DIR Configuration for a camera

OE2X · Oct 4, 2004

I'm not sure if this is an oxymoron or not.
What do you do for a camera setup when diving? Can you attach a lanyard to the scooter D ring?

The reason why I ask is that occasionally I dive with a Nikon F5 in an Aquatica housing with strobes. There is about $6000. worth of equipment that I would hate to have slip out of my hand on a deep wall. If I need to use my hands then dropping the camera (without a lanyard) is a fine solution if it's an emergency. Any advice besides DIR divers don't bring cameras underwater would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Viscya · Oct 4, 2004

Post the question in the Hog forum and I'll give you my answer.

vlada · Oct 4, 2004

overexposed2X:
I'm not sure if this is an oxymoron or not.
What do you do for a camera setup when diving? Can you attach a lanyard to the scooter D ring?

The reason why I ask is that occasionally I dive with a Nikon F5 in an Aquatica housing with strobes. There is about $6000. worth of equipment that I would hate to have slip out of my hand on a deep wall. If I need to use my hands then dropping the camera (without a lanyard) is a fine solution if it's an emergency. Any advice besides DIR divers don't bring cameras underwater would be appreciated.
Thanks.

I use similar set up - mine's F100 in Aquatica with two Ike200s on long arms. Buddy uses F4 in Aquatica. We do not have scooters

On the working portion of the dive, camera is in my hands. On ascent/descent i clip mine off to the front D-ring on a croth strap - since i am horizontal, it is really out of the way, but i can see how it can create drug with the scooter

Buddy clips his to his right D-ring when not in use - works for him. I can not do that since my chest is much smaller and the camera will be bumping against my bottles - but this might be a better option for you with the scooter

We both have clips attached to one of the strobe arms with a cave line so that there is a bit of line (about 2 inches) between the strobe arm and the clip

OE2X · Oct 4, 2004

Sorry I didn't mean to imply that I use a scooter. I should have referred to the front crotch strap D ring.

Your methods sound very reasonable. Does clipping it off to your crotch D ring affect your horizontal trim on ascent/ descent?

Do you ever do S drills while you have your camera and if so what is your proceedure?

Thanks

WJL · Oct 5, 2004

overexposed2X:
Do you ever do S drills while you have your camera and if so what is your proceedure?

This is why you don't want to clip off your camera to your chest d-rings - it will interfere with the deployment of your long hose.

vlada · Oct 5, 2004

overexposed2X:
Sorry I didn't mean to imply that I use a scooter. I should have referred to the front crotch strap D ring.

Your methods sound very reasonable. Does clipping it off to your crotch D ring affect your horizontal trim on ascent/ descent?

Do you ever do S drills while you have your camera and if so what is your proceedure?

Thanks

Before i clip it off, i collapse the strobe arms into a box-like shape and then clip.

Clipping the thing off to the crotch D-ring actually makes the trim better ;-)). The thing is negatively buoyant by couple pounds and sits right under my centre of gravity

It does not affect the S-drills or any other drills. Makes swimming backwards a bit harder since there is more drag.

As for the WJL's post above - clipping it to chest D-ring would make getting the long hose out a bit more complicated but not impossible. Plus, this would be an issue only for a short portion of the ascent before we switch to deco gas - then it is out of the way since in case of emergency, you'd donate deco gas.

reubencahn · Oct 5, 2004

I have a large bolt snap attached to the tray at the handle. Ascending, I attach to my crotch D-ring. But if I'm actually still on the active part of the dive and I don't want to shoot, I'll clip it the the right chest D-ring. With the strobe arms folded up, I can tuck it up under my arm pretty well out of the slip stream. But now that I read WJL's comments, I may need to switch to the left chest ring or rethink entirely.

OE2X · Oct 6, 2004

Thanks everyone for your input. This is very useful.

MonkSeal · Oct 6, 2004

WJL:
This is why you don't want to clip off your camera to your chest d-rings - it will interfere with the deployment of your long hose.

Does this mean that if camera is small enough to not interfere with hose deployment, it can be clipped off to right chest D-ring ?

JamesP · Oct 6, 2004

We have always clipped our cameras off to the right D'Ring. They have never interfered with the long hose. We keep the cameras on a 3ft leash or lanyard. It works without problem. This question came up on Quest a couple of months ago. And the general consensus was right D'ring with no problems. The left D'ring is needed for stage bottles. All the best.

DIR Configuration for a camera

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