Thoughts on this UW planner/to do list?

[M DeM]

Because I love check-lists, and because I am pushing off getting some actual work done, I thought I'd draft up a little "to do list" for diving with my DSLR so I don't overlook anything important. I was supposed to have some instruction before leaving, but the fellow got very sick. So this kind of exercise is also helping me visualize getting ready.

So here's my attempt at a "step-by-step, idiot-proof getting ready checklist."

Is there anything missing? Also, do people rinse off their cameras at home after the dunk tanks? I would imagine most dunk tanks have lots of salt water in them at the end of the day, no? And what do you dry your cameras with? I would assume letting a port drip dry would leave water drop stains.

Here's what I've come up with. Curious for everyone's thoughts.

NIGHT BEFORE:

• Offload/back-up any existing photos on card
• Check to make sure you have enough room on cards
• Charge camera batteries
• Charge strobe batteries
• Put camera on settings general to next day's dive.
• Double check the usual settings. (RAW, etc.) Set to local time if need be.

BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE BOAT:

• Clean your ports and lenses. Watch out for lens paper leftovers
• Remove o-rings, inspect, clean. Replace if needed.
  • NINE O-RINGS IN ALL
    • Main housing o-ring
    • TWO SETS of o-rings inside fibre optic connectors
    • O-rings on strobe housings
    • Port o-ring
    • Port extension o-ring
• Relube o-rings.
  • Pea size for housing o-ring
  • Rice grain sized for strobe o-rings.
• Clean o-ring grooves.
• Blow out housing w/air-puff thingy.
• Ensure the o-rings are in properly and nothing is caught in there like pet hair.
• Install batteries in camera and strobes
• Install memory card
• Connect cables to housing and strobes
• Take a test photo with the strobes on. Make sure they fire.
• Pack it on up in your cooler bag. Go eat breakfast.

ON THE BOAT:

• Do a dunk test and check that there are no bubbles or water. Have the port facing down, so if it does leak it'll go into the port rather than the camera.
• DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOUR STROBES ARE CONNECTED BEFORE YOU GET IN THE H2O

GETTING INTO THE H2O:

• Have the port cover thing on (Yes? No?)
• Have it handed to you, don't dive with it.
• Check the camera right away at the surface before you descend.

END OF DIVE DAY:

• DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING UNATTENDED IN RINSE TANK
• Rinse in the dunk tank to remove salt deposits
• Be sure to press all buttons and turn all dials during the dunk
• Dry the equipment and your hands BEFORE OPENING IT.
• (Rinse at home again in tap water? Necessary?)

IF YOU FLOOD....:

• TURN CAMERA / STROBES OFF.
• Remove camera, dry it, remove battery, remove card... let sit.
• Don't turn it on. Let it dry.
• You can blow warm air onto it from a hair dryer w/ battery compartment open, but keep it at a distance.
• Don't try to turn the camera on until the thing is 100% dry.

 

[Hoag]

If you are using fiber optic cables to connect your strobes, the o-rings on the connectors do not provide a seal, they are there simply to make sure that the connections are snug when you press the F/O cable into the housing. I wouldn't worry too much about cleaning those ones.
Also, everything that you have listed as "BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE BOAT" could likely be done the night before after you have put in fresh batteries & card (if req'd). That way, you won't be rushed in the morning. (ie Have 2 batteries. Put the used one in the charger and put the fresh fully charged one in the camera.)

One last thought ... When you clean the channels for the o-rings, make sure that you use something that is lint free. DO NOT USE a Q-Tip! You do not want to leave a tiny piece of lint behind. I use a "twirled up" corner of a micro fiber towel.

 

[KeithG]

1) way too complicated
2) the more you frig with stuff, the more likely you will make a mistake: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Stop screwing with your stuff. Do you change the oil in your car every time you drive it?

I have the following set of mental lists:

Once at the start of each dive trip:
a) assemble camera rig
b) look at camera orings - don't touch!
c) look at strobe orings - leave alone!
d) quick 30 second dunk test of rig

Before each dive:
a) swap batteries in strobes (old set goes into the chargers)
b) swap battery in camera (old battery goes into charger)
c) check housing latch is closed
d) turn everything on, zoom lens in and out (ensures camera is seated properly), take 1 pic and verify both strobes went "green"

After each dive:
a) dry the port and diopter lens with soft cloth
b) turn off strobe controller
c) leave everything else alone and closed and go relax

Once or twice a day:
a) download all pics from camera to laptop
b) delete crap pics

Once a day:
a) swap battery pack in strobe controller (non rechargeable custom battery pack thingy)

At the end of the trip:
a) do multiple quick dunks of the rig in the rinse tank
b) disassemble and dry stuff in your room
c) once home, remove camera from housing, batteries from strobes, soak everything for a day

Every few dive trips (about 50 dives):
a) remove and lube strobe orings if it is getting hard to close the battery cap, or just wipe some spit on them if it is dive time...

Other general rule:
- never leave camera in rinse tank for more than 10 seconds - it is called a rinse tank, not a soak tank.
- never screw with camera settings - they are still set from the last dive trip, right?

 

[M DeM]

1) way too complicated
2) the more you frig with stuff, the more likely you will make a mistake: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Stop screwing with your stuff. Do you change the oil in your car every time you drive it?

