resulting in potential fire or electric shock. If the product is sealed
tight in hot conditions, heated air expanding inside the product may deform the casing
and ruin the waterproofing.
Do not store the product in wet or high humidity place, to avoid mold, rust, corrosion
or malfunction.
Do not store the product with naphthalene or camphor mothballs, or in locations such
as a laboratory where chemicals are used. This environment can cause mold, rust,
corrosion or malfunction.
SEA&SEA SUNPAK Co., Ltd. assumes no liability for compensation of loss of
captured images or expenses caused by loss of images, even if you are unable to
shoot due to a product defect or malfunction.
SEA&SEA SUNPAK Co., Ltd. will not be responsible for the replacement or
compensation for cameras, lenses or those accessories damaged due to your
invalid operation.
SEA&SEA SUNPAK Co., Ltd. assumes no liability for errors or discrepancies in
this manual.
Carefully observe the O-ring maintenance manual for the handling of O-rings
before use.
The silicon grease included in the product package is inedible.

E-4
Precautions on Handling the O-ring
CAUTION
Are there any scratches or cracks in the O-ring?
Be careful about dust, sand, and hair
O-ring remover
SEA&SEA products use blue O-rings. These O-rings are impregnated with
silicone oil through a special process. The lubricating effect of the O-ring lasts
as long as the silicone oil is gradually seeping out from within.
For the maintenance of these blue O-rings, make sure to use genuine SEA&SEA
silicone grease (O-ring grease for use with the blue O-rings that comes in tubes
with blue lettering and blue caps). If you use silicone grease from other companies
or SEA&SEA’s own silicone grease that comes in tubes with black lettering and
black caps, the grease you apply will be sucked into the blue O-rings due to
their special characteristics, which will result in insufficient grease. If this happens
even once, the O-ring will not revert to its normal state and must be replaced.
If the grease is insufficient, the O-ring will not slide, and it will become harder
to open and close the waterproof parts. Because of this, it could become
impossible to open or close the housing or it could cause flooding, so please
refrain from using the housing with insufficient grease.
Check the O-ring to make sure there are no
scratches or cracks. If there are, replace the
O-ring with a new one immediately. When
handling the O-ring, do not use pointed
metal objects, which could damage the
O-ring. Use of the included O-ring remover
is recommended.
Check the O-ring to make sure that there is no dust, sand, or hair on the O-ring,
in the O-ring’s grooves, or on the O-ring’s contact surfaces. If any of these things
are attached, remove them completely. If used as is, these things could cause
flooding.
This product is kept watertight by the O-ring. To keep the O-ring functioning
properly, please observe the following. Improper handling of the O-ring could
cause flooding.

E-5
Precautions on Handling the O-ring
Coat with silicone grease
Do not twist the O-ring
Remove the O-ring for inspection before each use
Be careful about how you store O-rings
O-rings last for one year
Silicone grease protects the O-ring from
chafing. After checking the O-ring to make
sure that there are no scratches, dust, or
debris, apply a light coating of silicone grease
to the entire O-ring with your finger. Applying
too much grease will make it easier for dust
and debris to adhere to the O-ring, and could
cause flooding.
When fitting the O-ring into the O-ring
groove, insert it straight into the groove; do
not bend or twist it.
Although it depends on how well they are maintained, how often they are used,
and how they are stored, O-rings generally last for one year. It is advisable to
inspect them before use, and replace them early.
When storing spare O-rings or O-rings that you have removed from the housing,
keep them in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Also, when storing O-rings, do
not place heavy objects on them or twist them.
In principle, the O-ring should be removed before each use so that the O-ring,
O-ring groove, and O-ring contact surfaces can be checked. This is because you
cannot find any sand or debris that may have gotten into the O-ring groove if the
O-ring is not removed. For routine maintenance prior to each use, it is advisable
to make sure to remove the O-ring.

Prepare the digital camera
Prepare the connecting accessories
Preparation for Setting Up
Prepare the housing
E-7
This product must be used in combination with the optional equipment
(digital camera, port, strobe, accessories etc.) for underwater photography.
In order to set up the equipment, prepare each item correctly.
This product is exclusively designed for use with Sony DSC-RX100M3
digital camera. Other cameras are not compatible with this product.
When using external strobes, lights or other accessories in combination
with this product, prepare the equipment before setting up.
If the accessories are kept watertight by O-rings, make sure the O-rings
are properly maintained.
If the accessories are powered by batteries, make sure that there is
sufficient battery power remaining.
Make sure the equipment is operating correctly, referring to the instruction
manual provided with the equipment.
Make sure that there is sufficient battery power remaining and the image
storage medium has enough room for the number of pictures.
Remove the strap from the camera if any of these accessories are
attached.
Make sure the camera is operating correctly, referring to the camera's
instruction manual for details.
If you have the Sony Attachment Grip fitted to your camera, please refer
to page E-10 in this instruction manual.
O-ring
This product is kept watertight by the O-ring.
To keep the O-ring functioning properly,
please observe the following before setting up.
Make sure to remove the O-ring when maintaining.
For detailed O-ring maintenance methods,
please see the O-ring maintenance manual.
Maintaining the O-ring
CAUTION
Make sure to fit/install the O-ring into the groove properly after maintenance.
The housing and port is one unit and cannot be separated.

