On this page I've harvested a few of my usenet posts from discussions about surfing and taking photos.

(10/15/99)

Being able to take pictures without compromising my time in the surf is the #1 reason I do it. The obvious limitations of the
camera and poor quality of the pictures are bummers, but they are extremely light, very durable and  cheap. It fits in my pocket;  I've gotten so used to the plastic box on my thigh that it feels weird when I don't have one with me in the surf. They are (almost) idiot proof. And once in a while you snap a cool shot or three. If you're lucky as I am, you have surfbuds that are stoked to take pictures of you too.

About half an hour after I took this shot http://www.wavelust.com/bsl/100799tm.jpg  (from last week) I paddled up to the guy and asked if he had an e-mail address. He looked at me like I was a nut and he said "not anymore". I told him that I took a picture of him on a decent wave and that if it came out, I could have emailed him a copy. . . He lights up and suddenly his email address is working :-)  I've seen him out on several occasions/spots but never knew his name before. I snail mailed him the original and he's stoked to have a photo of himself surfing on a decent sized wave.

I can't say enough about how glad I am that, for the past 18 months or so, I started keeping a simple record of all my surf
sessions. Even if you don't keep a detailed description, all it takes is a few key words to trigger the flood of details you would not have  remembered otherwise. That's when you realize how much you actually "forgot". Going back over written records of past sessions is like reliving the session = s-t-o-k-e. Having pictures, even crappy ones, enhances and verifies everything- like adding color & sound to black & white silent movies. . .

(8/1/99)

Will you be swimming, or on your shortboard or on a sponge to take the pics? If you want to take shots from the impact zone, the weight and floatability of the camera may be a factor.

Water droplets will be a factor.

  >  The pressure changes due to surf will increase the depth requirement of the
 > camera you use in the water.  10 M means waterproof at the static pressure of
 > 10 M. It will most likely leak in breaking surf. If you have had a lip break on
 > your head you already understand the amount of presssure that can be generated
 > by a wave.

At 1/3 the cost, Sponge carries the Minolta Vectis GX-4 ( http://www.precision-camera.com/store/psaminolta.htm ) with him on probably 75% or more of the sessions he surfs, and he's never had any leak problems that I  know of. He has the strap around his neck and the camera tucked into his rashguard behind his neck when paddling/surfing & I'm witness to him taking the brunt of 2.5xoh plus on several occasion with no camera problems yet.

 >Look for something waterproof to 100feet. For snap shots, just use a disposible
 > water proof camera. They only work at shallow depths and I have gone diving
 > with them to 100feet without a leak(non operational after 15feet). If it does
 > leak, who cares. Only $10.

 I've probably been through more than a couple dozen disposables on countless surf sessions and never had one leak yet.

Obviously you're not going to get any kind of pro quality photo, but if you want amateur water pics & the waves aren't too heavy. . .with a disposable you can surf and take pics without interrupting a surf session. If you're trunking it, it's way easy. While paddling back out after a wave, pull it out of your side pocket & hold the rubber strap with your teeth to be ready for one of your surfbuds or a good wave shot.  Biggest problem is that you have to be pretty close to get a decent shot.  Fuji disposables are light enough that it's easy to duck waves with the strap held with your teeth. If the situation presents itself, sit up & take the shot, wind it up and stick it back in the pocket. Duck soup.

 > If a professional camera with a housing leaks.  You
 > could easily kiss your board budget good bye.
 >

 . . .and of course that ruined roll had all the shots from that session of stand up barrels  :(

 'loha,

Bud