Floats and belts

Floats and belts for underwater camera buoyancy control

Floats are buoyancy blocks placed around tray arms to add lift. They compensate for the heavy mass of strobes, lights or housings and make the system easier to handle.

A float belt attaches to the port of a housing and provides adjustable lift. This prevents the rig from tipping forward when using long or heavy lenses in deeper dives.

Countering tilt with trim weights

Some rigs with large dome ports filled with air have the opposite problem: the housing tends to float upward at the front. A trim weight solves this imbalance.

• Trim weights can be filled with soft lead
• They attach around the port of the housing

Measuring and adjusting buoyancy

Floats and belts come in different buoyancy values, usually expressed in grams. By weighing the rig underwater, divers can determine the exact lift required to balance the system.

This can be tested at home with a hand scale or completed in-store. See also the guides on adjusting buoyancy of your underwater camera, how to weigh a setup and underwater rigs that tilt.

• Floats add lift around arms of a rig
• Buoyancy belts balance heavy lens setups
• Trim weights counter upward dome tilt
• Buoyancy is measured in grams for accuracy
• Neutral balance prevents wrist strain