I have the following set of mental lists:

Once at the start of each dive trip:
a) assemble camera rig
b) look at camera orings - don't touch!
c) look at strobe orings - leave alone!
d) quick 30 second dunk test of rig

Before each dive:
a) swap batteries in strobes (old set goes into the chargers)
b) swap battery in camera (old battery goes into charger)
c) check housing latch is closed
d) turn everything on, zoom lens in and out (ensures camera is seated properly), take 1 pic and verify both strobes went "green"

After each dive:
a) dry the port and diopter lens with soft cloth
b) turn off strobe controller
c) leave everything else alone and closed and go relax

Once or twice a day:
a) download all pics from camera to laptop
b) delete crap pics

Once a day:
a) swap battery pack in strobe controller (non rechargeable custom battery pack thingy)

At the end of the trip:
a) do multiple quick dunks of the rig in the rinse tank
b) disassemble and dry stuff in your room
c) once home, remove camera from housing, batteries from strobes, soak everything for a day

Every few dive trips (about 50 dives):
a) remove and lube strobe orings if it is getting hard to close the battery cap, or just wipe some spit on them if it is dive time...

Other general rule:
- never leave camera in rinse tank for more than 10 seconds - it is called a rinse tank, not a soak tank.
- never screw with camera settings - they are still set from the last dive trip, right?

It’s so amaze listening to everyone talk about not leavin

1) way too complicated
2) the more you frig with stuff, the more likely you will make a mistake: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Stop screwing with your stuff. Do you change the oil in your car every time you drive it?

I have the following set of mental lists:

Once at the start of each dive trip:
a) assemble camera rig
b) look at camera orings - don't touch!
c) look at strobe orings - leave alone!
d) quick 30 second dunk test of rig

Before each dive:
a) swap batteries in strobes (old set goes into the chargers)
b) swap battery in camera (old battery goes into charger)
c) check housing latch is closed
d) turn everything on, zoom lens in and out (ensures camera is seated properly), take 1 pic and verify both strobes went "green"

After each dive:
a) dry the port and diopter lens with soft cloth
b) turn off strobe controller
c) leave everything else alone and closed and go relax

Once or twice a day:
a) download all pics from camera to laptop
b) delete crap pics

Once a day:
a) swap battery pack in strobe controller (non rechargeable custom battery pack thingy)

At the end of the trip:
a) do multiple quick dunks of the rig in the rinse tank
b) disassemble and dry stuff in your room
c) once home, remove camera from housing, batteries from strobes, soak everything for a day

Every few dive trips (about 50 dives):
a) remove and lube strobe orings if it is getting hard to close the battery cap, or just wipe some spit on them if it is dive time...

Other general rule:
- never leave camera in rinse tank for more than 10 seconds - it is called a rinse tank, not a soak tank.
- never screw with camera settings - they are still set from the last dive trip, right?

oh wow— I thought you were supposed to do the whole “o-ring thing” every day! What a relief!!

 

[KeithG]

oh wow— I thought you were supposed to do the whole “o-ring thing” every day! What a relief!!

You can do whatever you want to do. There are no scuba camera police.

But in my experience the people who have floods are the people that spend way too much time messing with their gear.

If you do need to clean out oring grooves the best tool is a cosmetic triangle sponge. They are light, cheap, readily available and easy to pack.

 

[BAMA6977]

Great thread and even better advice "the more you frig with stuff, the more likely you will make a mistake: If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Thanks Giffenk!!
Quick question, If you back roll do you roll with your camera or have handed to you? Giant stride?

 

[KeithG]

Great thread and even better advice "the more you frig with stuff, the more likely you will make a mistake: If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Thanks Giffenk!!

The one caveat to my minimal list is a sand storm dive. Did you just dive a sand bottom? Was there idiots present? Yourself included?

More than once I have sanded myself out by flappying (yes flappying!) my fins on/near a sand bottom. Sometimes other Cretans do a fly-by to see what I am looking at and sand me out. But mostly it seems to be self inflicted?

In these special cases a quick inspection of the strobe orings will sometimes reveal flecks of sand on the outside of the oring. Presence of sand bits means it is time for a complete inspection / cleaning / minimal greasing of the rings (spit works!) and grooves.

 

[M DeM]

Great thread and even better advice "the more you frig with stuff, the more likely you will make a mistake: If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Thanks Giffenk!!
Quick question, If you back roll do you roll with your camera or have handed to you? Giant stride?

I promise you, if there are cretins stirring up sand, that cretin will be me.

 

[M DeM]

1) way too complicated
2) the more you frig with stuff, the more likely you will make a mistake: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Stop screwing with your stuff. Do you change the oil in your car every time you drive it?

I have the following set of mental lists:

Once at the start of each dive trip:
a) assemble camera rig
b) look at camera orings - don't touch!
c) look at strobe orings - leave alone!
d) quick 30 second dunk test of rig

Before each dive:
a) swap batteries in strobes (old set goes into the chargers)
b) swap battery in camera (old battery goes into charger)
c) check housing latch is closed
d) turn everything on, zoom lens in and out (ensures camera is seated properly), take 1 pic and verify both strobes went "green"

After each dive:
a) dry the port and diopter lens with soft cloth
b) turn off strobe controller
c) leave everything else alone and closed and go relax

Once or twice a day:
a) download all pics from camera to laptop
b) delete crap pics

Once a day:
a) swap battery pack in strobe controller (non rechargeable custom battery pack thingy)

At the end of the trip:
a) do multiple quick dunks of the rig in the rinse tank
b) disassemble and dry stuff in your room
c) once home, remove camera from housing, batteries from strobes, soak everything for a day

Every few dive trips (about 50 dives):
a) remove and lube strobe orings if it is getting hard to close the battery cap, or just wipe some spit on them if it is dive time...

Other general rule:
- never leave camera in rinse tank for more than 10 seconds - it is called a rinse tank, not a soak tank.
- never screw with camera settings - they are still set from the last dive trip, right?

This is a way better list, and I'm stealing it! Thanks for the comprehensive answer!