New here - Opinions needed

[Maleko]

Hello,

I'm new here and would like to start off by asking for everyone's opinion about video equipment.

I just bought a Sony HDR-UX20 HD camera and an Ikelite 6038.39 housing. I have never used a video setup on a dive. Is this a good setup for playback on a Blu-ray player and an HD TV? What settings on the camera would be best? Is artificial lighting absolutely necessary ... and if so, which one would be best? I plan on using this setup to video surfing as well as diving. This is the reason I went with such a small rig.

I have a 10 day trip to Hawaii (Kauai/Oahu) planned for October 17th and would hate to record less than desirable footage.

ANY info. on the above subjects as well as other more detailed info would be really appreciated by my wife and I.

Thanks

Mark

 

[Blowin' Bubbles]

I'll admit, I'm no video guru, but here's what I know...

According to one of my frequent dive buddies who uses underwater video cameras often, the set-up you will be using should work out just fine for you. He uses a similar one, and likes it.

Also, before you go, you definitely need to dive with it and experiment for yourself with all the different settings and filters.

A light system is not necessary if you are diving in clear water, unless you are going fairly deep.

Good luck, and have fun in Hawaii!

Hello,

I'm new here and would like to start off by asking for everyone's opinion about video equipment.

I just bought a Sony HDR-UX20 HD camera and an Ikelite 6038.39 housing. I have never used a video setup on a dive. Is this a good setup for playback on a Blu-ray player and an HD TV? What settings on the camera would be best? Is artificial lighting absolutely necessary ... and if so, which one would be best? I plan on using this setup to video surfing as well as diving. This is the reason I went with such a small rig.

I have a 10 day trip to Hawaii (Kauai/Oahu) planned for October 17th and would hate to record less than desirable footage.

ANY info. on the above subjects as well as other more detailed info would be really appreciated by my wife and I.

Thanks

Mark

 

[diversteve]

I just bought a Sony HDR-UX20 HD camera and an Ikelite 6038.39 housing. I have never used a video setup on a dive.

Be really really thorough when inspecting the o-ring and closing the housing. Since you have a poly housing, you might find that it fogs less if you keep it in the rinse bucket when not diving. Assuming the bucket is in the shade. Watch it when you drop it in the bucket till the bubbles stop (hopefully soon..). Most housings are designed to seal better at depth under compression, so a likely place for one to leak is in the bucket. Don't jump with your housing either, ask the crew to hand it down.

Is this a good setup for playback on a Blu-ray player and an HD TV?

Yes but afaik your camera records in AVCHD format to standard mini-DVD's. Your Blu-ray player will upconvert them during playback.

If you just want to playback in HD, just plug the HDMI cable from your camera into the HDTV's HDMI input. It's actually the best image as it's the least messed with.

What settings on the camera would be best?

Since you don't have a manual white balance control, leave it on auto. In Hawaii install the red filter on the port below 15' or so in the daylight. Watch your LCD screen at depth, below about 80' in some areas you may see the light fall-off, if that happens remove the filter and remove the blue later during editing.

For a new shooter, just leaving the camera on full auto will mostly likely work well. You'll be too busy trying to frame while staying off the reef to worry about much else. Maybe switch from auto to manual focus for some shots as needed if you're getting a lot of "booming" - where the autofocus locks on particles in the water or tries to focus on blue water as you pan across - instead of what you're shooting. In Hawaii it's less of an issue.

For surf shots you'll want to remove the red filter otherwise it will yellow everything. I'd recommend also not opening/closing the housing on the beach, one sand particle on the o-ring will ruin your whole day.

Is artificial lighting absolutely necessary ... and if so, which one would be best?

I've never used lights and I shoot in clear tropical water only. Lights would be good at night obviously. And in the lava tubes. I didn't have my camera in Kauai but I can compare the area to others I've shot in. The sensors in our cameras are nearly identical (2.1/2.3MP) so I have a good sense of what yours can do.

 

[Maleko]

Thanks! ... thats the kind of info I was hoping for! You da man!

Is fogging a big issue in tropical waters? Would you reccomend using the miniDVD disk or shoot with the built in hard drive?

Do you have any links to some of your videos? ... I'd like to see just how good it films without lights.

Thanks again, sjspeck

Be really really thorough when inspecting the o-ring and closing the housing. Since you have a poly housing, you might find that it fogs less if you keep it in the rinse bucket when not diving. Assuming the bucket is in the shade. Watch it when you drop it in the bucket till the bubbles stop (hopefully soon..). Most housings are designed to seal better at depth under compression, so a likely place for one to leak is in the bucket. Don't jump with your housing either, ask the crew to hand it down.

