How many dives before taking a camera with you

[mi000ke]

Do any of you keep your camera tethered while you shoot? That way if things go badly sideways you could just drop the camera without worrying about it and concentrate on the issue at hand. It seems that most people I have dived with who have cameras (at least serious rigs with strobes) do not have them tethered at all.

For my first photography dive I was thinking of having the camera (simple point and shoot in housing, no external lighting) tethered to a D ring and practicing just picking it up (still tethered) and holding it up as if to shoot, but not actually taking a photo. (Actually long line from D ring to camera, and another short line back to D ring so it does not hang down when not in use, but when unhooked stays tethered but with enough slack to hold it up to shoot - if that makes any sense.) If that went OK, then moving on to some quick snapshots with the camera still tethered, and so forth.

I do a lot of mountain and non-tech rock climbing and hiking with a 5D attached to my chest with a harness, so the camera is there when I need it but I can drop it if i need my hands in an emergency. Maybe something like that for diving?

 

[northernone]

Do any of you keep your camera tethered while you shoot? That way if things go badly sideways you could just drop the camera without worrying about it and concentrate on the issue at hand. It seems that most people I have dived with who have cameras (at least serious rigs with strobes) do not have them tethered at all.

For my first photography dive I was thinking of having the camera (simple point and shoot in housing, no external lighting) tethered to a D ring and practicing just picking it up (still tethered) and holding it up as if to shoot, but not actually taking a photo. (Actually long line from D ring to camera, and another short line back to D ring so it does not hang down when not in use, but when unhooked stays tethered but with enough slack to hold it up to shoot - if that makes any sense.) If that went OK, then moving on to some quick snapshots with the camera still tethered, and so forth.

I do a lot of mountain and non-tech rock climbing and hiking with a 5D attached to my chest with a harness, so the camera is there when I need it but I can drop it if i need my hands in an emergency. Maybe something like that for diving?

I like how you are thinking with the multi tether. I do clip off my camera when not in use and keep it clipped off if the conditions require it. The one issue is entanglement hazards with lines going everywhere.

 

[Storker]

Do any of you keep your camera tethered while you shoot? That way if things go badly sideways you could just drop the camera without worrying about it and concentrate on the issue at hand.

I do. I got a lanyard like this one (and swapped the tiny clip for a proper boltsnap), and I clip it to my left hip D-ring. I've also tied a boltsnap directly to the rig, so I can clip it to a shoulder D-ring if I need or want to have both hands free e.g. when I'm shooting a dSMB.

 

[herman]

I don't judge the time in dives but on your skill level. There are divers who are good enough to bring a camera at 40-50 dives and others who frankly will never be ready....and usually they don't know it.
A camera adds a lot of demands on the diver that often times they are not aware of. What I recommend is you work on your buoyancy skills and finning techniques until you have them down then consider the camera.
Here is a test for you, in a dive spot where you can't hurt anything or yourself (pool/quarry), hold your hands out in front of your face making a circle with your fingers, this is your viewfinder, remember you will be looking through one with a camera, pick a spot on an object that is a few feet above the bottom (like a nail head or any small object) swim up to it looking at it in your finger viewfinder and concentrating on your subject, get within a foot of it, keep it "framed" for at least 30 seconds while not crashing into it or bouncing off the bottom, then BACK away using only your fins. This closely simulates the skills required to take a photograph under water. When you can easily do that without losing your buoyancy control or silting up the bottom you are ready to start carrying a camera.

On a different note, I see you are in Raleigh. Come join us at the Down Under Dive club. We meet the second tues of each month in Morrisville. We have a lot of very good UW photographers in the club and hold monthly outing at the local quarries. It's easy to find a buddy there and a great place to practice, both your scuba and camera skills. The next one is Aug 26 at Rolesville quarry, you do not need to be a member to come, just walk up and introduce yourself. Down Under Divers Club

 

[Skeptic14]

Do any of you keep your camera tethered while you shoot? That way if things go badly sideways you could just drop the camera without worrying about it and concentrate on the issue at hand. It seems that most people I have dived with who have cameras (at least serious rigs with strobes) do not have them tethered at all.

I use a similar tether as @Storker linked. When my rig was smaller I had a make shift tether that I clipped off similarly though.

