Taking pics while snorkeling and freediving

I can scuba but haven‘t been able to feel the flow or see much more than by snorkeling. Most of what I‘ve seen was above 30ft, but I have to damit, I haven‘t been to Fakarava. I found the noise of the bubbles while scuba very annoying. 

I started with the SaltedLine & A6000, but never was happy - massive positive buoyancy and low to medium image quality. The next step was Isotta, RX100VA and Inon C95, and that combination is very small and versatile while delivering much better image quality than the A6000. Used it at Moorea. 

Now by chance I was able to get the A7 IV, Nauticam housing and WAPC-C. Yesterday the first testing in the indoor diving pool dive4life made clear that now the problem is behind the camera, not the gear. 

Some questions: 

• I didn‘t order the vacuum valve because I thought, the one from the Isotta would fit but it didn‘t. In the near future depth will not be below 45ft while snorkeling or 90ft while scuba. Do you think the vacuum system is necessary?
• Entering or leaving the water always has the risk that the housing bumps into the ladder or against a rock, even if you are extra careful. Ist there any hood from neoprene oder something like that that I can attach? The original hood that is delivered with the WAPC-C is too bulky. 
• In the beginning I had some trouble to find the respective buttons and dials at the housing, but now I think I know most of them. When checking the pics I often use the „+“-button and then zooming out turning the 4-way-dial. The housing doesn‘t offer this option. Any idea how to solve this problem?

First pic is A7 IV, second RX100, third A6000

Last question: How do you secure the gear? I mean because there‘s no bcd where you can clip it on while snorkeling

31 minutes ago, fruehaufsteher2 said:

Last question: How do you secure the gear? I mean because there‘s no bcd where you can clip it on while snorkeling

When I am snorkelling, I use a wrist strap like this: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B08DKB5PP7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I do not go into the water without a vacuum system. When there is a leak. a fraction of a bar is enough...

Wolfgang

The vacuum kit is a must. It is the only way you can proceed with a dry test. Even in a pre-test on a bucket you can have the housing flooded. I have seen a housing get flooded in 10 seconds because the user forgot to put the main o-ring.

Regarding how to secure the equipment, I use this handle. It has 2 functions. Used as a handle to transport the equipment to/from the boat, to have the boat crew pass ing it do me in the water and the Oder way at the end on the dive. During the dive I use it to clip the housing to my BCD.

https://www.olx.pt/d/anuncio/pega-ala-para-equipamento-fotosub-IDGlhuf.html?isPreviewActive=0&sliderIndex=0

For snorkeling, I use a wrist strap with d-ring plus the handle as a lanyard for the housing

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234013704240?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D245488%26meid%3D04c874e78b6c4a0db539c655ff838e1f%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D266040113566%26itm%3D234013704240%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithRevOptLambda85KnnRecallV1WithCassiniImageSim%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum%3A23401370424004c874e78b6c4a0db539c655ff838e1f|enc%3AAQAHAAABMBTnULwZvkwwvWb54Sp3TESux6kFTXxeByyFeTbBEJTAHELVvJ%2BnpiRCZsaEJO6SgqSsQIHvbg9YL2jxELBYJZWPAuIRQj6%2FC29lmsqlxuBANZkLjPnlGvx6AhR008i4BHg2xNKos6QbZrR%2BxVZmb8xR%2F0MgOKy0jy6e6x2IiDOz9RfjQsF0jKn4EJhMqGKrbXDW5b%2BTXqq%2BAfZ3mhe85Ygr1CjyOO8OJ2okc7VXNv9ndBMYehKnBPXb0lQO4UxQhZ5Q%2BwBhpOIgGHFeAU3jDoKWczBa%2FoWHJPE8SHvvTCnOrdxwhvPFw17jbzTJQQXyS9yXbV4%2F3rfmrhAQtiYX4XHgH4NmaAFwpzWX4%2FxPzofI3ee1oH15Xuz8UflVfMsUj5kAN2Gkn5V1L2BaUklUAGE%3D|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2047675

Thank you both of you. OK, so I‘ll order the vacuum- 

@Architeuthis Diving and Austria reminds me on my first diving course Attersee 30 years ago. Snow was falling, the people watching us walking in wetsuits to the lake had this funny expression on their faces and visibility was below 30ft. Unbelievable I continued. 

7 hours ago, fruehaufsteher2 said:

Last question: How do you secure the gear? I mean because there‘s no bcd where you can clip it on while snorkeling

Bodyboard leashs are the best.

57 minutes ago, fruehaufsteher2 said:

Thank you both of you. OK, so I‘ll order the vacuum- 

@Architeuthis Diving and Austria reminds me on my first diving course Attersee 30 years ago. Snow was falling, the people watching us walking in wetsuits to the lake had this funny expression on their faces and visibility was below 30ft. Unbelievable I continued. 

Similar with me (I think it was 1983). Those people stay with the hobby...

Ha, Ha....

Regards, Wolfgang

On 1/22/2023 at 6:09 AM, fruehaufsteher2 said:

Last question: How do you secure the gear? I mean because there‘s no bcd where you can clip it on while snorkeling

When freediving I am wearing a rubberized weight belt, I will attach something similar to the items (1) and (2) linked below to my weight belt.  I have a much nicer version of the item linked in (3) that I can attach to my camera housing and my attachment point. This gives me places to clip things off to.

I like having the camera attached at my waist because I can drop it in an emergency to rescue my dive buddy from a SWBO without  completely loosing my camera.

(1) https://www.piranhadivemfg.com/item/Slip-On-Webbing-LONG-D-Ring-Bent-w-Teeth-15414

(2) https://www.piranhadivemfg.com/item/Slip-on-Webbing-Tri-Glide-w-End-Loop-Select-Version-15380

(3) https://www.amazon.com/Scuba-Choice-Diving-Lanyard-Buckles/dp/B00PVQQQGA/ref=asc_df_B00PVQQQGA/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241946017885&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3934055597925366734&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031244&hvtargid=pla-564079146701&psc=1

Also, If you haven't taken a freediving level 1 class I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it, even to experienced scuba divers it is a very beneficial course.

Thanks to all! Today I received the vacuum valve and a leash very similar to the one Dann-Oh linked at no 3 for the housing - PanOcean must have read here because the items arrived nearly before I ordered it. Works really easy and well and now I know why you recommended it.

My wife did the level 1 course and I was standing nearby while testing photography gear, so I was able to get the contents. But currently my dynamic apnoe time is 1min and a depth of 15-20m is easy an comfortable - so I planned do do level 2 but didn't until now.