Heavy Housing

[ScubaDocER]

I have a question. I recently received my Light & Motion housing for my Sony XR 520 camcorder. While I LOVE the housing and the controls on the arms, the housing seems unbelieveably heavy to me. I did get the Sunray 2000 lights as well. I know the lights weigh 3.3 lbs each. When I used the housing this past weekend (no videos worth posting from it yet) I noticed that my balance and trim in the water was WAY off!! Normally I can hover well, but I kept dropping like a rock while taping resulting in shaky images.

I suppose I have a few options. Should I :

A. Remove the battery pods thus taking off 6.6 lbs.

B. Find a weigh to buoy the camera up (some type of flotation device)

C. Accept that it is heavy and just learn to dive with it.

My understanding is that the housing should be easily pushed through the water. I assume this is without the battery pods attached. I find that I am supporting the camera instead of simply assisting it in the water.

Any suggestions?

 

[vidodivr]

I use these.

I have a question. I recently received my Light & Motion housing for my Sony XR 520 camcorder. While I LOVE the housing and the controls on the arms, the housing seems unbelieveably heavy to me. I did get the Sunray 2000 lights as well. I know the lights weigh 3.3 lbs each. When I used the housing this past weekend (no videos worth posting from it yet) I noticed that my balance and trim in the water was WAY off!! Normally I can hover well, but I kept dropping like a rock while taping resulting in shaky images.

I suppose I have a few options. Should I :

A. Remove the battery pods thus taking off 6.6 lbs.

B. Find a weigh to bouy the camera up (some type of flotation device)

C. Accept that it is heavy and just learn to dive with it.

My understanding is that the housing should be easily pushed through the water. I assume this is without the battery pods attached. I find that I am supporting the camera instead of simply assisting it in the water.

Any suggestions?

 

[Video rookie]

I have the same lights and use them with an amphibico housing and the lights make it really heavy in the water.

I made a foam float and covered it in fiberglass, which attaches to the top of the housing, and a "u" shaped float from 1-1/2" black plastic pipe that fits under the battery pods. This keeps my setup basically neutral, and with the floats on the top and bottom I can pivot about the center of the housing without much effort. Originally I had all the float on top, and I personally did not like the feel.

You don't want to use a setup that is extremely negative or positive on bouyancy because you will be fighting it for the entire dive. Some like a slightly negative, others slightly positive bouyancy, and each has it's pro's and con's. I personally have mine just barely negative.

Good luck with it, and it will take some trial and error to get it where it feels right for you.

Note: my setup with the floats installed is the photo in my avitar.

 

[diversteve]

I personally have mine just barely negative.

I do also.

Don't you have the loc-line arms with the Sunrays? You could try one of these:

 

[ScubaDocER]

I have the same lights and use them with an amphibico housing and the lights make it really heavy in the water.

I made a foam float and covered it in fiberglass, which attaches to the top of the housing, and a "u" shaped float from 1-1/2" black plastic pipe that fits under the battery pods. This keeps my setup basically neutral, and with the floats on the top and bottom I can pivot about the center of the housing without much effort. Originally I had all the float on top, and I personally did not like the feel.

You don't want to use a setup that is extremely negative or positive on bouyancy because you will be fighting it for the entire dive. Some like a slightly negative, others slightly positive bouyancy, and each has it's pro's and con's. I personally have mine just barely negative.

Good luck with it, and it will take some trial and error to get it where it feels right for you.

Note: my setup with the floats installed is the photo in my avitar.

I am having a difficult time seeing the picture in your avatar but I like the idea. Is there a place to buy the flotations that would go under the housing? I like the idea of it being buoyed up as well as supporting the camera from above. If I were more mechanically inclined I would build it, but I am concerned that I might screw it up and wind up damaging the housing.

I do also.

Don't you have the loc-line arms with the Sunrays? You could try one of these:

I do Steve. They work nicely. Do I just need to buoy the arms or the entire housing or both? Also, with the straight flotation devices I could not bend the arms.

 

[Video rookie]

Here was the thread where I built my upper float if anyone is interested.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/underwater-videography/197243-my-bouyancy-solution.html

The lower one is just made from black plastic pipe I picked up at ACE Hardware.

I use velcro to secure all the floats to the housing.

Vic

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Anthony:

My first recommendation would be to replace the standard loc line arms with one of three options:

1. Get Ultralight Control System Buoyancy arms

2. Use standard ULCS arms with Stix floats

3. Get Stix Float arm systems

Any of these solutions would be ideal and take care of all your problems.

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[mojorisin]

I use the ultralight buoyancy tubes with that system. There are a few options but the double buoyancy arms would work best.

 

[Teamcasa]

I made two buoyancy tubes from 2" ABS. Zip tied them to my lights. Works great and was about $6.00

 

[ScubaDocER]

I have tried to use the StiX float arms with minimal success. It is better than nothing, but not by much. The floats do not fit on the arms that come with the housing. I had to core them out just a bit to make them fit. I called Light and Motion and they said that StiX is working on a flotation device specific for this housing but it is in the development stages. Not in time for my trip to Utila this Sat. Dave...What is an ABS? And do you have a picture of what you did or can you describe it to me?