Fisheye Fix S90 housing and camera bouyancy

[rma]

I just received my Canon S90 and Fisheye Fix S90 housing. The housing weight in water is listed as 5 oz and the camera weighs 7 oz. It is definitely negatively buoyant in the pool today. Any thoughts on how to get it neutrally buoyant? My last camera setup was a Canon S50 and Canon housing that only required about an ounce of weight to get it neutral. I just hate to think of watching it sink away out of sight before I realize it. Or, am I just not used to that way things are with aluminum housing?

 

[Nemrod]

Seriously, 2 ounces is too much for you? Put a wrist lanyard on it or a tray and handle. It isn't supposed to float like a cork. If you put lenses or strobes on it then the 2 ounces will seem minor which it is. N

 

[rma]

I don't think I explained it correctly. The Fix housing is already negatively buoyant by 5 oz. The camera adds another 7 oz. The combination is negative 12 oz. I need to add buoyancy of 12 oz to make it neutral in the water. It will sink rather quickly if I let it go.

 

[Nemrod]

I don't think I explained it correctly. The Fix housing is already negatively buoyant by 5 oz. The camera adds another 7 oz. The combination is negative 12 oz. I need to add buoyancy of 12 oz to make it neutral in the water. It will sink rather quickly if I let it go.

I cannot help you. I have the same camera and have not noticed since it is about as big as a flea. My only suggestion is that you not drop it.

N

 

[jd950]

Are you going to use strobe arms? You can get buoyancy arms or add Stix floats to ULCS the arms. Reef, Backscatter and I assume Optical Ocean and H2O Pros sell them. I think that is what most of us do. If not using arms, I am not sure what to suggest other than using a lanyard, leash, strap of some sort. Intova makes something called a flotation strap that might help. I have no idea what amount of buoyancy it provides.

If I am not overstepping myself here, I would think if you are investing this kind of $ into the camera and housing, you would want the benefits of an external strobe. If so, see the first sentence of the paragraph above.

 

[CompuDude]

Flotation attached to strobe arms is the most common way to address the issue of a heavy camera rig. This is common with ALL aluminum housings (and some larger plastic ones, too) ... the combination just gets very negative once you start piling on strobes, arms, handles, trays, focus lights, etc. I know mine is just heavy enough that I'm looking into some flotation. It was eye opening for me to handle my buddy's large dual strobe DSLR rig and realize his was so much "lighter" than my tiny S90 rig! My S80 in the large, plastic Ikelite housing displaced a lot more water, and was a lot lighter, but this one is noticeably heavier.

If you're not adding strobes (and thus have no armature to mount flotation on) a piece of similar type foam under the camera body itself might help out, using the screw mounts right through it to keep it in place.

http://stores.4gdphoto.com/-strse-Underwater/Categories.bok

(I usually get my Stix floats at Reef Photo)

 

[Puffer Fish]

Just a note, fresh water and salt water are a bit different... it will not be as heavy in saltwater.

I don't like anything on the strobe arms (tends to make the rig look bigger to fish)...and I do like the camera to be negative, as I usually hold it with one hand, and if it is light, it tends to twist up. I attach the camera with a lanyard, so loosing it is not an issue.

 

[rma]

Thanks to everyone who offered advice. For the first few dives and to keep the cost under control I will be using the camera without a strobe. I want to get some experience using the camera first. As for buoyancy, Compudude suggested some interesting floats that might work. Puffer Fish also provided some insight to just deal with the negative buoyancy and use a lanyard to make sure the camera doesn't get away. I will probably try the floats in the pool and make a decision. Thanks for the great advice.

 

[Nemrod]

or

Then mount two balls on the bottom of the tray pointing downward:

ULCS AD-8mm HB Universal Adapter, Stud for Hartenberger Nano [ulc.ad.8mm.hb] - $23.95 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

and using two tri-clamp, one per side:

ULCS AC-TCS Triple Clamp [ulc.ac.tcs] - $34.95 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

Mount this between them:

ULCS DB-BL08 8"x2" Double Ball Large Buoyancy Arm [ulc.db.bl08] - $65.95 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

and then mount on either side these and then to them standard arms and two S2000 strobes:

ULCS DB-BL10 10"x2" Double Ball Buoyancy Arm [ulc.db.bl10] - $66.95 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

or just do some pushups.

N

 

[rma]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. My first dive trip is to Fiji with my new S90 and Fisheye housing. I am constructing my own bracket and arm just to have something easier to hold on to. No strobes yet. I also cut a piece of the foam noodles they have in pools to add buoyancy. i will take pictures once it is completed.

Just one other question. Can anyone offer any quick tricks to get the S90 out of the Fisheye Fix housing. It is so snug it is a problem getting it out. The only place to kind of press on it as just where the flash is, but it takes time. I am thinking of making a soft plastic tool to get in front of the camera and pull it out.