Importance of manual white balance?
07/03/2010
Hi!
I'm on my way to order a underwater housing for my Sony SR-11. I'm really confused about if I want a manual or electric housing. Have looked at Ikelite and Light and Motions Stingray HD so far.
How important would you say it is to access the manual white balance?
It would be quite annoying to spend all that money and then regret the housing...
Really would appreciate any tips or recommendations...
Regards
Blue Fin HD housing Buoyancy
07/03/2010
I have recently purchased a Bluefin HC7 Housing Fitted with LED Sunray Lights. The advertising for the Bluefin quoted the assembly as being just negatively buoyant. However on first use I discovered the unit is particularly negatively buoyant and found myself very much resembling a SMB.
By rearranging and adding weights on my BCD I managed to regain my ‘poise’ but this isn’t ideal and I need to sort matters out before my next excursion.
Can anyone advise where I can obtain a float system for this camera? The only things I have come across on the web are Buoyant light links and lens floats but I will need more lift than these would offer and the links don’t look as if they are designed to fit into the Sunray arms
Someone suggested some plastic plumbing tubing with those push on “O-ring caps but I don’t really wish to look like I am carrying a pipe bomb through customs
Any recommendations would be very welcome?
Martin
greenish color on monitor
05/03/2010
dear members i have modified 2 ikelite housings to accomodate internal and external monitors,,but i am facing the following problem,,after 20 meters the monitor screen turns to green,,i dont see anymore the red the blue the yellow,,i know about loosing the colors at depth,,but this is a monitor !!!! is it because i am not shading the monitor enough???any ideas from previous experiences please???
Good entry level camera
03/03/2010
Gday guys. Have been spearfishing for a fair few years now and want to get into the video area. Im just looking for a good entry level HD camera with a cheap housing to match. Have had a look at a JVC GZMG630. Seems very cheap on ebay for only around $450, and also looking at the sony xr100 & 200.
What are some decent cheapish ones?? And am i looking around the right area at the cameras or are they cheap and nasty??
Cheers Ryan
M43 cameras vs. dSLR for video in low-light conditions?
01/03/2010
Hi!
Great forum!
Im going to buy a system for both UW-photo and video, maximum 2000 - 2500 $ for camera and uw-house.
I will use it in low light conditions.
Do anyone here know the video capabilities of m43 cameras in dark, low light conditions? Does the AF at f.ex. the Panansonic GF1 (which I hear is very good) catch up, or is it simply better to use manual AF like you do with dSLRs, or simply shut the AF off?
I am asking cause I realy consider to buy either m43 or dSLR system,for camera and housing, but I must admit I am not sure wether Its better to just buy a dSLR for the same price (NIKON D500, Canon 550, Pentax K.X (lacking house though..))
My primary consern is shooting video with m43 in the dark, cold waters og Norway. Should I rather buy a dSLR??
I am new to UW-photo/video, so Id be very glad for any advice!
All best.
Even
Nikon-mount Compromise Lens: Macro vs. WA
28/02/2010
Hi,
Have been using P&S;like the Canon G9/Ike housing for a number of years. I dive here in the murky waters of No. California. I have avoided moving to dSLR because the "gospel" is you have to choose -- macro or WA before a dive. I often run into great nudibranchs, but in the same dive a harbor seal or sea lion. But I need to reduce shutter lag!
Can anyone recommend a nikon-mount lens that would give good results on something like a D90 or D300 where I could still capture both WA and macro. I realize that it won't be true macro or true WA like having a specific setup. But I have rarely been on a dive where just one of the other would serve. Probably be getting an Ikelite housing since I have Ike strobes.
Thanks!
Service for Canon WP-DC8? Who services the o-rings & buttons?
26/02/2010
I've gotten years of use f/ my Powershot A630 and WP-DC8 case, but it's finally starting to leak a little. I just bought a new (primary) o-ring (not installed yet) and a spare, but while searching the 'net I saw Matt Gieselman's excellent article on (self) servicing the button o-rings. Inspecting my own housing, I found that the shutter button is a bit sticky, and slightly noisy as well (sand particle?). Of course, this particular button is an off-set lever with a well concealed e-clip, nearly impossible to see, much less un-clip.
Canon doesn't service their own housings (Buyer beware!) - they'll just pressure test them.
Precision Camera doesn't service them either.
Any other suggestions on where I can get this unit serviced in the US?
TIA
Ricoh housing!!
21/02/2010
Anyone have idea that i can buy housing for my Ricoh GX200??
I have asked Sea & Sea but they only sale in kit...
Please help!!!
Panasonic GH1
17/02/2010
Nice forum! Finally getting around to make my first post here. Been a lurker for a while, although I have spoken a little with Christian over at Vimeo. He has been kind enough to add some of our videos to the pretty Digideep channel.
There seems to be a lot of buzz surrounding the new Panasonic GH1:
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prModelDetail?storeId=11301&catalogId=13251&itemId=332733&modelNo=Content030
[b]What do you reckon?[/b] Will this be next best thing to bring underwater since the invention of the aqualung? :-)
I´ve been reading quite alot about the camera lately and for me the key selling points are:
1. Price. Weighing in at "only" 1600 euro. That´s with the monster 14–140 mm. I haven´t checked how much the 7–14 mm will cost (which is what I need).
2. 4/3" sensor. Hopefully that means the camera will work well in low-light environments.
3. The ability to shoot 720p. See 1.
4. Shallow depth of field, interchangeable lenses and the ability to control exposure,
all while shooting video.
5. Full auto focus while shooting video with both the 14-140 and 7-14.
Unfortnately there doesn´t seem to be any housings in the pipeline. Has anyone here heard anything else?
Canon G11 v waterproof+housing - features or camera safety?
10/02/2010
Hi,
Looking for a first underwater camera. I'm a DSLR user on land, but I'm planning on a compact for diving. It's been suggested to me that one of the waterproof cameras (e.g. Olympus Toughs) inside a housing is a good idea, the idea being that if the housing leaks the camera will still have some protection. There's also the benefit of being able to grab the camera on its own for occasionally snorkelling/splashing about, without needing the housing. *But* the waterproof cameras all seem to be fairly limited in terms of manual control, don't offer RAW, aren't especially wide-angle, and image quality seems to be only so-so (going by e.g. the underwater cameras review on DPReview).
The alternative would be to get one of the higher-end P&S;cameras, and the Canon G11 seems like a good option here - manual control, RAW, not too fidgety. I'm struggling to balance these features and general IQ against the extra waterproofing of the Olympus Toughs and the like - no use having a fancy camera if it's full of salt water.
So here's my question: especially when dealing with compact cameras, how big is the benefit in having RAW, having total manual control, and having slightly better image quality (which would still be way below DSLRs). Is the benefit big enough to make it worth spending the extra money and taking the greater risk of camera destruction?
And subquestion: assuming I'm sensible with the housing and treat it well, how likely is it that it will flood? This is like asking how long a piece of string is, I know... but I'd love to get a sense of whether buying, say, the Canon housing is just asking for trouble.
Thanks in advance.
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