Tired of Fighting Your Rig? How to Achieve Perfect Camera Buoyancy and Trim

As underwater photographers, we're all too familiar with the heavy burden of our gear on land. But once we're in the water, the goal shifts. We want our camera rig to be either neutrally buoyant or slightly negative. Your personal preference will dictate this, but many photographers prefer neutral buoyancy for wide-angle shots and a slightly negative rig for macro.

To achieve this ideal buoyancy, we add float arms, buoyancy rings, and other devices. But how can you figure out exactly how much buoyancy you need for a given configuration without repeatedly getting in the water, testing your setup, and making adjustments? The answer is a simple and effective trick that you can do at home using a water tank and a luggage scale.

The Buoyancy Test

For this test, you'll need a container large enough to submerge your gear, such as a large trash can (wheelie bin), a deep bathtub, or a swimming pool if you have access to one. You'll also need a luggage scale. A metric scale is often easier since many manufacturers list buoyancy in grams, but an imperial one will work—you'll just need to convert the measurements.

Start by setting up your camera in the various configurations you might use in the field. For example, a wide-angle setup might include your camera in its housing with a fisheye lens, dome port, arms, strobes, and a focus light. Another setup might involve a rectilinear zoom lens, and a Nauticam WACP with strobes and arms. For each configuration, you'll want to determine how much buoyancy compensation is needed to achieve neutral buoyancy.

Once your rig is configured, attach the luggage scale to a rope or piece of string that you attach to your housing. The rig including housing, strobes and arms needs to be completely submerged so make sure your rope is long enough. Be careful not to get the scale wet! With the rig fully submerged, take the reading. This number represents the amount of weight you need to offset to make your rig neutrally buoyant. This is the simplest way to take the guesswork out of adding flotation.

When purchasing buoyancy solutions for your rig, the manufactures include the amount of buoyancy in grams that their product provides. Most companies make products in different configurations so that you can mix and match to dial in your exact needs.

Getting the Trim Right

Buoyancy is only half the battle; getting your camera's trim right is equally important. Depending on your setup, you might find your rig is either front-heavy or, in the case of a large dome, front-buoyant, causing it to tilt upward. A properly trimmed camera will prevent wrist strain from constantly fighting against the direction it wants to turn.

For floaty domes, a good trick is to use small lead weights designed for car tires such as these. These can be easily stuck to the underside of the sun shade to help balance the rig. Several housing manufacturers make trim weight systems but these are pricey for the benefit they provide.

Buoyancy rings can be useful for front-heavy ports, although some photographers find them finicky and prone to shifting.

Sometimes a horizontal float arm mounted directly above the housing and between the two inner ball mount posts can be helpful and is also a great place to mount a bracket for holding a diopter or other lens accessory.

Choosing the Right Buoyancy Arms

When it comes to float arms, you have several options:

• Dense Foam: Typically come in a couple of sizes, these are lightweight and can be easily added or removed from arms. The only downside is that they take longer to dry at the end of your dive trip. StiX is the most popular brand you typically see out in the field.

• Fixed Buoyancy Float Arms: Several companies make these. I like the ones from Nauticam which I have found to be good quality and have never had a flooding issue. I have seen flooding issues on cheaper knock-offs.

• Adjustable Arms: Some companies make arms whose buoyancy can be adjusted. One company, UltraMax Helium Variable Buoyancy Arm System provides a system that allows you to add or remove extensions to adjust the buoyancy. Kraken and Weefine offer a buoyancy arm that allows you to press a button underwater which floods the inside allowing you to tweak your rigs buoyancy. I haven’t tried either of these systems. If you have and have feedback, either positive or negative, please leave a comment and let us know!

I have found using Nauticam float arms in combination with StiX floats helps me to dial in my rigs buoyancy exactly where I want it.

One approach you should avoid and I’ve seen attempted is using pool noodles. While they may seem like a cheap solution, they compress at depth and lose their buoyancy, making them useless for anything other than shallow-water shooting.

Conclusion

Dialing in your camera's buoyancy and trim before you ever get in the water can make a give you a leg up in your photography. A properly balanced rig reduces fatigue, improves stability, and allows you to focus on capturing the perfect shot instead of fighting with your gear. By taking the time to test your setup on dry land, you can ensure a more comfortable and productive dive, making every moment underwater more enjoyable.

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Happy shooting!