Splash/Water Housing for Epic-M

[vincent kardasik]

I'd really like to have a water housing to shoot surfing from the water with my Epic-M.
Is anybody working on a project like that?

 

[Johnny Friday]

I recall ASL (air sea land) having a red one splash bag...and would seem they might come out with an epic as well....I'd google "air sea land cameras"

the splash bag they have is called the t-bag.

 

[Vince Doran]

you cant shoot surf with a splash proof housing......trust me....DO NOT attempt it, you will come out of the surf crying like I have after blowing proper cam housings to pieces especially when it gets over 10ft at the BOX Margeret River WA

 

[Michael Hastings]

Vincent:

The PVC version of our epic housing is pretty lightweight and suitable for both surf and diving. Diving requires an 11 pound weight to make it neutral.

 

[Vince Doran]

Michael:
would be keen to test your housing out, what ports do you use?
my biggest fear these days is from a shark stealing my cam from my hands rather then copping a big wave on the head, had a few big Tigers take an interest in my cam gear before

 

[Johnny Friday]

Just pushem off then...no?

 

[Vince Doran]

yeah...Tiger sharks are actually cool customers, like to scare you with their size but I reckon they are harmless, no doubt they can fuck you up if needed but they are pretty mellow critters

 

[vincent kardasik]

I recall ASL (air sea land) having a red one splash bag...and would seem they might come out with an epic as well....I'd google "air sea land cameras"

the splash bag they have is called the t-bag.

Johnny, splash bags are not ideal to shoot surfing, you need something solid in your hand to be able to duck dive the wave but thanks for the info.

Vincent:

The PVC version of our epic housing is pretty lightweight and suitable for both surf and diving. Diving requires an 11 pound weight to make it neutral.

Michael, I'm really interested in your housing, usually I shoot with SPL gear, they make alu housing, how is PVC? Is it solid enough?
I'd like to have detail on your housing, let me know if it's better to PM you.
Thanks.

 

[Vince Doran]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWGKzyOzfC4
A Tiger in my backyard trying to eat a 4ft Bronze Whaler shark

 

[Johnny Friday]

Yes, something in their natural environment. I've never experienced a bad tigershark incident.....plenty of aggressive ones....where one came to bite me as i was caught off guard, but after giving full attention to it and pushing it back or holding up a hand towards its eyes....no problems....taking your housing away should be a stretch IMO.

ps...the video link is bad or no video.

 

[Vince Doran]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWGKzy0zfC4
shot yrs ago on bad sd cam....thats what 17ft of Tiger shark looks like
have a 303 smokey but never fired it, saving my shot in case a Great White fella turns up........dont want to shoot him/her either, but, just in case we have an argument underwater that i cant win and we cant swim our seperate ways.....ka..fuck'n boooom

Edit: White Pointers are a protected species in Australian waters and penalties apply, possesion of a "smoky" is illegal unless you are licenced to own and have a bolistics approved weopon in your possession.....or you just make "throwaway" smokies out of aluminium pipe and a dab of silicone and go shoot em up

 

[Michael Hastings]

Johnny, splash bags are not ideal to shoot surfing, you need something solid in your hand to be able to duck dive the wave but thanks for the info.



Michael, I'm really interested in your housing, usually I shoot with SPL gear, they make alu housing, how is PVC? Is it solid enough?
I'd like to have detail on your housing, let me know if it's better to PM you.
Thanks.

Vincent: we also make aluminum, but it is eleven pounds heavier.

PVC is quite tough. Depending on which version (normal or extra light), it is 3/8" or 1/2" thick. The PVC body itself (i.e. the waterproof part) is almost indestructible, but you can snap off the welded on attachments if you hit it hard enough, so for instance if you are mounting to a jib, crane, helicopter or such we recommend you band on a mounting plate with stainless steel bands all the way around it - where on an aluminum version you could just bolt directly to one of the attachment points and it would probably hold fine. We have made thousands of PVC housings over the past 30 years, many much larger than R1 or Epic and to my knowledge no one has ever cracked one of the bodies in actual use, maybe half a dozen in transit accidents (usually really poor packing).


Aluminum is fine, it is just more expensive to work with so all the costs/prices go up, and there is also more maintenance with clamps, screws and such where there can be corrosion. I have both aluminum and PVC housings on hand for Epic, but my biggest preference for PVC is the lighter weight which makes it very easy to balance and make neutrally bouyant. As these pro cams got smaller - and particularly now with the Epic - if you make an aluminum housing to fit, it is usually neutral or slightly negative even before you attach underwater lights, glass domes, etc. This is why you often see klugey buoyancy tubes and such on the Light and motion, Gates, Amphibico, etc. aluminum housings for Z1s and such and probably will on R1 and Epic housings. (This wasn't a problem in the old Betacam days where even the aluminum housings were so big they needed added weight.)

