Float arm options for Sony WACP-C rig

[mention=34353]Interceptor121[/mention] I see you have the neoprene covers for the strobes. Is there any functional benefit of those other than keeping the strobes a little more protected?

So the 50x250mm float and the multi clamp came in unexpectedly early today and the rig is mostly there with the exception of the last two arm floats. I have to admit, I'm having some second thoughts about the center float and something I hadn't considered, which is that the float basically blocks forward vision in its current mounting. I'm wondering if anyone has any different ideas about mounting it, or maybe it's not such a big deal in use and I just need to get it in the water and find out. Or perhaps I'll need to get a different set of arm floats and forfeit the center float. 

One alternative I was considering is this marelux Y mount but I have no idea if it works on Nauticam hand grips, perhaps this may allow me to mount the float closer to the port and out of peripheral vision.

I would suggest trying it out in the water first, it will give you an idea if you want to go less negative or not.

FWIW, I think I'm going to forgo the Kraken adjustable floats for the time being and just add another 240 gram 50x250 float to the other side, and add/remove foam floats (maybe a ring float around the lens port) if needed.  The center float while it seemed good at first it makes the system a bit wider and more unwieldy with more bits sticking out.

This alternative will put me at about 400-500 grams negative which from all I've read sounds generally favorable. I figure I'll always have the option to do a center float now that I have the multi clamps.

10 hours ago, Interceptor121 said:

Small buoyancy increase until they compress

Small being the operative word!

7 hours ago, BobbyV said:

I'm having some second thoughts about the center float and something I hadn't considered, which is that the float basically blocks forward vision in its current mounting. I'm wondering if anyone has any different ideas about mounting it, or maybe it's not such a big deal in use

I have my system set up like this. Yes, once in a while it does get in the way but I find there are lots of advantages: it makes for a very good carrying handle; it's an excellent mount for a dive computer when taking pics - more chance that you'll look at it than on your wrist! And where else are you going to put all that additional buoyancy?

Another rather simple and relatively inexpensive solution are these Marelux Flexbuoy's I have been trying.They come in 400ml and 800ml's of lift and are $19.00 and $22.00 USD respectively. They are lightweight, very easy to pack for travel and do not need to be interchanged when you move between housing configurations. They simply orally inflate at depth to the amount of buoyancy required for your system and the small weight keeps the inflater below the bladder so it won't deflate. When you descend you add gas and when you ascend gas is expelled through the tube to maintain the proper balance. They use bungee cord with a clip to attach just about anywhere on your system. They can easily be attached around the dome extension or on any type of lighting support arm.

Photos of the Marelux housing with a 180mm dome and with the Nauticam WACP-C mounted.

Probably not a good solution for my freediving rig then :'(

On 5/6/2023 at 9:13 PM, Phil Rudin said:

Another rather simple and relatively inexpensive solution are these Marelux Flexbuoy's I have been trying.They come in 400ml and 800ml's of lift and are $19.00 and $22.00 USD respectively. They are lightweight, very easy to pack for travel and do not need to be interchanged when you move between housing configurations. They simply orally inflate at depth to the amount of buoyancy required for your system and the small weight keeps the inflater below the bladder so it won't deflate. When you descend you add gas and when you ascend gas is expelled through the tube to maintain the proper balance. They use bungee cord with a clip to attach just about anywhere on your system. They can easily be attached around the dome extension or on any type of lighting support arm.

Photos of the Marelux housing with a 180mm dome and with the Nauticam WACP-C mounted.

 

  

Thanks Phil for this input. I did want to buy these but are they selling this separately from the housing ? I meant that last I checked they would not independent sell only these unless I purchased a Marelux housing or some other Marelux stuff. 

Thanks 

Diggy

On 5/7/2023 at 10:35 PM, diggy said:

Thanks Phil for this input. I did want to buy these but are they selling this separately from the housing ? I meant that last I checked they would not independent sell only these unless I purchased a Marelux housing or some other Marelux stuff. 

 

Thanks 

 

Diggy

That's too bad. It does seem like a pretty simple/lightweight solution for dialing in buoyancy. 

