HELP! Santa Needs Some Suggestions

[Aggie Diver]

I'm looking for a vid camera in the $600-$800 range, with a housing coming in under $1000.

I looked at the PV-GS250, but it seems to get mixed reviews as far as performance in low level lighting.

I won't be adding vid lights until probably next year, so am looking for a housing that has a red filter on it.

An included WAL would be a bonus for the housing. Obviously manual white balancing is a must as well, and also access to all controls on the housing.

So what is everyone's thoughts? Please give me some suggestions.

Thanks,

Aggie Diver

 

[ronrosa]

To get everything you want at the price you want I think you should look into the used market. If you drop the wide angle lense and manual white balance that opens up your choices to new equipment.

 

[diversteve]

What Ron said...

I don't think there's a new housing made with w/b controls for much less than $2000.

If you don't need it, some of the Ikelite's are around $800-1000. For electronic housings, there's the Top Dawg or the Ocean Images Dolphin. Going electronic pretty much limits you to Sony cameras or a couple of the Panasonics if you can get one of the better O/I housings used. Not sure about the W/A options for any of them though.

Also with the Ikelite and the Top Dawg, the red filter is on the camera not the housing. So all your really shallow footage will be yellowed.

I've also seen some TRV900's with housings for under $2K on eBay recently. I think they were Gates or L&M housings also.

Personally I'd buy the housing first then get the camera that works with it. Especially if you're willing to buy used.

 

[Aggie Diver]

What about something like the DCR-TRV9?

Seems like it's been around awhile, anyone got experience with that and diving?

 

[ronrosa]

....I've also seen some TRV900's with housings for under $2K on eBay recently. I think they were Gates or L&M housings also.........

TRV900 and a Gates housing, that's what I have.

Works great.

 

[simonspear]

I'm looking for a vid camera in the $600-$800 range, with a housing coming in under $1000.

I looked at the PV-GS250, but it seems to get mixed reviews as far as performance in low level lighting.

I won't be adding vid lights until probably next year, so am looking for a housing that has a red filter on it.

An included WAL would be a bonus for the housing. Obviously manual white balancing is a must as well, and also access to all controls on the housing.

So what is everyone's thoughts? Please give me some suggestions.

Thanks,

Aggie Diver

The Sony PC1000 with Ikelite Housing has a WB function and I think would be more or less within your price range. The only down side on this combo is that the PC1000 has had some mixed reviews when used with low level lighting like you normally find underwater.

The Sony PC350 with Ikelite Housing is also a good option and although it does not have a WB option it apparently does have better low level lighting results. I have this combo and although I'm new to underwater video I was really happy with the set up. I used it extensively on a recent trip where the visibility was normally in the 7 - 10m range and with some post production tweaking I got some really nice results.

BTW all Ikelite housings include an external UR Pro (Red) filter.

Hope this helps. Best Regards, Simon