need video advice

[ScubaDuc]

I offer my standard advice to all who are going to take cameras or camcorders under water...
"Never house a camera you can't afford to flood."
S

I have 2 video camcorders, one is a Sony PC 120 and the other is a Sony Hi8. I also have an old Sony external LCD monitor that has its own battery power. I would like to get into U/W video but I have no experience in housings. Can anyone recommend something that could be used with either camera? I would prefer to flood the old one ...but it may not always be practical to fly with 2 units given the airlines weight restrictions (20 kg). Lanc is a must and I would think a control for white balance/contrast is important. I usually keep mine on manual when I film. Zoom is also somewhat important. I know it's better to swim close but sometimes it is just not too...advisable!

Also, is it possible to video while diving in a group? I wonder if perhaps I should not just get a digital camera.

Some one mentioned camera shake. I use a stabilizer plug-in when I edit in i-Movie. Works quite well although it takes a bit of time but that would depend on the processor.

Thanks and happy diving to you all!

 

[Bob3]

Another vote for the little Sony DV handycams, available for around $200. Small, light weight. Grab a couple extra batteries for the hike.
Harbor Freight has "sun visor" size 1.5w solar panels ($10), I'd replace the plug with a socket (auto cig lighter) and then just leave the solar panel behind with the folks at the village.
http://harborfreight.com look for "solar" They have 5w chargers for $50.

 

[Groundhog246]

Zoom is also somewhat important. I know it's better to swim close but sometimes it is just not too...advisable!

Also, is it possible to video while diving in a group? I wonder if perhaps I should not just get a digital camera.

Some one mentioned camera shake. I use a stabilizer plug-in when I edit in i-Movie. Works quite well although it takes a bit of time but that would depend on the processor.

I find shake to be less of an issue when diving, water had much more resistance than air. Spend some time getting your housing as close to neutral (I like very slightly negative) as possible.

I've had no problems shooting video with a group (other than everyone wanting a copy )

IMHO, zoom is the most useless feature my housing has. I just purchased a wide angle adaptor. You're going to lose filed of view (about 25% unless you've got a dome port) as soon as you enter the water and unless your in an area with really clear water, you want to minimize as much as possible the amount of water between you and your subject.

 

[Allison Finch]

What do you guys think of the JVC GR-D230? Ikelite has a nice housing for it. B&H has it for approx. 520.00

 

[ChrisA]

Another reason to avoid the DVD type. If anything happens that the camera doesn't shut down correctly, the disk is toast. Talked with a guy a while back who shot an entore wedding on a Sony disk based camera. Forgot to turn off changing batteries late in the evening and the entire days pictures were GONE!!!!! No recovering them. Yes, it was a bone headed move, but who hasn't done similar? With a tape, if the tape stops, you at least have everything up to that point.

The way the camera works is that video is recored to disk directly and then at the end t writes a "directory". Only the last step was skipped.

The CD should be recoverable. What's missing is something that acts as a "table of contance" but the data are there, just that nothing points to it. To get the data you need a computer with a DVD reader, software and someone who understands a little about DVD.

 

[ScubaDuc]

I find shake to be less of an issue when diving, water had much more resistance than air. Spend some time getting your housing as close to neutral (I like very slightly negative) as possible.

I've had no problems shooting video with a group (other than everyone wanting a copy )

IMHO, zoom is the most useless feature my housing has. I just purchased a wide angle adaptor. You're going to lose filed of view (about 25% unless you've got a dome port) as soon as you enter the water and unless your in an area with really clear water, you want to minimize as much as possible the amount of water between you and your subject.

If the subject is a great white you might want to keep some distance....

What is your wide angle demultiplication factor that makes you loose 25% without a dome? Is it a 0.50x or a 0.70x ?

I was wondering what would be like to have to deal with a video camera underwater in less then ideal conditions, like rough seas and strong currents. I would like to dive the Rangiroa passes and go back to South Africa for some more sharks. However, when I dived Protea banks, we had to suck our BCD dry to head to the bottom after a backflip at 35 meters as fast as possible to stay together for currents were over 6 knots. The sea was sooo choppy that I didn't even think about sharks...all I wanted was to get off the bloody rubber duck....

Also, I have seen met some professionals video divers in S. Africa and they told me they use a stick to mount the camera and shoot from the safety of the boat Anybody knows anything more about such devices?


Happy diving to all!

Shark Raving Mad!

 

[Groundhog246]

The way the camera works is that video is recored to disk directly and then at the end t writes a "directory". Only the last step was skipped.

The CD should be recoverable. What's missing is something that acts as a "table of contance" but the data are there, just that nothing points to it. To get the data you need a computer with a DVD reader, software and someone who understands a little about DVD.

He went so far as to send it to a data recovery service that Sony recommended and they were not able to recover anything from it. IMHO, not worth the risk for me. I'll stay with tried and true tape.

 

[Groundhog246]

If the subject is a great white you might want to keep some distance....

What is your wide angle demultiplication factor that makes you loose 25% without a dome? Is it a 0.50x or a 0.70x ?

I don't know the exact factor, nor is the change exactly 25%. It's the same refraction factor you get when you put on your mask and look through flat glass into the water. http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/education/calc-init/rainbow/refraction.html
The greater the incoming angle, the more it's bent. By using a dome, everything strikes at a right angle and that corrects it. Of course, the curve of the dome must match the lens in use and the camera lens must be postioned the correct distance from the dome.

I've never tried to use the housing in more than moderate current and don't think I'd want to. It adds water resistance (you have to work harder to swim, even in no current) and substantial task loading. Also, IMHO, you need to have your buoyancy control to the point where you no longer think about it, just do it in the background, before you attempt any type of photography underwater.

 

[diversteve]

Also, I have seen met some professionals video divers in S. Africa and they told me they use a stick to mount the camera and shoot from the safety of the boat Anybody knows anything more about such devices?

Gates sells one. It's about 1/2 way down on this page - look for Gates Pole II.

http://www.gateshousings.com/accessories.html#hardware2

B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com) sells it for $550. A friend of mine is a swimcoach and was looking for something similar. We talked about modifying a pool skimmer pole as a more reasonable alternative, it's aluminum, hollow for the coax feed if desired, and could be drilled to accept the swivel mount.

 

[ScubaDuc]

I don't know the exact factor, nor is the change exactly 25%. It's the same refraction factor you get when you put on your mask and look through flat glass into the water. http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/education/calc-init/rainbow/refraction.html
The greater the incoming angle, the more it's bent. By using a dome, everything strikes at a right angle and that corrects it. Of course, the curve of the dome must match the lens in use and the camera lens must be postioned the correct distance from the dome.

I've never tried to use the housing in more than moderate current and don't think I'd want to. It adds water resistance (you have to work harder to swim, even in no current) and substantial task loading. Also, IMHO, you need to have your buoyancy control to the point where you no longer think about it, just do it in the background, before you attempt any type of photography underwater.

It must be around a .70x then for if I remember correctly objects in the water appear about a third larger. It is usually written on the top of the lens.
However, I note a difference in the quality of the image when I use a wide angle attachment with my video camera. Even though it is supposed to be "high quality", it is not like putting a 20 mm Nikkor lens on my trusted F3

My buoyancy is usually decent, except that one time I got a metal tank instead of the regular aluminum one.... With those sort of currents, like in S. Africa, normally you just want to hug the bottom and then drift. Can't really plan to swim anywhere. Sharks just appear out of nowhere and it was amazing to hear the whales sing underwater.