Page 1
Digital Housing
i n s t r u c t i o n m a n u a l
6148.28 for Canon SX280 HS
Lens
Port
Thank you for your purchase of Ikelite equipment. Please read this
instruction manual completely before attempting to operate or dive
with this product.
Page 2
Table of Contents
Specifications ............................................................P. 3
Package Contents ......................................................P. 3
Preparation ..................................................................P. 3
Initial Camera Setup........................................................P. 4
Parts of the Housing - Front View ..................................P. 5
Parts of the Housing - Back View ..................................P. 6
Opening the Housing ......................................................P. 7
Installing the Camera ......................................................P. 7
Using the Camera’s Built-in Flash ..................................P. 8
Closing the Housing ........................................................P. 8
Final Check ....................................................................P. 8
Usage ..........................................................................P. 9
Turn Camera On..............................................................P. 9
Zoom Control (lever type only)........................................P. 9
Using the Camera’s Built-in Flash ...
...............................P. 9
Diffuser and Deflector Installation and Use ....................P. 10
Entering the Water ..........................................................P. 11
Maintenance ................................................................P. 11
Lens Port ........................................................................P. 11
Lubricant ........................................................................P. 11
O-ring Storage ................................................................P. 11
Housing Maintenance ....................................................P. 12
Control Maintenance ......................................................P. 13
Photo Tips ..................................................................P. 15
Troubleshooting ........................................................P. 16
Spare Parts ..................................................................P. 19
Recommended Accessories ....................................P. 19
Customer Support ....................................................P. 21
Limited Warranty ........................................................P. 22
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Table of Contents - continued
Returning Products for Service ......................................P. 23
Product Registration ..................................................P. 24
Specifications
Width ......................6.8 in (173 mm) including controls
Height ....................4.8 in (122 mm) including controls
Depth ......................6.1 in (155 mm) including controls and lens port
Weight ....................2.9 lb (1.3kg)
Buoyancy ................Near neutral in freshwater
Package Contents
- Ikelite Digital Housing
- Housing Lanyard (attached)
- Silicone Lubricant
- Vinyl Port Cover
- Diffuser
- Deflector
- Extra Control Tips
Preparation
This product has been water pressure tested at the factory and is depth
rated to 200 ft. (60m). Thoroughly inspect and immerse the empty
housing completely in water before installing a camera. If any fogging
occurs or droplets of water enter the housing, do not install a camera.
Clean the housing main o-ring and retest to make sure that it is
watertight. R
Please read your Nikon camera manual thoroughly to have a full
understanding of each camera function.
If you are new to underwater photography, be sure to read the Photo
Tips section.
efer to the Troubleshooting section, page 16.
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Initial Camera Setup - before placing camera in housing
- Insert a fully charged battery. Due to the power required to operate the
camera and LCD screen, start each dive with a fully charged camera
battery.
- In FUNC./SET:
Set Mode Dial to “Av” Aperture Priority.
Set Metering to “Center Weighted Avg.”
Set AWB White Balance to “Auto.”
Set ISO to “200.”
Set Drive Mode to “Single Shot” and Still Image Aspect Ratio to 4:3.
Set Recording Pixels to “L” 12M and Compression to “S” Superfine.
Set Movie Quality to “1920/30.”
- In MENU Shooting Settings:
Set AF Frame to “Center” and AF Frame Size to “Normal.”
Set Digital Zoom to “Off” and AF-Point Zoom to “Off.”
Set Servo AF to “Off” and Continuous AF to “On.”
Set AF-assist Beam to “Off.”
In the Flash Settings Menu set Flash Mode to “Auto.”
Set Red-Eye Corr. and Red-Eye Lamp to “Off.”
Set i-Contrast to “Auto” and Safety Shift to “Off.”
Set Review to “4 seconds.”
- In MENU Camera Settings:
Set Date, Time and Time Zone.
Set Lens Retract to “1 min.”
