How are you securing your housing while diving

[adiRHIT]

Hey Guys
Just finished my first dive trip with gear to the Dayminiyat Islands! Diving suddenly changes meaning when you dive on purpose (video vs photo vs macro)!
Quick question for the more experienced divers who use APSC / four thirds / full frame camera housings (non action camera) - how are you guys securing the housing to you / your BCD when you dive? We had a situation where one of the divers need help from his dive buddy and I was just wondering how I would tackle something like that if I had my housing with strobes and the whole circus with me. The water was not calm (a fair drift current to tackle) where it would (ideally) just float in front of me whilst I let go... so that got my mind ticking... Are you guys using a lanyard to strap it to your BCD or your wrist so that in case of emergency you can actually let go of both hands from the housing?

 

[Blackcrusader]

I use a sports shoe lace and bolt snap. Easy to dry after diving.

 

[StevePix]

I use a double-ender with a retractor. My housing is positive, so this also makes sure it doesn’t float to the surface if I need my hands for something other than operating the camera.

 

[davehicks]

If you are using any camera with strobes where the rig is over 5lbs dry weight you need a good lanyard with a bolt snap. (not a carabiner) Spring retractors generally have a short lifespan and can't handle anything over a couple of pounds.

You should always be able to drop everything in an emergency without needing to worry about the camera. I've had to do this several times in the last few years to deal with buddy-crisis. I also shoot DSMB's pretty often and you need two hands to deploy and roll it up as you ascend.

This coiled lanyard available from Backscatter is the best I've used. The coil is a coated steel cable with a strong attachment. It improves on the weak plastic on plastic attachment in most coiled lanyards.

AOI Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle

AOI Spring Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle and Swivel Eye Bolt Snap

www.backscatter.com

 

[Mike_4635]

If you are using any camera with strobes where the rig is over 5lbs dry weight you need a good lanyard with a bolt snap. (not a carabiner) Spring retractors generally have a short lifespan and can't handle anything over a couple of pounds.

You should always be able to drop everything in an emergency without needing to worry about the camera. I've had to do this several times in the last few years to deal with buddy-crisis. I also shoot DSMB's pretty often and you need two hands to deploy and roll it up as you ascend.

This coiled lanyard available from Backscatter is the best I've used. The coil is a coated steel cable with a strong attachment. It improves on the weak plastic on plastic attachment in most coiled lanyards.

AOI Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle

AOI Spring Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle and Swivel Eye Bolt Snap

www.backscatter.com

View attachment 910962

Second this. I have a similar one for over 10 years and no issues

 

[Searcaigh]

I use a lanyard with bolt snap and attach onto a D-ring if I need hands free to do anything that requires two hands.

My macro set up is slightly negative and my WA set up is slightly neutral / positive

https://scubaboard.com/community/media/lanyard-clipm.210770/

 

[adiRHIT]

If you are using any camera with strobes where the rig is over 5lbs dry weight you need a good lanyard with a bolt snap. (not a carabiner) Spring retractors generally have a short lifespan and can't handle anything over a couple of pounds.

You should always be able to drop everything in an emergency without needing to worry about the camera. I've had to do this several times in the last few years to deal with buddy-crisis. I also shoot DSMB's pretty often and you need two hands to deploy and roll it up as you ascend.

This coiled lanyard available from Backscatter is the best I've used. The coil is a coated steel cable with a strong attachment. It improves on the weak plastic on plastic attachment in most coiled lanyards.

AOI Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle

AOI Spring Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle and Swivel Eye Bolt Snap

www.backscatter.com

View attachment 910962

This looks perfect! thank you!!!

 

[js1221]

This is what I use.

Cetacea Housing Coiled Lanyard with Brass Snap

Cetacea Housing Lanyard w/ Brass Snap - Great for attaching your camera system to your BC.

www.backscatter.com

 

[davehicks]

This is what I use.

Cetacea Housing Coiled Lanyard with Brass Snap

Cetacea Housing Lanyard w/ Brass Snap - Great for attaching your camera system to your BC.

www.backscatter.com

That one has the plastic on plastic coil attachment. I've had those just separate after a few years of use. The AOI steel cable version i posted is a lot more robust. Time to upgrade?

 

[landphil]

That one has the plastic on plastic coil attachment. I've had those just separate after a few years of use. The AOI steel cable version i posted is a lot more robust. Time to upgrade?

I remember hanging on an anchor line for a safety stop and noticing that my wife only had a piece of webbing with a sheared off piece of plastic bolt snapped to her d-ring, but no camera! Didn’t have enough gas left for a full search pattern. Fortunately, someone diving off the same boat found her camera a few weeks later. She’s upgraded to lanyards without plastic parts, and runs one on each side now.