Camera Attachment?

[davehicks]

The one I'm using (linked above) has a steel cable core inside the coiled cord.

The one I had fail broke at the attachment point and not the cord itself. I use the bungie to create a second independent attachment.

Probably the Optical Ocean cable shown earlier is the best design, but not the one I already own. I expect I'll buy one of those when my cable wears out.

 

[stuartv]

The one I had fail broke at the attachment point and not the cord itself. I use the bungie to create a second independent attachment.

Probably the Optical Ocean cable shown earlier is the best design, but not the one I already own. I expect I'll buy one of those when my cable wears out.

Fair points. If the OO one had a version with stainless bolt snaps on both ends, I would buy it. Having used one with the paracord loop on one end for several years and now having one with bolt snaps on both ends, I definitely prefer bolt snaps on both ends. It is easier to put on/take off the lanyard from my camera. And - I know it's a VERY minor concern - I know nothing is going to saw through a piece of paracord to let my camera go.

Also, I think I am less concerned about the coil cord part breaking than about the rest. I mean, the only times I'm not holding my camera with at least one hand is when the quick release buckle is snapped shut and the coil cord is not doing anything. The chances of that coil part breaking when I'm in the water and drop the camera are pretty slim. And, if that happens, it would normally be when the bottom is close enough to just go pick the camera up. I normally stow my camera and clip the lanyard short before I start my ascent.

Like I said, though I'm not too worried about the coil cord part breaking (even at the connections), if the OO one had a 2-bolt snap option, I would still buy it, just because it would be "better" and not that expensive (in the grand scheme of u/w photography).

 

[GRH]

I use a bolt snap on a lanyard.
View attachment 631142

Your setup is close to what I'm considering. Hard to confirm but it looks like you use a long hose with bungeed necklace backup? I am moving to a long hose and want to be sure I'm still able to safely share air, deploy SMB's, etc.

I notice you have a handle lanyard AND the lanyard attached to your d-ring. I was thinking about a handle lanyard I could unclip on one side and attach to a d-ring. Curious why you have both. I also wondered if keeping the handle lanyard attached would get in the way of camera controls at times.

One other configuration I am thinking about is two lanyards to allow handsfree transport on long rocky shore dives, one clipped to each chest d-ring. I imaging shorter lanyards would be needed for that.

What are the lengths of your lanyards?

I have an Aquatica D850 with a pair of DS161's and a focus light and was considering their 20" lanyard with the mounting brackets shown in the attached picture.

Thank you.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The handle lanyard is just for handing the camera up when diving from commercial boats and carrying the camera around on deck. When diving from my own boat, I clip two carabiners to the bolt snaps on the handle lanyard before lifting the housing over the gunwale into the water. The lanyard is long enough to hand the camera up but short enough to not be in the way underwater.

The handle is 18 inches long and the attachment lanyard on my D-ring is 12 inches. When I get in the water from my own boat I attach the short lanyard to my D-ring before unclipping the carabiners. There is never a time when the housing is not clipped to either me or the boat. I dropped it once in near zero vis and was lucky to find it. I've never made that mistake again.

 

[stuartv]

Your setup is close to what I'm considering. Hard to confirm but it looks like you use a long hose with bungeed necklace backup? I am moving to a long hose and want to be sure I'm still able to safely share air, deploy SMB's, etc.

I notice you have a handle lanyard AND the lanyard attached to your d-ring. I was thinking about a handle lanyard I could unclip on one side and attach to a d-ring. Curious why you have both. I also wondered if keeping the handle lanyard attached would get in the way of camera controls at times.

One other configuration I am thinking about is two lanyards to allow handsfree transport on long rocky shore dives, one clipped to each chest d-ring. I imaging shorter lanyards would be needed for that.

What are the lengths of your lanyards?

I have an Aquatica D850 with a pair of DS161's and a focus light and was considering their 20" lanyard with the mounting brackets shown in the attached picture.

Thank you.

View attachment 635726

When I dive doubles, I tuck my long hose behind my waist belt. Even if my camera is clipped to my right waist D-ring and the lanyard is extended, it won't interfere with a long hose deployment.

I use a handle lanyard and a separate attachment lanyard. The handle lanyard needs to be long enough to span the two upright strobe arms, with a little extra, and not stretchy. It has to be good for easy lifting of the camera in and out of the water. Stiff enough to make it easy to hold up and have someone on the boat be able to easily grab it and take it from me. In the water, I unclip it from one strobe arm and clip that end to an attachment at the top of the handle on the same side where it is still attached to the other strobe arm.

The attachment lanyard is clipped to my waist belt. It has the QR buckle in the middle. When undone, it will easily stretch out to arm's length. When the QR buckle is clipped, I want it to be very short, to keep the camera from dangling too far below me when it's "stowed" for ascent.

I haven't thought of a good way to have one lanyard that does double duty.

For transporting on a long walk for a shore dive, I might just thread the handle lanyard through one chest D-ring. Or, I could use 2 double-enders and clip the shackle clamp on each strobe arm to a chest D-ring.

