Make a Pro Waterproof Camera Case (+ Video)

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This is how I made a waterproof case for my digital camera. It's not a super detailed instructable...more like a build-a-long. It's full of great ideas on how you can make your own...

One great hurdle this case solves is the camera interface. Mose DIY waterproof (hard) cases don't have a way of operating the camera's shutter. It's usually just turning on the camera and sticking it inside a box while it films.

My lake is frozen, so I'll need to wait until it thaws to get some good pics. I'm stuck with the sink for now!

Step 1: The Box I Used...

This box is just an airtight food storage box from Dollar General (cost $2.00). If you don't have a dollar store nearby, Meijers ALWAYS has them in stock, but prepare to pay $3.00 and up. Just look in the Tupperware section :D

Step 2: Hole for the Lense

By itself, this box isn't clear enough for taking picture. You'll need to cut a circular hole in it, and mount a piece of plexiglass/lexan/plastic/ as a lens. I used a hole saw...but a spade bit would work if you can find a large one.

WHEN YOU CUT YOUR HOLE: make it like 3 times larger than your camera's lens assembly! You can't make it too big! But you can make it too small... and that means you have a shadow around you video, called a vignette.

The hole in this photo was too small, so I later enlarged it.

Step 3: The Lens

The lense is just a peice of clear plastic with holes in it. It's mounted with bolts and nuts.

Step 4: Gasket

Use sticky-backed craft foam as a gasket. You are going to silicone the outside cracks anyway, but the foam makes a darn good secondary defense against water.
The sticky side of this foam is on the lens.

Step 5: Waterproofing the Screws

Make sure the screw heads are facing inside. Before you tighten them, put some silicone on the threads.

Step 6: Viewing Port

Cut out a window on the lid of the container so you can see the screen of your camera. Using the same technique you did to make the lens, mount a piece of plastic on the INSIDE with screws, foam, and silicone.

Step 7: My Mistake...

OK, up to this pint, unknowingly, I made the lens-hole too small! I had to go back in time, and fix it. Don't make the same mistake! Don't make the hole to small!
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Step 8: Mounting the Camera

One of the hard parts of making a custom case is actually holding the camera still! Without some way to mount you camera, it would just jumble around inside...

So I decided to wrap my camera (with the lens extended) in a plastic bag, tape it inside the waterproof box, and inject Great Stuff expanding foam around it. It worked great! Just make sure you don't get any foam on your camera or the plastic lens you made.

Some tips when using Great Stuff: It expands...Just put a little bit inside the box, and it will triple in size after just 10 minutes. Never EVER put to much foam in. It will never dry...If you put too little foam, you can always add more! Just paint some water on the already cured foam, and spray some more foam in.
If you think your foam isn't drying, DON'T FREEK OUT. Just wait 24 hours, and it will almost always be cured.

After the foam is dry, pull it out (it won't stick to this kind of plastic). Trim it with a knife, make it look pretty. I painted mine black so it looked better from the outside.

Step 9: Pushing the Shutter Button

Ok, this is a pretty iffy solution, but it works!

It's hard to explain, but here I go..
Get a plastic cylinder that it small enough to push the camera's button. Cut it really short so that it touches both the inside of the box and the shutter button of the camera (when the camere is inside the foam insert, inside the case).

It WILL take some fiddling to get right, so don't give up if it's not quite working.

Now all you have to do it gently squeeze the box, and the plastic cylinder pushes the button!