Camera tether suggestions??

[J.Wal 0]

I am new to underwater photography and just getting started. I have a Sony RX100 II, a Nauticam housing and a A.N.O 1800 lumen video light. I got a buddy that has a flash I may be getting from him.

 

Not 100% sure what I am going to use for a tray and arms. When I ordered the housing right after Christmas it had a deal on Blue Water that it came with a tray of some sort. It all comes in Tuesday and I will know what I got fully.

 

My question is, I want a feather of some sort to attach the setup to my BC when I need both hands free. I am looking to see what is suggested.

 

I dove with a fella once that had a fairly large setup and he had a paracord tether with a swivel snaps on each end.

 

Is there a product made specifically for this? Or is there a recommendation I can get from y'all?

 

 

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[TimG 62]

Hi J.Wal

 

Welcome aboard!

 

I'd suggest getting a couple of spring stainless steel carabiners from a marine supplies store and, as you mention, some paracord and make your own. It's easy, inexpensive and you can chose your colour (of cord) and length....

 

http://juststainless.co.uk/hooks.asp

 

Good luck and have fun with your gear!

 

Best wishes

 

 

[SwiftFF5 134]

As TimG suggests, that's what I did as well. I just bought some paracord, and a couple of brass snap hooks from the local dive shop and made my own. That way, I can get the length correct for me. Its easy and inexpensive.

[J.Wal 0]

I spoke with my GF and she is gonna tackle making me a tether! Got some cord ordered and some stainless carabiners with the locking cylinder.

 

 

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[TimG 62]

Now there's a GF worth sticking with!

 

I hope you're going to buy her something nice as a thank you.....

 

Hey, if you really want something fancy, ask her if she'd braid you a tether (using paracord). See:

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Paracord-Knots/

 

It's easy to do, you end up with a stylish tether and, man alive, they are indestructible. And, again, you choose the colour(s).

 

I made some for my GF (yeah, I made them for her) and she has them on her GoPro and I made a handle for my DSLR gear.

[BC83 7]

Just a quick question, excuse me for hijacking but I have been wondering the same myself. Making the tether is easy enough but how are you attaching it to the housing? What do you clip to?

 

 

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[troporobo 237]

Any marine grade clip that will fit over the "neck" on the ball at the top of the handles should work. Something like this:

 

 

On a related question, when I tried this sort of tether attached to the handles, for carrying on land, my housing which is apparently front-heavy rotates 90 degrees with with the port facing downward and feels quite insecure. Any other ideas?

[TimG 62]

Hi BC83

 

A fair question - and not a hijack at all.

 

I've got a Subal housing which has a bracket under the mounts for the strobes arms which will allow something to be clipped on. I use 4mm stainless shackles similar to these:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/STAINLESS-STEEL-shackle-Pack-Size/dp/B0082BSTG6/ref=pd_sim_60_22?ie=UTF8&dpID=31oB3u2ahmL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0WK47NWBTSB1B4HQDAK6

 

It's a very simple set-up to put together and costs very little. Most camera housings have something on them - even if it's an existing simple lanyard - which will allow a tether or handle to be attached. Sometimes you can add a stainless steel split ring to a fixing point on the housing - and then attach a tether to that. If you use, say for example, ULCS or Inon strobe arms - the type with a lattice-type, open construction, you can clip a tether to one of those with a carabiner; or add a split ring on the arms and clip a tether or handle to the split rings.

 

With a tether especially you are not putting a great deal of strain on the camera housing - or you shouldn't at least! It's only to attach the housing to, e.g., your BCD while underwater. I wouldn't suggest leaving it dangling when out of the water. So it doesn't have to be massively strong.

 

I'll add some pics later today

[TimG 62]

Here's a couple of images showing a handle made using paracord and bit of simple (honest!) braiding; and attaching a tether or handle using shackles or a carabiner

[J.Wal 0]

I am planning to do very similar. She ( the GF ) is planning to do a round braid just under arms length. May put a stainless shackle on the end that will attach to the camera and the other end will be a carabiner. That way it's a solid mount to the camera and a easier to detach part on my end.

 

 

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[J.Wal 0]

Ordered this for the end that will attach to my BCD.

 

 

May use this for the housing side also, or like stated above, get a stainless shackle similar to this.

 

 

I will use these to make small connections between my arm and body and to tie the unit all into its self.

 

 

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[TimG 62]

Looks good!

 

I'd be slightly wary of screwing the locking mechanism on that carabiner when it's on your BCD - other than that (and your GF coming up with the goods) I'd say you're good to go!

 

You have to post a pic though of the finished item - we may be able to get your GF some orders....

[smk82 11]

I can relate to those bow shackles coming undone. I used on to attach an SMB onto me (via a clip). It had been fine when I jumped in, and at the end of the dive when I when to reach for it, all I found was part of the shackle - the rest (including SMB!) had dropped off without me noticing.

[marcw 8]

I concur with everyone and making my own lanyard is the way to go. I also use beech straps which are very helpful. The beech straps are only used for entry and exits on shore dives or ladders. The lanyard is always attached to my bc.

 

 

http://www.bluewaterphotostore.com/bts-beach-diving-strap

[simonK 10]

I made one by splicing loops into a bit of rope (good excuse to learn to splice). Just don't do what I did and get complacent, let go of the camera swimming for the shot in 70m of water - it wasn't clipped on! the worlds fastest decent followed, caught the camera and found the wreck.

 

[tursiops 81]

I too braided some bright orange paracord for a carry handle; a small stainless shackle at each end connects it to a fitting that is part of the ball at the top of each handle. I put a piece of clear hose over it to make it more comfortable to carry the rig. Boat crew always reach for the bright orange handle and not one of the arms. Nice. To carry the rig in or out of the water I have a Niteize S-biner on a shoulder D-ring, and clip the bright orange handle into it. I use a separate coiled Cetacea tether from the tray to my BCD while diving.

[J.Wal 0]

I too braided some bright orange paracord for a carry handle; a small stainless shackle at each end connects it to a fitting that is part of the ball at the top of each handle. I put a piece of clear hose over it to make it more comfortable to carry the rig. Boat crew always reach for the bright orange handle and not one of the arms. Nice. To carry the rig in or out of the water I have a Niteize S-biner on a shoulder D-ring, and clip the bright orange handle into it. I use a separate coiled Cetacea tether from the tray to my BCD while diving.

Can you post some photos of your setup?

 

 

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[J.Wal 0]

I too braided some bright orange paracord for a carry handle; a small stainless shackle at each end connects it to a fitting that is part of the ball at the top of each handle. I put a piece of clear hose over it to make it more comfortable to carry the rig. Boat crew always reach for the bright orange handle and not one of the arms. Nice. To carry the rig in or out of the water I have a Niteize S-biner on a shoulder D-ring, and clip the bright orange handle into it. I use a separate coiled Cetacea tether from the tray to my BCD while diving.

Can you post some photos of your setup?

 

 

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[tursiops 81]

Can you post some photos of your setup?

 

 

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Here is the braided handle. The S-biner is on the strap. The clamps have a built-in shackle point.; they go between the balls on the arms and the first arm segment. The handle is about 14 inches (35 cm) long. The black on the braid is shrink wrap.

Edited January 5, 2016 by tursiops

[adamhanlon 0]

If you use strobes and arms, the arms tend to "droop" when you are carrying it at the surface.

 

With two section arms, I join the two arms together with a clip lanyard like those shown on here. I will try and find a picture of it.

 

I do not use lanyard underwater. I have seen too many people nearly lose their cameras because they have assumed that their camera is clipped to them when for some reason it is not. If it is in my hand, and i know that if I let go of it, I will drop it, it focuses my mind on not letting go

 

If some kind of emergency means that I have to drop it, it will have to be pretty serious!

 

I can use my carrying lanyard to clip it if I really have to. In truth though I have only done this a handful of times.

 

Adam

[Griff 23]

I had my camera on a lanyard and my wife and I both got caught in a down current in Crystal Bay Bali as we went to photo a sea snake. We only descended about 2 meters from where we were following the dive guide in a moderate current and it felt like a giant hand had started to pull us both down to the depths. We could not swim up and we both slung our cameras away on the lanyards and had to rock climb up the reef wall to safety. (Again only 2 meters up). Without the lanyards we would of lost both cameras lenses housings and 4 strobes. I always have my camera on a lanyard as extra security but never let go of the camera except in a emergency.

[JamesR 26]

I made my own from some 550 cord (aka parachute cord) and some XL bolt snaps that I had as spares for sidemount rigging. I followed a youtube video on how to make it, and it was actually pretty easy. I tested it by throwing it over a rafter and doing pullups with it. If it can hold me up, it'll hold my camera rig for sure!

[J.Wal 0]

Here is my setup as of now. Gonna put some below the surface floats on the arm and between the housing and handle just to get some positive lift, but not near enough to float it all.

 

For now this will have to do till I can get a flash setup for the right side at some point.

 

 

 

 

 

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[leepix 1]

I used a KISS type lanyard for years actually decades~ It was an (arm's length) medium strength nylon cord doubled. The bitter end was tied around my camera tray at the handle bottom. The upper end had a standard snap hook on it which I clipped onto my BC D-ring. Depending on your rig can be either right or left. Put it on side with flash is my experience.

 

You can do that in reverse but if the snap hook lets go, say goodbye to rig. Also not a van of paracord underwater, deteriorates too quickly. Braided nylon will unravel as it softens up. Use non-braided line instead.

 

I don't like to hook onto my strobe arms or clasps. May scratch or break the AL. Tray is usually the most solid point to hook into. Maybe some housings have "lift rings"?

 

Here is the MO to use: Always clip on as soon as you get in the water. Never ever un-clip when you get to boat and hand it up.

[Storker 13]

I use a spiral line tether like this. However, since I personally don't like tiny carabiners (they're a PITA to operate with thick three-fingers or drygloves), I've bought a large bolt snap (the same type that's used for rigging stage bottles) and switched the carabiner with it. I had to borrow my wife's sewing machine to fix it properly, though.The bolt snap goes onto my left hip D-ring, the other end of the tether goes on the bottom of my (Nauticam) tray. I've also tied another, standard sized, bolt snap to the top of my rig, and on shore entries it's clipped to my left shoulder D-ring. The whole rig hangs pretty much like a stage bottle.

 

That works for me.