Taking the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (N7100) underwater

[danvolker]

There're no dedicated hard housings for the Note 2 or else I would have gotten one. To some, it may seem silly to pay a hundred over bucks for an underwater housing for a phone but IF the Note 2 had one, I'll buy it and justify the cost with that I can confidently bring my phone on board a boat and be able to call for help should an emergency arise. Not just for little underwater photography attempts.

As for rooting, it's easy enough once you've done it a few times but you'll have to experiment with different ROMS to see which ones will give you the features you need and not have those that you don't. Best of course will be those with built-in app removal.

When I was at the DEMA Show in Orlando...this past November, I spoke with the head honcho at the Seashell Booth--and he told me they DID have a case for the Note 2 and Note 3!!! And I shot this video of the guy talking about the housings for my Facebook page.... Cool Stuff at the DEMA Show...Turn your Android S3 , 4 or Note II into an UW Camera!

And yes, I WILL buy one of these soon....and the next time there is cool stuff to shoot, but the seas are too big for me to desire to risk my big Canon system on climbing back on the boat with big impacts....I will use the Note 3 and seashell instead--relatively almost no mass, and it would be easy to protect even on re-entry in 12 foot seas--if it came to it...I could create a thigh pocket on my wet suit for the camera--that I could shove the camera into if needed...and then clip the tray and light off to left chest D ring and hip d ring like a stage bottle.

So....I will try to contact them today and make sure of this!!!

---------- Post added January 2nd, 2014 at 10:19 AM ----------

OK...Just made my way to the main website in China.....since it is not in English, the best I could do was to get the email contact from the site, and write a nice email that "SHOULD" be answered.....so if they do have a Note 3 and 2 hard case, we should know in a few days....and.....I have several dive operators I am sure I can get to pick this product up and distribute it--along with all the other android and I-phones this Seashell supports...

 

[Progen]

Thanks again Dan! That'll be cool if they did have one for the Note 2. Kind of feeling a bit funny now because I HAD a S3 which I exchanged with someone for the Note 2. Friend wanted a smaller phone but had a good deal on a Note 2 and I wanted a larger screen so both were happy.

 

[Progen]

Just for the fun of it, here're more photos. These have gone through some HDR treatment which explains the surreal colours in most of them but for the most part, the one odd hour I spent underwater did teach me quite a bit.



They definitely won't win any contests but for the most part, it was a really educational experience which will be put to good use now that I have a proper housing for the SLR.

 

[MrChen]

Now you do know that I shoot uw with a Canon 5 D mark II, and help Jim Abernethy with editiing of his I D and 4k version Canon.....I do know what good video looks like, and how much light is needed.

And I am telling you right now, Jeff from Force E has showed me some exceptional video footage he shot of octopus with his I phone --and this footage was enough to get all the high end photographers at the BHB very jazzed when he showed it....I will see if I can get him to get me a clip I can upload---he does not normally do youtube or vimeo...But I would really like you to see this for yourself !!
You are dead on about the light...I am not talking ambient light except in 6 feet of water with 50 foot vis....one of these Galaxy or I phones does need a good and well diffused light ( or 2 lights like we use with our cameras!).

The results can be remarkable, and it can leverage a good sized investment divers already have in their phone. Even with a Gopro or a Canon 5 D, results are pathetic without the good lighting on all but extremely shallow water....

He actually took the video from his phone? I seen that and figured he just copied the videos to it. You are correct though, several macro photographers were excited watching the video. I could barely get my head around some shoulders to get a view of it.

---------- Post added February 7th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ----------

Why do we care so much about how good the photos are. Someone captured a memory and shared it. There's so much elite snobbish behavior to make one sick. He did it because he could and has captured a memory. I've seen documentary movies filmed completely on iphones and had no idea. Maybe there's a niche here, just because you don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I have a plastic sealable waterproof holder for my S3 and it says it's certified to 100ft. I've used it in the pool, but haven't taken it with me to dive. Maybe I will today and post the photos too because I can.

 

[jkman]

When I was at the DEMA Show in Orlando...this past November, I spoke with the head honcho at the Seashell Booth--and he told me they DID have a case for the Note 2 and Note 3!!! And I shot this video of the guy talking about the housings for my Facebook page.... Cool Stuff at the DEMA Show...Turn your Android S3 , 4 or Note II into an UW Camera!

And yes, I WILL buy one of these soon....and the next time there is cool stuff to shoot, but the seas are too big for me to desire to risk my big Canon system on climbing back on the boat with big impacts....I will use the Note 3 and seashell instead--relatively almost no mass, and it would be easy to protect even on re-entry in 12 foot seas--if it came to it...I could create a thigh pocket on my wet suit for the camera--that I could shove the camera into if needed...and then clip the tray and light off to left chest D ring and hip d ring like a stage bottle.

So....I will try to contact them today and make sure of this!!!

---------- Post added January 2nd, 2014 at 10:19 AM ----------

OK...Just made my way to the main website in China.....since it is not in English, the best I could do was to get the email contact from the site, and write a nice email that "SHOULD" be answered.....so if they do have a Note 3 and 2 hard case, we should know in a few days....and.....I have several dive operators I am sure I can get to pick this product up and distribute it--along with all the other android and I-phones this Seashell supports...

Did you hear anything back from the company? I would love to get a case for my Note 3.

 

[danvolker]

Did you hear anything back from the company? I would love to get a case for my Note 3.

They did not have one yet when I checked...

 

[emoreira]

Intova cameras are about as good as a camera phone IMO ...
Slow, zero options, slow, don't shoot raw....slow....no image stabalization... slow.... oh did I mention they are slow?

Intova Sport HD is intended to film, not to take still pics in raw.
As any video camera, can take still pics, but with poor quality.

 

[undrwater]

I have the note 3 as well, but have not been able to view the 4k video outside of the phone. I'm not sure I would want to risk my working phone on an undrwater adventure...but when I eventually upgrade, for sure.

 

[danvolker]

OverBoard Large Waterproof Phone Case OB1106BLK B&H Photo Video

How about someone with a note 2 or 3 trying this...being our guinea pig

For snorkeling, this could be all you need.....Even on top of the main Breaker Reef off of Palm Beach, where the inshore ledge drops to 55 feet, the top of the crown is 37 to 40 feet, and if you go down to 19 feet, it will feel like you are "ON" the reef....with ambient light shooting, in 20 feet of water or less, this could look quite good.

For those times when it is just to much bother to bring out the whole DSLR rig....Or, for snorkelers in general.

 

[Dan62]

Then again there is the iGill for the iPhone which not only allows you to take photos but has an app and sensors to act as a dive computer. Now that is a multifunction tool is like to have with my Note 3

OverBoard Large Waterproof Phone Case OB1106BLK B&H Photo Video

How about someone with a note 2 or 3 trying this...being our guinea pig

For snorkeling, this could be all you need.....Even on top of the main Breaker Reef off of Palm Beach, where the inshore ledge drops to 55 feet, the top of the crown is 37 to 40 feet, and if you go down to 19 feet, it will feel like you are "ON" the reef....with ambient light shooting, in 20 feet of water or less, this could look quite good.

For those times when it is just to much bother to bring out the whole DSLR rig....Or, for snorkelers in general.