Set Eco Mode to “Off.”
In Power Saving: set Auto Power Down to “Off” & Display Off to “3 min.”
Insert and format an SDHC memory card.
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Initial Camera Setup - continued
- Set Flash to forced “On-Flash always fires .”
- Set Macro mode to “On” when shooting close-up. If the image
is overexposed, use “-” Flash Exposure Compensation and/or
back away, zoom in, and then reshoot.
Parts of the Housing - Front View
Shutter
Button
Power
Button
Zoom Lever
Lid Snap
Lens Port
Lens
Port
External Tray Mounts
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Parts of the Housing - Back View
1
Housing Controls
1. Mode Dial
2. Playback Button
2
3
4
6
5
7
8
10
9
7. Flash/Right Button
8. Control Dial *
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3. Movie Button
4. Exp. Comp./Up Button
5. Macro/MF/Left Button
6. FUNC./SET Button
* Control Dial Note: A small section is “cut away” from the Control Dial
rotating rubber pad - Page 7, Diagram A. Rotate Control Dial to its “cut
away” resting position so it does not contact the camera when not in use.
6
9. DISP. (Display) Button
10. Single Erase
11. MENU Button
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Opening the Housing
Lid Snaps have a Lock.
Push Forward
To open housing, push Lid Snap
Lid Snap Lock
Lock forward and lift as shown.
Keep pressure on the Lid Snap so it
does not fly open quickly.
Some Lid Snaps have a lot of
Lift
spring tension once they go over
center, so keep a firm grip on the Lid Snap.
Lid Snaps may be opened one at a time.
Installing the Camera
1. Pull out on each housing control until it stops. This will get the controls
out of the way for installation of the camera.
2. Remove the back from the housing.
3. Remove camera lanyard from camera if attached.
4. The mounting tray for the camera is secured to the housing back.
Position the camera on the tray.
5. Using a coin or screwdriver (preferred), secure the camera with the tray
mounting bolt which threads into the camera’s tripod socket - Diagram A.
CAUTION:
Diagram A
Some camera tripod
socket threads are
plastic. The mounting
20x
bolt is metal. Do not
Canon
OPTICAL
ZOOM
cross thread or over
tighten as you may
damage the camera
tripod socket threads.
SX280 HS
Control Dial “cut away.” When
not in use, rotate Control Dial
so “cut away” is over camera
dial and not contacting camera.
Tray Mounting Bolt
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Closing the Housing
1. Place housing face down in your lap.
2. Check to see that there is an o-ring on
the housing back that is clean and in its
proper location.
3. Guide the back onto the housing. The
o-ring should touch the housing all the
housing back
way around. There should
be an even gap all the way around
between the housing and the housing
back.
4. Lift the lid snaps so they are extended
and place the lid snap into the
corresponding hook on the housing
back.
5. To close the housing, push down on the
lid snaps until they snap into place. Lid
snaps on opposite sides of
the housing should be closed
at the same time. Be sure they
are down far enough to engage
the lid-snap lock.
housing
even gap
all 4 sides
housing
o-ring
housing back
o-ring
Final Check
Once the housing is closed, check the o-ring seal. Check the gap
between the housing back and the housing. It should be even all the
way around the housing.
Look through the clear plastic back at the o-ring. You should see a
darkened area where the o-ring is compressed against the housing
back. If you do not see an even black compression seal all the way
around the back, open the lid snaps, reseat the housing back and close
the lid snaps. Visually check the seal again.
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Usage
Turn Camera On
Turn the camera on and operate each of the housing controls to get a
feel for using the camera in the housing.
Zoom Control (lever type only)
After you have used the housing's
zoom control, it must be returned to the
center position to disengage. If the
housing zoom control is pushing the
zoom lever in either direction, you may
-
+
-
not be able to take a picture or access
other functions. This is because the
camera is receiving a signal from the
Zoom Control
“Disengaged”
(Center Position)
Zoom Control
“Engaged”
engaged zoom control.
