Before you write this little article off you need to understand o-rings are the just about the most critical part of any underwater camera or strobe system. If you don't pay attention to your o-rings you will soon find out just how expensive new camera gear is these days. Spending a little time treating your o-rings like the royalty they are will minimize the possibility of a disastrous flooding episode. Be nice to your o-rings and they will be nice to you.

One critical part of o-ring care is using the proper silicone lubricant or grease. Also be aware, there may be some o-rings installed in your equipment that should not be lubricated with anything. Find out which ones they are and follow the manufacturers instructions in this regard.

There are many different brands and formulations of o-ring lubricant or silicone available. Just about every camera, strobe or housing manufacturer has their own special o-ring lubricant or grease. For the underwater photographer that should tell you the manufacturer has gone to a lot off trouble to find the right silicone grease to make their equipment function properly. Since o-rings are the system used to seal camera and strobe housings the proper grease can be a critical part of the "Stay Dry" equation. The more cynical ones of you out there will say a manufacturers specification  of a certain grease is nothing more than that manufacturer's attempt to squeeze a little more money out of you. Don't fall into the cynics trap or you may find yourself with a soggy and useless, but expensive, piece of underwater camera gear.

Silicone Grease is not just silicone grease and, believe it or not, an o-ring is not just an o-ring.

Ikeltite O-Ring Grease

Ikelite has formulated their own special grease for use on Ikelite o-rings. Ikelite does not reccomend using any other o-ring grease on Ikelite o-rings. Just so you know, Ikeltite does use a different o-ring formulation that does not do well with anything but Ikelite o-ring grease.

Ikelite o-ring greawse comes in tiny, non-resealable tube that contain way more silicone than you need to lubricate a couple of o-rings