The GoPro HD HERO2 and flat glass lens compatibility issue is now fixed. Following is a description of the initial problem and the solution.
After extensive testing of the flat glass lens with the new HERO2 cameras, we found that the HERO2 camera lens may touch the housing glass flat lens during a dive, and put enough pressure on it to cause it to crack. The factors contributing to this are as follows:
- The camera lens of the HERO2 is slightly bigger than that of the original HERO HD.
- GoPro housings are not all made exactly the same. In some housings the distance between the camera lens and the housing flat glass lens is decreased.
- If the black bezel is screwed down with too much force it will also decrease the distance between the lenses.
- Water pressure pushes on the back door of the housing, which pushes on the camera moving it more towards the front of the housing and the glass flat lens. Enough pressure may be put on the glass flat lens to cause it to crack.
This has never been an issue with the original HERO HD as we did calculate the clearance to be safe. But now with the HERO2 camera lens being bigger the distance between the camera lens and the glass flat lens is reduced, and it can happen even at depths under 60ft that the camera lens is putting so much pressure against the glass flat lens that it will crack.
We came up with a fix for this problem and it is quite simple. A washer/spacer that is manufactured to our specifications is placed over the HERO2 camera lens and flush against the camera body. The spacer sits between the camera body and the inside front wall of the waterproof housing, preventing the HERO2 camera from moving into the housing too much, and the camera lens never touches the housing flat lens. This fix will work on both the regular housing, and the LCD with it's larger back door.
Both polycarbonate and glass flat lenses from Pursuit now come with a spacer included.
Spacer usage guide:
1. Gopro HD HERO2 and glass flat lens - Spacer must be used.
2. Gopro HD HERO2 and polycarbonate flat lens - Spacer is recommended although we've never had a problem with a polycarbonate lens breaking or deforming.
3. Gopro HD HERO and glass flat lens - Spacer is optional.
4. Gopro HD HERO and polycarbonate flat lens - Spacer is optional.
5. Gopro HD HERO 960 and glass flat lens - Spacer is optional.
6. Gopro HD HERO 960 and polycarbonate flat lens - Spacer is optional.