DIR Configuration for a camera

[detroit diver]

We have always clipped our cameras off to the right D'Ring. They have never interfered with the long hose. We keep the cameras on a 3ft leash or lanyard. It works without problem. This question came up on Quest a couple of months ago. And the general consensus was right D'ring with no problems. The left D'ring is needed for stage bottles. All the best.

I don't know if "no problems" is a fair statement. As in the lighthead/cord, if you're clipping off to your right d-ring, you need to make very sure that you haven't encumbered the long hose.

 

[JamesP]

I don't know if "no problems" is a fair statement. As in the lighthead/cord, if you're clipping off to your right d-ring, you need to make very sure that you haven't encumbered the long hose.

We have been doing this for years without problem. Take it or leave it. I will carry on regardless. What works works. All the best.

 

[WJL]

Does this mean that if camera is small enough to not interfere with hose deployment, it can be clipped off to right chest D-ring ?

Let me preface this by saying that in my group, we use still and video cameras in largish housings, and we don't have any clips or lanyards on them at all. So any answer I give about small cameras is not based on personal experience. It would seem to me, though, that if the camera were that small a better solution would be to stow it in your pocket.

We have always clipped our cameras off to the right D'Ring. They have never interfered with the long hose. We keep the cameras on a 3ft leash or lanyard. It works without problem. This question came up on Quest a couple of months ago. And the general consensus was right D'ring with no problems. The left D'ring is needed for stage bottles. All the best.

I don't remember this discussion on quest, must have missed it. I have a hard time visualizing how anything on a 3 ft leash clipped to the right chest d-ring would not have an effect on deploying the long hose. Since you say it's never a problem, I guess I will have to see this in practice some day to understand how it works.

 

[lamont]

I don't remember this discussion on quest, must have missed it. I have a hard time visualizing how anything on a 3 ft leash clipped to the right chest d-ring would not have an effect on deploying the long hose. Since you say it's never a problem, I guess I will have to see this in practice some day to understand how it works.

How do you manage the leash to prevent it from becoming a danglie?

 

[WJL]

How do you manage the leash to prevent it from becoming a danglie?

It's JamesP that says he has no problem with the 3 foot leash on his camera, not me. I'm also wondering how he does it.

 

[vlada]

Does this mean that if camera is small enough to not interfere with hose deployment, it can be clipped off to right chest D-ring ?

Sure, why not? I occasionally dive with two camera's - one housed with the strobes, armd, etc and another is just Nikonos V with 15mm lens.

When i do ascents with two systems, the larger one gets collapsed and goes on the front crotch strap D-ring and smaller one goes on the right D-ring

A pocket is also an option for a very small camera.

 

[salty]

How do you manage the leash to prevent it from becoming a danglie?

Not that I have seen many but the cameras I have seen used by DIR divers have been set to be weighted to be nutral.

Whle accending or in a OOA all that would have to be doen is to toss the attached camera to the right, the leash should not cross the long hose for the inital donation.

Rember your training....
Diver signals OOA
Buddy donates reg from mouth and switches to back up.
Buddy makes sure OOA diver gets reg in mouth and signals OK
Buddy than gets the rest of long hose out as OOA diver clips off long hose.
Buddy than checks gas.

If the camera is to be a problebm it would be after both diver have a working reg in there mouth, its more of an annoyance than a problem if the camera gets in the way.

 

[JamesP]

It's JamesP that says he has no problem with the 3 foot leash on his camera, not me. I'm also wondering how he does it.

As mentioned above the camera and housing are best weighted to neutral. therefore you discard the camera and continue with the OOA. I will measure my leash to give you an actual length but it is basically long enough that I can hold the camera out at arms length. This eliminates the leash dangly. The big dangle that has to be managed is the light cord for the floods. I usually hang this over the top of my arm.

 

[WJL]

As mentioned above the camera and housing are best weighted to neutral. therefore you discard the camera and continue with the OOA. I will measure my leash to give you an actual length but it is basically long enough that I can hold the camera out at arms length. This eliminates the leash dangly. The big dangle that has to be managed is the light cord for the floods. I usually hang this over the top of my arm.

It sounds like we do the same thing during an OOA - just let the camera go. If it's close to neutral, it won't go far. We just don't have a leash on the thing at all, so no issues with a leash getting entangled in the long hose.

 

[MonkSeal]

It would seem to me, though, that if the camera were that small a better solution would be to stow it in your pocket.

Well, it's not so small. It's Oly C5050 in PT-015 housing. Basicaly, I do the same thing that JamesP described. Obviously, problem is in the leash and sometimes is not easy to get camera neutral (e.g. when switching lenses).