I use these shackle clamps, one on each side, at the joint between the first and second strobe arms.

Nauticam Long Multi-purpose (MP) Clamp with Shackle

 

[beldridg]

Fair points. If the OO one had a version with stainless bolt snaps on both ends, I would buy it. Having used one with the paracord loop on one end for several years and now having one with bolt snaps on both ends, I definitely prefer bolt snaps on both ends. It is easier to put on/take off the lanyard from my camera. And - I know it's a VERY minor concern - I know nothing is going to saw through a piece of paracord to let my camera go.

I'm the opposite.

I currently use the one with the paracord on the end that attaches to the camera. I think I might have even bought it from Optical Ocean. I used to have the one with bolt snaps on both ends.

Let me explain why I prefer the paracord:

Have you ever seen the demonstration where a double-ender on a spool gets torqued and the lever gets compressed and the bolt-snap pops off the spool?

Well, I have a Nauticam housing and where I used to attach the double ender is through a hole in flange. You might think "that will never happen." Well, it did. Luckily I had a very aware dive buddy who saw it happen and chased it down and luckily there was a sandy bottom and it wasn't on a wall dive where it would have been gone.

I use a setup similar to @MaxBottomtime. I have a handle lanyard (white in the photo) which is short enough to not get in the way but long enough to hand up to somebody on the boat before I get back on the boat. I also have the Cetacea lanyard (red) to attach the camera rig to me. I've attached a photo for reference.

I've also attached a video (sorry, had to "zip" it since they don't allow .mov files) showing how easily a double ender can come undone from (mine, at least) the camera housing. This might be specific to the Nauticam housing and obviously there are ways to stop this from happening. For me, the simplest way was to just use the leash with a paracord end which isn't coming off unless it gets cut and that is very unlikely.

- brett

 

[davehicks]

My rig has a handle and a lanyard. I use long arms and attach a simple paracord+clip to the ends of the first arm segment on a few d-rings I attached to the arms. I add 1/2 inch clear rubber tubing to make the handle. This allow me to carry the rig at arms lenght without draging it and makes it easy for boat crew to offer and retrieve the housing when I am in the water. I add a second d-ring to the bottom on the long arm to clip off the handle while diving.

 

[stuartv]

I'm the opposite.

I currently use the one with the paracord on the end that attaches to the camera. I think I might have even bought it from Optical Ocean. I used to have the one with bolt snaps on both ends.

Let me explain why I prefer the paracord:

Have you ever seen the demonstration where a double-ender on a spool gets torqued and the lever gets compressed and the bolt-snap pops off the spool?

Yes, I am very aware of that phenomena. I would think that would be a lot more likely to happen on the bolt snap that is clipped to your body than the one clipped to the camera. Regardless, with paracord on one end, you still have that risk on the other end, yes?

You've got me thinking now. I will have to play with my rig and see if I can get the gate to pop open like that. If I can, maybe I'll order the existing OO lanyard.

 

[stuartv]

I'm the opposite.

I currently use the one with the paracord on the end that attaches to the camera. I think I might have even bought it from Optical Ocean. I used to have the one with bolt snaps on both ends.

Let me explain why I prefer the paracord:

Have you ever seen the demonstration where a double-ender on a spool gets torqued and the lever gets compressed and the bolt-snap pops off the spool?

Well, I have a Nauticam housing and where I used to attach the double ender is through a hole in flange. You might think "that will never happen." Well, it did. Luckily I had a very aware dive buddy who saw it happen and chased it down and luckily there was a sandy bottom and it wasn't on a wall dive where it would have been gone.

I use a setup similar to @MaxBottomtime. I have a handle lanyard (white in the photo) which is short enough to not get in the way but long enough to hand up to somebody on the boat before I get back on the boat. I also have the Cetacea lanyard (red) to attach the camera rig to me. I've attached a photo for reference.

I've also attached a video (sorry, had to "zip" it since they don't allow .mov files) showing how easily a double ender can come undone from (mine, at least) the camera housing. This might be specific to the Nauticam housing and obviously there are ways to stop this from happening. For me, the simplest way was to just use the leash with a paracord end which isn't coming off unless it gets cut and that is very unlikely.

- brett

ps. In your video, can you get it to pop off like that if you clip it with the gate facing up instead of down?

 

[davehicks]

Yes, I am very aware of that phenomena. I would think that would be a lot more likely to happen on the bolt snap that is clipped to your body than the one clipped to the camera. Regardless, with paracord on one end, you still have that risk on the other end, yes?

You've got me thinking now. I will have to play with my rig and see if I can get the gate to pop open like that. If I can, maybe I'll order the existing OO lanyard.

You can always add a clip or maybe a small carabiner to the paracord end of the lanyard. A quality carabiner would probably be more secure on the housing. I've never had an issue with a clip on my BC d-ring, or heard of an example where one came off. (Cameras or stage bottles)