IMAX 3d camera and video lights for daytime wide angle

[ronscuba]

Here is an interesting behind the scenes look at the IMAX 3d underwater system.

Another interesting thing is it displays the limitations of video lighting for daytime wide angle shooting.

People are always asking about video lights. Key thing to remember about lights is their limitations. I see 4 lamps being used for the IMAX lighting. Looks like the beam penetration is around 3-5 feet and they are powered from a topside line feed ?

You can spend many thousands and thousands of dollars on lights. Or you can use a filter for daytime wide angle and an affordable light system for night and daytime macro.

[vimeo]17439927[/vimeo]

 

[hammerhead man]

Ron, someone who takes video like you.........I can see this setup in your future . BTW, keep those videos coming, I get my morning dive fix by watching them.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Wookie]

But the focal length on the IMAX 3D is 2.5 to 3.5 feet from the front lens of the housing. More lighting is not necessary. Those lights, BTW, are 220 v automotive type bulbs in the correct wavelength. They can't be plugged in while the camera is on deck, they are plugged in after they are in the water. Since the boat power is usually 208v, and the lights like 220v, some adjustment must be done to the ship's generators to make the color right.

Having the IMAX 3d on the boat is always an adventure. Maybe not for much longer though. At DEMA this year, Gates is working on a housing for, and the folks at RED are working on a camera for a 3D RED. That ought to eliminate the fixed focal length problems.

 

[ronscuba]

Thanks for the compliment Hammerhead Man. Yeah, the IMAX housing is almost as big as the typical NYC studio apt. For traveling, I could put my wife in there and check her as luggage.

Interesting about the lights they used. 220volts fed from topside generator. That's a lot of power. Point being, if that's what is needed to fill the frame 2.5-3.5 feet in front of the camera, it's not economical for us hobbyists to try to find lights for shooting daytime wide angle.

Lately, I've been watching UW videos by Rafa. Really good stuff
Rafa Herrero's videos on Vimeo

 

[drbill]

I filmed a team of divers using an IMAX housing in our local dive park a few years ago. I'd sure hate to pay the extra weight charges on one when I fly!

 

[Wookie]

When Howard Hall Productions filmed Deep Sea 3D they hired a number of boats in North America to film from. Most of those vessels were not equipped with cranes. The production company bought each charter vessel the materials that they needed to build a structure to get the camera into and out of the water safely. They bought 7 cranes. The one for the Spree was over $9,000, including modifications to the boat to tie the crane into the hull. That's still less than the cost of a 7 1/2 minute film load for the camera.

 

[Capt Scotty]

We worked with a Imax film this summer using RED cammeras. They could film for as long as the batteries lasted. The housing was over 450 pounds. This unit was so much better then the ones we worked with two years ago.