In the US the Flexbuoy's will be available for purchase plus shipping on smaller order.

This is something that may very depending on dealer in each part of the world but Marelux intent is to sell as a stand alone item, not as a package item.

12 hours ago, Phil Rudin said:

In the US the Flexbuoy's will be available for purchase plus shipping on smaller order.

This is something that may very depending on dealer in each part of the world but Marelux intent is to sell as a stand alone item, not as a package item.

 

 

15 hours ago, BobbyV said:

That's too bad. It does seem like a pretty simple/lightweight solution for dialing in buoyancy. 

Just to update that I could get two of these and they are being shipped to me as I write this. So I retract my earlier statement/post.

Diggy

I finally got my rig in the pool, and right now it's about a pound/half a kilo negative which feels more or less fine. However I think I'm likely to add another center float as I agree with the earlier mention that having the dive computer mounted on the camera would be ideal and I'm more likely to check it often, despite the drawback of the float slightly obscuring forward vision. I found it slightly annoying/awkward to constantly have to let go of the camera to check air/depth. If something happened to the camera I'd still have my back up SPG and a secondary computer on my wrist.

@Phil Rudin I know you use the marelux products, I'm curious if you have their Y ball mount adapter I mentioned above, and whether you are able to test it on a nauticam grip? This seems like a much more elegant and less fiddly solution than the multi-clamp, if it works. 

You may find a pound to be too heavy, although it's all personal preference. having it just slightly negative seems to be a good place to be, the camera very slowly settles if let go, rather than a plumet to the bottom. Just a personal preference.

On 5/5/2023 at 1:59 PM, BobbyV said:

So the 50x250mm float and the multi clamp came in unexpectedly early today and the rig is mostly there with the exception of the last two arm floats. I have to admit, I'm having some second thoughts about the center float and something I hadn't considered, which is that the float basically blocks forward vision in its current mounting. I'm wondering if anyone has any different ideas about mounting it, or maybe it's not such a big deal in use and I just need to get it in the water and find out. Or perhaps I'll need to get a different set of arm floats and forfeit the center float. 

Looks like your cross-bar float is quite high.  A shorter cross-bar would lower the float, as long as your multi-clamps would still have enough reach, and the cross-bar float was still higher than your optical cables.

55 minutes ago, BobbyV said:

I finally got my rig in the pool, and right now it's about a pound/half a kilo negative which feels more or less fine. However I think I'm likely to add another center float as I agree with the earlier mention that having the dive computer mounted on the camera would be ideal and I'm more likely to check it often, despite the drawback of the float slightly obscuring forward vision. I found it slightly annoying/awkward to constantly have to let go of the camera to check air/depth. If something happened to the camera I'd still have my back up SPG and a secondary computer on my wrist.

@Phil Rudin I know you use the marelux products, I'm curious if you have their Y ball mount adapter I mentioned above, and whether you are able to test it on a nauticam grip? This seems like a much more elegant and less fiddly solution than the multi-clamp, if it works. 

 

From the outside of the mounting holes is 32mm and If you measure from the outside of the Allen screws it is 36mm. So far I prefer this to the triple clamp or the cross bar for mounting extra stuff. On Nauticam I use extra ball heads (a total of four). With the Marelux housing I was experimenting with the second ball turned inward and outward. Outward seems best for most applications.

40 minutes ago, Phil Rudin said:

From the outside of the mounting holes is 32mm and If you measure from the outside of the Allen screws it is 36mm. So far I prefer this to the triple clamp or the cross bar for mounting extra stuff. On Nauticam I use extra ball heads (a total of four). With the Marelux housing I was experimenting with the second ball turned inward and outward. Outward seems best for most applications.

 

 

Phil, this is a great help, thank you. I wasn't aware it was possible to mount the extra ballheads like that on the Nauticam. 

The ones on the Nauticam housing are M10 which fit most if not all of the recent housings. I suggest the taller of the two options which gets them close to. flush with the ones on the grips. They are easy to install and I have used them a lot.