Frequently Asked Questions

All product documentation, including manuals, specification sheets, and CAD drawings, is available on the DeepSea Product Documentation page. Select your product family (Cameras, Lights, Batteries, Lasers, Relief Valves, or Accessories & Technology) to locate the relevant files.

Visit the DeepSea Help Center for support articles, troubleshooting guides, and FAQs. For direct assistance, contact DeepSea Support at support@deepsea.com or call +1-858-244-4790 (Monday–Friday, 8 am– 4 pm PST).

DeepSea products are typically available in hard-anodized 6061-T6 aluminum (rated to approximately 4,000–6,000 m) and titanium (rated to 6,000 m or 11,000 m for full ocean depth). Titanium is recommended for long-term immersion or full-ocean-depth applications due to its superior corrosion resistance.

QuickShip products are standardized, pre-built configurations of our most popular lights, cameras, and pressure relief valves. They are designed for immediate availability and the shortest possible lead time.

QuickShip products are pre-built and ship immediately. Pre-Configured products offer a wider selection of options (lighting, camera, relief valve, and SeaBattery® configurations) and are assembled at our factory once your order is placed. Pre-Configured orders typically ship within 12 weeks. For fully custom configurations, contact our sales team.

The grease is used to lubricate connector pins for reliable high-pressure sealing. Rubber-molded connectors form individual seals around each pin under pressure, similar to how O-rings work, and each pin must be lubricated to ensure a proper seal. This applies to SubConn, Burton, SEACON, Glenair, and similar connector families, including 5500-series connectors, IE55/DW miniature connectors, and SubConn Metal Shell series connectors.

Contact DeepSea Support at support@deepsea.com or submit a support ticket through the Help Center. Our team may have additional troubleshooting steps before issuing an RMA. Timelines for evaluation and repair vary based on current RMA volumes. Please advise our team of any urgent deadlines.

The HD Multi SeaCam® supports HD-SDI (coax) output for uncompressed high-definition video, as well as FleXlink® media converters that enable HD transmission over twisted-pair Ethernet conductors, significantly reducing cabling requirements. IP Ethernet models are also available.

The Super Wide-i SeaCam® is the ideal choice for piloting. It features a 150° horizontal field of view in water with a dome port that corrects for underwater distortion, maintaining the full wide angle without vignetting or loss of detail at the edges.

Yes. The Optim SeaCam® and MxD® SeaCam® lines deliver 4K UHD resolution, designed for inspection tasks that demand the highest level of detail and digital zoom capability without image degradation.

DeepSea offers a range of lens configurations. Fixed-focus wide-angle lenses cover situational awareness needs. The Super Wide-i SeaCam® delivers an ultra-wide 185° field of view. For detailed inspection, the HD Zoom SeaCam® provides 30× optical zoom and the Vertex™ SeaCam® provides 10× zoom. Choose from fixed wide-angle lenses (including low-light variants) through to high-zoom optics based on whether your priority is broad coverage or fine detail.

Yes. DeepSea cameras are designed with standard control interfaces including the VISCA serial protocol and the SeaSense® serial protocol over RS-232/RS-485, commonly used by ROV controllers and other subsea control systems. Zoom, focus, and imaging functions can be operated through external controllers or software with minimal integration effort.

Yes. The IP Optim SeaCam® includes 256 GB of onboard storage (expandable to 1 TB). The HD Multi SeaCam® (IP model) offers low-latency streaming alongside on-camera recording via removable microSD storage, capable of recording approximately 9–10 hours of 1080p/30 video to a 1 TB card. These options are ideal for missions where live-feed bandwidth is limited or a backup recording is needed.

Yes. Several camera models offer fiber-optic output for low-loss, long-distance video transmission, ideal for deep or extended ROV umbilicals. The Optim SeaCam® is available in a fiber-optic variant (OSC-2080-FO), and the Vertex™ SeaCam® can be configured with a fiber optic connector. DeepSea’s FleXlink® technology provides an additional robust alternative to traditional coax and fiber links.

