Advice to newbie about BCD suitable for future photography needs

[bladephotog]

Again, you won't need pockets for anything photo related. I use a small 6-8 inch leash to clip off my housing when doing decompression, or if I need my hands for something else. Otherwise, like Howarde, it's in my hands all the time.

 

[loko]

Thank you all for taking the time to drop little pearls of wisdom. Certainly answered most of my concerns and help keep my chin above water, figuratively of course.

 

[mudhole]

Hi, I am new but hooked and am about to buy a BC. The one recommended - ScubaPro T Sport seems suitable as I travel often and can take time off to dive.
However, I am keen to bring my camera (Canon 20D) underwater in a housing at a later stage (when skills allow it) and wonder if a compact BCD is adequate. My experience of nature photographers on land is that large numbers of pockets are needed for the various add-ons. Do underwater photographers have similar needs? or are D rings sufficient to cater for future needs? The various threads I tried to follow on the forum do not address this question.

Welcome loko, the BC you are considering is a good choice, so are the others recommended in this thread. Each gives some benefits and some problems. It sounds like you have someone local to show and help you find a proper fit, listen to them. Your profile shows you have a limited amount of diving experience, but lots of photography experience. I would like to suggest a path for future dives. At many diving resorts you can rent simple point and shoot cameras with a simple flash, start with these.

Practice your diving skills by looking at the edges of coral, lay in the sand, while photographing fish and coral. As your skill with bouyancy and position control gets better, then look for camera housing and strobes. Your canon 20 D will take more of your attention than some of the simple point and shoot camera, and until you have more diving experience, you need that attention for your diving awareness.

There are some photo accessories you can change underwater with your canon, and the manufacturers make clip on holders that clip to your strobe arms. Your canon 20 D in the housing is going to be really big and if mishandled will flood, that will ruin the camera. The rental point and shoot cameras may be as small as your camera above water. The point and shoot digitals take pretty good underwater shots and you can see the results under the "Forums. . . Photography. . . Canon corner, or Olypus or Nikon.

Thanks for joining us, if you have more questions we're here to help, and we're waiting to see your results.

 

[HowardE]

Don't let flooding a camera housing stop you from taking a good camera diving. Get flood insurance - Get DEPP - http://www.awryinc.com/

 

[loko]

heh heh, will take note of the insurance stated but reckon it will be some time before I trust myself sufficiently to use anything more than a point and shoot underwater. (hopefully, not too long as the camera in question, 20D, is now out of production)

As it was, I had to concentrate hard to make sure none of my limbs wandered off to damage the corals I had gone to admire in Bunaken. While an ill fitting BC could be made the scapegoat then, I hope to ensure that the excuse is not useable the next time I wander out.

Not to worry, I will take note of advice given and practise, practise, practise. My mentors are trainers in the local BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) and are very Brit like when it comes to sticking to rules especially where the environment is concerned.

 

[_Bella_]

Last year I needed a new vest and got th T-Sport which I've since made approximately 75 dives in. I prefer to dive with as simple a vest as possible and I don't like back inflates for photography. This is a personal preference based on 5 years of diving with back inflate. As others have mentioned you don't need large pockets for photo accessories because you don't need them. However, if you have things like wet notes, pointers, shears, or other basic safety gear the pockets are small but easy enough to access. I don't have trouble keeping my basic accessories with me in the pockets.

The one reservation I have about the t sport is it doesn't have good D rings. It has small plastic rings with very small holes that are hard to connect things like bolt snaps to hook in my pressure guage. Otherwise this simple style is my preference for photog diving and I have no hesitation to recommend it.

 

[RiverRat]

I don't want to get into a silly BP/W versus Jacket BD debate like sometimes happens here. Whatever works for you works. But one thing I think is important is make sure your BC has a decent tank strap. My BC (BP/W) uses 2 Scubapro super cinch straps. Rock solid. No tank "wobble" whatsoever and having a "bottom" strap helps keep the bottom of an AL80 from flapping up and down when I'm getting to the end of my dive. I think it really helps when I'm shooting in awkward positions, like vertical (upside down) or on my side or whatever. And not having a bunch of clutter on the front is key for me as well. No danglies to worry about when laying real close to the bottom or just over top of a reef. I've heard some pros state that a back inflate is no good, that you need the air bubble to rotate around you. I don't really agree with that, unless you have a back inflate full of air, then yes it may tend to hold you horizontal. But so far I've yet to have any issues. I like the metal D-rings for sure. Whatever you get I think you just need to make sure your tank is real secure and keep it streamlined.

 

[Warren_L]

What is important to me is being uncluttered - that is, having the best range of movement as possible. As well, it is imperative to have a way of quickly clipping off the camera so that it is out of the way in case you need to do something. Remember, diving first, photos second.

 

[nivla80]

Just try not to be an idiot like me and LOSE the camera...

 

[RiverRat]

Just try not to be an idiot like me and LOSE the camera...

Ughhhh man, that must have sucked......