How do you secure your camera underwater?

[Diver Dennis]

I too use the coiled retainer but I know guys who don't use anything. The retainers are not expensive so you can try one to see if you like it. I have an Ike housing with strobes so it is always handed down and handed up.

 

[DumboDiver]

I also use the CRL03 clip as mentioned by Dave and Jon. It's very comfortable and allows for full range of motion. You won't even know it's there. I attach it to the upper right D-ring on my BC after I splash. I suggest you have one of the boat's assistants hand it down to you.

 

[Kirgan]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I wasn't aware of some those coil type attachments mentioned. They don't seem that expensive, so I'll check them out. I do want to have something to secure it to, so I can go hands free if I ever need to.

For those of you who do a giant stride or back roll with the camera on you - have you ever had any issues of the impact causing a flood or damage to your strobes? I would think a back roll would be ok, but I wasn't sure about the impact of doing a giant stride. I felt doing it with housing only was probably ok, but I was concerned about how it would be if I ever go in with strobes attached. Of couse I don't have strobes yet, but I am sure I will eventually.

Of course as some of you have stated, I could always ask someone to hand it to me, but on some of the dives I do that isn't always possible - for example a live drop drift dive. Hence my question if anyone has had any issues jumping in with the camera attached to your BC.

Thanks again,

--Mike

 

[Gilligan]

Almost the same item that NJdiver85 uses. I am attaching it to a tray with housing, strobe and two wet mount lenses.

I have it attached to a "D" ring on my BCD and can unclip it at any point from my tray. The end that connects to my BCD remains remains attached at all times.
The coil type cord allows for almost any picture taking situation if you attach to one of the upper "D" rings on your BCD.

I NEVER do a wide stride or back roll with my rig. I always have someone hand it to me. I carry a 5' leash with me on dive boats and let a crew member lower the rig to me then I unclip it and the crewmember takes the leash back. I did that off the bancas in the Philippines.

 

[Cacia]

coil-type leash that can clip off to shorten for swims. And then it has a stainless clip for the d-ring on my BP/W. I usually only clip it off only when it would be too deep if I dropped it.

 

[CompuDude]

I may have to change my methods once I get a strobe, but for now, my SD550, even in a housing, is small enough that I'm willing to do a giant stride with it tucked up close to me with one hand (to break the worst of the impact). I'll also go through a surf entry like this, on a beach dive.

Once in the water, I have the camera on a very light weight retractor "Gear Keeper" clipped to a D-Ring on the right side (since I'm right handed). The metal cable is plenty strong, but the retractor istelf is not strong enough to hold the camera up on it's own in the air (so I keep it in mand out of the water), but it keeps things close to me in the water no prob, where my cam is only slightly negative, and it doesn't have enough pull to bother me when I'm taking pictures.

Once I get a strobe, I think the rig will be meaty enough that I'll need to have someone pass things down to me. I'll probably stick with the lightweight retractor, however, although I might get creative and get a snap bolt instead of the existing plastic clip... not for strength reasons (remember, there is very little weight on the clip underwater), but so that I can connect and detach it easier, with one hand, and without looking.

 

[bladephotog]

I also use a coiled lanyard with a brass clip. And I have someone pass my camera to me and hand it up after the dive. I've messed around with making different types of camera tethers but the coiled thingy seems to work pretty well.

 

[Chris Sawallich]

A Three thousand dollar rig isnt something I want to do a giant stride or roll with.. So , handed in from the boat, to me, is my choice, then I keep a firm grip on it at all times.. Unless something more important come around, like an OOA situation..

 

[Jim Ernst]

i use a coil lanyard myself as DavidInNH, but i clip it to my right D ring with a carabiner.

i am with jonix on this!! so ditto, and as said i NEVER go off the boat with it, i have it handed to me and back up to them in the end

 

[cinder4320]

I have the same setup A620 with Canon housing. I just use the wrist strap. If I let go it is attached and positive. I can still use my hands just fine since the camera floats above a bit. I have had to do regulator recovery with my camera attached to my right hand just fine. The only problem can be when you have to keep contact with the line on ascent or descent. Since this only happens during current dives it isn't that often or a big deal to me. I just have to make sure it doesnt tangle.

I have had to do giant strides as a few DM's said "Most lost cameras happen when they are handed in". I didn't feel like arguing. All I do is inflate my BC all the way. Put the camera secured to my wrist high in the air and step off. The camera never even goes under as being so inflated my head barely does! Its a good way to get by if you HAVE to stride in with the camera but usually I have it handed in.

Miranda