regulator for photographers?

I'm with Okuma.

Why would you spend top dollar on your camera's housing and then go and

quibble about money when it comes to the ONLY thing keeping you alive u/w ?

There are plenty of good s/h regs for sale around web sites, etc.. Buy a good

brand name and have it service by a good technician and then you can relax

while taking your pics instead of wondering if your "cheaper than $300 reg" is

going to give you another breath of air, or give up the ghost completely...

IMHO...

Bruce...

You're absolutely right. I'm new to this (moneysucking hobby) and I am overwhelmed at how expensive all the gear is. It just means that I have to put off buying that second lens and port and spend the money on a good regulator instead. Sigh...

How about the Sherwood Maximus?

Description: "Sherwood's exclusive baffled-and-extended exhaust tee reduces bubble size and moves them out of your line of vision."

You're absolutely right. I'm new to this (moneysucking hobby) and I am overwhelmed at how expensive all the gear is. It just means that I have to put off buying that second lens and port and spend the money on a good regulator instead. Sigh...

You don't have to spend a fortune to get a GOOD regulator. Buy a used or rental reg from a local dive shop and then spend another $50 to get it serviced. All the parts that wear out will be replaced and you'll have a good as new regulator!

I helped a friend with this a couple years ago and he got an excellent weather sealed Apex TX-50 reg (1st & 2nd) plus a Suunto Cobra comp for a total of $500. That's at least half of typical retail.

Having completed a TDI service technician course the 'eye opener' for me was just how similar the internals are, not only across a range of 'qualties' from a single manufacturer but also from manufactuer to manufacturer. Furthermore, price is not necessarily a guide to quality and / or reliability...

Select your reg for its attributes of functionality, i.e. ease of breathe, adjustment, suitability for mixed gas, etc. Otherwise, I'd be just as happy to use a well maintained Scubapro S290 as my X650...

Tip of the day. Obtain service kits for your first and second stages and carry an interstage pressure guage. If your regs play up when you are travelling, often to remote locations, you'll have the means to put them right again.