What will I forget on the trip

I'm taking my first trip with a U/W camera (Olympus 5050 w/ PT-015 housing). Since I've never really used it before I'm not sure what problems I'm going to run into, so I'm seeking the advice of the forum.

I've already got:

- extra batteries and chargers (3 sets w/ 2 4-hour chargers and 1 8-hour charger)

- a laptop to pull images off the camera nightly

I'm planning on getting extra O-rings (from adorama.com). I need to get more desicants (SP?) but don't know where to find those.

So, my question to you is what am I forgetting?

I need to get more desicants (SP?) but don't know where to find those.

I bought a big bucket full from

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Here's exactly what you need:

http://preservesmart.com/products.htm#SilicaGelDesiccants

These two gram packets are the perfect size to fit in your PT-010 housing. These are high quality packets at a super price from a company that's great to deal with.

So, my question to you is what am I forgetting?

Make sure that you put your system together completely before you leave on a dive trip, then disassemble everything and pack it away carefully. That includes every connector (screws, hexnuts, etc.) and every tool. Put screws and other small pieces in baggies so they won't go rolling around and get lost.

Make a checklist and use it for both packing and setting up your equipment before diving.

This is pretty elementary advice, but missing one critical piece could be diastrous.

Have fun on your trip and bring back some great photos!

Jim

I carry quite a lot of stuff "just in case" but most of it doesn't apply to a system without a strobe ...

You could consider taking along a second CF card. Never know when something will prevent you from uploading for 24 hours, or it's even theoretically possible you might develop a problem with one (maybe more likely with microdrive than with CF card, though).

Make sure you take a power adapter for wherever you are going (you didn't mention if you are going overseas). I always take a small power board (3 or 4 power outlets) in case there aren't enough power outlets for computer + 2 or 3 chargers.

Just my thoughts

-David

You could consider taking along a second CF card. Never know when something will prevent you from uploading for 24 hours....

... like forgetting to bring a computer

Ouch!!!

In response to that rather accurate comment, I'd like to mention that on the trip in quesstion I DID bring with me 2 different methods of uploading to the computer (had I actually had a computer there!).

I'm not exactly a pessimist, but I always have in mind the possibility that my computer might fail and I might need to use somebody else's computer. They might not have the drivers for my devices, so I always take the Microdrive adapter for PC-Card slot, which doesn't need drivers for WinME and later. And since I also had my external backup disk, in fact in spite of forgetting a vital piece of equipment I did manage to upload every picture I took on the trip (although for quite a lot of them I wondered afterwards why I bothered!). And the cable for the external disk happens to work for connecting the camera to the PC for a direct upload (but this requires drivers ...)

BTW special thanks to Craig, Stephane, and Bob for lending me their PCs at various times during that trip to act as a conduit between the flash card and the external disk .

-David

I'm not exactly a pessimist, but I always have in mind the possibility that my computer might fail ....

It's good to have a back up. I carry one of these

http://www.archos.com/products/prw_500375.html

in addition to a PC. It can copy files directly from memory cards, and also plays MP3's to keep me entertained on those long flights.

I actually bought something a little similar at one stage, but took it back to the shop when I realised it weighed about as much as my PC (which is an extremely light piece of equipment at 880g + the transformer).

Weight tends to be the about most important criterion for me in choosing gear! I oculdn't justify that much weight (comparatively speaking). More than my camera itself plus my external disk ... that didn't make sense to me, since the camera also has the ability to read & write CF cards, so why should a piece of equipment which does ONLY that one function weigh more?

The technology has presumably improved since then. Or maybe I bought the heaviest brand? Myabe I should look again, or go on a memory course.

-David