Water B-cam for EX1

[Charles Dasher]

I am looking to get a small cam and surf housing to use as a b cam for EX1 shore footage. The Sony SR11 is one option but the lack of manual controls and AVCHD format make me wonder if mixing footage with XDCAM will work out on 720/30p timeline in FCP. There are a couple of new Canons coming out in September that shoot AVCHD with Canons 30fps format.

I have a Sony A1u and a dive housing but it gets heavy above the surface and while shooting from wave runners.

Anyone mixing small HDV or AVCHD cams with EX-1 footage who has any feedback I greatly appreciate it.

Dasher

[Buba Kastorski]

for SD/web delivery with a little post work, in Vegas you can mix with decent result not only AVCHD and MXF, but anything you want, I've tried it with HC3, HF10 and even TG1 with proper lighting is usable, in September HF11 should be out, might be a good candidate if you want to go tapeless, but if you don't mind tape, I'd go HC9;
not sure though how's AVCHD on MAC

[Charles Dasher]

My Sony A1U met a watery demise this morning on a shoot in Turkey. So now I really need a new compact HD(HDV, AVCHD) camera to shoot b-cam footage from a splash housing. Any info is appreciated.

[Paul Cronin]

Charles sorry to hear you lost the cam on a shoot. We have discussed that I use a SR12 and now with 6 months on the cam I would suggest you check out what Canon is now offering. The SR12 is ok but really lacks a few manual controls that I miss while shooting and yes it is only 1 k.

AVCHD is not a problem on the Mac in FCS. Also I have mixed the SR12 and EX1 on one job with success but the footage was only DVD quality. At full size in HD well not really a good idea. So now the camera sits a lot and I would be happy to improve this option.

What happen to the options to have the local guy in FL build you a housing for the EX1?

[Ray Bell]

Canon HV30 in the Ikelight housing...

[Paul Cronin]

Ray is there footage that we can see where you cut the HV30 with the EX1? That camera is high on my list.

[Ray Bell]

There is footage on Vimeo for underwater work using the HV20 and HV30...

Here's an example.. Red Sea Scuba Diving Project with the HV30 on Vimeo

Not mine but a good example....

[Ray Bell]

Here's a video with EX1 and HV20 mixed.... you might ask him if there were any issues
with the mix....

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/ex-series...s-extreme.html

[Zachary Fink]

I have two SR12 cameras that I've been using in underwater housings, and I've been pleased with the footage, though more manual control over gain would be welcome.

It's all going on HQ 24p timelines with my EX1 footage, but being run through an amazing Teranax machine to do the conversion with hardware. I'm going to be selling one of my Sony housings in a few weeks, though I'm keeping both Sonys...

[Paul Cronin]

Thank you Ray.

[Ted OMalley]

Does anyone know of a Sony option? I have a Sony housing (SPK-HCB made by Sony) for shallow dives (5m) that I'd like to begin using. It connects to the camera via the half-moon shaped A/V out connector (strange!?) and I've actually had it at 10m in Jamaica and it performed flawlessly, but that was with a cheap, SD, miniDV handycam and I'd like to upgrade.

The specs on which cameras work with it are all outdated because it is a retired product, but it seems that a camera with this connector, up to 4" tall, and up to 6.5" long should work.

I'd like to stay away from minDV - I'm done with tapes! So, either a hard drive or flash-based format. Any suggestions?