Subal SA7MK3 User manual

USER MANUAL
SONY SA7MK3
housing

Dear customer,
It is my great honor and pleasure that you have
chosen our product.
SUBAL, one of the old- est manufacturers
of underwater housings
and equipments, always
trying to follow new
trends and to comple-
ment its range of products. With our experience and knowledge,
for almost four decades, we cover with our quality equipment all
leading manufacturers of cameras and video cameras. The result
is that a large number of world-renowned underwater photogra-
phers uses SUBAL equipment.
I
hope that you will take some of the memorable moments with
your SUBAL!
CEO Subal
Karl Harald

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We congratulate you on your choice of the SUBAL SA7MK3 underwater
housing for the Sony Alpha 7 III.
During the conception and design of the housing, considerable attention
was directed towards the application of advantages and unique features of the
state-of-the art Sony camera technology, making them available to the under-
water photographer.
An extensive range of high quality lens ports allows the tting of a num-
ber of interesting lenses, which is a great advantage over all other amphibi-
ous cameras available today. This will facilitate the most varied photographic
tasks.
To get the best results, to take full advantage of the system and for the pro-
tection of your camera, we recommend you take careful note of all the hints
contained in these instructions for use.
We hope you enjoy using the SUBAL SA7MK3!
GENERAL
It will be assumed that the user of the camera is fully condent and
trained in the use of diving equipment.
The demands on underwater photographic equipment are very high - pres-
sure, aggressiveness of salt water and not least, improper use results in a risk
which can only be avoided by careful handling.
Therefore assemble carefully and calmly. Check twice!
During the production process all functions and the tightness of each indi-
vidual housing are tested and checked several times. Nevertheless, we recom-
mend to test dive the housing rst without the camera tted, to ensure that
all is well.
After closing the housing, check everything as recommended on the check-
list.
After entering the water, tip the housing with the frontglass downwards and
check whether everything is watertight. Then you can dive with condence.
If the equipment has not been used for a prolonged period or perhaps after
a service (i.e a. greasing of the shafts, etc.) always test dive rst without the
camera tted.
CONTENTS
GENERAL 5
USE AND MAINTAINANCE OF O-RINGS 6
PREPARING THE CAMERA 7
MOUNTING THE CAMERA SUPPORT SADDLE 8
PREPARING THE LENS 8
OPENING THE HOUSING 8
CLOSING THE HOUSING 10
INSERTING THE CAMERA 10
THE INTERCHANGEABLE PORT SYSTEM 11
CHANGING A LENS 13
OPERATING THE FUNCTIONS 13
MOUNTING AND CONNECTING A FLASH UNIT 14
CHECK-LIST 16
GUARANTEE 17
FRONT HOUSING PART EXPLODE VIEW 19
BACK HOUSING PART EXPLODE VIEW 21
FRONT PARTS LIST 22
BACK PARTS LIST 23

