OP
miket
Guest
I had no idea my camera (a Panasonic GS-400) is discontinued.
From what I read, the GS-500 is just a cheaper version of the GS-400 with a nicer widescreen.
This review is what I was reading just now, camcorderinfo.com highly recommended the GS-400 and was a major factor in my choice since Sony's offerings in the same size lack manual white balance.
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Panasonic-PV-GS500-First-Impressions-Camcorder--Review.htm
Here are some tips...
First off, I am not an Equinox fan, they will shoot fine video but they are large and heavy. They also have no electronic controls (that could be mounted on a handle) and there is no way to see the built in LCD screen in an Equinox housing.
My Ocean Images, Inc housing has 4 electronic controls for record, zoom in, zoom out, and photo (all in my thumb's reach).
Then there are 5 manual controls (control rods that go thru the housing) for The lens/ring controller, the White balance/Shutter/Exposure/Focus/Ring Zoom buttons, the on/off selector, camera mode, and the manual/auto/lock selector.
The Ocean Images housing also lets me open the screen inside that you can see thru the clear back. The screen is big and bright and helps when white balancing or going for effect. It's also nice to see when you are overexposed (white out), my camera has Zebra patterns turned on, but I read that they ditched that with the GS500.
The ability to switch to manual mode, and press the white balance button is so important for a housing. Getting the maximum color information in your underwater videos is key. Auto modes on these cameras don't work for me. Every time I have switched to auto mode underwater with my GS-400 it recorded very green video. When I used it in thailand, it made blue-gray video. I switch to manual mode, point my camera at something near my subject that should be white (sand, slate, reef, etc) and press the white balance button. The screen flashes and "bam!" - tons of color. Even just white balancing to the surface (point up and press the button) gives me perfect results.
The only times auto mode works are:
1. when using lights and you are in close.
2. In really good vis with a red filter.
I find the red filter limited in use, it worked well in Thailand (100 foot vis, sunny). But in California it seems to only shine in good vis (40feet or more) and in deeper water (50ft plus) and then only on sunny days. On overcast days it made all my deeper video grainy.
If Equinox offers manual controls for white balance you should do it. In my opinion in California there is no other way to get good color. Lights only color up 6 or 7 feet in front of you, the 23 feet of rocks and kelp beyond that will be green with your camera in auto mode.
I just never liked the Equinox option. They are made well and will work, but in my opinion you need the white balance and switch to go from auto mode to manual mode, being able to manually focus is also important but I am rambling on now...
Thanks everyone for checking out the video...
- MikeT
From what I read, the GS-500 is just a cheaper version of the GS-400 with a nicer widescreen.
This review is what I was reading just now, camcorderinfo.com highly recommended the GS-400 and was a major factor in my choice since Sony's offerings in the same size lack manual white balance.
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Panasonic-PV-GS500-First-Impressions-Camcorder--Review.htm
Here are some tips...
First off, I am not an Equinox fan, they will shoot fine video but they are large and heavy. They also have no electronic controls (that could be mounted on a handle) and there is no way to see the built in LCD screen in an Equinox housing.
My Ocean Images, Inc housing has 4 electronic controls for record, zoom in, zoom out, and photo (all in my thumb's reach).
Then there are 5 manual controls (control rods that go thru the housing) for The lens/ring controller, the White balance/Shutter/Exposure/Focus/Ring Zoom buttons, the on/off selector, camera mode, and the manual/auto/lock selector.
The Ocean Images housing also lets me open the screen inside that you can see thru the clear back. The screen is big and bright and helps when white balancing or going for effect. It's also nice to see when you are overexposed (white out), my camera has Zebra patterns turned on, but I read that they ditched that with the GS500.
The ability to switch to manual mode, and press the white balance button is so important for a housing. Getting the maximum color information in your underwater videos is key. Auto modes on these cameras don't work for me. Every time I have switched to auto mode underwater with my GS-400 it recorded very green video. When I used it in thailand, it made blue-gray video. I switch to manual mode, point my camera at something near my subject that should be white (sand, slate, reef, etc) and press the white balance button. The screen flashes and "bam!" - tons of color. Even just white balancing to the surface (point up and press the button) gives me perfect results.
The only times auto mode works are:
1. when using lights and you are in close.
2. In really good vis with a red filter.
I find the red filter limited in use, it worked well in Thailand (100 foot vis, sunny). But in California it seems to only shine in good vis (40feet or more) and in deeper water (50ft plus) and then only on sunny days. On overcast days it made all my deeper video grainy.
If Equinox offers manual controls for white balance you should do it. In my opinion in California there is no other way to get good color. Lights only color up 6 or 7 feet in front of you, the 23 feet of rocks and kelp beyond that will be green with your camera in auto mode.
I just never liked the Equinox option. They are made well and will work, but in my opinion you need the white balance and switch to go from auto mode to manual mode, being able to manually focus is also important but I am rambling on now...
Thanks everyone for checking out the video...
- MikeT
