Carrying Still and Video Cameras

JS1scuba · February 7th, 2006, 10:54 PM

Greetings.

I am looking for the process, procedure, operation mode of carrying single and multiple U/W still and video cameras.

All info is appreciated.

Cheers

GLOC · February 7th, 2006, 11:14 PM

I am sure I have read on a forum somewhere about DIR guys carrying SLRs but cannot remember where. I have tried googling but to no avail. I am sure it was www.wetpixel.com but I will have a search through.

http://www.dirquest.com/quest-mail/msg16878.html

Nope, the only link I could find was this one, sorry.

I personally use an Oly 5050 which is connected to my left D-ring (I don't own a scooter!) by a bolt snap when swimming open water and in cofined areas. If I am doing drills etc, I clip it to the scooter ring to get it out of the way, or it is infront of me filming my mates.....

nadwidny · February 8th, 2006, 03:51 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by JS1scuba)

Greetings.

I am looking for the process, procedure, operation mode of carrying single and multiple U/W still and video cameras.

All info is appreciated.

Cheers

My camera has two leashes of bungie, one just over a foot long and one just a few inches. When we are on scooters, I clip my video camera to my front crotch strap D ring with the longer lanyard and let it ride up between my legs. I can actually get it so I can close my legs and cradle the setup on top of the backs of my knees so it's not rattling around in the slipstream. Probably wouldn't work for multiple cameras though as they would tend to bang together. Otherwise I just carry it or if need be clip onto the upper left with either the short or long lanyard.

For multiple cameras the only thing I can think of is to have the non-filming members of the team carry the extras (so in a team of 2 you have one extra camera, team of 3 could have two).

JS1scuba · February 8th, 2006, 05:40 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by nadwidny)

My camera has two leashes of bungie, one just over a foot long and one just a few inches. When we are on scooters, I clip my video camera to my front crotch strap D ring with the longer lanyard and let it ride up between my legs. I can actually get it so I can close my legs and cradle the setup on top of the backs of my knees so it's not rattling around in the slipstream. Probably wouldn't work for multiple cameras though as they would tend to bang together. Otherwise I just carry it or if need be clip onto the upper left with either the short or long lanyard.

For multiple cameras the only thing I can think of is to have the non-filming members of the team carry the extras (so in a team of 2 you have one extra camera, team of 3 could have two).

OK -- i normally will clip it to the right shoulder ring (i work the cam with right hand) when i am on deco it will drop to the crotch ring or give it off to a support diver to bring up. Multiples with dome ports gets ugly but have resorted to clipping it to the right him ring. (special removable ring - no triglide).

Thanks for your help, more ideas are helpful.

Cheers

OkiMike · March 31st, 2008, 09:11 AM

This is coming quite a bit after the OP, but when not using your camera you can "travel" with it by clippin the boltsnap from one handle of the housing to your left-chest D-ring and by clipping the boltsnap from the other handle to your hip D-ring. Rotate the camera body so that the lens faces towards the body thus preventing scratches or damage.

A second camera could be shared by a teammate or by stowing it by one of the bolt snaps to the butt D-ring and letting it float in the slipstream or by attaching one of the boltsnaps on the handle to the rear D-ring and attaching the other handle's boltsnap to the hip D-ring.

Caution should be given to the addition of deco and/or stage bottles. Any camera on the rear D-ring that might come into contact with a stage also stowed there should have a fixed lens cap attached to prevent scratching. This is also ideal for any camera stowed anywhere on the body since lenses (especially real glass lenses) are not at all cheap (as you no doubt know).

If carrying two cameras, and two deco bottles plus an optional stage bottle, I would secure the first and least used (or already used) camera to the rear and hip D-rings (use both rather than letting it flail) and by passing the currently used (or soon to be used) camera to my buddy when I am busy doing a gas switch.

Ideally, by this stage you would have a scooter that--while it would task saturate you further--would also allow you to mount your video camera in a fixed location off the body thus freeing you up to stow the 2nd housing or pass it to a friend.

g-west · March 31st, 2008, 11:04 PM

A picture is worth a thousand words.

