Epic Underwater Housing

[Costelloe Michael]

All you bubble blowers out there, I need to call on your assistance.

I usually use my Canon 5D with an Ikelite housing to shoot underwater as it is easy to carry about, especially on flights etc. I have also used it for TV stuff with good results. I now wish to start using one of our Epics and need to get a housing for it. I have been in touch with Michael Hastings but he seems to be very busy atm and I have a job that I need to look at acquiring a housing for early 2012. So a couple of questions.

What housing / lens combination would you guys favour? I have used the 5D/Ikelite with a 17-40mm Canon and had pretty good results. This is general into water and <5m stuff mostly drama content.

Cost is an issue here so that rules out the Gates type offerings. I am based in the UK and would like to carry the housing when I travel in case I want use it on a shoot. (I am a bit of a warm water diver and use pools in the UK!) So weight is an issue as well. Can anyone give me info on the Aquavideo housing, or any they prefer, for Epic use.

I could also use the option of HDSDI out for video assist.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

MC

 

[Michael Hastings]

Hey, Michael

I just sent you an email,
Lost track of yours for a few days among the 5000 junk Christmas email flood. We have both PVC and al units on hand that just need final lens controls (we do that at the time of order so we can accommodate the various lenses) the alum needs a couple days for anodizing after controls are put in. We also have a couple slightly used demo units on hand, if you need something immediate. One of them just came back from McGillivray-Freeman's Cocos IMAX shoot and had only been used two or three times before that for our own testing.

Also, AquaVideo substantially downsized a few years ago so sometimes it is easier just to give a phone call - the back and forth to go over options is sometimes easier by phone. With that said I'll be in a meeting until about 4:30 EST.

 

[Johnny Friday]

Hi Michael,
.....you put some tough requirements out there.....like asking to go to the moon, but on a tight budget and need to sacrifice one of my rocktes. What you describe to me in shallow water is a splash bag....i've seen one or two on the bubble thread where seems you have full control of the camera via a neoprene bag. I'll bet it's far cheaper than any other housing solution....especially since you want lens control etc....

 

[Costelloe Michael]

Thanks for the replies Guys,

Appreciate it.

Johnny, definitely want an underwater housing, not splash bag, but i don't think wanting to pay less than $23,000 for a housing with HDSDI out is quite like going to the moon though, I think Michael's system probably fits the bill, but I would like to get some other user's views on this and other systems as I like to do research and understand the products i am choosing between. Usually the best way to do this is to ask the present users of the products.

So if anyone here has a view on an underwater housing for an Epic please feel free to share.

Cheers,

MC

 

[Noirot Didier]

Hi Michael,
I am using swiss underwater equipment Subspace. Their housings are very good and reliable. I got one for my Epic X with Arri 15,5 X 45 LG1. All manual controles. Brilliant!
Didier Noirot
didier@subimagery-productions.com

 

[Pawel Achtel]

G'day Michael,

We have just announced DeepX housing for RED Epic and Scarlet that uses wonderful Nikonos submersible lenses.

DeepX is also the smallest and lightest housing for the Epic/Scarlet easily meeting airline carry on luggage restrictions when set up ready to dive. It is precision engineered using complex (and expensive) machining process and materials. All controls are made of titanium.

The main advantage of the DeepX is that it is the only housing that uses underwater optics that is capable of out-resolving the RED Epic sensor in every part of the frame corner-to-corner. According to our measurements with Imatest, we believe that traditional dome or flat port and land lens combinations do not even resolve standard definition across the entire frame due to image plane curvature, chromatic aberrations and other problems introduced by underwater optical ports.

We are also the only housing manufacturer that measures, publishes and compares optical performance of our housings because we believe that optical performance is the most important feature of a housing for high-resolution cinema-grade camera.

There is currently no waiting time to own DeepX.

I'll be happy to answer any specific questions you may have.

 

[Pawel Achtel]

I could also use the option of HDSDI out for video assist.

We can provide this as at no additional cost for orders placed before the official launch at Cine Gear expo (1 June). Hope it helps. :beer:

 

[WesG]

Hi MC,

Sounds like you need exactly what we have. We have two custom housings built by Dave Kelly in NEwcastle, Australia.

The costs are very reasonable, the main challenge is that DAve builds each housing as a full custom so requires your equipment for several weeks - or equipment that's the same (maybe we can help locally).

I know he's on holidays now but his website is http://davekellyseaviewphototech.blogspot.com.au

Here's some pics of one of our rigs

cheers
wes