UW video camcorder/housing life cycle ?

[ronscuba]

Come on Robin. You did do Palau. But you are right. Good quality video can be shot anywhere.

 

[lemon]

Hello Lemon. How long have you had your current system ? How many dives or how many years of use would you consider you got your $$ worth out of if ?

The used market is confusing. 80% of original value is too much, but there are many good used systems with "old" technology out there.

For example, my Sony FX7. Sony discontinued it, then brought it back at a lower price. It records to tape and many call it old technology. I have not seen UW footage from any of the new "current" technology camcorders in the under $3k range that is substantially better and makes me want to upgrade.

Camcorder technology seems to make major leeps every 5 yrs or so and many tiny improvements in between. SD to HDV was a big leep. I don't think the next big thing has arrived yet. If I had to guess though, I can see interchangleble lenses for video coming. It's already creating a big buzz with the DSLR cameras being used for video topside.

Hey Ron,

As an aside, I was just re-watching some of your galapagos videos in anticipation of my trip that i'm leaving for in 2 days. I love that shot of the whale shark barreling straight at you! Man, that is awesome! Great stuff.

I've had my current system - Gates Housing with Sony HC9 about a year. I originally bought it with the Fathom WP25 port but got a sweet deal on a used SWP25 port on EBAY a couple months back, so I upgraded that. I do not use lights. I've since done over 100 dives with it in Thailand, Burma, Cozumel, Belize, Fiji, Cocos, and am leaving for Galapagos (with it in tow) late friday night.

I originally bought the rig from Joe Holley of Marinevisions and am very happy with the service and support i've received from him since.

This has been a great video setup and i've really enjoyed diving with it. It has also been a great setup for learning the basics of video. I feel like i'm definitely at a point now where I would like a higher performance camera though. The HC9 is a great little camera, but as a single chip consumer HD camera, it definitely has its limitations. One of my bigger complaints is low-light performance since I love filming the big stuff and I also don't use lights.

The camera malfunctioned on me back in June in Fiji when the cassette tray mechanism died and had to be sent back for repair. At that time Sony told me the repair would cost about $300 - a lot considering the camera itself if about 800-900 dollars new. I briefly considered upgrading at that time, but looked at the market and decided instead to repair it, save, and wait. While there are much better cameras out there now, I think there will be a big leap within the next 1-2 years both in terms of performance and price.

The new Video DSLR 5dMk2 has insanely good low-light capabilities. I suspect the next gen Video DSLR will be a big step forward over this model and iron out some of the video issues. We see some of this in the 7d, but personally its the full frame low-light capabilities and high iso shooting that really interest me. So there's a lot of promise there at Canon.

And then there is the Scarlet coming from RED. I'm planning to buy the Scarlet fixed. This camera will shoot RAW video at 3k resolution with up to 150 FPS for ultra smooth slow-mo. If it indeed comes at the projected 3750 price point this will be a huge jump in video technology! I suspect it will outperform much more expensive cameras such as the EX1. Release dates are being announced in October (fingers crossed for soon!)

Sooo... to answer your question, I feel like i've got my moneys worth already from my video rig. even though i've only had it for 1 year its been all over the world and i've had a lot of fun with it and even caught some decent images for a beginner. However, As mentioned, i'm ready for the "next level" with this hobby but for all the above-mentioned reasons i'm waiting to buy my next rig sometime in the next year or so.

 

[lemon]

Come on Robin. You did do Palau. But you are right. Good quality video can be shot anywhere.

I still watch Robins palau vids from time to time! Love those reef shark shots!!

Agreed on the lens. I love the SWP25 port. Plus the option to do full zoom through macro on the HC9 is fun. Love those barnacle blennies.

 

[robint]

I still watch Robins palau vids from time to time! Love those reef shark shots!!

Agreed on the lens. I love the SWP25 port. Plus the option to do full zoom through macro on the HC9 is fun. Love those barnacle blennies.

thanks you guys! The Palau trip was a trip of a lifetime for us. I was so totally overwhelmed at times with the shark or manta action that I turned off the camcorder so I could just watch and take it all in. Looking back now I know I could have done so much more, but at times it is better to just BE a diver, not videographer! I also wished I had a better camcorder as many times my old SD wouldn't focus on the sharks or mantas, it was busy searching. Most of my footage was unusable!

I really believe Palau is one of the best VIDEO destinations in the world: big stuff and little stuff, shallow and deep, color and huge schools of every fish you can imagine, it has it all and all at a high adrenaline rush speed. Any of you video divers who haven't been there, what are you waiting for?????

Funny how people react to it, too. We had a group of 5 experienced wreck divers on our liveaboard who came up from a dive the first day and said "you know, I think that was the best dive of my life!" and then a day later said "I think I have to take that back, THAT dive was the best of my life!" Then we had a true, blue Caribbean diver (20 yrs of nothing but Bahamas and Bonaire) who didn't like Palau, it was too deep, too much current, too many sharks....too scary and stressful for him!

robin

 

[drbill]

The obsolescence factor is one reason I went with Backscatter's Top Dawg housing with the LANC connector controls for Sony and other camcorders that had a LANC port. I've had six camcorders in that housing, all Sony, up to and including the HC-7 I use now. Bought it in 2001 and plan to use it until I rob our local bank a few more times to buy a better high def camcorder and housing... maybe one of the used ones that Mike has!

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

hahahah Ok Dr Bill...or better yet just do a hold up on me next time I come over! JK

 

[lemon]

hahahah Ok Dr Bill...or better yet just do a hold up on me next time I come over! JK

You laugh! ....but that RED is mighty tempting... :comeandgetsome:

 

[diversteve]

I'm on my 2nd rig - about to upgrade at least the camera. My first one was a Poly housing with assorted 8MM/HI8 cameras that I used for 2 years. I'm now still shooting an HC1 in an EVO housing I bought from Mike 3-1/2 years ago. I'm currently wanting to get out of tape and into something with longer storage time.

I'm toying with the idea of upgrading to an XR-500 now and maybe a BlueFin, I would like to be able to MWB - not always since I ike to shoot more than fuss with controls - but there have been times it would have been useful.

My other option is sell my rig and go with a 3-chip but I don't know what. Both the EX1 and the RED are out of my league technically (RED is also financially...lol) so I'm waiting for a 3Chip Sony Prosumer camera with HDD or SSD storage built-in.

 

[ronscuba]

Hello Steve. I'm not so sure the XR-500 offers a big enough visual upgrade over the HC1. I'm sure a affordable non tape 3 chip will be out within a year.

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Ah the affordable 3 chip. Havent we all been waiting for that since HD came out really?? Something along the lines of a HD version of the TRV900/950 would be awesome!!

Steve, getting away from tape is definitely a nice move. However as Ron pointed out, image quality itself has not changed too much...however the low light capabilit on the latest XR500 series is definitely noticeably better than the HC1 in my opinion. I guess it really depends on what you are looking for all around. Personally, the EX1 is not comparable to anything Ive seen or used before, its just an amazing camera. Everytime I shoot it, I am more amazed at it. I just got back from Guadalupe and I cannot believe what it produced in the late afternoon dives, when I thought there was too little light for a decent image...and I shot it all at 0DB!!!

Red is great, but its overkill to say the least for anything but production work.