Best BCD for New Underwater Photographers

I have been photographing a number of years with my Zeagle Ranger and loved it. Just recently switched to a SS Backplate and love it even more. I find it a lot easier getting the right trim with the backplate system.

A lot of people are talking about all the benefits of the sidemount BC and Buoyancy in recreatinal diving. Does anybody has experience taking pictures with a sidemount ? Is it true that sidemount gives you more stability?

 

Thanks

I am a sidemount instructor and have to say that I don t think sidemount is appropriate for photography anywhere near a fragile substrate, as the cylinder is now your lowest point. Any contact with the substrate will be lead by an AL80 rather than a your body which has completely different consequences.

Having said that I ll probably use sidemount for Sardine Run this year, simply because I can be in the water in less than 60seconds.

Sidemount has no stability advantages over backmount and actually requires more time playing with weighting to ensure perfect trim, as compared to a regular Hogarthian backplate and wings set up. This is particulary true where people insist on using steel stages rather than far more easily managable AL80s.

Sidemount is an added tool to your tool box, if you will. It comes with it s own set of advantages and disadvanatages, but for most people will probably not be a universal solution

Erol

Another thing to mention would be the ease of taking off a hog styled harness boatside-

I clip off to a carabier to my harness top left D-ring on a short line tyed off to the gunnel rail, fully inflate the wing, unbuckle and slip out of the rig, leaving it in the water until I am back onboard then I swing it over the gunnel.

...lots easier then walking up the ladder at lest in a trailer boat, that has the deck level at water level. My camera I clip off to a rear bouy line and leave it in the water(few meters down) until the next dive to save it drying off.