Disconnect power immediately. Flooded or partially flooded housings can present a serious hazard of electrical shock and explosion. Always treat a non-responsive underwater unit as potentially flooded. Consult the relevant operator’s manual for specific flooded-unit procedures and contact DeepSea Support for guidance.

Yes. Some operations, such as accessing the IP model’s internal microSD card, require opening the housing. Protect the open housing from dust contamination by setting its open side down on a clean surface or covering it. Follow proper close-up procedures: remove moisture from the interior, service O-rings as needed, and verify the seal before returning to service. If pressure testing is not available, a fully closed unit can be field-verified by soaking in water for 8 hours.

Yes. The camera can run in air for extended test periods. It may feel warm to the touch, but this is within normal operating parameters and will not damage the unit.

Domed models use fixed-focus optics optimized for underwater refraction. Their optical design compensates for the effects of water on focus as well as the dome geometry, so they appear soft in air but deliver sharp focus when submerged.

Check the pinout label on the housing. Labels referencing COAX/SDI video, serial connections (e.g., RxD/B+ or TxD/A−), or tristate controls indicate a Coax/FleXlink® model. Labels listing only DC power connections, PoE, or Ethernet pairs (TD−, TD+, RD−, RD+) indicate an IP model. If the label is missing, locate the serial number laser-etched on the dorsal surface of the housing (on some domed models, it may be on the dome seat) and contact DeepSea Support with that serial number.

In most cases, yes. Damaged or flooded units can often be evaluated and repaired at our factory. Contact DeepSea Support to begin the RMA process. Feasibility and lead time depend on the unit’s condition and current RMA volumes.

Yes. Spare-part kits, including replacement domes and other service items, are available. Contact DeepSea Sales for pricing and availability, and DeepSea Support for installation guidance.

The default static IP address is 192.168.1.250.

Connect the camera to a PC via a shared network switch (PoE-capable if your unit requires it; otherwise use any 10–36 VDC supply at 3 W max). Ensure your PC’s Ethernet adapter is on the same subnet as the camera (by default, 192.168.1.x). Open a web browser, enter the camera’s IP address, and log in with the credentials provided in your product documentation.

The IP model supports manual video recording, delayed-start video, manual still capture, and time-lapse still capture. Recordings are saved to a removable microSD card. Settings for all recording modes are accessible through the camera’s web interface.

Recordings can be downloaded through the camera’s web interface or by physically removing the microSD card. Consult the HD Multi SeaCam® IP QuickStart Guide for detailed steps.

The unit can be factory-reset by opening the housing and removing the microSD card. Consult the How-To Guides available from DeepSea Support for detailed reset steps. Note: a factory reset restores the camera module’s default image settings, which differ from DeepSea’s optimized defaults. Contact Support with your serial number to obtain a settings file that restores optimal imaging performance. Do not hesitate to reach out if you encounter any issues during the reset process.

On managed networks (corporate, university, etc.), this is typically caused by network security features blocking RTSP traffic. Ensure your IT department has opened port 554 (the default RTSP port). If network security has been ruled out, disable the broadcast filter in the camera’s web interface under Network Setup > Ethernet (set to “off” and click Submit). This security feature is designed for private CCTV applications and is generally not needed for oceanographic use on closed networks. Contact DeepSea Support if issues persist. Include your serial number and the devices or software you are using.

HD-SDI is a digital video standard typically transmitted over coaxial interconnects. FleXlink® is DeepSea’s proprietary high-speed, HD-SDI–based video format that uses unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) conductors and a separate FleXlink® Media Converter Board to deliver low-latency fiber optic or SDI coax video outputs. If your model has a pin/coax hybridized bulkhead connector, it is a coax unit. If it has an 8-pin connector and is not an IP camera, it is a FleXlink® unit. Never connect a FleXlink® camera to a PoE-enabled Ethernet switch.