Using the Camera’s Built-in Flash
If you are shooting with the camera’s built-in flash and the camera lens
is set to the widest angle setting, you may need to zoom the lens slightly
or a dark area may appear in a lower corner of close-up photographs.
The lens port may block some of the light. Install the Diffuser and zoom
in to eliminate any dark areas noted in your photographs (You can test
+
this above water). See Diffuser/Deflector Installation - page 10.
For the best results, we recommend using external Ikelite Substrobes.
The camera’s built-in flash CANNOT be used with optional Wide Angle or
Accessory lenses.
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Diffuser and Deflector Installation
A Diffuser and Deflector are
included with the housing. The
Diffuser is white transparent
lastic. The Deflector is also white
p
but is not transparent.
To install the Diffuser or Deflector,
push the “Cut-out” Section over the
port and into the port groove until it
stops.
Note the Small Hole. To avoid
losing the Diffuser or Deflector, you
can attach a fishing line or string to
Diffuser/Deflector material
Cut-out
Section
Small hole
this hole.
Diffuser/Deflector properly
installed in port groove
Diffuser Use
The Diffuser should be installed when using the camera flash. When
shooting close-up photographs with the camera flash and at the camera
lens’s widest angle setting, the lens port on the housing can block a
portion of the light from the camera flash. This can result in a shadow in
a lower corner of the frame. Zoom the lens to eliminate any shadow not
eliminated by the Diffuser (You can test this above water).
Deflector Use
The Deflector should be installed when using a slave unit to trigger an
external strobe. The Deflector will block and redirect the camera’s flash
to an EV-controller or other slave unit which controls the external
strobe’s output. Remove the Diffuser before attempting to install the
Deflector.
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Entering the Water
As soon as you enter the water, take a moment and check the housing
to see that it is properly sealed.
Next, check to see if there are any bubbles on the face of the lens port.
If there are, take your finger and remove them. If there are bubbles on
the lens port they can produce soft focus spots in your photos or video.
Maintenance
Lens Port
Treat the glass or acrylic in the lens port as a camera lens. After use,
rinse and gently dry the outside lens port to avoid water spotting. To
clean, use a mild soap solution or lens cleaner. Do not rinse the inside
port glass. Do not use alcohol or window cleaner on the Lens Port.
Lubricant
Ikelite provides silicone lubricant with the housing. We recommend you
use only Ikelite lubricant on Ikelite products. Other brands may cause
the main housing o-ring to swell and not seal properly.
Use only enough lubricant to lightly cover the main housing o-ring or
lubricate a sticky control. Wipe off any excess lubricant with a clean
cloth. Lubricant is not a sealant; it is used to reduce friction. Excessive
lubricant can collect sand and dirt which may interfere with proper
sealing.
CAUTION:
Never use spray lubricants as the propellant ingredient can cause
the plastic housing to crack or o-rings to swell.
O-ring Storage
When storing the housing, remove the main housing o-ring. Lightly
lubricate the o-ring until it appears shiny and place in a small resealable
plastic bag. Use only Ikelite lubricant. Place the bag inside the housing
and store until needed.
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Housing Maintenance
Your Ikelite Digital Housing should be given the same care and attention
as your other photographic equipment. In addition to normal
maintenance, we recommend that the housing be returned to Ikelite
periodically to be checked and pressure tested.
- Do Not leave the camera and housing in direct sunlight for prolonged
periods. Heat may damage the camera.
- Do Not ship the camera in the housing.
- Before using the housing, always check the tightness of the set screw
in each control knob. Check each control gland penetrating the housing
to make sure they are tight. There is a slight chance that either could
vibrate loose during travel.
