Constructing a cheap UW video light...

[Guba]

This will most likely get moved to the DIY or photography forum, but I wanted my interested friends here to see what I've been working on in my workshop. It's an UW video/fill lamp using a very inexpensive, 36 LED array that produces 600 lumens at 5600 K. With a little re-wiring, it turns on and off underwater using a magnetic reed switch, and there are no screws or other punctures to the housing. I'll be using two of these in tandem. Hopefully, they'll provide the light I need for short-range videography.

 

[TONY CHANEY]

I am very interested in your work. I can't seem to make sense of it from the picture. I am waiting for more pictures, infoa nd wishing you well with your progression. Thanks.

 

[Guba]

Hi, Tony Maybe these will help. The body of the housing is a common PVC three-inch end cap. A cold shoe is mounted inside the cap to hold the LED video light array. I used half inch plexiglass for the faceplate, routered to a "top hat" shape and a snug o-ring sits between the body and the front plate. Three spring draw catches seal the plate to the housing. Underneath, I attached a PVC block with a bolt mounted so that it could be attached to a home-made arm (the camera will attach to it, too. I rewired the light so that a reed switch would activate it underwater. I didn't want to drill any holes in the body for a switch in order to avoid possible points of failure. Hope this helps!

 

[3D diver]

That's pretty awsome. I've been looking at those LED arrays, wondering how to use them underwater.

 

[3D diver]

So, have you dove with this light yet? I'm curious how the o-ring seal holds up.

Is the o-ring flat or round in cross section?

Any comments on routing the face plate? Did you do any polishing after routing?

 

[bergstenba]

Have been contemplating something like this with a couple of 3W Leds.....I like the 3" pipe cap idea a lot and may have to steal it

 

[Guba]

3D, I have to admit I haven't had this one in the water yet, but I've used the same configuration on three video camera housings. The o-rings are round and the plate is routered to a "top hat" fit. After routering, I used ultra fine emery cloth to buff it perfectly smooth (still need to do some more of that on the light). The o-rings fit snugly to the inside dimension of the plate. The photos of the camera housing below should show how they work, and I've never had any leakage with any of my housings. The cool thing is, the deeper you go, the BETTER they should seal due to the increase in pressure. (Note...the orange seal on the light is a 1/16 inch one made of silicone, but I think I will change that out to a Buna rubber seal that is 3/16, like the ones in the housing pictures. The silicone o-ring doesn't seem to compress adequately, and it's too narrow for comfort.)

Bergstenba, steal away! They're fun to make, and they should solve most of the needs of shooting low cost video underwater.

 

[JamesK]

Let me know. I would like to make a handful and lay them around the caves for accent lighting during filming.

 

[3D diver]

Thanks again.

Are you really using plexiglass or acrylic? I ask 'cause you can flame polish acrylic (though I've never done so.)

 

[Guba]

The plate on my camera housings have been plexiglass. For the light, I used acrylic.