Fish Rock Cave

Jonathan Shaw · June 13th, 2010, 07:51 PM

If any of you are interested this was all A1 footage in a GATES housing with SWP44 port, this is an amazing spot around 4.5 hrs north of Sydney. Fish Rock Cave is located close to the continental shelf and right at the point where tropical and temperate waters meet. There is generally a pretty strong current that makes holding the cam steady tricky... but the current is what bring the fish!

ginclearfilm - South West Rocks

Jonathan Shaw · June 14th, 2010, 02:47 AM

Here it is embedded

Sverker Hahn · June 14th, 2010, 10:27 AM

Great fish life and footage, indeed!

Is it possible to fix the camera on the bottom and take a long footage? That is how I create my LentoVision video, all of them above the surface. It would be great to have those wonderful scenes and beautiful fish in a clip for several minutes.

How long are your clips, by the way, before you edit? (I am almost allergic to 2 second clips).

Bill Thesken · June 14th, 2010, 12:32 PM

Wow... that footage is some of the best I've ever seen. What a dive spot! That SWP44 lens is incredible.

Jonathan Shaw · June 14th, 2010, 03:52 PM

Thanks Bill and Sverker, yes the SWP44 is a great piece of glass.

Sverker, most of the clips are between 10-30 secs (original) the client (South West Rocks Dive Centre) wanted it to be short and punchy and make people wanting more, hence book and dive.

I could fix the cam to the bottom as I have a tripod for the camera.... in fact that is a pretty cool idea and it would be interesting to see whether the sharks behave any differently! I will do that next time I'm up there.

Jon

Alan Melville · June 17th, 2010, 06:16 AM

Jon,

Very special, really like some of the post work, love the water clarity. Another place that has to go on my list..... :)

Al

PS Congrats for the Wetpixel / Sensational Seas win.

Jonathan Shaw · June 21st, 2010, 02:51 AM

Thank Alan, yep definitely worth a visit.

Simon Denny · June 21st, 2010, 03:25 AM

Cool images Jonathan.

What sort of light levels are you getting when diving? Are you using gain or stopping the lens down.
Also what are your focus techniques for diving with camera.

Have always wanted to shoot and dive.

Thanks

Jonathan Shaw · June 21st, 2010, 04:57 PM

Hi Simon,

Regarding light most of the shark shots are at around 30m and the visibility was around the 20m mark, I shoot with twin 40w HID lights but really they will only light about a metre and a half in front. Have the gain set on 0 and will shoot wide so it gives me the option to open the iris wide if needed.
Regarding focus underwater I always shoot manual which is actually pretty easy due to the fact that underwater you focus on a 'virtual' image due to refraction, for WA stuff I pretty much leave the came on 0.4m and everything from about a metre to infinity is in focus. Macro stuff you will need to change it though.

Thanks for the compliment,

Jon

Dale Guthormsen · June 24th, 2010, 04:34 PM

Jon,

some brillant footage to be certain!!

While I understand that this is a promo and the client wanted short undifinitive clips to draw interest, it would be awesome for you to put together your own video that would allow us to enjoy everything better!! It is what I call attention deficite video.

the manta Rays, ?? I definitely wanted to see more of!! along with a lot of other fish!!

dale

Jonathan Shaw · June 24th, 2010, 08:17 PM

Thanks Dale, point definitely taken. I am working on it as we speak, I have already released a DVD on diving around Sydney and wanted the next one to be on Northern NSW and a reasonable part of the film will be shot in this area. Fish Rock should take up around around 15 mins of the DVD so there will be heaps. Also it will show the area throughout the seasons so you can see the change.

Cheers

Jon

June 13th, 2010, 07:51 PM	#1
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Fish Rock Cave - South West Rocks If any of you are interested this was all A1 footage in a GATES housing with SWP44 port, this is an amazing spot around 4.5 hrs north of Sydney. Fish Rock Cave is located close to the continental shelf and right at the point where tropical and temperate waters meet. There is generally a pretty strong current that makes holding the cam steady tricky... but the current is what bring the fish! ginclearfilm - South West Rocks __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

June 14th, 2010, 02:47 AM	#2
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Here it is embedded Fish Rock Cave- South West Rocks on Vimeo __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

June 14th, 2010, 03:52 PM	#5
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Thanks Bill and Sverker, yes the SWP44 is a great piece of glass. Sverker, most of the clips are between 10-30 secs (original) the client (South West Rocks Dive Centre) wanted it to be short and punchy and make people wanting more, hence book and dive. I could fix the cam to the bottom as I have a tripod for the camera.... in fact that is a pretty cool idea and it would be interesting to see whether the sharks behave any differently! I will do that next time I'm up there. Jon __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

June 17th, 2010, 06:16 AM	#6
Alan Melville Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: No Fixed Address :) Western Australia Posts: 275	Jon, Very special, really like some of the post work, love the water clarity. Another place that has to go on my list..... :) Al PS Congrats for the Wetpixel / Sensational Seas win. Last edited by Alan Melville; June 17th, 2010 at 06:20 AM. Reason: Added info

June 21st, 2010, 02:51 AM	#7
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Thank Alan, yep definitely worth a visit. __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

June 14th, 2010, 10:27 AM	#3
Sverker Hahn Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 157	Great fish life and footage, indeed! Is it possible to fix the camera on the bottom and take a long footage? That is how I create my LentoVision video, all of them above the surface. It would be great to have those wonderful scenes and beautiful fish in a clip for several minutes. How long are your clips, by the way, before you edit? (I am almost allergic to 2 second clips).

June 14th, 2010, 12:32 PM	#4
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Wow... that footage is some of the best I've ever seen. What a dive spot! That SWP44 lens is incredible.

June 21st, 2010, 03:25 AM	#8
Simon Denny Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,409	Cool images Jonathan. What sort of light levels are you getting when diving? Are you using gain or stopping the lens down. Also what are your focus techniques for diving with camera. Have always wanted to shoot and dive. Thanks Last edited by Simon Denny; June 21st, 2010 at 04:08 PM.

June 21st, 2010, 04:57 PM	#9
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Hi Simon, Regarding light most of the shark shots are at around 30m and the visibility was around the 20m mark, I shoot with twin 40w HID lights but really they will only light about a metre and a half in front. Have the gain set on 0 and will shoot wide so it gives me the option to open the iris wide if needed. Regarding focus underwater I always shoot manual which is actually pretty easy due to the fact that underwater you focus on a 'virtual' image due to refraction, for WA stuff I pretty much leave the came on 0.4m and everything from about a metre to infinity is in focus. Macro stuff you will need to change it though. Thanks for the compliment, Jon __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

June 24th, 2010, 04:34 PM	#10
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Jon, some brillant footage to be certain!! While I understand that this is a promo and the client wanted short undifinitive clips to draw interest, it would be awesome for you to put together your own video that would allow us to enjoy everything better!! It is what I call attention deficite video. the manta Rays, ?? I definitely wanted to see more of!! along with a lot of other fish!! dale __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

June 24th, 2010, 08:17 PM	#11
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Thanks Dale, point definitely taken. I am working on it as we speak, I have already released a DVD on diving around Sydney and wanted the next one to be on Northern NSW and a reasonable part of the film will be shot in this area. Fish Rock should take up around around 15 mins of the DVD so there will be heaps. Also it will show the area throughout the seasons so you can see the change. Cheers Jon __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm