leave slr on boat while diving?

Hey everybody,

Planning on diving regularly soon. Will be using one of the dive centers to actually get out to sea, what to do with my 1dmkII + lenses (35 L + 85 L + 17-40 L) ? These gear alone cost over $7,000 . I have no intention of them getting stolen. On previous dives, it was just myself + my instructor who I trust with my life (literally lol). But on other dives from now and on, it will be myself plus other divers and the dive master and possibly a captain who will not dive with us What if the boat has no kind of "locked compartment", or what if the boat captain does not dive with us?

Just curioous what you guys think. I do intend to take pictures before and after the dive, and during the dive if I had 3000 thousand dollars to spend on a water-tight U/W housin for the 1dmkII.

My SLRs go nowhere near the dive boat. Too many people in too much gear and not enough room. Trust me it is a bad idea. I use a Powershot S70 in a housing when underwater but it is also useful for the odd happy-snap on the surface.

N

I have a hard time figuring you change from the 35L to the 85L for a portrait of a co diver with your gloved, wet fingers, while others are splashing salt water around...

I'd also go for a compact in a waterproof housing instead...

Best regards,
Andy

neil, I agree that diving with strangers makes one worry about gear safety. Too bad we live in such a world.

Andy, haha thats why I bought a 1dmkii, so that if there is splashing goin on around me, I need not worry as much as I did with my 20D and other PnS's.

I'd get a film underwater job.. you can get a film one with a boom flash for less than what your SLR gear is worth.. use that for diving instead. Underwater requires a bigger flash too for more light flooding. Don't risk the digital stuff.

I probably wouldn't be so worried about my gear getting stolen as surely the boats not going anywhere! (hopefully) but I'm not sure I'd trust others to leave it alone and not pick it up and drop it in the water! (I don't think your 1d's water seal would hold tight at 50m down!)

Nidz, I would never take photos if I had to resort to film again. Reason I got into photography more and more was because of instant results and memory cards instead of film. This is why I wish I had not sold my 20D last month, the u/w housing is "reasonable" compared to the 1dmkII housing.

TeeJay, I was more worried about someone stealing it rather than playing with it. The people who I may dive with understand that other ppl's property is not to be touched.

For those of you who are not divers are interested,all I can say is go for it! Forget the media's influences on you through movies such as Jaws and open water or whatever. Diving is amazingly fun! And safe if you remember the two golden rules. Relax and dont hold your breath.

CorruptedPhotographer wrote:
Relax and dont hold your breath.

Plan your dive, dive your plan and keep checking your console......

My line of thought was that if you are with your diving buddies on a boat, out in the middle of nowhere, if the boat stays with you (I don't know much about diving but I assume it has to stay above where you are diving for safety reasons) - then I wouldn't have thought there would be anybody around who would steal your gear - No?

TJ

To be honest the theft thing does not enter into it. Nearly every boat I have dived off, with a few exceptions in the Maldives have been chaos. Lots of people lots of kit and lots of movement, you only have to see one cylinder let go in a swell to know that you do not want anything as fragile as an unprotected DSLR anywhere near the boat. Quite often all is relaxed whilst heading to the dive site but once there all hell breaks lose as people kit up and fall over the side.

neil_r, exactly Aint divin vun daba?(spl)


TeeJay, so far my dive trips will be with random strangers. Strangers to me at least since I do not know them and we are diving with a dive club. So pretty much anyone with a dive license can jump on the boat and join us.

Im guessing if the boat has a locking compartment, I can stick it in there. Lets see what the boat looks like.

As an experienced diver with thousands of dives, trust what others have said. DONT take the camera with you unless you are going to be staying with it the WHOLE time...

CorruptedPhotgrapher, I do not understand your point and I do not understand why you do not listen to people here. Read my lines: HOW ARE PEOPLE ON THE BOAT GOING TO STEAL YOUR STUFF?

More than one reply said the same thing yet you keep whining somebody might steal you gear and you need a a safe box or something. Are you sure you are reading the replies?

MALI

supediver, I took it during training when it was my instructor, another fellow student diver and myself. Took pics till it was time to dive, I placed the camera in my LowePro TopLoader 70 AW with the weather hood around it and then stowed it away in one of the boat's lockers.

MALI, relax... I explained that my coming dives will be with total strangers. We may dive in groups or we may dive using the buddy system. Meaning other groups or pairs may surface before I do. I also wanted other's experiences, like the many who said there is some chaos or hell breaks loose and so on. I havent dived with strangers or clubs before. I am not sure what to expect. As to answer your question, very easily, if one has the intention of stealing my gear,they can surface or refuse to dive and then steal my gear, but that woulnt be very helpful because I would instantly check my gear once surfacing and notice something is missing. But I prefer to avoid that situation to begin with.

Well jeez Mali..

Who's not reading? The consensus above from all who have experience in the matter says starting with the very first reply "don't bring your camera" ...