@mi000ke brings up a huge point, there are myriad ways to approach uw photography in an incremental fashion so as to not over task yourself. And every individual needs to be able to assess themselves, their dives and plan accordingly. It really doesn't have to be all (dslr, dual strobes, full manual exposure, in ripping current) or nothing.

 

[PatW]

Before you start, diving has to be pretty automatic. As I approach a shot, I have a number of things I check: where is my buddy, where are they going, how much deco do I have, what is the depth, and how much air do I have. I don't check all of those every time, but I need to have a current status in my mind. Then there are shot specific things: what is the structure and how do I approach without hitting stuff, are there divers around to avoid, is the shot even possuble, how do I approach without scaring off the subject, what ISO, what f stop, what focal length, what strobe positioning, and it goes on and on.

First off, are you a cautious diver? Taking chances and taking photos is not a good mix. Obviously, some people really have no business taking photos underwater..... ever.

Many people can. But it is task loading. My wife is a photographer and she will not dive with a camera. She wants to relax and enjoy the dive.

As has been said before, having developed skills is important. My buoyancy was decent when I started. I found that to get shots having better than decent buoyancy was critical. Having the camera in the right spot for the shot is absolutely critical.

Also the diving conditions make a big difference. Diving in shallow, clear, calm, still warm water is whole bunch easier than say northern CA with heavy surf, low vis, and cold water.

 

[mi000ke]

I do. I got a lanyard like this one (and swapped the tiny clip for a proper boltsnap), and I clip it to my left hip D-ring. I've also tied a boltsnap directly to the rig, so I can clip it to a shoulder D-ring if I need or want to have both hands free e.g. when I'm shooting a dSMB.

That's exactly what I'm looking for, thanks!

 

[Russoft]

Since we're talking about "how many dives before": My wife and I are at 33 and 51 dives, respectively. We've dived together since my wife's 6th dive. We've had an underwater camera with us (whether in the dive bag, the camera bucket, or on a BCD D-ring) for every single dive since then.

Our rule: if it's a new kind of dive we haven't done before, we leave the camera behind.

Our rule: dive first. Make sure your buddy is okay. Make sure you have buoyancy figured out and you're equipment is dragging along the bottom. Make sure you're responsive to boat crew, dive guide, other divers. Make sure you're aware of your surroundings and the situation.

My wife loves photography so much, she'd take a camera on every single dive. After her first drift dive in Cozumel (she had at most a dozen dives at that time), I had to gently reprimand her for crashing into coral multiple times. After that, we made a rule: become competent at a new type of diving (Drift, deep, etc.) before snapping photos. On our first deep wreck dive, we left our cameras on the boat. Yes, we missed a perfect opportunity to photograph a bull shark, but it was more important that we be focused on the dive. On the second dive on the site, we took our cameras.

I'd say you can have the camera clipped off to your BCD for most dives (assuming a compact, point-and-shoot, action cam, etc.), but leave it there until you're in control of your buoyancy and are aware of your buddy and the situation. The only reason we choose to leave cameras behind when not in use is that they tend to be big and dangle about. There's potential for them to flood and to get damaged if you're not tending to them.

 

[CJS]

"How many dives before taking a camera with you?"

More than you think.

I see too many people carry a camera before they have the necessary buoyancy and situational awareness and I see them kick the crap out of coral and send little critters flying and generally muck things up for those who will come after them. Task loading will degrade your basic skills, so they have to be rock solid first.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I started off with a GoPro on a dive wrist housing. I didn't have to worry about dropping it because it was velcroed to my arm. Once I got my buoyancy, weight, trim down (around 40 dives) I then progressed to a GoPro on a tray with two lights. I rocked that for about 60 dives. I just recently hit 100 dives and bought a camera with strobes.

I had two hundred and eighty , but because we were going to Raja Ampat On th next trip I decided to get an underwater housing for my smartphone. A very persuasive sales person in the dive shop in Charing Cross in London said " no way use just an iPhone , you need a decent camera for Raja Ampat". This was probably one of the best pieces of advice every , it was an eight week trip so I spent ages mastering manual white balance etc etc etc....and now just love taking photos. I don't regret not getting it earlier....just have to go back to the places we visited without a camera !

Like you, this was my primary motivation in getting a rig. I was planning on doing it at the beginning of 2018 but I have Raja Ampat planned in October. I'm quite comfortable with manual mode on the camera so taking it underwater was the best natural step and before the trip was good timing.