The LED SeaLite® is DeepSea’s newest light, a robust, highly configurable fixture with outputs up to 10,000 lumens, offering multiple beam patterns (spot, flood) and Multiray™ technology for switchable colors and beams in a single unit. The SeaLite® Sphere is a compact, fully dimmable light designed as a halogen replacement, featuring a unique spherical housing that is chemically inert and operates both in water and in air (for limited periods), ideal for deck operations and ROV tooling.

Multiray™ technology allows a single fixture to house two distinct sets of LED sources, enabling operators to switch between different colors (e.g., white and UV, or white and red) or beam patterns without adding a second physical light to the vehicle. This feature is available on the Multiray™ LED SeaLite® series (model LSL-2025).

Yes. Many DeepSea lights, including the LED SeaLite®, are designed for field service with no solder-wire connections or specialized tools required for basic maintenance, enabling quick repairs or reconfigurations on the vessel.

Most premium LED lights, including the LED SeaLite® and SeaLite® Sphere, carry a standard depth rating of 6,000 meters with anodized aluminum or titanium housings. Full-ocean-depth options (11,000 meters) are available for specific models in titanium housings.

Yes. Most DeepSea LED lights support wide-range dimming via analog control (0–5 V, 0–10 V, 4–20 mA), serial communication (RS-232, RS-485), and, for specific models like the SeaLite® Sphere, Phase/Triac control. DeepSea’s SeaSense® Protocol provides additional advanced control features.

DeepSea offers lighting solutions from a few hundred lumens to over 10,000 lumens. The ultra-compact Nano SeaLite® produces approximately 700 lumens; the LED SeaLite® and SeaLite® Sphere series output up to 10,000 lumens. Electrical input ranges from low-voltage DC (10–48 VDC) to AC mains (approximately 90–140 VAC) depending on the model.

Yes. The Multiray™ LED SeaLite® (LSL-2025) combines two LED modules in one fixture, each with its own beam pattern and color, operable independently or together. This allows both a narrow-spot beam and a wide-flood beam in the same unit. In multi-light setups, different SeaLite® configurations can also be combined for tailored coverage.

Yes. The SeaStrobe LED SeaLite® (LSL-2075) is designed for high-intensity pulsed output and includes a sync trigger input for precise coordination with camera shutter events. It supports edge-trigger and pulse-following modes for flexible synchronization. Continuous lights can also be remotely toggled or modulated via serial commands or analog control for programmatic coordination with camera operations.

To the human eye, a 100 W white light generally appears brighter, even if the blue light emits more raw optical power. Human vision is most sensitive to yellow-green wavelengths, where white LEDs typically concentrate more energy, producing a higher perceived brightness.

DeepSea SeaLite® lights can be equipped with a wide range of emitters. The most common is Daylight White (5700K, 70CRI), suitable for nearly any application. High-CRI Daylight White (90CRI) is available for cinematography and research where enhanced color accuracy is important. Warm White (3200K, 80CRI) provides the familiar tone of traditional halogen or incandescent lights. Specialized monochromatic options include red (for deep-sea observation with minimal disturbance to marine life), green (for maximum penetration with black-and-white imagers), and ultraviolet (for fluorescence detection and leak-detection dye work).

The SeaBattery® is a pressure-compensated power storage solution designed for full ocean depth. Because it is pressure-compensated (oil-filled to equalize pressure), it does not require a heavy pressure vessel, making it lighter and safer than hard-housed alternatives. The SeaBattery® system has a proven track record of over 40 years in oceanographic exploration and is particularly valued in applications where dependability is critical, such as on diving bells.

The SeaBattery® platform is highly modular and can be configured for 6 V, 12 V, 24 V, and 48 V outputs. Standard models include the SB-12/80 (12 V, 80 Ah), SB-24/40 (24 V, 40 Ah), and SB-48/18 (48 V, 18 Ah), suitable for powering autonomous instruments, drop cameras, and backup systems on submersibles.

The SeaBattery® uses robust lead-acid Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) cells that are reliable and cost-effective. AGM technology also prevents leaks and avoids the shipping restrictions associated with modern lithium-ion batteries. The system has a demonstrated history of reliable operation spanning over three decades.