EricJ
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I often dive without my camera, but I NEVER dive without my computer.
Dive Computer or Underwater Camera???
- Thread starter gr8fulr2
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Buy the computer - rent the camera. Make sure you really want to do it before you put up the kind of money it takes to buy a good outfit. If you are very lucky, you will find a friend who is actually willing to loan you his Nikonos (as I was on my first voyage on the Cayman Aggressor 
). Underwater photography is a great hobby, but it takes a completely different type of focus than a "normal" dive.
As others have said, you will use the computer every dive. Unless you are very fortunate, you will not always have a buddy who is willing to sit around and watch you take pictures (I have spent an entire photo dive hanging out at one small coral head, only 100 feet from the boat), especially if they have paid $2k - $3k or more for a dive trip to an exotic destination.
). Underwater photography is a great hobby, but it takes a completely different type of focus than a "normal" dive.As others have said, you will use the computer every dive. Unless you are very fortunate, you will not always have a buddy who is willing to sit around and watch you take pictures (I have spent an entire photo dive hanging out at one small coral head, only 100 feet from the boat), especially if they have paid $2k - $3k or more for a dive trip to an exotic destination.
Those who say a dive computer is necessary have already become so dependent on one that it probably is necessary... for them.
But it's not too late for you gr8fulr2. Skip the dive computer and keep your brain intact.
Buy the camera.
But it's not too late for you gr8fulr2. Skip the dive computer and keep your brain intact.
Buy the camera.
Get the computer.
I am guessing you are new to diving. A camera requires a lot of buoyancy control and adds a huge amount of task loading, a whole lot more that you might expect. The buoyancy control needed requires a lot of time to develope and you need experience to help with the task loading. In addition, photographers tend to be less than ideal buddies as they (we) tend to focus a lot on the photography and not the dive. Is is bad enough for an experienced buddy team but for newbie dive teams it can be trouble. Get some experience, enjoy the dives and get the camera in a couple of years.
I am guessing you are new to diving. A camera requires a lot of buoyancy control and adds a huge amount of task loading, a whole lot more that you might expect. The buoyancy control needed requires a lot of time to develope and you need experience to help with the task loading. In addition, photographers tend to be less than ideal buddies as they (we) tend to focus a lot on the photography and not the dive. Is is bad enough for an experienced buddy team but for newbie dive teams it can be trouble. Get some experience, enjoy the dives and get the camera in a couple of years.
depending on how much you plan on spending and what function your computer needs (nitrox capable)? how extreme do you plan on going with the camera?
quite possible to get both a camera and a computer for a reasonable price. I know a member of the Board who has great deals (Larry)..
quite possible to get both a camera and a computer for a reasonable price. I know a member of the Board who has great deals (Larry)..
Uncle Pug:
But how could you possibly do a multi-level dive or more than one dive a day without a computer.
The comments that inexperienced divers become too focused on the camera and are really poor buddies is good advice though. (Adding extra tasks does this to any diver, the effects are just far more pronounced on newer divers who tend to already be near their task limits.)
H2Andy
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RTodd:But how could you possibly do a multi-level dive or more than one dive a day without a computer.
well, of course you can. the computer just makes it a lot easier.
i don't understand this reluctance to use a labor-saving device, which is all
a computer is.
oh well... it's an old argument.
I know you don't understand... you can't understand what you don't know and you can't know what you can't conceive.
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gr8fulr2... it is true that a camera adds task loading and requires buoyancy control. There is nothing that will improve a diver's buoyancy control faster than adding a task that requires buoyancy control. When I hand a magnifier to a n00b and have them look at something their buoyancy control improves significantly and immediately. As the Eagles song says, "Learn to be still."
Get the camera.
BTW... nothing will rot your brain faster than turning the management of your dive over to a dive computer.
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gr8fulr2... it is true that a camera adds task loading and requires buoyancy control. There is nothing that will improve a diver's buoyancy control faster than adding a task that requires buoyancy control. When I hand a magnifier to a n00b and have them look at something their buoyancy control improves significantly and immediately. As the Eagles song says, "Learn to be still."
Get the camera.
BTW... nothing will rot your brain faster than turning the management of your dive over to a dive computer.
BIGSAGE136
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RTodd:But how could you possibly do a multi-level dive or more than one dive a day without a computer.
The comments that inexperienced divers become too focused on the camera and are really poor buddies is good advice though. (Adding extra tasks does this to any diver, the effects are just far more pronounced on newer divers who tend to already be near their task limits.)
Before Lloyd Bridges had grey hair.....Twernt no puters...
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