- Keep the main housing o-ring clean and lightly lubricated. To lubricate,
remove the o-ring from the back. Put a small amount of lkelite lubricant
on your fingers. Pull the o-ring through your fingers to apply a thin
coating of lubricant. Only apply enough lubricant to make the o-ring feel
slick. Do Not stretch the o-ring. This light coating of lubricant will help
to keep the o-ring from drying out and will help to show a dark sealing
line when the housing back is properly sealed.
- Keep the area where the o-ring fits and the sealing surface of the
housing clean.
- Rinse the housing exterior thoroughly in freshwater after each saltwater
use. Depress push buttons repeatedly in freshwater to eliminate trapped
saltwater. Dry with a soft cloth. Dry lens port to eliminate water spotting.
After several uses in saltwater, soak the housing exterior in a mild soap
solution, rinse and dry before storing. When storing the housing, remove
the back o-ring, lightly lubricate, and place in a plastic bag. Place the
plastic bag with o-ring inside the housing for safe keeping.
- If removing a housing push button, Do Not re-use the E-clip. Contact
Ikelite for replacement E-clips (part 0319.12).
- Leave lid snaps in the open position when not using the housing for
extended periods.
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Control Maintenance
Ikelite controls are designed to provide years of reliable service with
minimal maintenance.
- Push button controls normally require no maintenance other than rinsing
in freshwater after saltwater use. Depress each push button in
freshwater several times to eliminate trapped saltwater. If a push button
control becomes difficult to push or if it sticks when depressed, soak the
housing in luke warm freshwater. After a few minutes, operate the push
button. If this does not correct the problem, return the housing to Ikelite
for maintenance. If you are on a trip and unable to return the housing
immediately, a push button may be lubricated by pressing and holding
the push button all the way in. Then, use your finger or other small
object to place a small amount of lube at the base of the shaft inside the
housing. Press and release the push button several times until the lube
is worked up into the o-ring.
- Some of the controls have long shafts. These controls can be pulled out,
exposing the shaft see diagrams B and C - page 14.
To lubricate the control, gently pull on the knob until the stainless steel
shaft is exposed. Lightly lubricate the shaft, then move the shaft in and
out several times. This will lubricate the x-ring in the Ikelite control gland.
This should be done before using the housing after a prolonged storage
period, or once a week when the housing is in constant use.
- Some of the controls have a short shaft and cannot be pulled out
exposing the shaft for lubrication. In the unlikely event one of these
controls sticks or becomes difficult to operate, you can remove the
control from the housing and lubricate it, or return the housing to Ikelite
for maintenance. To remove the control, diagram B - page 14, loosen
the set screw in the knob (allen wrench required); remove the knob. If
there is salt or dirt build-up on the exposed control shaft, clean the shaft.
Open the housing and gently slide the control shaft out of the control
gland. Clean and lightly lubricate the shaft, including the end of the
shaft.
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Page 14
Control Maintenance - continued
Slide the shaft back into the control gland and gently slide it back and
forth a few times without fully removing the shaft from the gland.
Replace the knob noting the flat area on the shaft. The set screw in the
knob should tighten down against the flat area on the control so the
knob does not turn on the shaft.
Diagram B
Housing
Gland
Control Shaft
Tighten set screw down
against this flat area
when replacing the knob.
Housing
Lubricate end of shaft
before reinserting into
gland
Diagram C
Lubricate shaft
Loosen set screw
(allen wrench required)
Pull out knob to
expose shaft
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Photo Tips
- The number one rule in underwater photography is to eliminate as much
water between the camera and subject as possible. Get as close as you
can to the subject, then use the zoom. If you are using flash for still
photos, subjects beyond 6 feet (1.8m) will not have much color
regardless of strobe power.
- Photograph in clear water; do not stir up the sand or silty bottom. If
backscatter becomes a problem in the environment you are
photographing, an external flash will help eliminate much of the
backscatter.
- Many digital cameras have a slight lag time between when you press
the shutter release button and the camera actually takes the picture.
Hold the camera steady a second or two after pressing the shutter
release button.
