How to carry the camera during the dive?

[KeyLargoBrent]

I use my hands! If you want security, without sacrificing safety, Ikelite has some nifty little "breakaway" wrist lanyards... I've used 'em and liked 'em... great for lights and cameras... and no "dangerous danglies"!

In my experience, divers who've lost cameras weren't carrying them in their hands. Having attached the camera to themselves in some seemingly secure fashion... they reach for the camera, only to find it GONE! If you're carrying a camera in your hands and drop it, at least you'll know WHERE you dropped it.

 

[kwickert]

However, I lost a 3040 that way. :11:

I agree with Brent and Gilligan, if it's in my hands I know where it is.

I didn't realize mine was gone until I sat down to take my gear off.

I am not saying I will never use a coil, but....

Ken

 

[cornfed]

I attached a bolt snap to the bottom the strobe tray. When I'm done with the camera (aka out of film for you digital folks) or ready to ascend, I fold up the arm and clip it off to my left d-ring. The nice part about having it here is that I know it's there. If I need both hands (like I did this past weekend when my goober dive buddy got caught in some fishing line) I'll either clip if off or set it down. If I don't have time to clip it off then what ever is happening is probably more important than the camera.

 

[DrSteve]

A coiled lanyard on one side of my BC and a standard retractor on the other side. Holds the camera against my chest and all I need to do is unclick the coiled section and raise it to my eye.

 

[fpoole]

Banging about,
It does a little, but these things are fairly tough, I know some like to carry theirs on a fluffy pillow, but bumping against you as you're walking, you can hold it out or close in tight.

Once in the water, of course, it's not a problem unless you're close up and not using it.. Definately don't want it banging into the environment....

Typically I'm carrying it all the time by the body or handle, no weight problem so it's not a big deal...
if not in use then I just 'grab'it in tight with my hand over/covering the lens to prevent scratching.. and the rest follows... (old joke here)

Hope that helps...

 

[RockyHeap]

Having recently lost a Nikon and Fantasea housing by relying on only a wrist strap, I'll now use a retractor or coil clip, and will also make sure the camera is weighted negative so it'll sink to the bottom rather than float up up and away......

$600 lesson learned the hard way.

 

[Dee]

In my experience, divers who've lost cameras weren't carrying them in their hands. Having attached the camera to themselves in some seemingly secure fashion... they reach for the camera, only to find it GONE! If you're carrying a camera in your hands and drop it, at least you'll know WHERE you dropped it.

But if you're in deep blue water, say along a wall with the botton at least several hundred feet below you, you may know WHERE it is, but you'll never recover it. But using a coiled lanyard, IF you have to have both hands for some reason, the camera will be dangling at the end somewhere around your knees. And the coil prevents any danglies.

True, I've seldom ever had to do that and the camera is always in my hand, but it's sure nice to have the security. If you only dive in areas where the bottom is near or is in recreational depths, maybe that's not a concern for you.

Kwikert...did the coiled lanyard break? Or did you not get it clipped to yourself securely before turning loose of the camera?

 

[fpoole]

But if you're in deep blue water, say along a wall with the botton at least several hundred feet below you, you may know WHERE it is, but you'll never recover it. /QUOTE]


I was in Truk with a video, Ocean Images, with Light bar. The Housing was secured with the coiled lanyard, great, but down at about 50' heading for a wreak top mast at 130 (cause we know Rec divers don't go no deeper , I was looking at the wreck and notice I was seeing my light bar slowly sinking towards the ship, right in front of the Bridge, heading straight for the deck.... and the only opened man hatch 3x3' wide...
Just like making a half court basket shot... down, down, down it went, couldn't catch it by swiming.... and
Bounce !!!... bounced on the lip of the hatch and landed on the deck.. heheh... had it gone down in the hatch, it was a gonner... and yet??? I knew where it was... (just joking)...

Anyway, lesson's learned?
I now attach everything with the small wire fishing leaders, see fish store where ever they sell simple fishing gear. I attache flashlights anything that might drop off from the Primary clasp.. small close stuff.. not the coiled laynard thought.. would be too much entanglement..
So just an FYI.. it's gotta be secured, 2x's in my opinion..

RockyHeap, $600 ouch... that had to hurt... it's always sumpt'n eh?

 

[DennisW]

I haven't decided how to keep my camera attached to me yet. I have kept it in my hands mostly. I used the wrist lanyard that comes with the housing once and it slipped off my hand without me even realizing it. You wouldn't think that could happen, but it can. I re-traced myself and it was there on the bottom. I need a positive means of keeping it connected to me somehow. Maybe the coiled lanyard and another long lanyard with a clip to make sure I don't have a single point failure and lose my camera.

 

[kwickert]

I had it clipped to climb the ladder on the boat.

I can definately see the advantages of having your hands free, and especially not banging the housing around returning to the boat.

I am just not sure I want to trust 600$ to a clip.

Though as Rocky and Dennis metioned, and someone on my last trip can attest to, the wrist strap can be a failure point as well...

Ken