Opening and Closing the Housing
Opening the lock knob
E-8
CAUTION
rear case opened and the inner side facing down. Be careful as doing so
may cause the projection on the rear case to become deformed or
damaged. (Fig. 3)
When opening the rear case after use in the water, open it carefully not to
let water or sand enter inside the housing.
Opening and closing the housing is done with the lock knob. Here we
will explain how to open and close the lock knob.
1Push the Lock Release
outward to unlock as indicated
by , and rotate the lock knob
clockwise as indicated by to
lift the rear cover from the front
case (Fig. 1)
2Pull the rear case to open
(Fig.2)
Ensure the housing is clean and dry
before opening. If the housing is not
clean, please rinse with fresh water
and dry before opening.
Never turn the knob without pulling
the tab, as it may result in damage
to the knob.
The lock knob only turns up to 90
degrees. The lock knob may become
damaged if it is turned forcibly.
When pulling the tab outward, be
sure to use the tips of your fingers,
not your fingernails.
Never use the tab/lock knob
underwater.
Do not place the housing on desks
or other tabletop surfaces with the
Fig.1
Fig.2
Fig.3
Lock Release

E-9
Lock Release
Opening and Closing the Housing
CAUTION
1
Closing the locking lock knob
Close the rear case, and rotate
the lock knob counterclockwise
Before aligning the rear case and front case, make sure there are no specks
of dust, acratches, or deformities on the O-ring and O-ring contact surfaces.
Check to make sure that the locking lock knob is securely locked.
Lock knob

E-10
Mounting the Camera in the Housing
CAUTION
1
2
To avoid flooding by trapping,
remove the strap / protective cover /
metal strap clips from camera
before installation.
If Sony Attachment Grip is fitted to
your camera, remove the following
three parts from the housing before
installing the camera.
*When Attachment Grip is fitted to the camera, remove;
Place the anti-reflective tape on
the lens nameplate (part A) on
the camera
Turn off the power of the camera
and place it as shown in Fig.2
Part A
Front Cushion
Washer
Side
Cushion
Anti-reflective tape Fig.1
Fig.2

E-11
Mounting the Camera in the Housing
3
See:
CAUTION
Removing the camera from the housing
1Turn the lock knob
2Open the rear case
3Remove a camera from a front case
Make sure that there is no dust
or scratches on the O-ring /
O-ring contact surface before
closing the rear case. Then,
close the rear case and close
the lock knob.
A substantial difference between the
external (water) and the internal
(camera and air) temperatures
sometimes result in dewfall on the
inside surface of the housing lens.
This phenomenon typically happens
when the camera becomes hot due
to long and consecutive use. Use
the optional Silicagel (62108) as
shown in Figure 4 to reduce dew
condensation.
After the camera is mounted in the
housing, make sure to check that all
of the housing's control parts work
properly and the camera functions
correctly.
“Opening and Closing the Housing”
(P. E-9) Fig.3
Fig.4
Desiccant pack
(Silicagel)

Fiber-optic cable connector cap
Connecting the Strobe
1
2
CAUTION
Connect the strobe with the fiber-optic cable (option) when the strobe is
triggered by sensing the light from the camera's built-in flash.
Before inserting the fiber-optic cable, check to make sure that there are
no scraches or dirt on the connector surface. Scratches or dirt may
cause the strobe to malfunction.
To protect the surface from scratches or dirt, do not remove the caps from
the fiber-optic cable connector when the cable is not inserted.
There is no possibility of water leaking from the fiber-optic cable
connector even if the fiber-optic cable/cable connector cap is removed
underwater.
After the strobe is connected to the housing, make sure to check that the
connected strobe functions correctly before underwater use.
After use, remove fiber-optic cable connector caps from housing and
rinse with fresh water.
Insert the fiber-optic cable's
connector into the socket until
it stops
Remove the fiber-optic cable
connector caps
Do not remove the caps from
fiber-optic cable connector not in
use to keep light from entering in.
E-12

E-13
External Controls
Zoom lever
Shutter lever
Mode dial
Control wheel
Other controls
CAUTION
Other control parts on the housing
correspond to the operation parts of
the digital camera.
Refer to the camera's instruction manual for details of each function.
After mounting the camera in the housing, make sure to check that all of
the housing's control parts work properly and the camera functions correctly
before underwater use.
Control dial
Push down the lever to control the
shutter of the camera.
Move the lever to the left and right to
control the zooming.
Rotate the dial to control the control
ring of the camera.
Rotate this dial to control the camera.
The up, down, left and right ( , ,
, ) items can be selected by
using the control wheel in place of
the selector buttons.
Built-In Flash down Lever
Built-in flash is closed with this lever
Built-In Flash up Lever
Built-In Flash
down Lever
Built-In Flash
up Lever
Built-in flash is opened with this lever
Mode dial
Zoom leverShutter lever
Control dial
Control
wheel
Rotate the dial to switch the camera
mode.

