What is the correct way to carry a camera for scuba diving?

[allanrocha]

What is the correct way to carry a camera for scuba diving?
The camera must be connected to the wrist? Connected to BC (Buoyancy Compensator)? What kind of strap or cable must be used for this? Does anyone know the name of that equipment and where to find it?

 

[diver 85]

Don't know if 'correct' or not---but has worked for over 20 years---I use one of these...available @ any online diver's supply place, I think........

EDIT---snap it to my BC---loop part around bottom part of handle of my camera tray(before put together..)...They not expensive, at all.....here's a link to one @ Leisurepro---but they all have them.....
http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.aspx?op=gcsSearch&Term=lanyards&Page=2

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I don't keep the camera clipped to me, but I use a 1/4" rope with some bungee material to create a foot long leash, for when I do need both hands free. But, it's an slr rig so I use both hands and the entire dive is dedicated to pictures. Either way you need
A clip, but it becomes more important if you aren't able to hold the camera the entire dive.

 

[KeithG]

There is no "must" as there are no scuba camera police. Do what ever works for you and your situation.

Many divers use a camera tether of some sort. Some don't use anything.

When I started video many years ago with a huge amphibico housing I initially tethered it to my bcd via a quick release strap. After a few years I stopped using any form of tether. I found the short tether became an obstruction when trying to film 1 handed at strange angles since I could be using an extended left or right hand depending upon the situation.

I now use a small very lose wrist tether on my still camera rig. Tether is connected to the housing and slipped over my right wrist. Single hand camera operation can only be done with right hand as that is where the shutter control is. So no issues with tether being restrictive as the camera is always in my right hand. I do not tighten the tether around my wrist (although it can), it hangs loosely so that it is very easy to remove at the end of the dive when handing the camera to boat crew.

I do not clip the camera off to my bcd when "not in use" - some people do this with smaller camera rigs, leaving both hands free. I have seen buoyant cameras floating aLong above divers heads when done in this fashion.

I also have a very small "happy snaps" canon elph style camera that I simply stuff in my bcd pocket at the start of a dive week. No tether of any kind.

I am sure others will have different preferences based upon what works for them.

 

[TSandM]

I use the same coiled lanyard device pictured in the first answer.

It is my belief and my experience, that anything you carry in your hands on a dive you will eventually drop. If you are over a hard bottom at a reasonable depth, you have lost very little but time. If, on the other hand, you are in blue water or on a wall with a bottom below recreational depths, you are in a world of hurt. Chasing cameras has killed people -- literally -- but watching my setup go join Davy Jones would not make my day.

 

[Mikko Ilari Laakkonen]

I have a small gopro that has a minimal wrist loop and a boltsnap. When not in use, i keep it clipped in dring , when i need to shoot i first tighten it to my wrist and the detach the boltsnap. When i want to get rad of it i clip the boltsnap and then release the loop from my wrist. Very small and compact , unable to love the gear.

Doesn't work too well with bigger units though.

 

[TONY CHANEY]

As stated before, "there is no correct way to carry a camera." With that said, I'll try to shed some light on the situation as it works for me. I think that the dive dictates the manner in which you carry the camera. i.e.

Normal everyday diving I will use my mask mount adapter. It works very well but make sure that you have it adjusted to where it sees what you are looking at. (This past week we were in the caves. I asked my buddy to adjust the camera. I will stop and look at an object and he was to look thru the display and adjust the camera accordingly. Well, he got it wrong and we had a rather good 45 minutes of video of the cave floor in Orange Grove).


Tray. The best manner to hold the camera when dedicated to shooting video. You get to frame the picture and there is less movement and shaking that you get when having the camera mounted to the mask or helmet. Only problem is having to hold the camera when using a DPV, using a reel, putting in a jump. shooting a lift bag, etc. You can use two retractors each one clipped to your D rings that will pull the camera back toward your chest. Weight plays a factor here.


Helmet mounted. Getting to be one of my favorite. I rather like this setup because I am able to have the lights mounted on the sides of the helmet as well as having the camera mounted. When using the mask adapter you lose the lights on the same plane of the camera. So with this setup you get hands free camera, lights mounted on the same plane as the camera and no way to drop it. The only problems are head movement, adjustment needs to be made to your point of view and make darn sure that you don't let it get in the way of long hose donation.

I forgot to add that Z Gear has a mount that I got to bata test and it has some rather good features.

Here are a couple of pictures of my helemt setup:

 

[Aquanomad]

This works for me.

 

[scubastingray]

That setup looks light aqua nomad.

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Nice no-mount setup.