Yes but afaik your camera records in AVCHD format to standard mini-DVD's. Your Blu-ray player will upconvert them during playback.

If you just want to playback in HD, just plug the HDMI cable from your camera into the HDTV's HDMI input. It's actually the best image as it's the least messed with.

Since you don't have a manual white balance control, leave it on auto. In Hawaii install the red filter on the port below 15' or so in the daylight. Watch your LCD screen at depth, below about 80' in some areas you may see the light fall-off, if that happens remove the filter and remove the blue later during editing.

For a new shooter, just leaving the camera on full auto will mostly likely work well. You'll be too busy trying to frame while staying off the reef to worry about much else. Maybe switch from auto to manual focus for some shots as needed if you're getting a lot of "booming" - where the autofocus locks on particles in the water or tries to focus on blue water as you pan across - instead of what you're shooting. In Hawaii it's less of an issue.

For surf shots you'll want to remove the red filter otherwise it will yellow everything. I'd recommend also not opening/closing the housing on the beach, one sand particle on the o-ring will ruin your whole day.

I've never used lights and I shoot in clear tropical water only. Lights would be good at night obviously. And in the lava tubes. I didn't have my camera in Kauai but I can compare the area to others I've shot in. The sensors in our cameras are nearly identical (2.1/2.3MP) so I have a good sense of what yours can do.

 

[diversteve]

Is fogging a big issue in tropical waters?

It wasn't for me when I had a poly housing. Only happened once in a week of diving - I loaded the camera in the A/C inside a condo and walked 50' to the dive dock in 90' temps. Fogged totally as soon as it hit the water...lol.

Would you reccomend using the miniDVD disk or shoot with the built in hard drive?

I can't say as I've never used a miniDVD camera. btw, it's 8GB flash memory - not a hard drive. I don't know what the storage capacity of a MiniDVD HD disk is but I'd shoot to the larger format. Personally I wouldn't shoot in anything less than HD HQ mode either, but I'll always sacrifice record time for quality.

Shoot stills to the Memory Stick Duo media - if your housing lets you change media options underwater.

Do you have any links to some of your videos? ... I'd like to see just how good it films without lights.

No, I don't post my stuff online. Try hdvundersea.com. Want to see how good it can be with lights? Watch the HDV Indo clip at the bottom of this page. Most of the clips will play smoother if you d/l them first.

 

[robint]

yeah, everything Steve said. keep it simple...

I have an Ikelite housing and have never had a fogging isssue.....BUT I always take a white towel to cover the housing when it sits on the boat. I only use the rinse tank for a few minutes then I take it out and wipe off the front port with a chamois, put it under the towel.

Never ever open housing on beach, only do it on boat if you are completely dried off and you have a clean dry spot to do it. I have done it a few times but I always have someone there to help me...... I refuse to have the F word happen due to stupidity.

another thing you should do is put the camcorder in the housing and walk around inside and outside your house and shoot. Practice until you don't have to look at the buttons to remember what they do........ when you are underwater and the perfect scenario happens, you need to react without hesitation.

hope this helps!

robin

 

[ronscuba]

..... Want to see how good it can be with lights? Watch the HDV Indo clip at the bottom of this page. Most of the clips will play smoother if you d/l them first.

Great video by Chuck Nicklin. Yes, this is how good it can be with lights.... in the hands of a real pro, shot in a top dive destination. I'm sure the editor was pretty experienced as well and I bet this is the result from hours and hours and hours of footage.

If I sound jealous....well, I am

But seriously, we are all in search of that magic piece of equipment. Chuck's video shows what can be done with consumer level equipment and it's an inspiration to all us amateurs because it's a reachable goal.

 

[C8X]

I think it should be obvious, but take the empty housing on a test dive to a similar depth you plan to be diving. It's kind of crazy not to.

 

[Maleko]

Thanks for the info. everyone .....
One last question (for now)....
Is the Ikelite W-20 Wide-Angle Lens worth spending the money?? I expect crickets to be chirping on that one.

 

[ronscuba]

I hear that lens works well with SD camcorders, but not so great with HD cams because of the increased HD resolution. Ikelite is working with Fathom to get a high quality W/A lens for HD purposes. You cam is new, so you might have to wait a little, but Ikelite usually releases things pretty fast.

Wide angle is great for wrecks, reef scenery and fish schools. Everything else, I prefer to use my flat port. Even with larger animals, I usually can't get close enough to need my W/A. Exceptions were the manta ray night dive and shark feed dives.