jstuart1:
Do you carry it to the boat already assembled?
Yes. preferably having sealed it in a cool dry place. Surprisingly I've found that doing it near the A/C unit works the best since A/C air is dehumidified(ever see the AC unit sweating in some tropical destination?). Some people use those little dessicant packets also, I've never had any fogging with this method.
Also since any little salt/sand particle or hair on the seals could cause a leak, it's easier to spot them in the light of a room than squinting in the sun. Power it up, check it for function, then off to save battery life.
When you get on the boat drop it in the rinse tank and observe it for a couple of minutes for leaks. Since it's your first time, don't panic if you see small bubbles immediately, there's always a little air caught around the handles/controls on the housing. If it's regular or continues though, pull it out quick.
If there's not a lot of other cameras in the tank, leave it there for the ride out, it sometimes helps keep it from fogging. If the ride is rough, you might consider taking it out so it doesn't bang around in the tank. And don't leave it in the sun...
The most important thing in the tank is to protect your front port, I think more of them get damaged there than diving. I have a flat port that's recessed slightly so I tend to leave mine in the tank all the time - I also leave my external red filter on, better to scratch it than the port.
Also watch out for the other clueless idiots who drop their gear right on top of yours, Usually newbie/resort course divers with rental point/shoots. The person with the DSLR in a domed Subal housing tends to be a little more considerate. And the reverse is true also, a big heavy video housing, esp. a metal one, can do a lot of damage if dropped onto an acrylic lens.
Power it up before getting ready to dive, run through the controls to make sure all the main functions are working then switch it to standby. As a last resort, you can open it on the boat and fix it.
Ask one of the crew or your buddy to
HAND it to you in the water, don't ever jump in holding it since the sudden impact can jar the seal. First thing to remember while still floating on the surface is to clip it off to you somehow. If your housing does manual white balance, and it's something you're going to do, a good time to do that is while descending if there's white sand below. (or you have a w/b card) It's also a good time to inspect it once more for leaks - assuming you won't be clearing or need to watch where you're going.
Post dive unclip it and hand it back up. Most DM's will put it in the tank while you're gearing down. Between dives I just leave it in the tank. I have enough battery/tape for two complete dives so unless there's a problem I never open it on the boat.
Make sure you turn it off. I have 20mins. of footage of people placing/removing their housings in the tank, including myself looking down and (I think) mouthing the words "Yes I'm
sure it's off" -
Where do you keep it between dives if there is no camera table? Do you use the lights or just a filter?
I don't have/use lights. The red filter goes on below about 15'. If you're filming in real shallow water, the filter will yellow everything. If you have an external red filter, make sure no bubbles get trapped between it and the port.
I'd go w/o the lights, they're less useful in bright clear water unless you go below 60-70' in the Caribbean. You can see the light fall-off in your viewfinder/monitor if you go deeper than that.
And should you have a leak, esp. while u/w, try to hold the housing level so the water fills from the bottom as you slowly ascend. If it's a leak at depth, it may slow/stop as you get shallower. If it's a leak you failed to notice at the surface, you probably just bought a new camera. If salt water hits the battery, likely it will fuse to the camera instantly and you can replace the whole thing. And if you do have a leak, rinse the inside of the housing also, esp. if your electronics are exposed. And have it cleaned too. I've seen several housings on eBay where the electronics corroded from the inside after a leak, since the handles aren't always sealed to the inside.
The hardest thing for me is staying off the reef while glued to the viewfinder. Especially my fins. My next housing is going to have one of those top-mounted monitors for that reason.
