How do you secure your camera underwater?

[HowardE]

I use one of these

The one I have locks in place so when I'm on the bottom, I keep the lanyard extended. Then I attach a key ring to the housing itself, and clip the brass clip to the keyring. It works like a charm. I also have a double brass clip that I attach the camera directly to a D-Ring on my chest (on my BC), if I'm descending or ascending in a strong current. This way, I can see that the camera is RIGHT THERE.

 

[Cacia]

I have been on dives where there was no one to hand me the camera, so I have a wrap up gentle drop method as well. Not everyone has servants on every dive, you know. Now, David Doubilet, I hear, has a team of assistants who swim the various camera lense combos to depth. he sits down there and they hand them off to him as he snaps his fingers. No leashes, just "camera sherpas"!

 

[HowardE]

I have been on dives where there was no one to hand me the camera, so I have a wrap up gentle drop method as well. Not everyone has servants on every dive, you know. Now, David Doubilet, I hear, has a team of assistants who swim the various camera lense combos to depth. he sits down there and they hand them off to him as he snaps his fingers. No leashes, just "camera sherpas"!

In that case, I usually put air in my BCD and hold the camera over my head. It barely hits the water at all. But then again, I don't have an SLR with dual strobes

 

[midwestdvr]

I have a coiled larnyard attached to my right d-ring to secure the camera. If I have to do a gian stride, I have the camera handed to me. If doing a backroll, I backroll with the camera.

 

[sitka diver]

What do u do for larger cameras??Like so?
I like to hold onto my 5k

 

[Jim Baldwin]

What do u do for larger cameras??Like so?
I like to hold onto my 5k

I had a large Ikelite housing with a video light and battery pack attached. I used a piece of 1 inch webbing and sewed it to the bottom of handle. I then held the camera at arms length and ran the webbing through through my right chest D-ring. After this measurement I cut the webbing to lenght and sewed on a large bolt snap.

Before I enter the water I clip off the rig to the right D-ring. I fold the light head down and then do a back roll or reverse giant stride into the water.

I found this setup has worked well for me and as I have progressed to other units I have rigged them in the same manner. The camera is never more than arm's lenght and strap does not get in the way.

As I'm doing my safety stop I can turn a loose of the camera and hold onto the anchor line if there is a strong current or if someone needs assistance. I never unclip the camera until I hand it up at the end of the dive.

Jim

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I just use the wrist strap.

So do I ... but it's worth mentioning that those things work themselves loose sometimes. I actually lost a camera that way once, on a drift dive in the Tacoma Narrows. Fortunately, I was able to hand-over-hand my way back (only about a one-kt current) and, unbelievably, found it. It's also worth mentioning that the camera had a balance weight on it ... if it had been positively buoyant, I'd have never seen it again.

To respond to the original question, Cheng has an A620, and she uses both the coiled lanyard and wrist strap (she who takes no chances) ... as shown in the attached photo.

As to entry, most times I will clip my camera onto my right D-ring, cradle it in my right hand, and do a "Nestea Plunge" off the boat (tank-first entry). Haven't had any issues with it yet ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[sitka diver]

Been on many dives w/this camera and I choose just to hold it and shoot pictures the whole dive...I will agree w/Bob they do come loose thdive shop owner lost there camera out on the pennicals and never found it...Lost to the sea...

 

[all4scuba05]

if clipping it to BC...good to have a cap to cover your lense or you'll be wondering where all those little scratches on the case lense came from.

 

[CompuDude]

I use one of these

The one I have locks in place so when I'm on the bottom, I keep the lanyard extended. Then I attach a key ring to the housing itself, and clip the brass clip to the keyring. It works like a charm. I also have a double brass clip that I attach the camera directly to a D-Ring on my chest (on my BC), if I'm descending or ascending in a strong current. This way, I can see that the camera is RIGHT THERE.

What brand is that? Looks like a good one. The only ones I've seen (I think cetasea and gearkeepers) that have the nice brass clips are way too high force retractors, and don't have the locking option you describe.