What Camera and housing would you recommend?

[hammerhead man]

I have a friend that is looking to upgrade his UW video equipment and was wondering what would be the best camera (not HD), housing and lights that you can get for around $5k. He wants a camera that he can manually adjust the white balance, has image stabilization, and gives great results. Although he is not against HD, he is concerned that there currently is no reasonably priced comprehensive HD editing software packages on the market.

Thanks for your input.

Bill

 

[paulpost]

Hi, my advice is to go HDV and record in HD. When you download set the camcorder to downconvert to DV and use whatever software you have. I use U-lead 10+ and works fine with HD. The drawback is that you need a fast CPU (dual CORE).
Regarding housings with manual WB and camcorders and lights for $5k, there are not many choices. From the top of my head I would say as camcorders Sony HC7 or HC9 with Gates housing that offers manual WB . From H&B website this housing goes for approx. $2200 and for $990 you can get an W/A lens which is a must. The pros are the size, mechanical controls that cannot get fried , the cons again mechanical controls that can lick and flood the housing and destroy the camcorder ,no mic (some people like to record the bubbles) and no lick detector.
My second choice that he can get for $5k would be an AMPHIBICO housing for Sony A1U.
The housing goes for approx $2300 at B&H and comes with W/A , monitor back and manual WB, has electronic controls and built-in Mic and lick detector. The camcorder is considered a prosumer level camcorder and at Broadway photo they go for $1600 according to the website.
Regarding lights if he dives cold green murky waters he needs them but $1000 that looks that he's be left with from the $5k, is not enough to get something decent.
I hope this will help.
Paul

 

[hammerhead man]

Thanks for the info Paul.

Bill

 

[Mustangmermaid]

Paul is correct. I have been shooting the combination of sony and amphibico for 12 years and have not once had a problem with them. you can also get a more economical HD camera from sony in either the Sr-11 or Sr-12 (1100-1400) they have 10.2 Mp Still image capture and are capable of shbooting in full HD and both accept memory stick media as well as having HDD's so no more tape.

Hope it helps!

Tina

 

[Empty V]

Hey Bill, I'm not just suggesting this because it's my setup but I would go with something that has a ton of flexibility and control over white balance, exposure, focus and everything else you would need. It's a Panasonic DVX100 with an Equinox housing. It's a pro-sumer 3ccd camera that does amazing in low light and the image quality is remarkable. IMO HDV is a format that has a long way to go before it can pass up this camera. And remember HDV is not HD, a lot of people get that confused or maybe want to think that their cameras are true uncompressed HD It sure would be nice.

Here's a link to the housing and some modifications I did to it.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/underwater-videography/214255-new-housing-mods.html

Billy

 

[DaFireMedic]

Although he is not against HD, he is concerned that there currently is no reasonably priced comprehensive HD editing software packages on the market.

Thanks for your input.

Bill

There are editing software packages that support HD in all price ranges now (including Windows Movie Maker if you have a Vista version above Home Basic. The Home Basic version doesn't support HD). That should not stop him from buying an HD camcorder. If you want a pro level NLE, Sony Vegas Pro 8 is available (disk only, no DVD Architect) from B & H for $129.

I'm with PaulPost on this, go HD. You can edit HDV on most any newer desktop now (mines almost 1 1/2 years old now, duo core) and the quality will be significantly better than SD, especially when you edit in HD then export to whatever your delivery format will be (including SD).

 

[Empty V]

You can edit HDV on most any newer desktop now (mines almost 1 1/2 years old now, duo core) and the quality will be significantly better than SD, especially when you edit in HD then export to whatever your delivery format will be (including SD).

Not necessarily, a nice 3CCD SD setup will blow away consumer HDV setups.

Billy

 

[DaFireMedic]

Not necessarily, a nice 3CCD SD setup will blow away consumer HDV setups.

Billy

In low light (such as underwater) you are correct. And as far as HDV not being true uncompressed HD you are also correct, its not. I don't think that time will ever come. Ultimately, you can get more quality for your data rate if you compress the data. Moreover, as the image resolution increases, the additional information becomes more redundant, allowing even further compression to be utilized effectively. Even the Red One does not produce true uncompressed HD, but at 4k resolution it kills uncompressed 1080p. In the sense that by current standards that any resolution above SD is considered high definition", HDV is indeed HD.

The DVX100 is a fantastic camcorder and with its video quality, variable frame rates, and gobs of manual controls it still holds its own against the new wave of camcorders. But I've logged quite a few hours behind a 3ccd VX2100 and the footage from my HV30 beats it everywhere where there is adequate light. But i've never compared it to the DVX100.

 

[bluesbro1982]

In low light (such as underwater) you are correct. But as far as HDV not being true uncompressed HD you are also correct, its not. We will never have access to true uncompressed HD, period. (even the Red One does not produce true uncompressed HD). But in the sense that by current standards that any resolution above SD is considered high definition", HDV is true HD and the video quality looks so much better than SD when compared side by side.

I'll agree and disagree there. There are varying levels of HD, and though I'll agree that, in good conditions HDV looks loads better than SD, the quality of sensor you can get at the price point that the poster wants leaves a LOT to be desired.

You can get a DVX 100B new from B&H for around $2500, add the housing and lights you've got a very nice rig that will obliterate most HDV sensors in low-light performance. If you go with like a canon HV-20, the sensor stinks in low light, and I know from a bunch of event experience.

The cheapest HD rig I would invest in now?

Give me an HVX-200 with P2 cards, which does shoot in DVCPRO-HD for a bit over $5k, and add in a firestore hard drive, $1700, with an equinox housing, $2700.

I MIGHT consider a sony A1-u but the cmos sensor doesn't perform as well.

 

[DaFireMedic]

I was editing my previous post while you were writing this as I needed to clarify what I said about SD vs. HD.

I'll agree and disagree there. There are varying levels of HD, and though I'll agree that, in good conditions HDV looks loads better than SD, the quality of sensor you can get at the price point that the poster wants leaves a LOT to be desired.

No argument there, especially for underwater use.

You can get a DVX 100B new from B&H for around $2500, add the housing and lights you've got a very nice rig that will obliterate most HDV sensors in low-light performance. If you go with like a canon HV-20, the sensor stinks in low light, and I know from a bunch of event experience.

Compared to a prosumer rig, you are correct. I also know this from a bunch of event experience. But the HV20/HV30 more than holds its own against any consumer SD camcorder in low light. Regardless of the resolution though, consumer camcorders cannot be compared to prosumer camcorders in low light. The SD Prosumer camcorders even beat the Prosumer HD camcorders in low light on the average.

The cheapest HD rig I would invest in now?
Give me an HVX-200 with P2 cards, which does shoot in DVCPRO-HD for a bit over $5k, and add in a firestore hard drive, $1700, with an equinox housing, $2700.

If you can afford it....

I'm currently looking for the right tapeless workflow, and I'm actually giving serious thought to the purchase of an HVX200 right now (not for underwater use), but the cost of the P2 cards continues to hinder its appeal to me. It has everything I want right now, except affordability. I also want to see how the new AG-HMC150 performs, and I want to see if the Red Scarlet lives up to its potential (but that may be a year or more away).

But back to the original posters question, if a prosumer camcorder/housing rig is in your budget go for it. But if its a decision between a consumer SD camcorder and a consumer HD camcorder, I would go with the HD.