djanni
Contributor
catherine96821:good advice, so I want to ask an opinion. Here in Hawaii, we have seperate big rinse buckets on the boat for cameras. Usually my monster is in there and maybe a couple baby ones. (I use the neoprene port cover if anybody is in the bucket with me). The seas are pretty big here and the ride can be rough and bouncy. I always felt that this was the best place for my camera, as it does not get the jar of the impact and is cusioned by the water, stays cool, etc. Recently, a knowledgable photog said "you do WHAT?" and said that this would cause my camera to flood, she has seen it many times. While I respect her opinion, this does not seem logical to me. thoughts?
I too have been told that more housings flood in the rinse bucket before a dive than while diving. Why, pressures at depth improve the seal. I'm sure that's true but I wonder... at what depth does this become a factor? Does one hold their housing out of the water while waiting to submerge? If there's a bad seal will it hold until I reach 20,30,40,50,60 feet? So I'm not sure I totally agree with the primise than it's best not to put your camera in the rinse bucket.
If the above were true why would some 80-90% of dive boats offer a rinse bucket? Surely it's not to increase your odds of flooding the housing. I've been told the primary purpose of the camera bucket is so that the housing and it's contents can start acclamating to the water temp and secondairly, to see if it leaks. If you submerge the housing in the bucket and give it time for the trapped air to excape from around the latches and etc you'll see water seeping in if it's not sealed. I've actually done that and got my camera out before any damage was done. Once under water, if you have a bad seal the water is going to gush in because of the pressure and then it's too late.
Putting a big rig into a small bucket and having other peoples equipment bumping into it is a separate subject. One of good behavior. One board member speculated a jostle was enough to break a seal and although I doubt that, if it happened I would imagine it would be very temporary.
My housing is on the large side but I don't have a strobe. I've seen people with larger rigs put their camera in a bucket leaving no room for anyone elses. That's a bit unthoughtful. I've had my camera in a bucket and seen people drop their camera a couple of feet into the bucket. That too is very unthoughtful.
No doubt rough waters make life in the bucket more troublesome.
So.... for now I think I'll keep putting mine in the rinse bucket when I can.