Leaving expensive equipment down.

[MauiScubaSteve]

I love freedive fins; caught up to a spear tip!

 

[beautybelow]

What g1138 said plus why would one go down with an unattached camera if it was worth more than 99 cents?

That is a whole different debate.

I never attach my camera during the dive. I usually have a way to clip it off while floating on the surface or while putting up an SMB for a safety stop, but other than that I never attach it.

 

[Thanshin]

How buoyant is the usual $5k camera rig? How hard would it be to make it neutral?

 

[beautybelow]

How buoyant is the usual $5k camera rig? How hard would it be to make it neutral?

Like most things, they come in different shapes, sizes and materials. From my experience the typical DSLR unit comes a little negative. Then it depends on which port and what strobe(s) you attach.
Some strobes float some sink. I have gone as far as to tape a 4" SS bolt to a strobe to make it neutral when I started using re chargeable batteries that were lighter than the throw away ones.

You start with what you pick and go from there adjusting.

I do whatever it takes to make my systems neutral, usually now with buoyant strobe arms.

The point is I guess, if you have a camera and you let go of it and it sinks so fast that chasing it is an issue then I personally would have a hard time using the camera in the first place.

 

[herbdb]

Buoyancy of a camera setup has many variables.

My camera (not nearly that expensive) could float without too much added floation by itself. With the wide angle lens, it is a rock. If both strobes are added to either configuration, it floats.

It would be nice is someone would invent A CO2 powered pouch that would inflate at a predetermined depth and inflate a brightly colored liftbag.

 

[Kourtjestr]

Buoyancy of a camera setup has many variables.

My camera (not nearly that expensive) could float without too much added floation by itself. With the wide angle lens, it is a rock. If both strobes are added to either configuration, it floats.

It would be nice is someone would invent A CO2 powered pouch that would inflate at a predetermined depth and inflate a brightly colored liftbag.

So, what you're looking for is basically an automatic life jacket like you'd find in a plane that inflates by an adjustable hydrostatic pressure sensor? It's a cool idea... maybe you could find a company to sell it to....

 

[ScubaSteve]

So, what you're looking for is basically an automatic life jacket like you'd find in a plane that inflates by an adjustable hydrostatic pressure sensor? It's a cool idea... maybe you could find a company to sell it to....

I agree that it is a great idea. I would also suspect that it exists in some fashion already (perhaps Naval or some other industry). I would also think the problems would be at least two.......1) cost and 2) size/weight. Just think of how heavy the little tank would have to be to hold pressure to a certain depth 300' say (to accommodate tech divers and because some of the housings are rated to that depth).......you need enough "air" to compensate for the weight at that depth to make it positively buoyant. Neat idea but who knows if it is feasible for this sort of scenario

 

[Bigd2722]

I lost a camera in 70' while I getting back on the boat. It was a $1,000.00 rig. Chased it to 30' and gave up. 6 weeks later, someone found it, identified the boat from the topside photos, called the captain, who called me, connected with the finder and got my camera back in working condition.

 

[nimoh]

I lost a camera in 70' while I getting back on the boat. It was a $1,000.00 rig. Chased it to 30' and gave up. 6 weeks later, someone found it, identified the boat from the topside photos, called the captain, who called me, connected with the finder and got my camera back in working condition.

that's a great story, and makes me proud to be part of the diving community.

 

[mmcdanie]

Herbdb, that is a million dollar idea! My camera is a cheapy that will be floating on the surface wait for me if we get sepearted.