New into videography - Looking for help.

[Misa]

Hello! I`m new into videography and i want to know from where i have to start? Atm i have the camera which is Sony HDR XV 500ve and im looking forward to buy Equinox HD6 housing. My questions are:

What filter i`ll need for salt water?

Where i can read some good info for newbie camera guy?

What else i should know about this passion?

Do you have any tips you can share?

Thanks,
Misa.

 

[diversteve]

What filter i`ll need for salt water?

It depends on the water color - this may help you decide. URPRO Patented Underwater Correction Filters

[-]btw, Equinox is probably sellling URPRO filters - most mfr's do.[/-] see below...

Where i can read some good info for newbie camera guy?

There's Annie's DVD: - Annie Crawley - Underwater Photo - Underwater Video

Or a book by Hammerhead Press: Underwater Digital Video Made Easy - from Hammerhead Press

Do you have any tips you can share?

Try to keep the sun at your back when possible. Shoot a few seconds longer than you need for each clip, it will make the transitions better when editing. Shoot wide angle and get closer. I find footage more visually appealing if it's shot slightly upward with open water as the background.

 

[mobula]

There will be a learning curve over the time/ dives. So, practice is one key element to get better results. From my point of view here are some hints and tips:

1) O-Ring and preparation: not too much lubricant, take your time for inspection before closing, don't open on e. g. zodiacs, close with good light around you (little LED light is helpful). Try the cam after closing the housing.
2) Don't shoot into the blue downwards
3) A shark 20 m away is nothing but a proof
4) Try to use the manual focus, pumping focus is sometimes a bad surprise afterwards
5) Don't zoom to much, get close, use a high quality wideangle, at least 80-90° or more, fully zoomable is better
6) Balance your housing. If it is neutral or sligthly negative and doesn't flip you will get more steady shots
7) Try to think about a little story board before the dive: preparation, the jump form top and from below, other divers etc. Perspective: long shot --> semi log shot --> close. A good combi of shots doesn't need artificial transitions.
8) Red filter is good for blue water, there are others for other conditions, your housing will have a good one.
9) A lamp is good. A normal hand lamp is only usable with buoyancy devices. There are many solutions on the market. Recently, I saw a LED ring which is mounted around the port.
10) Sometimes I count from 1 to 10 during the shot to get enough footage.
11) Try to play with perspectives. E. g. You can film a diver ofer the reef or you can film a diver over the reef from beneath trough a coral or with a coral left or right in the picture.

12) Don't forget the corals and animals......don't kill them

 

[Equinox Housings]

Just wanted to clarify. We manufacture our own color correction filters.

 

[Misa]

Hey Eric,

I dont know if you remember me...but 2 months ago we`ve talked via email (misaclaudiu@yahoo.com) about Equinox housing. Finally i`ve made my mind and today i`ve placed the order. I did it all with Joe Richards from Equinox.

Thanks for all!

 

[Equinox Housings]

Joe mentioned it to me today. I know you will love it. Let us know if you need anything in the future. Take care and thank you for choosing Equinox.

 

[jcpiota]

Hey Eric,

I dont know if you remember me...but 2 months ago we`ve talked via email (misaclaudiu@yahoo.com) about Equinox housing. Finally i`ve made my mind and today i`ve placed the order. I did it all with Joe Richards from Equinox.

Thanks for all!

I started w/ equinox and have switched to light and motion stingray +. I think you will be very happy with the equinox( I don't know which one you ordered). Listen to the advise on the board. Get close and then get closer when shooting. There is a zone, say 3 to 15 feet, where you are losing color but the equinox filter is too much. It will be too pink. Editing software will be the next challenge. You are going to love shooting video!

 

[mobula]

Hi, I thought about my tips and would like to make the list a little bit longer :blinking:

There will be a learning curve over the time/ dives. So, practice is one key element to get better results. From my point of view here are some hints and tips:

1) O-Ring and preparation: not too much lubricant, take your time for inspection before closing, don't open on e. g. zodiacs, close with good light around you (little LED light is helpful). Try the cam after closing the housing.
2) Don't shoot into the blue downwards
3) A shark 20 m away is nothing but a proof
4) Try to use the manual focus, pumping focus is sometimes a bad surprise afterwards
5) Don't zoom to much, get close, use a high quality wideangle, at least 80-90° or more, fully zoomable is better
6) Balance your housing. If it is neutral or sligthly negative and doesn't flip you will get more steady shots
7) Try to think about a little story board before the dive: preparation, the jump from top and from below, other divers etc. Perspective: long shot --> semi long shot --> close. A good combination of shots doesn't need artificial transitions.
8) Red filter is good for blue water, there are others for other conditions, your housing will have a good one.
9) A lamp is good. A normal hand lamp is only usable with buoyancy devices. There are many solutions on the market. Recently, I saw a LED ring which is mounted around the port.
10) Sometimes I count from 1 to 10 during the shot to get enough footage.
11) Try to play with perspectives. E. g. You can film a diver over the reef or you can film a diver over the reef from beneath through a coral or with a coral left or right in the picture.
12) Don't forget the corals and animals......don't kill them
13) Move slowly and be quiet or simply don't move. Don't hunt sharks or other animals, try to wait for them to come to you. Other divers will also thank you.
14) Stay away from big groups, try to find a suitable buddy with patience. Sometimes good shots need time.
15) Don't go to deep. The camera "needs air". I only go as deep as it is necessary.
16) Not really necessary to mention again: your dive skills, buoancy should be very good
17) Learn to use the cam on land, try it with the housing on land and in the pool.

 

[Roger J Munns]

My golden rules for a newbie would be:

1. Get close to your subject
2. Angle slightly up and into the blue water
3. Get the sun behind you for best colour
4. Manual white balance before you take the shot
5. Resist the use of zoom - keep it on wide and zoom with your fins!
6. Use Manual focus always - auto produces hideous 'hunting' as the camera struggles to focus
7. Take shots between 15 and 30 seconds long
8. Most important! - Be aware of your surroundings, stay off the coral and check your guauges often, it's easy to get tunnel vision.