My first video ever, Spiegel Grove. Sony SR12, Ikelite housing

[bottomfeeder22]

I just bought an SR12 and an Equinox housing - how did you set the WB underwater?

Not familiar with the equinox, but if you can access your touchscreen, you hit the bottom right button from the main(filming) screen, then go to tab 3 on the bottom, then select "white balance" , then "one push". Point at something white, then hit the button right underneath the "one push" button - looks sort of like the macro "flower" icon. Voila!

 

[Scotttyd]

I just bought an SR12 and an Equinox housing - how did you set the WB underwater?

It is an add on to the basic equinox housing, I believe I was quoted by the guy at Equinox as it costing $150 more. That is one of the reasons I am leaning towards towards the ikelite

 

[TheBigPhillyFish]

So bottomfeeder22, how do you like the SR-12?

And the basics video is good, if its the steve miller one. I haven't seen Annie Crawleys video yet, but it seems like it has more in it, its also 40.00 too. He will show you the 4 fundemental shots needed for underwater video, and how to tell your story with the camera, and some other stuff.

Good video, you will see improvements the more you use it.

 

[bfisher]

Thanks and keep it coming, criticism's the only way I'll get better! I did have a red filter, set the MWB at the deck, but perhaps was set too shallow compared to the rest of the dive (60ish feet). How much of a depth change do you need before you adjust MWB again? Every 15 feet? 20 Feet? Later in the trip, I was on a gentle slanting reef that went from 15 to 65 feet, and I messed around changing the WB at different depth changes (every 15 feet, every 20 feet, etc.) to try and get a feel for it.

I do realize that I was going too fast, that will just come with more experience. When I'm underwater filming, it feels like I'm moving sooooo slow that I'll bore the audience. Now I know that I'll have to move ridiculously slow u/w and firm up my shakiness.

I was using Sony Vegas Platinum 9.0, and didn't do any color adjustment - still learning that program.

I also ordered the basics of u/w videography, hopefully it gets here before I go offshore.

I have to agree with Robint Although this is your first video it is almost unviewable IMO because of all the fast panning and moving around. I like your comment about feeling like you were moving too slow. Quite the contrary. Here's how I look at it. If you need fins you're going too fast. That's my general rule.

When you pan do it slowly unless you are on a particular subject like a shark or manta ray or something that is moving. Then just follow it. Otherwise just mostly point your camera straight ahead and slowly swim around. It's a learning curve, but generally the less you move the camcorder the better. Some other things are learning bouyancy skills---big time. This gets to be a real challenge when you're dealing with currents and/or surge.

Red filter is an absolute must in anything more than 20' and very clear water. I don't white balance underwater as my housing doesn't have provisions for it. I do it while editing and the results have been very good. Colors are vibrant and I have very little green/blue when subjects are close.

Did I menetion close? If you want color you have to be close and/or have very powerful lights. I don't own lights. I get close. Clarity of the water plays a big role when you get deeper.

I'm a relatively new guy at video of any sort. I've only done four videos underwater and non topside. I have some clips of my third video on YOUTUBE entitled Bonaire Sample Clips (by Barryguyfisher). If you'd care to look at it for comaprison feel welcome. It's only 10 minutes from a 45 minute video. The raw footage was almost 4 hours and shot with a Sony HC7 and Seatool housing. No video lights. Other than using AWB in my editor there was very little color correction done.

 

[bottomfeeder22]

So bottomfeeder22, how do you like the SR-12?

And the basics video is good, if its the steve miller one. I haven't seen Annie Crawleys video yet, but it seems like it has more in it, its also 40.00 too. He will show you the 4 fundemental shots needed for underwater video, and how to tell your story with the camera, and some other stuff.

Good video, you will see improvements the more you use it.

I love the SR12, but it's my first camcorder ever, so nothing to compare it to. It's pretty user friendly, the menus aren't all that complicated (though I am an admitted tech geek), it's small, and the LCD screen is nice as long as it's not in direct sunlight. It does get greasy and is a fingerprint magnet, just accept the fact that that's how it is.

I did have one issue with the touchscreen in the Ike housing. On the Spiegel Grove, I couldn't get the touchscreen to work once I'd set my white balance - I had to make that entire video you saw with menus all over my viewfinder. I think the pressure may have messed it up a bit, as I could feel a vacuum on my wands as I pulled them out. Maybe next time I'll crack the case open at depth to relieve the pressure. I had no issues with the screen on the remaining (shallow) dives.