- Do not shoot down on subjects as they will quite often blend into the
background and be difficult to see in the photograph. Shoot subjects
straight on or shoot up at a slight angle using the blue water as a
contrasting background.
- When using daylight or flash, if your camera consistently over or
underexposes the image, you may want to adjust your camera’s
exposure compensation settings.
- If you error in exposure, it is better to have the image slightly
underexposed rather than overexposed. An overexposed image is
missing color information which cannot be adjusted in a photo
processing program. A slightly underexposed image has color
information that can be adjusted.
- It is important to respect all living creatures underwater, including
people, marine life, and coral. While we encourage people to get close
to their subjects when taking a photograph, they should not touch, lie on,
or in any way disturb the things they find underwater.
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Troubleshooting
Problem
Push buttons or
controls are sticky
and hard to operate
Solution
- Remove the camera and rinse the closed housing
in freshwater. Vigorously press each push button
in and out several times to release any trapped
saltwater or debris.
- Press a sticky push button all the way in and
place a small amount of lubricant on the small
end of the push button shaft at it’s base. Release
and operate the push button several times to
distribute the lubricant.
- If a control is sticky, grab the control knob, pull it
out, and then push back in. If still sticky, see the
Control Maintenance section - pages 13 & 14.
Image is
over/underexposed,
or a corner of the
image is dark
- Return housing to Ikelite for routine maintenance.
- Check that the camera flash or strobe is firing
when taking a picture. Camera flash should be
forced “on.”
- Make sure the deflector is installed when you are
using a non-wired external strobe with a slave.
- Make sure the diffuser is installed when you are
NOT using an external strobe.
- When using an external strobe, make sure i
turned on, set properly, and it’s battery is charged.
- Check any corded connection points.
- Change camera shutter speed or aperture.
- Move closer to or further away from the subject.
t is
- Adjust Flash Exposure Compensation
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Problem
Solution
Camera does not
take a picture
Housing is hard to
close
- Install a fully charged battery.
- If using a “lever type” zoom control, make sure the
control is centered and not engaged.
- There is not enough available light for the camera
to properly focus. Add a focusing light or strobe
with a built-in focusing light to your system.
- Select macro mode (if applicable) when shooting
close-ups.
- Make sure the camera is mounted properly on the
camera tray and housing controls are out of the
way.
- Main housing o
-ring is not seated properly.
Fogging occurs on
the Lens Port
- Humid air is trapped inside the housing.
The camera produces heat and may condense
any trapped moisture forming fog on the lens port.
Close the housing in an air-conditioned room or
vehicle, or in front of an air-conditioner.
- The housing should not be in direct sunlight for an
extended period of time.
- Purchase desiccant packs also known as
moisture munchers from a local camera store.
Place one or two packs in your housing before
each day of diving.
- Clean the main housing o-ring and sealing
surface of the housing.
- If moisture or water droplets are present around
the controls or sealing areas, return the housing
to Ikelite for evaluation.
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Problem
Solution
Water enters the
housing
Pictures are too blue
or too green
- Remove, clean and properly lubricate the main
o-ring.
- Look for hair, dirt, or foreign debris crossing the
o-ring seal.
- Reassemble the housing without a camera
installed and pressure test or take diving.
- Return housing to Ikelite for routine maintenance.
- Use custom (manual) white balance if available.
Reset for each working depth or when attaching a
color correcting filter.
- Add an optional color correcting filter.
- Add an external strobe.
- Move in closer to your subject when taking a
picture.
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Spare Parts
Main Housing O-ring 0109
Lanyard 0321.10
Vinyl Port Cover 0200.08
Ikelite Lube 5020
For light lubrication of the main housing o-ring.
(4 - 1cc tubes)
Recommended Accessories
Tray and Handle(s)
Add stability and gripping point(s) for comfortable use of the housing
above and below water. Most tray and handle combinations offset the
slightly positive buoyancy of the housings. Handles offer attachment
points for external lighting systems.
