New video recomendations

[MSPDiver]

I am thinking about getting into video. I like the newer HD video cameras that use hard drives and SDHC cards. Can anybody recommend one of these cameras, housing and lights. I have a very limited budget and would like to get a basic setup. Also what editing software is good. I like to make short slide shows to music. I have been using my p/s camera in movie mode. :blinking:

 

[BDSC]

The Canon HF S10 is suppose to be the cream of the crop of the new camcorders. There is a thread on here that talks about them. The big time professional guys on here have great things to say about it. The cost is around $1100 on sale.

Several housings are coming out for it but I'll defer to the more experienced guys for opinions on that. I do know Light and Motion is coming out with one and their products (I think) are great quality, but it won't be cheap. Probably over $4000 for that. And the price of lights can be all over the place.

But as in most things and I think video equipment is included in this, "You get what you pay for".

Maybe some other folks will be able to answer with more details than me.

 

[ronscuba]

The Canon S10 is a great camcorder topside.

Although the small HD camcorders have held their own against the larger camcorders (FX7, FX1) topside, most of the UW footage I've seen is a good, but not great unless it's closeups with lights. Not sure if it's the camcorder, lack of manual controls on the housings or both.

It will be very interesting to see the Canon S10/100 underwater with the L&M and Gates housings.

I don't think a beginner needs to spend $4k+ on their 1st system. But I guess it depends on what they are expecting their videos to look like and how much money they have to spend.

 

[robint]

I am thinking about getting into video. I like the newer HD video cameras that use hard drives and SDHC cards. Can anybody recommend one of these cameras, housing and lights. I have a very limited budget and would like to get a basic setup. Also what editing software is good. I like to make short slide shows to music. I have been using my p/s camera in movie mode. :blinking:

How limited is the budget? Canon has some nice ones out right now, like the Canon HG21 which I just bought a few weeks ago for around $900. It has 120mb of HDD and also uses SDHC cards if you want. There are housings out for it already. I will be getting soon the Ikelite housing which is a basic mechanical housing, nothing fancy, but very reliable and inexpensive ($900 or 1100 depending on features you get). So total cost will be around $2000 for HD camcorder and housing.

What type of water are you going to be diving in? (that determines if you really need lights or not). The Ikelite housing mentioned above, along wiht most other housings, come with a Red filter to be used when shooting in most water conditions. It adds the red back in so video isn't so blue. So you don't really need lights if you are diving in clear water with sufficient light. Lights are best for closeup work and night diving. Since you are just starting out, you may want to wait on the lights until you get used to the camcorder rig, editing, and such.

Software - for around $100-150 you can get great HD compatable programs like Pinnacle v.12 Ultimate or Vegas. Big factor is your computer - you need a fast computer with lots and lots of memory as the programs and files are huge. Be sure you can run the software on your computer, or upgrade the home computer now before you start.

robin

 

[MSPDiver]

I need to stay under $2000 for sure. I don;t need the superduper system. Most of my use will be learning how to dive with the setup in local quarries and using it on vacations in Florida and so on. Do the ikelite housings allow you to see the montior?

 

[diversteve]

Lights start around $700 for a single lighthead (Ikelite, Ocean Images, others) to well over $4K (Niterider, Greenforce). So it's going to be tough to do camera/housing/lights for $2K. B&H has the Sony CX12 in an Equinox HD6 housing for $1529 but you'll have to add the $365 monitor back as there's no viewfinder on a CX12. I've seen a lot of new Equinox housings - being sold by Equinox afaik - on eBay for $895. Not sure if that's a better deal than a bundle though - I haven't street-priced cameras lately.

Another option is the TopDawg with monitor back for $1549. Although adding the camera will push you over $2K, it's relatively future-proof as it's an electronic housing with a universal camera tray.

Ikelite/Equinox is model specific as they mount the mechanical controls for the specific camera or similar cameras in the same series. Good option for Canon cameras as they don't have any way to be controlled electronically. I like the specs on some of the new Canon models.

Ocean Images sells their HC-series housing for $1349/1549 with manual white balance controls. It fits some of the SR - series and I'm guessing some of the new Sony's also, they just haven't updated their website since 2008. It has the advantage of opening the LCD flat which allows you to use their manual controls on the touch screen.

Some of the Ikelite housings allow you to open the monitor inside the housing. I don't think any of them allow you to open it 90'. Others use an outside add-on mirror but only the Sony models include reversing circuitry so panning is correct. A nice feature on a lot of them is a manual white balance control that touches the LCD screen - I believe it's included in the price.

All of these options I've mentioned are going to be good housings usable in the 200' depth range since. To go deeper would require a metal housing like the Gates, L&M Stingray or Amphibico - all exceed your $2K budget.

In Sunny South Florida you probably won't need lights initially. I shoot all over the Caribbean and never have. Obviously not at night. Two times I've wished I had lights, one a severerly overcast day and the other was some sharks about 20' under a coral head on kind of an average day. We used two divelights but the results weren't very good. I don't shoot a lot of macro though.

 

[robint]

I need to stay under $2000 for sure. I don;t need the superduper system. Most of my use will be learning how to dive with the setup in local quarries and using it on vacations in Florida and so on. Do the ikelite housings allow you to see the montior?

It all depends on the particular camcorder.

Here is the one I am getting for my HG21.
Ikelite Housing for Canon Digital Video Cameras
some of the Ikelite housings have the screen open inside the housing for Canon camcorders, like this one. Others do not, so be sure about the housing before you buy the camcorder.
the Sony camcorders have a LANC plug-in so they have a mirror on the exterior of the housing and the image is shown in that mirror, reversed back correctly (because of that plug-in). They are the only ones with the capability of image reversal.

See all the Ikelite housings here:
Ikelite Video Index

as others have mentioned, there are other housing manufacturers out there, some inexpensive and some Very expensive. Personally, I have no need for an expensive system and I have used Ikelite for several years.

a good place to check out underwater video housings, prices, styles, etc, is B&H Photo.
Underwater Video Housings | B&H Photo Video

robin

 

[sharksdelight]

When you decide what you want get a price and contact me. I can always get gear for less.
Steve Douglas

 

[mobula]

To my opinion the lowlight abilities are important. At the moment I would buy the 520 from Sony and maybe use a universal housing which can be used with raynox wideangle lenses. Digideep.com gives an overview.

 

[robint]

just got back this week from my first trip out with my new Canon HG21... topside only, camping/hiking trip to Arches NP in Utah. I am very impressed with the results so far. Granted, I havaen't taeke it under water, but from what I am seeing topside, I am going to be very, very, verty happy with it. I am going to upgrade my home computer though so I won't be posted videos quite yet... the computer I have is barely able to run the software so we have decided to go for a new, more powerful system. More $$... oh well, it is the price of shooting HD video!!!

robin