HD Video with Canon S95

[bugeye]

Hi All,

I picked up a Canon S95 recently along with Canon WP-DC38. These are going pretty cheap at the moment (I guess with the S100 coming out). I've been using it primarlity for taking HD Videos. I put together a movie of a trip to Komodo we've just returned from at ACD dive Komodo - an underwater journey - YouTube

None of the shots have been colour corected on computer. I adjusted the White Balance manually using a white slate at any major change in depth / lighting which seemed to work really well.

The only areas I feel could be improved are:
- Re-focus while recording a movie would be a really nice feature
- The underwater housing is way too buoyant (I will add some weight before my next trip!)
- It would be nice if you could program the ring function for videos in the same way you can for photos

Now it's time to get myself a strobe! Is anyone using this same combination with a strobe? What is your experience? How well does the strobe work for movies?

 

[HollywoodiversImaging]

Hi Bugeye:

it's always good to see people enjoying their new camera systems.

You mention a strobe for movies. Strobes are designed to flash for split second intervals when the camera's internal flash fires while taking still images. If you are looking for lighting while shooting HD Video on your S95, you would want to look at a continuous light, such as the Ikelite Pro V8 Video Light, or the Light and Motion Sola 600/1200 lights. Those would be good places to start. Let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[DiveExplorer]

Thank you for the pointers Hollywood, I´m also proud owner of S95.

 

[chinacat46]

On a side note don't buy the Sola 600 as they are replacing it with the Sola 800. It's cheaper and more powerful too.

 

[dirtfarmer]

I just got back from a trip to Palau using my new S-95 rig for both still and video. I'm impressed with it. Yeah re-focus with the video would be nice.
I also used my new Inon Le-550w video light and was pretty impressed for the output from such a small light. It's dosn't put out as much lite as the sola 800 put it was really close to the sola 600 one of my buddies was using.The sola beam was a bit wider but not as bright ( and I don't know if he had a full charge on it). For strobe I'm using the S-2000 which I've had for a while. I prefer the color spectrum of Inons strobes/lights to Ikelites, it's warmer.
Once you start adding trays and arms and such you might actually want more buoyancy so skip the case weight.
Have fun I did! Can't wait for the next trip!

 

[DiveExplorer]

Great info dirtfarmer, what tray and arm do you use with your setup ?

 

[dirtfarmer]

I use the Inon D-4 tray and arm. The Video lite can attach under the strobe.With that mount you could actually use two of the Inon lights. I also have ball joints set up on it to move the strobe over center, for more balanced light on my macro shots.
It's the first time I used the ball joints and like the balanced light since I'm still just using one strobe. And for wide angle it's able to be a bit father away from the camera, reducing the backscatter.( by the way I'm not the owner of Inon just like the stuff of theirs I have). I'm still using the wireless mirrors for the strobe but will probably go with the velcro-on cable, as sometimes when I move my strobe I forget to reposition the mirror.
I've seen some flex arm setups that look nice too.

 

[j1rubin]

great video bugeye - thanks for sharing

 

[bugeye]

Thanks everyone ... looks like it's a new video light for me. I'm off to Raja Ampat for Christmas so will need to do some research into the best one. It would be great to find a pretty low cost option - I guess it should also pretty much replace a dive torch.

 

[diver 85]

Bugeye, here are some of my S95 videos I have uploaded---click below link(all but the last one--on page 2--are shot with the S95).....I'm using one Inon 550W lite right now, soon will add a 2nd one for (hopefully) better videos......

Vimeo, Video Sharing For You