I would like to view all of your solutions.

rogerbly · April 1st, 2008, 12:05 AM

who, this is an old one. I agree with clipping a camera to the left hip+chest D-rings while traveling on a scooter. If that location is a problem during multi-tank deco, you can move it to the left hip or butt D-ring.

A video of scootering with a camera:
YouTube - Underwater Photography with a scooter

Steve Blanchard · April 1st, 2008, 02:27 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by rogerbly)

who, this is an old one. I agree with clipping a camera to the left hip+chest D-rings while traveling on a scooter. If that location is a problem during multi-tank deco, you can move it to the left hip or butt D-ring.

A video of scootering with a camera:
YouTube - Underwater Photography with a scooter

I watched this video, I don't see why people dangle their expensive cameras on their sides or in between their legs. If you can afford the camera, you can afford a scooter camera mount. Far better way to carry cameras IMO.

If I don't use my scooter then I keep the camera in my hand. If I need both my hands to do something then I either pass the camera to a team mate or
gently temporarely clip is to my hip until I'm done then back in my hand it goes.

SB

Steve Blanchard · April 1st, 2008, 05:33 PM

Forgot to mention that the mount works well, both for video and stills.

Leigh u · April 1st, 2008, 06:57 PM

I have no problem hip clipping the camera when not on the scooter mount.
If you have the large wide angle lens it can be a bit of an issue with multiple stages on the left..but I usually go out of my way to move slowly, so the unit doesn't bang into the bottles.

Hip clipping on the left while wearing a single stage works very well.

February 7th, 2006, 10:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
JS1scuba(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 82	Carrying Still and Video Cameras Greetings. I am looking for the process, procedure, operation mode of carrying single and multiple U/W still and video cameras. All info is appreciated. Cheers __________________ Joel Silverstein, VP, COO www.techdivinglimited.com a division of Scuba Training and Technology Inc. NAUTILUS DIVE PLANNER CYLINDER SPEC CHART

February 7th, 2006, 11:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
GLOC (Online) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fleet, Hants Posts: 1,952	I am sure I have read on a forum somewhere about DIR guys carrying SLRs but cannot remember where. I have tried googling but to no avail. I am sure it was www.wetpixel.com but I will have a search through. http://www.dirquest.com/quest-mail/msg16878.html Nope, the only link I could find was this one, sorry. I personally use an Oly 5050 which is connected to my left D-ring (I don't own a scooter!) by a bolt snap when swimming open water and in cofined areas. If I am doing drills etc, I clip it to the scooter ring to get it out of the way, or it is infront of me filming my mates..... Last edited by GLOC; February 7th, 2006 at 11:28 PM.

February 8th, 2006, 03:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
nadwidny(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 117	Quote: (Originally Posted by JS1scuba) Greetings. I am looking for the process, procedure, operation mode of carrying single and multiple U/W still and video cameras. All info is appreciated. Cheers My camera has two leashes of bungie, one just over a foot long and one just a few inches. When we are on scooters, I clip my video camera to my front crotch strap D ring with the longer lanyard and let it ride up between my legs. I can actually get it so I can close my legs and cradle the setup on top of the backs of my knees so it's not rattling around in the slipstream. Probably wouldn't work for multiple cameras though as they would tend to bang together. Otherwise I just carry it or if need be clip onto the upper left with either the short or long lanyard. For multiple cameras the only thing I can think of is to have the non-filming members of the team carry the extras (so in a team of 2 you have one extra camera, team of 3 could have two). __________________ Brian My crappy website - members.shaw.ca/nadwidny

