Digital Camera Leash?

[Diane]

Hi, fly fishing photo fanatics. I just ordered the Pentax Optio WP and am seriously excited to be able to photo my fishing and paddling misadventures. I'll start next weekend with another paddle in the St. Regis area of the Adirondacks. So here's the question... Do you leash your camera to you or your vest or your PFD in any way? I'm thinking of possibly using a zinger. Any other ideas? What I don't want is to wear it around my neck... seems like a danger during capsizes in the canoe. Thanks for any wisdom.

Diane


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Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming-WOW---What A Ride!

[Bamboozle]

Dianne:

I have the Optio WP and love it! I had a tough time finding a case small enough for it that gives it good enough protection. I settled on a case I found at Wal*Mart, branded Samsonite although made for Samsonite by somebody else. It was cheap, about $5.00

The case has a detachable lanyard that I use when I attach the camera case to its usual hang out; the harness on my Richardson chest box. I loop the camera case lanyard around the chest box strap for extra protection. The belt strap on the back of the camera case provides the primary means of attachment.

When I float tube I put the lanyard around my neck and keep the camera in the top of my waders. So far no mishaps although what I do is leave the strap that is attached to the camera itself, hanging out of the camera case and I put my hand through it before extracting the camera from the case. I keep my hand through the camera strap not removing my hand until the camera is safely back in the case.

If I was you I'd forget the zinger idea; the weight of the camera would require a very hefty zinger. I'd instead look for a case that you could attach to a convenient place on a vest or even a PFD.

The camera is great, you'll love it!

[teasels]

I can't remember where I found them but a dry bag for small cameras is available clear so you can take pics thru the bag and a clip to attach to something.I think it was cabelas or rei. Little more price but not in comparison to new camera if you decided to play feeding duck(head down feet up)

[teasels]

stupid me just looked the camera up duuuuhhhhh WP Water proof (smack on the head)you don't need drybag for that duuuuhhhh.
I have taken a dip (unintended)with my camera and it is still down there somewhere.since then my new camera stays in a bag attatched to the gunwal of the canoe within easy reach IE drybag with regestration for the boat.

[billknepp]

One of these days I'll brave ordering another waterproof case from waterproof cases .com.....Had the first one stolen ...got the empty priority mail container they left on the steps though.....ohoo I hate thinking of this...as it gets me PO'd at my great neiborghs all over again......

I keep mine in it's pouch on the strap of my Downstream chest box...and thus far have been lucky in that I have not yet taken it for a dunking....

Optio WP huh....Not to be nosey but how much would such a waterproof camera run one???...Prolly just better off for me buy a new waterproof cam and leave this one high and dry at home..as the Lady of the house has become rather attached to it....

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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best

"Wish ya great fishing"

Bill

[Diane]

well, Bill... about the price. I ordered it from Cord Camera through one of their ebay auctions. No lectures about ebay. I've got over 200 transactions and know how to shop and sell. The cost was $347.99 with 2nd day shipping, case, 3 year USA warranty, and a 512MB memory card. comes with battery, usb cable, smaller mem card, batt charger. If anyone reading this is tempted to buy one.. be VERY careful. There are many businesses and people selling dig cameras grey market and/or non-USA warranty. Some on ebay, some on their websites.

[billknepp]

Diane,

You'll get no lectures here..as I've bought alot on ebay myself..got some real gems (Bamboo & Glass) ...hummm guess it'd be cheaper to reorder the case...
It was from aquapac and I first seen it here in a product review by Hillfisher....Sounds like a great case..has a neck yanyard....wish i could be able to give a better idea of my use of it..but...that just has'nt gone as planned.....--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aquapac Camera Bag


by Hillfisher


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How many of us have bought those cheap disposable cameras to take on the water? We leave our really high quality cameras at home for fear getting splashed or worse, dropping them in the water. Even salt air can wreck a camera.

Let me give you this scenario;
It's a perfect day for fishing and you and your buddy decide to go fishing. You stop off and get one of those $4.00 disposable cameras and hit the water. As it turns out it's even a better day than expected. Several nice fish and pictures later, it's time to go home and get that camera into the developer. Some choose to use the one-hour method, others the three day wait. Whichever is used, the photos are eagerly received and when the photos are opened and reviewed - disappointment after disappointment! Photos out of focus or just not what you expected.

