DIY Flotation - try it!

[Aussie_dave]

As noted many times in these forums, the Canon/FIX S90 combo is a great tool for U/W photography. I along with a few other posters have mentioned that it seems a tad heavy U/W for such a compact unit. After reading Kevin Lee's blurb on DivinyCell (DC) http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/underwater-photography-other-underwater-equipment, I decided to give it a try in the shed.

I scored 1/2 sheet of the stuff (several hundred $$ worth here in Australia) from a mate of mine who builds and races 14' sailboats. I decided to build a new floaty handle as well as attach a few blocks of it.

WL_Tray.jpg (138.25 KiB) Viewed 887 times

WL_Stack.jpg (75.79 KiB) Viewed 887 times

The aluminium handle I replaced weighs about 400g, these pieces of DC weigh less than dry toast. I cut them with a hole saw, and threaded them onto 1/4 x 20 SS rod, attached to the tray with Nylock nuts. The shiny bit is the 5mm aluminium stock I bent and drilled to mount the INON lens caddy, some DC blocks, and a ULCS ball (definitely version 1.0)

Whack a piece of bicycle inner tube on the stack and a ball for the focus lite

WL_Lite.jpg (173.88 KiB) Viewed 887 times

and cable tie some more floats on the strobe arm (Hmmm...maybe one too many arm sections?)

WL_Full rig.jpg (149.25 KiB) Viewed 887 times

and we're good to go. We'll see - Raja Ampat next month. It should be a tiny bit lighter in the suitcase, and heaps lighter in the water.

- Dave

[seekncritters]

WOW! Great job! That's some serious DIY work!

Have a great trip!

-Dana

[scottg]

great job, looks prettier than what I've done with DIY flotation with divinycell.. It will make a big difference for sure!