Their new two light tray supports both the Pro-V8's and their 50/100w halogen lighting system (according to their literature). Personally, I'd probaly rather have the dual noctural lights (about as bright as the Pro-V8 each) that but powered by AAA and weigh about 1.5 lbs less each. There are other, and better lights, but for my needs, those would suffice.
JVC Picsio and FlipHD Ultra video users...?
- Thread starter robint
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Their new two light tray supports both the Pro-V8's and their 50/100w halogen lighting system (according to their literature). Personally, I'd probaly rather have the dual noctural lights (about as bright as the Pro-V8 each) that but powered by AAA and weigh about 1.5 lbs less each. There are other, and better lights, but for my needs, those would suffice.
I've considered the Kodac, too, once I found out that Ikelite has a housing. The housing is very simple: one button. It has removable memory and replaceable batteries. Records 720p in 60hz and 1080 in 30hz. Has about the same light sensitivity as the JVC Picsio but has better OIS. Has about the same FOV as the JVC, too. Many of the same or slightly better specs and reviews.
I messed with one at the store but nothing serious. Panning did seem very smooth (more than the JVC and Flip).
The only thing that makes me reconsider is there is no macro feature so you can't get any closer than about 3 ft to the subject. Using the Macro feature on the JVC and having clear video at 2" is something that I really enjoy.
I like the Flip for day videos, JVC for night and closeups (of which I don't many, but its nice to know I can).
I would like a macro lens and a wide lens. I think the quality of any camera can be improved with a wide lens. Macro only if you'll be doing extream closeups and small critters.
Not to steer you away from the KI8. Just consider what you can and can't do. I don't know about startup time, either. If it's within 3 seconds, its acceptable to me. Anymore than that, you just leave the camera on. I like to turn it on/off when I'm ready/complete recording.
firefighter237
Registered
Leabre, thank you for your input. So i could get a macro lens for the Kodak Zi8 and that would solve most of the shortfalls of the Flip and JVC correct? Also in the prior post you mentioned some differnt lights that would work on the dual light tray for Ikelite, do you know the model numbers to which you were referring?
OP
robint
Contributor
As I have said before........... does anyone have underwater footage using ONLY the red filter for color correction and no lights?
I think before people start trying to add big expensive external light packages we should assess how good the camcorders work with the red filter! A red filter can usually do good enough job if there is enough natural light!!!!! Plus an external light source is only good for subjects up to about 7-8' away, then subjects in the background are greenish. If you use a red filter, you get an overall better color to the entire field.
robin
I think before people start trying to add big expensive external light packages we should assess how good the camcorders work with the red filter! A red filter can usually do good enough job if there is enough natural light!!!!! Plus an external light source is only good for subjects up to about 7-8' away, then subjects in the background are greenish. If you use a red filter, you get an overall better color to the entire field.
robin
firefighter237
Registered
Robin I believe most of these small camera setups come with a red filter rite? Do they work or make much of a difference diving green water down to depths of say 60 to 80 feet?
OP
robint
Contributor
Yes, Ikelite provides a red filter with every housing. The red filter works depths from around 15' down to 80', depending on natural light source. Not only does it add back in the red color, it also adds back in some contrast and definition to everything. After you get down to around 80', the water is so dark that the red filter can be a hinderance, but it all depends. That is another reason I would like to see some video with these camcorders using the red filter!
My older videos, done with my SD camcorder, I used nothing but the red filter, never owned a light system until my last trip with it. If the dive site it dark, the camcorder may have trouble focusing, but since these little camcorders (FlipHD and JVC) are fixed focus that shouldn't be an issue.
I would also like to see some video shot without the wide angle lens. What does the builtin lens do? What is the actual field? I like using a WA lens sometimes but not all the time, plus WA lenses sometimes give you fuzzy edges all the way around and I don't like that at all. I missed some really cool shots of sharks 2 yrs ago as I had on the WA lens (inside my housing) and the subjects were too far away. If I had not used the WA, then I bet I would have footage of over a dozen small sharks schooling together! I ended up on the boat telling everyone about what I saw, but I am sure most of them didn't believe me.
robin
DiveSurgeon
Guest
Robint and I have different objectives. 80% of my dives are night dives so I take the light. I will take some video with just the red filter on a day dive in shallower depths, but it may not happen before his 2 weeks deadline as the weather out here is maddening and there isn't much oppurtunity for dives lately.
OP
robint
Contributor
You can do still captures from any video you shoot, regardless of the camcorder. You do it in the editing process with your editing software.
do not discount any camcorder just because it doesn't have a snapshot button! leabre - I am just looking for daytime shots with the camcorders using the red filter only in order to assess how good they are. Adding the WA lens and lights changes all that. Let's see if someone else owns one of them and can post a video.
DiveSurgeon
Guest
You can do still captures from any video you shoot, regardless of the camcorder. You do it in the editing process with your editing software.
My experience with my old Digital8 rig (SD) was that stills captured from video were vastly inferior to those that were done with the snapshot function. Of course, that was a tape camera (for vid) with memory stick for photo - really two different systems in one. Maybe it's different for the Zi8.
Pics using the snapshot function are 5 to 8 MP (depending on the camera), what is the resolution on each frame of the video (which I believe is what you are essentially "capturing" when taking a still off the video frame)?
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