regulator for photographers?

I am using U.S. Divers "tin" regs I bought new in 1983. Durable, and with wide exhaust tee to get those bubbles away from the face. But excess baggage and inadequate manufacturer's viewfinders have forced me to look for something a little "newer."

Apollo have a good first stage, the bio-regulator? very light. But their second stage, despite appearing small, is deeper from mouth piece to purge valve not letting my eye close enough to the viewfinder. And a tee too small to move the bubbles away. I can't image any diver, let alone a photographer, enjoying bubbles in their face. What are manufacturers thinking??!!

Anyway, what are others using/recommend??

Thanks for any advice

Mary

Hi Mary,

I'm using the Scubapro X-650 at the moment. It is the reg that drops down and sits under/against your chin. I find that I can get in really close to the eye piece/view finder and it breathes REALLY sweetly. As you know, I also use/shoot with a Nexus U/W housing...

Hopefully I will be at SWAMP in a couple of weeks and you can have a look. If you are really keen, I can let you have a swim with it. I also have a couple of pretty good back-up regs...

Hope this helps,

Bruce...

I've used Poseidon Cyklon regulators for a long time, but I'm now experimenting with a (heavy) twin-hose regulator. It really does seem to bring the fish in.

I guess that the number one criterion is a reg. that you are happy with. Everything else is of secondary importance.

Tim

B)

Thanks guys

Mary

Scubapro makes an exhaust tee extending kit, I think they call it a videographers kit. It fits most all their regs, but is not sold in the US; only Europe and Asia. I found mine on EBay from a guy in Hong Kong. It works very nicely to get the bubbles out of my face. It just sort of clips on and is held in place with a giant rubber band thingy. So no mods are required.

Jack

Hi Mary

Have you tried a Poseidon X-stream?

Tiny second stage, side exhaust taking the bubbles away from your face if you tilt slightly, it delivers more air than you can wag a stick at, a really smooth breath, absolutely bulletproof, and looks as sexy as hell.

Jeez that sounds like I work for them! (I don't, I just like the regs)

chek out the Diver magazine group reg test http://tinyurl.com/2zehmq

Nigel Wade

Anyway, what are others using/recommend??

I am using my mask.

Seriously, I exhale through my nose; it produces less 'noise' and I've found that has less effect on my subjects. And no, I've not had any fogging issues in my mask either, mind you I only dive in tropical waters........

Give it a try!

R

On open circuit, I use a double hose regulator (either my Mistral, or rebuilt Royal Aquamaster), but for the really silent treatment, KISS CCR.

HI,

I use the Atomic M1 which has a very wide exhaust on OC but use a Vision CC.

the real silent way to dive.

Andy

With respect to exhaust tees, the Apeks XTX200 and XTX100 come with an alternate large exhaust T. I use the big "T" on my primary reg, but keep a small T on the XTX100 spare (on a necklace). In fact, I believe this applies to the entire XTX line, but do check first. These regulators can also be easily converted from right-hand to left-hand hose connections, if you are diving twins and want to run short hoses from both posts.

http://www.apeks.co.uk/products/product_ca...?Product=XTX200

The main reason I converted from Scubapro to Apeks a couple years ago was the lack of professional quality regulator servicing for Scubapro in Indonesia. Also the fact that the shop - which shall remain nameless - in Singapore where I preferred to have my regs serviced refused repeated entreaties to allow me to reserve time slots in advance so that I could get my regs serviced during a single visit. But since I switched, I've grown to very much like these simple, well-built, easy-breathing regulators. And the Singapore agent, with advance notice, is usually able to complete maintenance servicing within a few days.

Robert

With respect to exhaust tees, the Apeks XTX200 and XTX100 come with an alternate large exhaust T. I use the big "T" on my primary reg, but keep a small T on the XTX100 spare (on a necklace). In fact, I believe this applies to the entire XTX line, but do check first. These regulators can also be easily converted from right-hand to left-hand hose connections, if you are diving twins and want to run short hoses from both posts.

 

http://www.apeks.co.uk/products/product_ca...?Product=XTX200

 

The main reason I converted from Scubapro to Apeks a couple years ago was the lack of professional quality regulator servicing for Scubapro in Indonesia. Also the fact that the shop - which shall remain nameless - in Singapore where I preferred to have my regs serviced refused repeated entreaties to allow me to reserve time slots in advance so that I could get my regs serviced during a single visit. But since I switched, I've grown to very much like these simple, well-built, easy-breathing regulators. And the Singapore agent, with advance notice, is usually able to complete maintenance servicing within a few days.

 

Robert

Kind of the opposite in Thailand for me. About 4 or 5 years ago Scubapro was the best supported regs here although APEKS are now well covered also.

I'm with Bruce and use Scubapro X650's on my single cylinder 'shallow' kit. Exhaust bubbles are not an issue with this reg and the breathe is terrific with a Mk17. Otherwise I use S600's with independent or manifolded twins. The exhaust is more noticable but not a big issue. I did try to obtain exhaust tees for both regs but were advised that they are no longer available (here in the UK...)

I have the X650 with a MK25 and the bubbles are an issue when I'm vertical in the water trying to shoot on a wall. I had considered the exhausts but was unable to locate them. Kind of got used to it now as I completely exhale prior to the shot.

On open circuit, I use a double hose regulator (either my Mistral, or rebuilt Royal Aquamaster), but for the really silent treatment, KISS CCR.

MMMM....CCR....*drool*

I Like my mk17 S600 setup. Nothing special, never had any problems squishing my face against a vewifinder. as for bubbles, once again, never really had any problems. if you keep your head down at a slight angle they'll go up around your ears rather than in front of your camera, then its just a matter of inhaling while your fingerson the shutter and exhaling after your done.

takes practice and precision bouyancy so you don't float away from your subject though.

I'm using the Scubapro X-650 at the moment.

Bruce,

Is that this one: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06177.html ?

Thats the one. There was only problems with a certain batch. No one drowned anyhow.

Mine has the blue X but not the bump. I checked with them and they said it was fine.

Sorry for jumping in there Bruce.

Hi Andrew,

Yeah mate, that's the one. None of the affected units were sold in Oz.

Just in case, I got Peter Fear (The Scuba Doctor) to completely rebuild mine.

Absolutely brilliant, works better than ever...

Bruce...

Another vote for the poseidon xstream, here. It breaths great and you don't have to make any adjustments on it during a dive, ever, you can just take photos. I've got a few hundred dives on mine and it still breaths great; I've never gone more than a year on a reg before without the reg being out of adjustment and needing service. There are few moving parts in it and the seals are a better design than most regs (a ball bearing in a cone in the 1st stage, a servo mechanism in the second. No load on the seal in the second when air pressure is off, so no wear on that seal when you're not diving.

The side exhaust is nice for photography, too.

And the exhaust housing is a neutral gray. When my wife is in a photo, I can use a white balance eyedropper on a photo of her on her reg to white balance.

Can anybody recommend a cheaper (say, under $300) regulator that's good for underwater photo?

I'm getting a Seatool housing for my XTi, and though the viewfinder has a .8x pickup, I imagine that I will have to get my face pretty close to the housing.

Thanks!

I'm not sure I'd want my life to depend upon a 'cheap' reg.

Buy a used well known reg and have it over hauled befor you use it.