E-14
Attaching the Hand Strap
CAUTION
1Push one end of the hand strap
through the hook on the housing,
insert the other end through the
loop produced, and then pull the
strap tight as shown
Do not use the strap when out of
water if using optional accessories
(such as a wide-angle conversion
lens, stay, arm, and strobe / light).
The increased weight of the
accessories may damage the strap
and the strap hook, which may
result in equipment damage / loss
or personal injury.

E-15
<Example>
Lens
CAUTION
CAUTION
Attaching the Optional Accessories
This product accepts SEA&SEA optional accessories. By using this
product in combination with those accessories, you will be able to try
various shooting techniques.
Lenses, strobes and other accessories have different depth rating. Check
the depth rating for each before use.
Read the instruction manual for each accessory before use.
After each use in salt water, make sure to remove the optional accessories
from the housing, and then thoroughly soak the accessories and housing
in fresh water.
The tip on the port of this product will accept a M67 wide-angle
conversion lens (52122) or Close-up lens 125 (52119) with M67
M62 Step-down ring (58122).
Refer to the instruction manual provided with the Lens for details.

E-16
Attaching the Optional Accessories
Accessory shoe
Stays / Arms
<Example>
<Example>
Strobes / lights can be mounted to the accessory shoe by using optional
Mini Shoe Arm (29511) or Hot Shoe Arm (29501) or SA8 Ball Base for
Accessory Shoe (22120).
CAUTION
The max. weight of an accessory that can be mounted to the accessory shoe
is approx. 1050g / 36.75oz .
Remove the accessories from the accessory shoe when carrying the housing
out of water.
When attaching the accessories to the accessory shoe, always refer to
the instruction manual provided.
SEA&SEA stays / arms can be mounted to the housing’s tripod socket.
*When SA8 Fixed Ball Base is attached,
maximum mounting weight is 1.5kg.(3.3lbs)
SA8 Fixed Ball Base mounting locationsSA8

E-17
Cord clip
5mm
Attaching the Optional Accessories
Leak sensor
LCD Monitor Hood with Lens
CAUTION
2
1<Attaching procedure>
LCD Monitor
Hood Locking Rubber
The LCD monitor hood holder on this product accepts the LCD monitor
hood with lens (52121).
CAUTION
When attaching LCD monitor hood to the LCD monitor hood holder,
always make sure to refer to and follow the instructions in the
accompanying instruction manual.
After placing LCD Monitor Hood on the rear window, tighten the LCD
Monitor Hood locking rubber using the hex wrench (supplied with housing).
The optional leak sensor (46115) can be attached on this product.
Cut each cord clip by 5 mm as
shown in the figure below, attach
the two clips and pass the
sensor cord through them
Before attaching the optional leak sensor (46115) on this product, be sure to
read the instruction manual for the leak sensor.
area A
Peel off the mount from the
backside of the leak sensor and
attach the sensor to the position
indicated in the figure
Insert the LED in the position
indicated in the figure ; then,
bundle the excess cord and
place in the area A

E-18
CAUTION
Maintenance and Storage
After rinsing, dry the product well with a soft dry cloth, then let the product dry
in the shade, out of direct sunlight.
Do not dry the product by heating (using a hair dryer, for example). Heating can
deform and damage the product.
If you will not use the product for an extended period of time, store it away from
high temperatures, high humidity, direct sunlight, or extreme cold.
Do not store the product with naphthalene or camphor mothballs, or in locations
such as a laboratory where chemicals are used. This environment can cause
mold, rust, corrosion or malfunction.
Always remove the camera from the housing after use. Thoroughly wipe off water
before opening the housing and avoid any water drops inside the housing.
After using the product, maintain the O-rings before storing. Examine the O-rings
before and after each dive. We recommend early exchange of the O-rings, at
least once a year.
Every two years we recommend a complete overhaul of O-rings regardless of
the frequency in use, for the best performance of the product.
After each use in salt water, make
sure it’s watertight, then soak it
sufficiently in fresh water.
Insufficient soaking causes damage
by salt to the product. Salty residue
may be left on the product where it will
crystallize as it evaporates. Crystallized
salt is hard to dissolve and difficult to be
removed once formed, and it will result in
water leakage.
Never use chemicals, cosmetics, any petroleum solvents such as paint thinner,
or neutral detergent on the product. They may deform and damage the product.

Specifications
E-19
Compatible
camera Sony DSC-RX100M3
Controls
Construction
Depth rating
Dimensions
Weight
Accessories
* The specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.
Port cap
Hand strap
Fiber-optic cable connector cap (x2)
Anti-reflective tape
Instruction manual (this manual)
Silicone grease
O-ring maintenance manual
O-ring remover
LCD Monitor Hood Locking Rubber
(rubber x1, M3 screw x1)
Hex Wrench
Approx. 147 W ×103 H ×117 D mm
Approx. 930g (2 lbs) (housing only)
Power button, Zoom lever, Control dial, Shutter
lever, Built-In Flash down lever, Built-In Flash up
lever, Mode dial, Movie-record button, Fn button,
MENU button, Playback button,
Delete button, Control wheel, Selection button
Body: Corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy
100m (330ft)