Photoshoot while Diving vs. Diving and Taking Pics

I was reading the thread about having two cameras, and I was wondering if people always dive with their main camera setup.

I have just upgraded to DSLR (still in customs), and my Sony P10 still works perfectly fine. I imagine that carrying a large setup during all dives could be quite cumbersome, or can you just fold in the strobes and clip the setup to your BCD and forget about it?

I think if I were doing a dive specifically for photos, I would take the DSLR, and if I were just diving to dive, I would take the Sony.

What do you do?

No camera? no dive....

so either the D70 and housing or the video...soon that will be even bigger than the still and strobes!

My D70 goes on every dive that I do......I only get to dive on a few trips a year, so I try to take full advantage of my opportunities

Karl

if I were just diving to dive

probably my poor English...

lol. I know what you mean. I used to dive JUST to dive. When I did I usually found myself often saying that would have been a great shot...now I bring my camera always with me.

My wife doesnt understand WHY I lug all my stuff. She sees the camera rig and shakes her head at me.

My wife just lugs all my stuff around for me. Its all in the presentation.. ) I tell her thats the way Dave Doubilet works....

M.

Mike and Karl pretty much summed up my feeling.. no camera no dive.

It has not even been 2yrs I have been at this but I cannot imagine diving with out the camera. Might leave it on shore on a 1st dive on a new site that had serious current or some complicating factor.

I think once you start carrying a camera on a dive, you wouldn't consider diving without it! It almost becomes an extension of you; even with a bigger rig : DSLR if there's nothing that catches your interest for a moment or two, you just tuck your arms around it and DIVE!

If it is possible, I always dive with camera ofcourse.

But now and then, the conditions are getting too harsh, than the camera stays on land.

Harsh conditions are (IMO): slippery shoreentries with hudge waves. Exploring new wrecks with limited visibility. Or any other situation where I think I'll need my complete brain for diving.

Or when guiding or teaching.

Once you get used to carry your camera-strobes and all that gear that the "divers" in the boat like to make fun off, you can feel naked without.

For sure the best picture opportunity of your life will pressent itself right in front of you when you have no camera/no more memory/batteries are dead.

Just convince your wife/girlfriend to carry your stuff (You have to focus in the creative pre-dive part).

Just my two cents.

Hugo

I agree with huguito. It can really suck running out of batteries, film or memory. I always carry a spare because you never know when your battery, film, or memory might run out.

Thanks, for all your replies. I guess once I get a few dives in with the rig, I will get used to carring it underwater.

Now if I can just find a girlfriend tro carry the stuff for me.