February 8th, 2006, 05:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
JS1scuba(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 82	Quote: (Originally Posted by nadwidny) My camera has two leashes of bungie, one just over a foot long and one just a few inches. When we are on scooters, I clip my video camera to my front crotch strap D ring with the longer lanyard and let it ride up between my legs. I can actually get it so I can close my legs and cradle the setup on top of the backs of my knees so it's not rattling around in the slipstream. Probably wouldn't work for multiple cameras though as they would tend to bang together. Otherwise I just carry it or if need be clip onto the upper left with either the short or long lanyard. For multiple cameras the only thing I can think of is to have the non-filming members of the team carry the extras (so in a team of 2 you have one extra camera, team of 3 could have two). OK -- i normally will clip it to the right shoulder ring (i work the cam with right hand) when i am on deco it will drop to the crotch ring or give it off to a support diver to bring up. Multiples with dome ports gets ugly but have resorted to clipping it to the right him ring. (special removable ring - no triglide). Thanks for your help, more ideas are helpful. Cheers __________________ Joel Silverstein, VP, COO www.techdivinglimited.com a division of Scuba Training and Technology Inc. NAUTILUS DIVE PLANNER CYLINDER SPEC CHART

March 31st, 2008, 09:11 AM	#5 (permalink)
OkiMike(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Okinawa, Japan Posts: 77	Traveling with cameras This is coming quite a bit after the OP, but when not using your camera you can "travel" with it by clippin the boltsnap from one handle of the housing to your left-chest D-ring and by clipping the boltsnap from the other handle to your hip D-ring. Rotate the camera body so that the lens faces towards the body thus preventing scratches or damage. A second camera could be shared by a teammate or by stowing it by one of the bolt snaps to the butt D-ring and letting it float in the slipstream or by attaching one of the boltsnaps on the handle to the rear D-ring and attaching the other handle's boltsnap to the hip D-ring. Caution should be given to the addition of deco and/or stage bottles. Any camera on the rear D-ring that might come into contact with a stage also stowed there should have a fixed lens cap attached to prevent scratching. This is also ideal for any camera stowed anywhere on the body since lenses (especially real glass lenses) are not at all cheap (as you no doubt know). If carrying two cameras, and two deco bottles plus an optional stage bottle, I would secure the first and least used (or already used) camera to the rear and hip D-rings (use both rather than letting it flail) and by passing the currently used (or soon to be used) camera to my buddy when I am busy doing a gas switch. Ideally, by this stage you would have a scooter that--while it would task saturate you further--would also allow you to mount your video camera in a fixed location off the body thus freeing you up to stow the 2nd housing or pass it to a friend. __________________ "Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now."

March 31st, 2008, 11:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
g-west(Offline) New Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kiel / Germany Posts: 129	A picture is worth a thousand words. I would like to view all of your solutions. __________________ Gundolf http://www.divinggroup.de/wbb2/portal.php

April 1st, 2008, 12:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
rogerbly(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2	who, this is an old one. I agree with clipping a camera to the left hip+chest D-rings while traveling on a scooter. If that location is a problem during multi-tank deco, you can move it to the left hip or butt D-ring. A video of scootering with a camera: YouTube - Underwater Photography with a scooter

April 1st, 2008, 02:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
Steve Blanchard(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 61	Quote: (Originally Posted by rogerbly) who, this is an old one. I agree with clipping a camera to the left hip+chest D-rings while traveling on a scooter. If that location is a problem during multi-tank deco, you can move it to the left hip or butt D-ring. A video of scootering with a camera: YouTube - Underwater Photography with a scooter I watched this video, I don't see why people dangle their expensive cameras on their sides or in between their legs. If you can afford the camera, you can afford a scooter camera mount. Far better way to carry cameras IMO. If I don't use my scooter then I keep the camera in my hand. If I need both my hands to do something then I either pass the camera to a team mate or gently temporarely clip is to my hip until I'm done then back in my hand it goes. SB __________________ www.youtube.com/wegodown Last edited by Steve Blanchard; April 1st, 2008 at 02:32 AM.

April 1st, 2008, 05:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
Steve Blanchard(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 61	Forgot to mention that the mount works well, both for video and stills. __________________ www.youtube.com/wegodown

April 1st, 2008, 06:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
Leigh u(Offline) We Go Down Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Ottawa Canada Posts: 227	I have no problem hip clipping the camera when not on the scooter mount. If you have the large wide angle lens it can be a bit of an issue with multiple stages on the left..but I usually go out of my way to move slowly, so the unit doesn't bang into the bottles. Hip clipping on the left while wearing a single stage works very well. __________________ http://youtube.com/wegodown