Underwater housing?

[Joe Carney]

Can anyone recommend a good underwater housing for either a stock hd100 or one equipped with the 13x lense.
Also using the IDX battery pack.

Thanks in advance

[Jonathan Ames]

No one makes one yet that I know of that's trustworthy because we've been looking. Ikelite, the most trusted name in U./W photography only has one for the H1 and 10. Your best bet, if you're in a bind, is the ewa marinf soft case but we wont trust our equipment to it, not because it's poor workmanship but because being a oft bag, its succeptible to tears. Underwater, rocks, coral and just about everything else is a threat that might not be topside, especially metal which disintegrates to reveal jagged, shap edges. If anyone hears of one, though, please post it. Aot of divers willbe indebted to you. If you're in a bind, go to ewa-marine.com/english/camcorder/e-tv171.htm for the soft bag one. Good luck.

Jonathan

[Fabrizio Sciarra]

Hi guys, i've been researching a lot during last few months; the only brand able to produce (and interested in it) is Equinox, quite a good quality, not like Gates (which offers a selection of Fathom lenses), but so far no choice.
I've been in contact with many Housing producers, basically no one so far is interested to make a housing for the hd100 because of his shape (which we all love i know:)
Keep in mind, filming with the hd 100 underwater and try to take out nice results will be a challenge even for the most experienced underwater cameraman (think about focus pulling instead of an AF). You can compare this package only with the fw900 in an Amphibico housing (talking about the hardwork around the controls). I use to film with a Sony z1 in a Gates housing, with a Fathom 120' wideangle (just creamy). It's a camera that i hate on land, but underwater it's a totally different filming techniques, and the z1 performs quite well. If you own a hd100, i suggest you to wait for the next hd1 edition, much easier to bring in the water; make shure you'll be able to white balance by the external controls of the housing, and buy a nice underwater wide angle lens, (Fathom is simply the best choice); in that way you'll own a perfect kit to work with in an hdv progressive enviroment.
Any suggestion you'll need just let me know. Hope this will helps.

Fabrizio Sciarra
dp-u/wcameraman
www.hdunderwaterfilming.com
dp@hdunderwaterfilming.com

[Joe Carney]

Thanks for the answers. Do they know you can remove the mic and viewfinder(eyepiece) to slim it down, since you can't use them underwater?

[Fabrizio Sciarra]

Of course, but the shape of the top handle seems to be a trouble and who knows what else. Anyway the final size of the housing will be defenetely full size.

Fabrizio Sciarra
Dop/underwater cameraman
www.hdunderwaterfilming.com
dp@hdunderwaterfilming.com