Tips for shooting video in Cocos

[WhatAnIdea]

Hello,

I'm interested in hearing the advice and lessons learned from other divers shooting video in Cocos Island. What has worked best for you? When you look at the footage you captured what looks best and what were the conditions, settings, etc? I have watched a number of YouTube videos shot in Cocos and it looks like a challenging environment due to depths and vis.

I will be diving Cocos in October and shooting a Sony XR550 in a L&M Pro housing with Fathom90 lens and two FIX DX1000 lights.

Any advice at all is appreciated.

Thanks,
Lou

 

[mjh]

No expert but have been to Cocos twice. Of course you need to learn to manually white balance your camera this is mainly natural light shooting. In addition you may want to learn how to set your camera to Infinity Focus, this will make sure anything 10ft or more away is in focus. Cocos can be a low light, low viz destination on occasion. Infinity can help in getting the big school shots. Your lights will work for the occasional close pass and the white tip night dive, a must do. But they are not much use for the majority of the Hammerhead shooting.

Otherwise get ready to break every rule of diving you have learned, reverse profiles, holding your breath (hammerheads don't like your bubbles) get away from your fellow divers, etc.....

This was shoot with a Gates Housing, Fathoms Port and Sony HC7, there is a 20min version at our site: Aquablue Dreams in the Multimedia section, the Video section never worked, lol

https://vimeo.com/1052376

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Alex Lemon shot an incredible video three years ago.
[vimeo]6265455[/vimeo]