heading to Cozumel on Saturday!

[robint]

I'll be staying at Scuba Club Cozumel again, but this time I'll have my new HD rig.
This will be my first warm water trip with it. (took it to Calif last Sept)

I am planning to shoot video every dive, boat dives, shore dives, and night dives. I got a light rig (Ikelite 100w to go with my Ikelite housing) and I am debating how much I will use it. I did use the lights on one night dive in Roatan and also one deep, dark dive in Calif. All my past videos I used the red filter and I am very pleased with the results. I know I will like doing night dives with it, but I am not sure how much I want to use it on daytime boat dives (drift diving isn't very compatible with macro/close-ups of fish).

I am planning several videos: one just night diving, one just the shore diving there at SCC, one general boat diving highlights, and one topside. If anything else special arises...

So with water so clear, do most of you guys take in your light rig every dive? Or do you just use the red filter/white balance your daytime shots? Should I take it and just not turn it on unless under overhangs, etc.?

bags are packed... just gotta get out the batteries and charge them up Friday. Wheels up at 6am on Saturday.

robin
Canon HG-21 HD camcorder, Ikelite housing, Ikelite 100w light

 

[NAIBdiver1]

Have fun in Cozumel !

I have double Ikelike ProVideo lights and I normally take them on all dives day and night. Sometimes that lobster or drum fish is in that way too shady hiding place or the anemone is a bit too deep to get true color.

One of the best night dive that I enjoy in Cozumel is right behind SC and Dive Paradise. Shallow and lots of animals. Best octopus shots ever

NAIBDiver1

 

[robint]

thanks.... yeah, I am thinking I might hook up the light and take it the first day on the boat, see how much I really use it, then assess from there. I know lots of the deeper reefs have overhangs that still have tons of color, it would be good to get footage of that.

I am really hoping we get to do an afternoon boat dive to the C-53 wreck. That might make a cool video all on its own.

robin

 

[SeaHound]

All the best Robint! Have fun...

Looking forward to a trip report.

 

[robint]

thanks, we are both really anxious to get back in the water. It has been a long year with lots of ups and downs!!! We both really, really, really need to get our diving fix.

I am making a list of things to shoot, different fish, different setups, trying a few new techniques, etc.

Also, I got a Seagate 500gb portable hard drive to take with us this year, to download a copy of the day's video. We'll also have our mini-laptop along for e-mail and to check in and say hi.

Cross your fingers for sunny weather!

robin

 

[ronscuba]

Have a great time. Look forward to seeing your video.

 

[willkiml]

I always take my lights. In Cozumel, you can shoot with the red filter much of the time (make sure to white balance with the red filter on) but sometimes there are splendid toadfish or lobsters or morays in holes- take off the red filter, turn on the light, white balance, and you're ready for the shot.

My recent Coz video can be seen at vimeo_dot_com/10541685.

I hope you took your lights and hope that your dives are excellent!

 

[robint]

here in Coz now, diving has been terrific, much better than our trip last year! I have done some boat dives with the light and without and find that the light rig itself is more of a hinderance with the current (too much drag) and I am just not using it that often. So I think tomorrow I go back to strictly the red filter and use the lights for night dive.

Got some pretty good footage, I think. Can't wait to edit. We are halfway through our trip, more dives to come!

robin

 

[MikeMeagher]

Hope you are having fun! Cant wait to see some videos.
Tis "funny" my wife and I "almost" booked the same week to go to SCC.. but just couldnt arrange a sitter for our kids. Otherwise we'd might have been making a night dive with you about now.

BTW, when I was in the caymans a year ago or so.. when really shallow in bright sunlight I shot with a red filder and set the WB to a white slate. That worked well. When deeper had the lights on always... adding color to the shot, and often without a red filter. It pays off under ledges, in crevices, etc..

 

[robint]

well, we are back.......... Boo Hoo!
Best trip, fantastic people and diving.... Mike, I wish you had come, we would have had a blast! Great group of divers on our boat all week, we hung out and had meals together, it made the diving that much better for us. The reefs look 100% better than a year ago and fishlife was great. Can't wait to start editing!! I think I got the best video footage of my life. We'll see!

robin