External Strobes
A separate external strobe adds color to restore the warmer colors
filtered out by the water as well as to illuminate the subject. Add a
second strobe to eliminate shadows and evenly light your subjects.
Video Lighting
External video lights add color when using the video/movie mode of your
camera. Primary video lights are specially color balanced to provide
natural tones.
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Recommended Accessories - continued
External Color Correcting Filters
Color filters such as the UR-Pro Filter replace
some of the reds, oranges and more natural
tones that would otherwise be lost underwater.
Effective in relatively shallow, sunny conditions.
Available for tropical blue water and green
water settings. For optimum results use in
combination with “custom (manual) white
balance.” Check your camera user guide for
information on this option (if available). Not
recommended when using external strobes.
UR-Pro Filter
UR/Pro Filters (Blue Water or Green Water)
The UR/Pro underwater color correcting filter is designed to restore
some of the warm colors filtered out by the water. For available light use
only. Not recommended for use with an external flash.
Lens Port
WD-4 Wide-Angle Conversion Dome 6430.4
The removeable WD-4 corrects light refraction underwater,
restoring the camera’s original angle of coverage. Approximately
3/4 of the camera's zoom range can be used with the dome in
place. Slight vignetting may occur at camera’s widest angle setting.
External Macro Adaptor 9306.82
Allows attachment of 67mm threaded macro lenses from Inon and
Epoque. NOT for use with 67mm threaded wide-angle lenses.
Note: Other than the 6430.4 and 9306.82, no other accessory lenses or
adaptors can be used with this housing.
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Recommended Accessories - continued
Please Read If Using an EV Manual Controller
The EV-Controller used with Ikelite DS Substrobes has two user
settings. One setting is for strobe selection, the other is for pre-flash “P”
or non pre-flash “ P .” Most cameras use a pre-flash. This means the
EV-Controller should be set to the pre-flash “P” position when used with
this camera as a slave. If a manual mode is used that does not emit a
pre-flash, set the EV-controller to the non pre-flash “ P ” position.
A full range of accessories is available to support your housing. Please
visit www.ikelite.com to see the most current information about
recommended accessories for your housing.
Customer Support
Please read the troubleshooting section of this instruction manual before
contacting Ikelite Technical Support.
Ikelite Underwater Systems
Service Department
50 West 33rd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA
Email: ikelite@ikelite.com
Phone: 317-923-4523
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Limited Warranty
This Ikelite product is warranted against any manufacturing defects for a
period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase. Defective
products should be returned to Ikelite postage paid. Ikelite will, at its sole
discretion, repair or replace such products, and will return to customer
postage paid. All other claims of any nature are not covered. Except as
mentioned above, no other warranty expressed or implied applies to this
Ikelite product.
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Returning Products for Service
Ikelite is most interested in performing any service to ensure that all
products perform as intended. Evidence of purchase date must be
provided to obtain warranty service.
No prior authorization is required. You may return directly to us or
through your dealer. Please include a brief description of the problem,
any relevant email correspondence, and/or instructions on what you
want us to do. Always include name, shipping address, email address,
and phone number inside of the package. Send postage paid to:
Ikelite Underwater Systems
Attention: Service Department
50 West 33 Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA
No reimbursements for postage paid will be issued.
You may also want to insure the package.
Returning Products for Service (outside the United States)
For the separate international customs documentation form that you
complete to accompany the shipment, please state or designate that the
enclosed products were originally manufactured in the USA and are
being returned to the manufacturer for repair service. Value of the
equipment listed for customs purposes should be zero.
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Product Registration
Please go to www.ikelite.com to register your Ikelite housing within 15
days of purchase.
Ikelite Underwater Systems
50 West 33rd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA
www.ikelite.com
© 2013 Ikelite Underwater Systems
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6148.28_Canon_SX280HS_01-0813
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