New Gear 2010

This is an update to an earlier 2008 post about my previous SD equipment setup.

Stepping up to HD

So finally I took the step up to HD video equipment with the Sony PMW EX1, Gates EX1 housing with 2 x 250W Green Force Squid HID lighting rig. Oh yeah, and I just had to go for the Fathom SWP44C Super Wide Port to top it off.

Having spent two years picking up some basic skills with the Panasonic AG-DVX100 and Equinox housing, it wasn’t until I got in the water with the new EX1 rig that I realised just how little about underwater videography I really knew… but also just what can be achieved when you step up the scale with your equipment.

The entire setup set me back around $23,000 which is well-below market value as I managed to get a great deal on some mint-condition used equipment from a great guy called Joe Holley (@ Marine Visions). For me that’s a great deal of cash but then again, now I have the type of rig that documentary professionals use when their main equipment fails…

Key Advantages

• Larger format with greater detail (obviously!) – larger market for selling online clips
• Better all-round vision with external HD monitor – beats squinting one-eyed through the housing
• Fantastic manual control positioning and operation – those Gates engineers are incredible
• Up to 60 frames-per-second for slower playback speed (only available with 720 HD format) – for that NatGeo look, well almost
• Record directly to SxS solid-state memory cards – no tape capturing needed!
• Far better low-light sensitivity reducing video noise and giving sharper footage
• Zoom through capability from 120 degree wide angle to full zoom with Fathom SWP44C port
• A LOT! of light with the Green Force 250 HIDs

And that’s just a small sample of the main benefits I’ve found so far – given the EX1’s capability for firmware and software upgrades, the menu feature options just keep expanding with every update.

The down-sides

• Damn its heavy! about 35lbs (16Kg) in total – try freediving with that and not get the jitters before you jump in
• Extra baggage costs – one-way long-haul extra is generally around $400 extra – almost worth flying business class for the extra baggage allowance, almost…
• Limited recording time on expensive SxS cards – about 2hr of footage on $1000 32GB card
• No focus depth bar indicator on external housing monitor – or at least I’m still trying to work it out (let me know if you have!)
• Customs… I’m now starting to attract the attention of customs officers at destination airports…

Footage samples

So far I’ve only an opportunity to get the equipment wet once during a trip to Turks & Caicos. You can see some low-res sample clips here:

www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=11856910
www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=11874918
www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=11886834
www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=11905586
www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=11908754
www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=11957744

Actually to be truthful, I did get the gear in the water during a trip to South Africa for the Sardine run (you can read more about that disaster here: The Truth about the Sardine Run) but only manage to get some semi-decent dry-land nature shoots:

www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&lightboxID=6760126
www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&lightboxID=6760107

Future gear thoughts

I’m pretty sure that what I’ve got now is going to keep me busy and satisfied for the next few years but if I was to be keeping an eye on developments for the future for my next kit upgrade, I’d be watching these two:

Red Epic: if Gates decide to do a housing for it that is

Canon EOS 5D Mk11: with Full HD video capabilities I think that digital still cameras are going to start getting interesting for underwater video work. It opens an interesting possibility of being able to do video and still with the same kit – if they can work out how to integrate flash strobe and video lighting in one unit. Certainly the lower weight and size looks attractive compared to schlepping my existing gear round the planet…