I need tips

[BDSC]

I was in the Caymans last month and did my first video. It was a blast and now I'm totally hooked on it. I have the TopDawg housing and it's pretty much the same as the Stingray if I remember right. It's also made by L&M. Mine was also a little positive underwater so I have a two pound weight that I strap on the top of the housing. The lady I bought my system from rigged it up that way and it works perfect. It is just slightly negative with the weight and I have it attached with cable ties. The weight is one of the vinyl coated ones so there is no damage or scratches to the housing.

I can't even begin to tell you how much fun it was to do video. I have been diving for about 18 years and decided I wanted to do something more with diving than just swimming and looking. I ended up with a 30 minute DVD from about 2 1/2 to 3 hours of video. I had tried a little still photography but the video is the way to go for me from now on.

Of course as with many things in diving, I am now wanting to upgrade my system after only one trip. But....I will be patient and get another couple of trips in before I take that plunge. I want to be sure it wasn't a spur of the moment thing before I invest several thousand dollars in something new.

Right now I am thinking about the L&M Bluefin with the new LED lights for the future. But I want to see how people like the new LED lights and let them be out for a year or so before I get a setup like this.

Anyway, I hope you have much success with your camera and housing.

BDSC

 

[Rig Magician]

All I can say is WOW, and thanks everyone. This thread has take off in the last couple of hours since I checked it. I am sitting in the Kuala Lumpur airport right now waiting on my 12 hour flight to Amsterdam. All of these are great and keep them coming. I also read that since I cannot access WB to set my camcorder on outdoors. Is this right? Any other tips on camera setup will be accepted also.
Well I have to getting ready to board. I will check this again in Amsterdam.
Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[BDSC]

I just left my camera on auto WB I think it was and it did fine like that. But I do want the ability to WB while underwater with my next setup which the Bluefin has that ability.

BDSC

Don't know which editing software you are going with but the Sony Vegas Movie Studio 8 Platinum edition did great once I learned it and I'm pretty sure it will do HD as well as regular video.

 

[Crimson Ghost]

I think i read that your housing permits for manual white balance - just aim it at the sandy bottom and set it. I suspect that Bonaire is bright enough and your video will work well regardless - just remember to fool around with your filter and look at what you shot each night and make corrections.

 

[Rig Magician]

Thanks, everyone. I am sitting in the KLM lounge in Amsterdam right now. I want to clareify, this will be my first trip to Bonaire with a underwater camcorder, it will be my 3rd tip in a row. We are looking to go somewhere else next year but I am not sure where yet. Anywhere else has a tought act to follow.
Again thanks everyone for the tips.

 

[Crimson Ghost]

Thanks, everyone. I am sitting in the KLM lounge in Amsterdam right now. I want to clareify, this will be my first trip to Bonaire with a underwater camcorder, it will be my 3rd tip in a row. We are looking to go somewhere else next year but I am not sure where yet. Anywhere else has a tought act to follow.
Again thanks everyone for the tips.

I have not been to bonaire yet -- but Cayman's are incredible. LOL - I was just about to start the list and stopped myself.....it would go on and on ! I am leaving today for Hawaii - lots of lava shoots but not too much in terms of impressive corals, but they make up for it with fish. Every place you go offers something different and you appreciate it all.....enjoy and happy filming !

 

[diversteve]

I think i read that your housing permits for manual white balance - just aim it at the sandy bottom and set it.

Actually it doesn't:

Stingray HD Controls:

Power On/Off
Record/Standby
Zoom — Telephoto and Wide-Angle
Auto-Focus On/Off
Auto-Focus Lock
Momentary Auto Focus
Video/Photo Mode
Manual Focus— Far/Near

 

[Rig Magician]

OK, well I made it home last night. Again thanks for all the help everyone, and keep them coming.

 

[Rick Patterson]

I have been shooting underwater video for a little over five years and have improved every time I shoot. There is always room to improve and try new techniques when you are diving. Here are a few thing I have learned in my short time with a video camera. I have a Gates housing and Sony camera (not HD) I can not remember the model number for the housing and am too lazy to hike upstairs and look it up. It is their compact housing and I also have a set of DiveRite HID lights for the camera. Some of my recommendations have already been listed, but they are good ones. I like to carry two batteries for the camera on the trip to have one extra just in case of an issue. I may blow one dive, but not an entire day. I also took this same setup to Bonaire for my first dive trip with a video camera. We were there a week and if memory serves me, I shot about seven tapes. Editing was a major pain in the rear. I had about 6 hours of underwater video and had to get it down to about 35 minutes total to have a decent finished product. I recommend shooting some of the location that you will be staying (hotel/condo/home) to set an establishing shot to start the video out. I also highly recommend what robint said about shooting the yellow dive site markers. I used these for establishing where we were and they served as a great reference later on when editing to reference your dive log and be able to easily remember where you saw the what ever. I also found that when I first started it was important to dive the first dive on the trip without the camera and be sure to give all of your and your buddies equipment a test before you have an additional item to deal with. You can also use this dive for checking out currents if needed, although in Bonaire I do not recall that being a problem anywhere we went. I found that reviewing what I had shot to make immediate changes in technique when I started was very helpful. I still try and avoid the zoom button on my camera because it is very touchy to use slowly enough and i usually end up slowing the frame rate down in editing anyway to keep it viewable. I still prefer to move to my subject and try to move slowly. Try using the red color correction filter at different depths early in your trip to determine when you need to use it. I have also found out that it is EXTREMELY important to remember that I am not the only one diving on the trip and try to point my subject out to my dive buddy before I head in to camp out for the shot I wanted. Speaking of dive buddies I was also told to pay more attention to them and not so much to the camera. I found that when I started I was very focused on the camera and not so much on my buoyancy or my buddy. Remember that the last thing you want to do is damage the reef (I plan on going back and want to find it the way I left it ),or not be there when you are needed for you dive buddy. I also recommend the same lanyard that another poster listed earlier. It works well and I have used it for more than five years with no problems. Most of all remember to have fun and every dive know that many of us still land locked are very jealous.

 

[Rig Magician]

Rick,
Thanks. That is all good info as well as everyone elses. Again thanks everyone for the help.