Ever been there? I have. In fact the very first article I ever sent to FAOL, JC told me to work on the focus. So I went down and got one of those Pelican Boxes for my point and shoot Digital Camera. Pelican Boxes are completely waterproof, but I was still limited on the use of the camera. I had to make sure I was on stable ground and sometimes the fish was captured longer than I liked just to get a good photo. Many great opportunity photos were lost because the camera had to stay in the watertight case while fishing and moving about in the water. Wonderful shots of wildlife in action were impossible. I remember being on the river one day and a large whitetail buck came down for a drink. I did not seem to be a threat to him and he was about 30 feet away. When I tried to get the camera out of the case, the loud snapping of the locks startled him and the photo shot of the day was lost!

I now have a much more expensive digital camera and have absolutely no fear of having it on the water and out ready for photos at a moments notice! Why, because of a new product that has made it's way from Great Britain to the United States. It's called the "AQUAPAC". It is a soft bag with optically clear plastic sides. The seals are a patented "Aquaclip Seal" and it really works!

When I first received it I was a little skeptical. However the directions tell you to put something worthless in the bag, seal it and submerge the bag in water and squeeze to see if any bubbles escape. After the initial bubbles from the locking mechanism, there was ZERO leakage. So far so good. Next was the photo quality test.

Below are the photos compared out and in the bag.

The next set were taken with the camera in the bag as well as my polarized glasses held in front of the bag and lens of the camera.

Although this is not a situation likely to happen out on the water, I wanted to show the Macro Mode so one can see just how clear the bag really is. Although there is a bit of blur in the bag photo, it is insignificant in outdoor shots as noted above.

The AQUAPAC is clearly and proven asset to any outdoorsman who needs to protect his or her camera from water, dust, sand and snow. It floats, has UV stabilized material and provides protection down to -15 degrees F. They do make "Special Edition" cases, which remain totally flexible at - 40 degrees F. They come in all sizes and can even handle video cameras. Sorry SLR's are not covered according to their website.

Now I can get good quality photos on the water and even if I drop the camera in the water or slip and submerge the camera, I know it will be well protected from water damage. Just remember this bag provides NO shock protection.

To view their products go to their website. ~ Hillfisher

CS ideas
7900-20 103rd Street
Suite 47
Jacksonville, FL 932210
Phone: 877-789-5255
Email: csideas@yahoo.com
Website: [url=http://www.waterproofcases.net:2e2db]www.waterproofcases.net[/url:2e2db]


Sorrythe photos did'nt come out with the article...But if you do a search of Waterproof camera case here...it'll bring it up for you...it came up I think at the bottom of the first screen without scrolling..


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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best

"Wish ya great fishing"

Bill




[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 18 September 2005).]

[LadyFisher]

The case is from Aqua-Pac, here: [url=http://flyanglersonline.com/about/aquapac/:b2565]http://flyanglersonline.com/about/aquapac/[/url:b2565]

It is the one HillFisher wrote about, and in fact is why we contacted them

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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL

[Diane]

Thanks everyone. I think I'd better clarify. My camera is waterproof and so I won't need a case. What I'll need is some sort of a leash/strap and I was wondering what people use to attach their cameras to themselves/vests/boats. Thanks again.

Diane

[Max]

Diane

I bought the Pentax WP in early summer and love it. It comes with Strap Handle that I leave out of side edge of a vest zip upper pocket and have it attached to a zinger.

The camera fits in a small Pentax camera case specifically made for this camera that is built to allow the Strap Handle to say out of the Case and the camera slides out of the case for use and the Case remains hanging out of the way on the Strap Handle.

Some fishbuds around the country have also bought this camera since I obtained one, but are having trouble obtaining the specified Pentax Case. I have already bought 3 Cases for them at a local camera store in Stamford, CT.

If you desire this Case and cannot find it let me know and I can probably have one zipped up to you in upstate NY in a jiffy.