How to carry the camera during the dive?

[Dee]

I always hand my rig up to someone on the boat before trying to board. Fatal injuries can happen to your rig by banging around.

I don't know which brand coiled lanyard you had but the Cetacea brand has a steel cable inside the coil..at least mine do.

 

[fpoole]

Yeah, it's a tough call, but what are the choices...

Typically I have it always clipped, coiled lanyard.
When going in or going out of the water, it's usually handed to me and that is the most dangerous times as trying to clip it "Correctly" can be tricky at times. Sometimes I'll just clip it, hold it out above or shoulder lenth and jump in the water..
The split leg entry (forgot what they call it now) and bc inflated ususally allow for a "Soft Entry" in the water... again, they are tough... somewhat anyways.
Getting out, of the water 99% of the time I'll hand it over.. in rough water, I'll unclip the Coiled part (still hard clipped to me) hand the camera up, when they have a grip on it, will unclip the hard clip (brass clip by the way) from the D-ring and again make sure they have it...
Again, entry and exit are the two most risky moves, so don't rush it... that's when you'll loose it...

Hope that helps???

Ps. Wouldn't recommend climbing up a ladder with camera clipped as you're probably using both hands and it will bang against something if it has any chance... Deck hands should be there to pick it up...

 

[Wristshot]

I am not nearly as experienced with my C5050 - Pt-015 as the rest of you, but here is what I do:

I have a wrist strap from the camera on my wrist. In addition, I have a coiled lanyard clipped to my BC. The camera is physically in my hand most of the time, but if something happens where I need both hands, I can feel more secure (nothing is 100%) about letting go of the camera with the redundant "leashes".

I have used cameras above water for decades, so I am used to doing a lot with a camera in hand. Climbing, crawling etc with a camera in hand is natural for me.

Water entry has been easy, it has been the exits that have caused consternation. I hold onto the camera until it gets completely handed off. Sometimes I climb all the way up the ladder (tough on the Horizon Divers boat in Key Largo) with the camera still in hand. Of course, safety for my body takes priority.

As stated here previously, if an EMERGENCY arises, camera is not as important as a life, so camera would be released from my hand. Hopefully lanyard / wrist strap would keep it attached but not interfere with necessary activities.

I like the idea of a retractor to keep it snug against the body. I will have to explore that idea.

My biggest concerns (besides climbing ladders) are about the strength of the lanyard coil and the attachment point on the camera body. I will explore coil lanyards with cable inside (thanks again Dee - do you ever get tired of everyone thanking you ?)

The PT-015 has only one designed attachment point, and it worries me a tiny amount that both straps are attached to that one point, but I have not determined a better solution yet. I want to explore attaching to the "tripod screw" or something.

Thanks all for some good info,


Wristshot

 

[kikox]

Well, I guess the coiled lanyard is the best option. Dee, if it's not too much to ask, can you explain a little better what is the cable inside? I'm afraid I didn't quite undertand it, it makes it more secure/strong?
Wristshot, you mentioned another problem I have. My casing also has only one attachment point. I was thinking of maybe gluing another one. Anyone thinks this is possible/recomended?

Another chance I have considered was keeping the camera linked (with the coiled lanyard for chance) and using some velcrum to fix it to BCD when I'm not using it.

Once again, thank you all for your thoughts. I'm certainly getting a lot of good ideas.

 

[fpoole]

I'm not sure I'd try glue... as a last option a Plastic tie thingie wrapped around something or a steel ring in the housing attachment and then attach the lanyard to that.. velco and or glue might be a temp backup, but would make me worry about it as a primary source..
I'm thinking a stainless Steel/brass ring on the housing attachment and then everything attaching to that...

re: coil, in case Dee is busy, believe it's just a steel coil with the plastic/rubber? coated.. just one piece, not two... take a look at them in the dive shops...
I think anyway....
Hope that helps..

 

[billseamon]

I always use a coiled lanyard, with a stainless clip, no plastic. I use them for my video housing, my canister light, and my backup light for night diving. For the camera I always hold it in my hands, the clip is only a backup, or something to secure it if I need my hand. Also be careful entering thru the surf, my big fear is the camera coming up and bonk me in the head from a big wave. Always hold it securely when entering the water thru the surf. From boats, have done it both ways, either jump in and have some body hand it to you, clip it right away, or clip it on, hang onto it and jump in. I opt for somebody handing it to me after I am in the water as the first option. If there is a strong current and the water isn't too far from the boat deck, I'll just jump in with it attached to my BC and holding on to it with my hand. Other hand for the mask and reg, Third hand for the BC. Actually put a little air in the BC, and make sure you air is on.

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

comes in handy. The camera will be within reach, assuming you snug down the nut and maintain a general awareness of what's going on around you.

When I dive with a camera... I dive "one-handed". If I think I MIGHT need two hands to make the dive, I leave the camera aboard... lanyard or not.

I've never dropped or lost a camera. I've recovered a few. I'm concerned about how "attached" some people apparently are to their "possessions".

If you're going to attach a camera or anything else "securely" to yourself, please consider the potential for entanglement. Train and equip yourselves accordingly. Cameras are cheap... human lives are priceless!

But if you're in deep blue water, say along a wall with the botton at least several hundred feet below you, you may know WHERE it is, but you'll never recover it. But using a coiled lanyard, IF you have to have both hands for some reason, the camera will be dangling at the end somewhere around your knees. And the coil prevents any danglies.

True, I've seldom ever had to do that and the camera is always in my hand, but it's sure nice to have the security. If you only dive in areas where the bottom is near or is in recreational depths, maybe that's not a concern for you.

Kwikert...did the coiled lanyard break? Or did you not get it clipped to yourself securely before turning loose of the camera?

 

[Dee]

Kikox, fpoole is correct. The steel cable is inside the pliable plastic of the coil, just one piece, making it very strong. Virtually impossible to 'just break'.

If I'm using the camera only, no strobe or tray, I loop the cord at the bottom end of the lanyard around the tripod mount before I attach the counter weight. If I'm using the strobe and tray, that same cord is looped through an opening in the tray.

If you need, I can take some photos of it tomorrow.

 

[DennisW]

I like the idea of the coiled lanyard and the retractable lanyard combination. I guess I need to go searching to buy the things I need and try them out. Thanks for the question Ricardo, and thanks for the ideas everyone else.

 

[kikox]

Well, Dee, if it isn't too much to ask.... :sorry19z:

And to terminate, I'll make Dennisw's words my own: thanks everyone.