Reg or Camera purchase next?

[JediCheese]

A little background: AOW + Nitrox and 32 dives living in Nevada. I'm getting back into Scuba after 2 years off (changed a few jobs over that time) and also picked up a dive buddy (GF) to go with

I was always was going to buy scuba gear, just seemed expensive and funds had to be spent elsewhere. Getting back into it and with the intention of buying more gear, the LDS convinced me to upgrade my Suunto Zoop Novo to a Garmin Mk2i with transmitter when we were signing up for her Open Water lessons. I don't own a regulator to put the transmitter on.

I do own a GoPro 3 Silver + dive housing and tray to do camera stuff which I've enjoyed doing when on vacation.

My issue is we've booked a dive trip to Saba off St Maarten and we're renting gear. They don't have a second HP connection to put the transmitter on. I was going to buy a Olympus TG-7 + Dive housing to replace the old GoPro for the trip but since I can't use the transmitter, I'm in a conundrum on what to purchase next. Is Air Integration really nice for a vacation diver or is it overkill vs watching the SPG?

Likely either way, I'll pick up the rest of the gear by the start of summer to go dive locally.

 

[tursiops]

The TG7 will make the dives a lot more fun than having AI. AI is very nice, but you can live without it. It sounds like you can't live without a camera! You'll have more and more sharable memories of your trip to Saba with the camera than with the AI.
If you REALLY wanted to use the transmitter, you'd pull the SPG off their reg and put the transmitter on instead. Many feel the redundancy is unnecessary.

 

[BoltSnap]

Buy regulator first without a doubt.

 

[RVBldr]

I never trusted the AI and always just had a simple SPG, works good, lasts long time. If you can swing camera, as mentioned, that will give you a bit more lasting memory for the trip.

 

[Belzelbub]

My issue is we've booked a dive trip to Saba off St Maarten and we're renting gear. They don't have a second HP connection to put the transmitter on.

This may determine what you get next. Since you are renting gear, there is a very real possibility that whoever you are renting from will not allow you to put a transmitter or splitter on their reg. Might want to check with them.

If they won’t, I’d say reg as you can use your transmitter. AI is not necessary, but it is nice.

I never trusted the AI and always just had a simple SPG, works good, lasts long time.

I have had more in water SPG failures than transmitter failures (0). My oldest transmitter was purchased in 2012 or 2013. Still going strong.

 

[Rilelen]

I really don’f advise new divers to carry a camera. The trick to getting great underwater pics/video is being a great diver first - get in your first hundred dives or so, before you worry about bringing a camera along with you. You’ll take better pictures when you do, and become a much better diver in the meantime if you’re not distracted by camera settings.

So - go buy your own regs/BC etc!

(Plus - there’s research showing that taking pictures tends to detract from our enjoyment of the moment! Focus on enjoying those first hundred dives and all the cool stuff you get to see and do…the camera will still be there later)

 

[Julerb1]

The worst people to dive with are the new camera people that are continually in your way and never get out of the way

 

[Litefoot]

I vote choice #4: A ring for your girlfriend.

 

[JediCheese]

This may determine what you get next. Since you are renting gear, there is a very real possibility that whoever you are renting from will not allow you to put a transmitter or splitter on their reg. Might want to check with them.

If they won’t, I’d say reg as you can use your transmitter. AI is not necessary, but it is nice.

I have had more in water SPG failures than transmitter failures (0). My oldest transmitter was purchased in 2012 or 2013. Still going strong.

I don't think they'd let me replace the SPG with the transmitter. Plus new dive computer + transmitter means there's more failure points than I like.

I really don’f advise new divers to carry a camera. The trick to getting great underwater pics/video is being a great diver first - get in your first hundred dives or so, before you worry about bringing a camera along with you. You’ll take better pictures when you do, and become a much better diver in the meantime if you’re not distracted by camera settings.

So - go buy your own regs/BC etc!

(Plus - there’s research showing that taking pictures tends to detract from our enjoyment of the moment! Focus on enjoying those first hundred dives and all the cool stuff you get to see and do…the camera will still be there later)

I've actually found I dive better with the camera. It forces my hands to be in front of me and not use them to swim.

It's unwatchable video because I let it run continuously, but it makes me focus on diving.

I vote choice #4: A ring for your girlfriend.

Hahahaha. That's way out of my budget at the moment.

 

[Pressurehead]

Garmin Mk2i with transmitter

I vote choice #4: A ring for your girlfriend.

That's way out of my budget at the moment

You can buy a Garmin and transmitter first, no wonder your budget has blown out.
Just dive the pair of you, have fun, use the gopro [if you must], your skills will improve [no flapping of arms and hands], be a good buddy with your GF, pay attention to her not a camera.