How to store macro lens while diving

[JohnN]

I recently acquired an inon ucl-165m67 and adapter (H2O Tools 67mm (M67) Adaptor for Canon WP-DC28, DC34 [aft.139801067] - $51.95 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros) for a Canon G10 housing (WP-DC28). The adapter is threaded and the lens screws into it.

The adapter does have a leash, but having it and the lens dangling below seems like a bad idea. I'd like a way to safely store the lens in case something non-macro should happen by.

Does anyone have a good solution ?

 

[Hawkwood]

I have the Fisheye wide-angle for my Canon housing. For a while I clipped to to my BCD, that was a pain...then started passed it off to my buddy, that was a pain...now I have a mount that goes on the strobe arm. Works okay. Something similar available?

 

[KeithG]

Flip up adaptors! Look at the "Subsee Adapter" here https://reefnet.ca/products/subsee/ for an example. There are other manufacturers as well.

I have also seen "mounts" that attach to your strobe arm: lens caddy on this page: Conversion Lenses and Accessories | Compact Digital Camera Housings | Line up | SEA & SEA
I use a flip up adaptor. So my macro lens is always firmly connected and can be deployed / stowed in just a few seconds.

 

[mozaik]

There are some great flip adapters and lens holders that will do the job.

A simple trick which I often use is to tuck it in your wet suit from the top through the neck.

It sounds uncomfortable but its actually quite comfy, safe for the lens and easy to put in and out.

With that said, I told Inon a number of times they must add a small hole for a lanyard and they said they will consider it for the next versions of the lens.

 

[JohnN]

. . .
A simple trick which I often use is to tuck it in your wet suit from the top through the neck.

Probably not a good idea in my drysuit.

. . .
With that said, I told Inon a number of times they must add a small hole for a lanyard and they said they will consider it for the next versions of the lens.

Hmmmm, maybe thread an adapter to the front of the lens and attach a lanyard to it. . . interesting idea

 

[dirtfarmer]

Flip it or my lens caddy is attached to my white slate which is on a retractor as I didn't want it on my strobe arm.

 

[Jorgette]

I got creative storing a wide angle lens by drilling 4 holes in a neoprene beer koozie (the kind for a bottle, that zips up) to accommodate 2 zip ties. Then I zip tied the koozie to my strobe arm and kept my lens in there with the zipper zipped up! It works great, nothing falls out, and keeps my lens protected while getting in and out of the water. For added safety I'll sometimes clip the lens leash to the zipper pull, especially over a wall or something deep, just in case I don't have a good grip on the lens while removing it. It was a temporary fix that cost me 2 bucks and it worked so well that its been on my camera for 5 years. Great conversation starter, too...


If you don't have a strobe, you could always zip tie it somewhere on your bc.

 

[jjwebster]

There isn't a flip up adapter suitable for my camera so I go for the neoprene pouch and bcd pocket combo.

 

[KeithG]

There isn't a flip up adapter suitable for my camera so I go for the neoprene pouch and bcd pocket combo.

are you sure?
the reefnet link i provided above claims adapters are available for many cameras and they can make custom ones. (see snip below).

The adapter is 2 rings connected by a flip up hinge (or even 2 hinges to allow 2 different lens to be mounted at the same time)
1) a standard generic ring that grips the outside of a lens with a thumb screw friction clamp - very secure as it has an oring embedded in it along the same design as many ball arm systems.
2) a housing specific ring with 3 (or more?) thumbscrews that mounts on the outside of your port. My ring also has custom tabs that mate with my housing port (DX1G) and the thumb screws simply prevent rotation. The thumb screws do make marks on your housing!

The 2 rings appear to be manufactured on a 3d printer.
The adapter should be able to hold any lens (not just subsea) that has an outside body measurement between 66 and 70 mm.

<snip>
[h=3]An Adapter for Every Occasion (and Port)[/h] Each SubSee Adapter is custom made to fit your particular camera housing and port configuration. Adapters for all popular DSLR, compact digital, and video housings have already been designed, including:

10Bar Amphibico Aquatica Athena Canon Gates Hugyfot Ikelite Inon Jonah Light & Motion Nauticam

Nexus Olympus Patima Sea & Sea Seacam Sealife Sealux Seatool Subal Top Dawg and more...

If you happen to have a port or housing configuration that we haven't come across, don't worry! We need just a couple of simple measurements to manufacture your custom adapter. If you feel uncomfortable making them yourself, you may simply send your equipment to us for analysis. Once the measurements are made, manufacturing takes less than 48 hours...we work quickly!


</snip>

IMHO: The security and convenience of flip up adapter cannot be beat.

I now have a new elcheapo G16 housing that comes with a standard 67mm threaded port and I am planning on buying a flip up adapter for it.