How many of you use a lanyard/line to connect your camera to your BC?

[H2O Photo Pros]

I am curious to know how many people use a lanyard or other means to connect their camera to their BC. Over the years I have heard from several people, including a close friend of mine who is a professional U/W Photographer about the dangers of this, and I always went against it and tethered my system to my BC.

Well, after approximately 2,000 dives with large camera systems I recently found myself in a situation where the tether put me in a really bad situation that I fortunately handled with ease due to my training and experience however for many it could have ended much worse. I will say had the tether not been there, I would have likely lost my camera system (and it wasn't a cheap one).

I see the potential danger of the tether first hand now, yet I of course see the positives and I kept diving with the tether for the remainder of the trip.

Here is the synopsis:

I was diving with a Gates EX1, Superwide and monitor. Housing was slightly positive on the dive. We were doing a dive through a pass in rangiroa in the Tuamotu islands, with approximately a 4-5 knot current in the canyon (which is where we were). I was negatively buoyant to hug the reef and was holding on as we tried to cross the canyon so we could snuggle down and film the sharks overhead. My camera rig was attached to my BC via a 15" line attached to my BC via a carabiner. Holding on to the reef with my left hand, and my camera rig with my right hand, we were swimming along when an even stronger gust of current ripped the camera out of my right hand. Being slightly buoyant, it was being tossed above me and the line ripped my reg out of my mouth and knocked my mask partially off, leaving my gurgling water and unable to see clearly.

I was able to drag the housing down, fix my mask, clear my reg, and then unclip the tether so I could unwrap it since it was now around my inflator. For the first time, I was under duress in all of my diving, but my extensive training and experience paid off. Had it been one of the many divers Ive been in the water with, I surely could have seen this ending much worse, and it really makes me re-think the whole tether issue.

The question that comes to mind, even at the time, was at what point do we consider our safety MORE important than the potential loss of our beloved camera (which is hopefully insured)?

What are your thoughts??

 

[ruready7]

Glad you ok and I have learned something. I do not have a large camera system (Sealife DC800) but I attach it to my BCD on a lower ring with a retractor that has enough force to keep camera from pulling line out of retractor.

 

[Teamcasa]

I use a coil lanyard with a larger brass snap bolt to attach to my scooter ring on my BC. Simulair to this:

 

[djanni]

I use a short lanyard, maybe 6 to 8" and tether to my wrist so I'm always holding the camera. I have a longer one that clips to my BC that I've used a couple of times in the past. Never liked it and went back to the wrist lanyard.

I'm rarely in strong currents but I don't think I ever considered a situation like the one you describe. Now that I've read your post I probably would not take my camera if I knew I would be in current that strong. Fact is, I probably wouldn't do the dive.

Interesting post. Made me think. Thanks!!!

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Yes Dave thats the lanyard Ive recommended to most customers (except the version with the stainless carabiner). With the above situation the one thing is that even with that, it would have been fully extended and the situation would have been the same as with my tether.

 

[Teamcasa]

Mike, My lanyard extends about 18" as well. But to your situation (and others like it), I do try to pay attention to where the lanyard is clipped of for what kind of shot. Since my video setup is slightly negative having it clipped off to the ring normally reserved for scootering, (Right where the crotch strap connects to the waist belt.) it works well for horizontal trim and holding the camera in front of me.

However, if I'm going to make a shot like yours, I would have re-clipped it to the high right shoulder ring. I have no issue moving it around to suit the desired shot and dive situation.

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Yes, moving it around per the dive conditions and shooting conditions is a must. I always have been a fan of my camera systems being slightly negative especially when in current. The only reason such was not the case this time is I did not pack enough of the weights for adjustable buoyancy system on my gates housing. It was the first time using the superwide port, all their previous housings were negatively buoyant with the SWP even with the buoyancy tubes, so I certainly did not expect to need 3lbs of weights and my case was already exactly at the weight limit

 

[diveprof]

Well there are always plenty more divers, but a Gates EX1, Superwide and monitor -what a loss that would be

Seriously, I think your example points out that stuff can happen to anyone, anytime. I use a similar attachment set-up as you (though a much less expensive camera). I do use an oversized carabiner to facilitate quick release. I do prefer to attach to my bc rather than a strap to the hand as this gives me more freedom of movement and if stuff happens I have use of both hands. Everyday we make decisions that could put us in harms way (talking on a cell or applying mascara while driving, or the lady behind me recently doing both at the same time while coming up behind me me at a stoplight at a high rate of speed -high pucker factor moment for me, smoking tires for her). Awareness of any potential risk is the first step towards management of risk. You have an expensive camera system, but you also have 2000 dives - a balance of risk mitigated by much experience that resulted in a good outcome. A good example of how important it is for divers to master basic skills (mask clearing, reg recovery and clear/or alternate air source use, bouyancy control) before attempting to become the next UW photo expert. Beyond the inherent risk, how many times have you seen the novice diver trashing a reef to get a "good shot" with the camera?

 

[Larry C]

Always hook up to the coiled lanyard. Camera is slightly negative, so if I lose it, it dangles under me and would at worst get caught on the reef and snap the lanyard or stop me. I've been known to let it dangle in situations where I need both hands. Probably wouldn't dive in the current you described, although we came close on Coz on a night dive on Santa Rosa. Bashed a couple of rocks in the process. I think the divemaster called it "fly diving".

 

[Mr.X]

I always use a very short tether attached to a large stainless steel clip. When it is raging current I clip the camera to my harness D ring, tuck in the lights and wait to get to some area where the current isn't raging. I always try to find some 'imaginary" slipstream area on my body. Always hard though with a big housing...which acts just like a sail. I finished a shoot in late August that was completely raging most of the time. Arrggh. Exhausting. That being said, being a cameraman usually sucks. You usually have to be the first one in - catch the entry and descent shots, or set up at optimal spots to get those great 5 second clips. Also, there is no one to help you in those budget productions.

Glad you were able to sort it out on the raging current dive. Losing a Gates/Camera/Monitor is no fun.