With PVC, since for example the lightweight epic housing needs 11 pounds to be neutral, it is very easy to use a smaller weight and position it forward or back to compensate for almost any combination of glass ports, lampheads/batteries, external monitors, etc. It also obviously gives you the option of traveling lighter and even shooting lighter for surfing or other abovewater work where you don't need to be neutral.

 

[vincent kardasik]

Vincent: we also make aluminum, but it is eleven pounds heavier.

PVC is quite tough. Depending on which version (normal or extra light), it is 3/8" or 1/2" thick. The PVC body itself (i.e. the waterproof part) is almost indestructible, but you can snap off the welded on attachments if you hit it hard enough, so for instance if you are mounting to a jib, crane, helicopter or such we recommend you band on a mounting plate with stainless steel bands all the way around it - where on an aluminum version you could just bolt directly to one of the attachment points and it would probably hold fine. We have made thousands of PVC housings over the past 30 years, many much larger than R1 or Epic and to my knowledge no one has ever cracked one of the bodies in actual use, maybe half a dozen in transit accidents (usually really poor packing).


Aluminum is fine, it is just more expensive to work with so all the costs/prices go up, and there is also more maintenance with clamps, screws and such where there can be corrosion. I have both aluminum and PVC housings on hand for Epic, but my biggest preference for PVC is the lighter weight which makes it very easy to balance and make neutrally bouyant. As these pro cams got smaller - and particularly now with the Epic - if you make an aluminum housing to fit, it is usually neutral or slightly negative even before you attach underwater lights, glass domes, etc. This is why you often see klugey buoyancy tubes and such on the Light and motion, Gates, Amphibico, etc. aluminum housings for Z1s and such and probably will on R1 and Epic housings. (This wasn't a problem in the old Betacam days where even the aluminum housings were so big they needed added weight.)

With PVC, since for example the lightweight epic housing needs 11 pounds to be neutral, it is very easy to use a smaller weight and position it forward or back to compensate for almost any combination of glass ports, lampheads/batteries, external monitors, etc. It also obviously gives you the option of traveling lighter and even shooting lighter for surfing or other abovewater work where you don't need to be neutral.

Ok Michael, thanks for all these infos.
I will get back to you via PM a bit later today or tomorrow.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Yes, something in their natural environment. I've never experienced a bad tigershark incident.....plenty of aggressive ones....where one came to bite me as i was caught off guard, but after giving full attention to it and pushing it back or holding up a hand towards its eyes....no problems....taking your housing away should be a stretch IMO.

Had something similar with a big Silvertip once, safety diver watching my six caught it before frenzy mode was fully engaged. Once the shark knew, that you knew, that he was there, fast food not available without a fight, no problem.

Nice critters, really, just have to mind yer manners when they're hungry.

 

[vincent kardasik]

Vincent: we also make aluminum, but it is eleven pounds heavier.

PVC is quite tough. Depending on which version (normal or extra light), it is 3/8" or 1/2" thick. The PVC body itself (i.e. the waterproof part) is almost indestructible, but you can snap off the welded on attachments if you hit it hard enough, so for instance if you are mounting to a jib, crane, helicopter or such we recommend you band on a mounting plate with stainless steel bands all the way around it - where on an aluminum version you could just bolt directly to one of the attachment points and it would probably hold fine. We have made thousands of PVC housings over the past 30 years, many much larger than R1 or Epic and to my knowledge no one has ever cracked one of the bodies in actual use, maybe half a dozen in transit accidents (usually really poor packing).


Aluminum is fine, it is just more expensive to work with so all the costs/prices go up, and there is also more maintenance with clamps, screws and such where there can be corrosion. I have both aluminum and PVC housings on hand for Epic, but my biggest preference for PVC is the lighter weight which makes it very easy to balance and make neutrally bouyant. As these pro cams got smaller - and particularly now with the Epic - if you make an aluminum housing to fit, it is usually neutral or slightly negative even before you attach underwater lights, glass domes, etc. This is why you often see klugey buoyancy tubes and such on the Light and motion, Gates, Amphibico, etc. aluminum housings for Z1s and such and probably will on R1 and Epic housings. (This wasn't a problem in the old Betacam days where even the aluminum housings were so big they needed added weight.)

With PVC, since for example the lightweight epic housing needs 11 pounds to be neutral, it is very easy to use a smaller weight and position it forward or back to compensate for almost any combination of glass ports, lampheads/batteries, external monitors, etc. It also obviously gives you the option of traveling lighter and even shooting lighter for surfing or other abovewater work where you don't need to be neutral.

Hi Michael, really interested in your housing, I've just sent you a private message with some more questions... maybe too many.
Cheers.