As far as topside footage goes, it shines as well - more than one person commented that the scenes "look better than real life", an absurd statement, but you'd understand if you saw it - colors and sharpness are really insane. I'm sure that pros can tell the difference between this and a $5000 camera, but the other 99.9% of us can't and will be perfectly happy with this cam.

Also topside, the microphone can record in 5.1 surround - there are different sections of the microphone that supposedly will give you the surround feel when played back, but I haven't put it on a good surround system yet.

All in all, I'd buy again in a heartbeat. For my $$, it gives me a spectacular picture on my TV to share with my buddies after diving all day, the exact reason I bought it.

 

[bottomfeeder22]

I have to agree with Robint Although this is your first video it is almost unviewable IMO because of all the fast panning and moving around. I like your comment about feeling like you were moving too slow. Quite the contrary. Here's how I look at it. If you need fins you're going too fast. That's my general rule.

When you pan do it slowly unless you are on a particular subject like a shark or manta ray or something that is moving. Then just follow it. Otherwise just mostly point your camera straight ahead and slowly swim around. It's a learning curve, but generally the less you move the camcorder the better. Some other things are learning bouyancy skills---big time. This gets to be a real challenge when you're dealing with currents and/or surge.

Red filter is an absolute must in anything more than 20' and very clear water. I don't white balance underwater as my housing doesn't have provisions for it. I do it while editing and the results have been very good. Colors are vibrant and I have very little green/blue when subjects are close.

Did I menetion close? If you want color you have to be close and/or have very powerful lights. I don't own lights. I get close. Clarity of the water plays a big role when you get deeper.

I'm a relatively new guy at video of any sort. I've only done four videos underwater and non topside. I have some clips of my third video on YOUTUBE entitled Bonaire Sample Clips (by Barryguyfisher). If you'd care to look at it for comaprison feel welcome. It's only 10 minutes from a 45 minute video. The raw footage was almost 4 hours and shot with a Sony HC7 and Seatool housing. No video lights. Other than using AWB in my editor there was very little color correction done.

Thanks for the criticism! I noticed that my normally good buoyancy was marginal at best once I got a camera in front of my face! Of course, the same happened when I first started spearing as well - as time went on, my buoyancy skills got better.

I did have a red filter on, but should have MWB'd again as I got deeper, or fixed it in post, as you do. Still a newb to Sony Vegas as well so I'll have to learn how to mess with it.

 

[bfisher]

Thanks for the criticism! I noticed that my normally good buoyancy was marginal at best once I got a camera in front of my face! Of course, the same happened when I first started spearing as well - as time went on, my buoyancy skills got better.

I did have a red filter on, but should have MWB'd again as I got deeper, or fixed it in post, as you do. Still a newb to Sony Vegas as well so I'll have to learn how to mess with it.

No doubt your bouyancy will get better as time goes on. I know mine did. It's not easy trying to control breathing, bouyancy, and watching a monitor all at the same time. That's why I mentioned the thing about fins (going slow). I wanted to say and forgot to that one of the other things I've found is that to help control the camcorder movement you have to concentrate a lot on the monitor; again learning to multitask.

And for what it's worth I have tried four different editing programs in the last year and I just can't figure Sony Vegas out. It's just too much for my pea-sized brain. You'll get better as time goes by, but you can do a lot of corrections in editing. Like when you really like a scene, but there's a little too much shaking you can always slow it down.

This is a good thread we have going here and I'll be checking back. Always lots of good advice from others, too, although I don't understand some of the terminology at times. BIG BIG learning curve.

 

[bottomfeeder22]

No doubt your bouyancy will get better as time goes on. I know mine did. It's not easy trying to control breathing, bouyancy, and watching a monitor all at the same time. That's why I mentioned the thing about fins (going slow). I wanted to say and forgot to that one of the other things I've found is that to help control the camcorder movement you have to concentrate a lot on the monitor; again learning to multitask.

And for what it's worth I have tried four different editing programs in the last year and I just can't figure Sony Vegas out. It's just too much for my pea-sized brain. You'll get better as time goes by, but you can do a lot of corrections in editing. Like when you really like a scene, but there's a little too much shaking you can always slow it down.

This is a good thread we have going here and I'll be checking back. Always lots of good advice from others, too, although I don't understand some of the terminology at times. BIG BIG learning curve.

Have you tried the "show me hows" on the Vegas software and looked on youtube? There's a wealth of knowledge in those 2 places. Maybe it's just because my career/background is in IT/tech , but I'm finding it really easy to pick up. I'm no expert, but feel free to PM with any questions and I'll help where I can.