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Please take note of these points of advice:
• O-rings should be absolutely clean and be greased thinly. We recommend
the use of waterproof Silicone grease (eg. SUBAL-Silicone grease). Too
much grease results in the accumulation of small dirt particles which are
invisible.
• The sealing surfaces must be absolutely clean.
• O-rings must lie in the groove without twisting.
The equipment should be rinsed thoroughly in freshwater after each dive
in saltwater. Metal parts, especially threads (screws) should always be
greased.
Threaded parts should never be stored assembled without rst having
been cleaned and dried.
Salt residue should be removed before prolonged storage by placing in
freshwater for several days, then dried.
The O-ring of the lid and especially also the front port O-ring should be
removed.
Only use original SUBAL-spare parts and SUBAL-accessories.
Have your equipment overhauled from time to time by the manufacturer
or by an authorized service center - it is worthwhile.
USE AND MAINTAINANCE OF O-RINGS
SUBAL housings are designed to use specially formulated O-rings. Replace-
ment by other than genuine SUBAL O-rings may result in leakage. Therefore:
Use original subal O-rings only!
The most care is needed with the body O-ring and the port O-ring. Ensure
that the O-rings have no mechanical damage like cuts or at spots. If so, re-
place them immediately.
Stretching the O-ring a little and feeling it as you slide it between your
ngers is a good way of detecting abnormalities.
When closing the housing or changing the port, care should be taken that
the sealing surfaces on the housing, the O-ring grooves of the housing and the
port and the O-ring itself are absolutely clean.
Remove all dirt particles carefully to prevent water entry.
The sealing surface and the O-ring should be thinly greased with Silicone
grease. This reduces friction and abrasion and allows the O-ring to settle into
place easily.
Do not use too much grease. Undetected dirt particles could accumulate
and would lead to water entry. Take a little bit of grease on two ngers and pull
the O-ring between these ngers until it is greased all around. Wipe off excess.
The O-ring should just have a sheen.
Never use hard or sharp metal tools for putting in or removing the
O-rings. You could permanently damage the sealing surface or the
O-ring itself.
When inserting the O-ring take care that it is not twisted or is lying undulat-
ing in the groove.
The useful life of O-rings is limited in duration depending on care, fre-
quency of use and storage conditions. It is absolutely essential to change them
regularly.
Please note that the especially soft quality of the original SUBAL O-ring ma-
terial looses elasticity prematurely if it is permanently compressed. So, if you
plan not to use your housing for a long time, remove the O-ring and store it in
a cool place without deformation.
PREPARING THE CAMERA
The only thing that you should do with your camera before put it into hous-
ing is to remove rubber shield of viewnder (Fig. 1).
Knowledge and familiarization with the functions of your camera is essen-
tial to avoid mistakes when installing and using the camera. We recommend
you study your camera manual thoroughly before installing the camera.
Fig. 1 Fig. 2

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The SUBAL New locking system levers are equipped with buttons (Fig.3) that
should be pressed before rotating them.
Do not forcefully turn the levers otherwise damage could occur.
Place the housing on a at supporting surface with the front surface of the
port downwards (Fig. 4). Push the buttons on the locking levers gently and turn
them outwards (Fig. 5, 6 & 7).
Lift the lid slowly and carefully to avoid water drips onto the camera.
Now upright the housing and pull out the camera a little bit to enable you
to remove the hotshoe connector if provided. Remove the camera.
Some big lenses have to be removed before the camera can be pulled out
of the housing.
Mounting the Camera Support Saddle
Attach the camera support saddle to the camera base with the locking lever
pointing to the camera backside. Tighten the camera screw by using a coin or
a screw driver without excessive force (Fig. 2).
Remove the plastic protection foil of the camera’s monitor!
PREPARING THE LENS
To change the focal length on zoom lenses, or for manual focusing with xed
focal length lenses, special lens gears are required which need to be tted to
the lens barrels.
Mounting the gear rings
Depending on the type of the lens, the zooming gear ring is tted onto the
lens either from the front or from the rear.
Set the zooming barrel of the lens to the mid point of the zoom range.
After noting where the zoom drive gear of the housing is located, position the
zooming gear ring on the lens in such a way that when the lens is mounted on
the camera the centre of the toothed section of the zoom gear aligns with
the zoom drive gear in the housing. Check that the gears can mesh over the
full zoom range of the lens. A nal check should be made after the camera is
inserted into the housing.
If the zooming gear ring provides marking dots t the zooming gear ring
on the lens in such a way that the markings correspond with the range of the
zoom scale.
Tighten the Nylon screws (if provided) to t the zooming gear rmly but
take care that the free-turning of the zooming ring of the lens is maintained.
Focus gear rings
The different construction of lenses requires different mounting systems
of focus gear rings. Therefore installation procedures vary. Please follow the
mounting instructions enclosed with the focus gear ring.
OPENING THE HOUSING
It is recommended to rinse the housing with fresh water and dry before
opening. When rinsing the housing make sure the port is attached properly and
ash sockets are sealed with plugs if no strobes are tted.
Fig. 3 Fig. 4
Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7