The Gentleman's Underwater Bubble Blower Thread

[Zeb B]

Thanks Guys! I'm waiting on the new Nauticam RED housing before taking the plunge. The Canon 1Dc 8 bit codec doesn't cut it underwater that's fursur

 

[Michael Hastings]

Josh: I missed the last couple days, so I'll just answer a couple of your questions that are relevant to your initial post and your expressed interest in the nauticam.


6. Lens choice - I shot with the newer Canon 16-35 and the 8-15 with good results on the 1Dc
7. Can a Arri 8R be used underwater?

Our original RedOne housing port system was designed specifically to handle the Red 18-50 (most common lens at that point), the Canon 10-22 (since we anticipated a lot of people using the Birger mount, and the Arri 8R since (It was and is considered to be the finest ultrawide cine lens available. This required a specific camera setback (the distance from the front of the housing to the lens mount) and a porthole size large enough to accommodate the 8R. The very first RED underwater shooter - Ken Corben - (with Gibby's serial number 8) purchased the 8R and used it quite a bit.

We use essentially the same ports and setback on our Epic housing (which is why at 16 inches it is a couple inches longer than some housings) but we added an additional closer setback point so you can also use the really short fisheyes and superwide SLR lens like the tokina 10-17 or the sigma 14mm. Since we have mounting holes every 12.5mm on the mountplate, you can have any setback you want but the two standards line up with the power/trigger control. Consequently, it is relatively easy to make virtually any lens work.

IIRC the Nauticam was designed specifically for SLR lenses and most cinema lenses would not fit.

 

[Michael Maes]

I'm waiting on the new Nauticam RED housing before taking the plunge.

Hi Josh,
I hope your wait won't be too extended because the NA-ROSSA should have been released last summer.
Apart from a "Cameo" on DEMA there isn't much public information about it.
It's true about the lens restriction. You won't be able to use the PL mount.

 

[Frazier Nivens]

Nauticam EPIC housing

Nauticam EPIC housing

Nauticam Housing..we used one of these on a recent shoot. Housing allowed for full control of all functions, DSLR ports and Macro ports all work on this housing. For camera control it used the side handle and it had a very unique piece that fit the side handle and pushed every control on the handle, you can set it up for a rear batt module and Redvolts I think a RED Brick also. Housing was balanced nicely with sliding weights not he bottom.

It was pretty compact size wise and fit in a normal Pelican case easily. It does need some kind of carry handle badly, you can use the bottom rails but needs something there. You can mount monitor on the top window or rear.

 

[Michael Maes]

I think it's compact-ness is one of the biggest advantages of the Nauticam.
Also not having to use the REDMOTE, which in my case has a substantial delay sometimes, is an advantage.
And being a "first-hour" Nauticam fan also helps ;-)
But I must admit that I am very happy with my Gates and their service is second to none!
Ultimately I wonder how the ROSSA will compare to the Rouge...

 

[Frazier Nivens]

Glad there's a choice in housings for everyone.

Glad there's a choice in housings for everyone.

I've had the opportunity to see most of the housings, I personally shoot Michael Hastings Aquavideo housing, all manual controls, it has never failed to give me great imaging, Its what I use and it's always been tried and true. The Gates and it's bulletproof quality is fantastic, you can't go wrong there. John stands behind what he sells. The Rouge was nicely finished and gave great imaging, and the Nauticam was equally well finished and one particular shot taken with the housing among others just was very beautiful and sharp. No PL mount lenses with the Nauticam. Imaging that I've seen from Pawel's Deep X housing looks beautiful also, I think his compact size and weight is a great thing in addition to his sharp imaging he gets using the Nik 15mm lenses.

Off the Bimini filming next week. Guess I'll miss you Tom, I get in the evening before and staying on South Bimini. Don't know if I'll get over to the Bull sharks or have time for that.

Now back to work.

 

[Zeb B]

Thanks again for all the info! I have have extensive photos of the upcoming Nauticam housing but cannot not post - NDA and all. I like their Side Handle centered design. I have never fallen in love with my REDmote - it's friendzone at best.

 

[Greg F]

It was pretty compact size wise and fit in a normal Pelican case easily

They are all compact by comparison to a _fill in the blank_

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Frazier, if we find any sites more productive than others, I'll send you a message you can pass on to Stuart, make sure to check your email before leaving port.

And don't forget a case of Kalik Gold for your wife :yesnod:

 

[Frazier Nivens]

Frazier, if we find any sites more productive than others, I'll send you a message you can pass on to Stuart, make sure to check your email before leaving port.

And don't forget a case of Kalik Gold for your wife :yesnod:

Have a good time there Tom, by the way the cage is installed at the Big Game Club already and the Bulls were on it as soon as the cage was in the water. Nice ladder installed and a beautiful 1/2 Plexiglass viewing area in the cage. You can slide it out and have cage open for filming. Sharks are too big to get inside. Tide changes the vis but it can be super clear. Currents not a problem in the cage. Excellent hookah set ups with quick disconnect regs in the cage. Really nicely set up and air in pumped continually into holding tank built into the cage.

Won't forget Kalik, no worries. If I come home without it trouble.

 

[Ryan Canon]

Some notes from the field on Nauticam's Digital Cinema System:

There are housings in the field being used by professional image makers, and they are funneling information back on a daily basis. The housing's final feature set has still not been set, but should be by the end of February. Release has been deliberately slow, and the refinement of the product will show it.

-The housing uses Nauticam's standard port system, supporting dozens of lenses with several dome port optics. This allows someone to use an Epic as a main camera, and 1D X or 5D Mark III as a second camera and share accessories, greatly reducing travel load. Supporting PL Lenses becomes more tricky, but the housing can be trimmed down significantly as a result.

-Avoiding Red Mote is intentional. DSMC side handle provides instant control changes, and never loses its pairing. Command dials, 4-way nav controller, and assignable keys are conveniently located under the right handle and can be operated while recording. Focus check, false color, and any number of any other useful controls are placed at the users fingertips. Ergonomic trigger on right handle has good feel, and is well placed.

-Combo Zoom/Focus control is very smooth, and well placed under the left handle. All existing DSLR lens gears are compatible, and a new line of "cine" gears supporting both focus and zoom has been built.

-Fast, easy build & tear down. I completely built the system in 2 minutes for a demonstration video, and could go even faster... Lens & port changes take seconds, and require no tools. Same with battery & media changes.

-PL Lenses were not the focus of this design, but they aren't necessarily impossible, and will be evaluated on a case by case basis. I believe EF or F mount lenses are the best choice for wide angle work, but would love to prove that if someone wants to loan me an 8R. PL Lens Specific ports (with follow focus integrated into the port) may be available in the future, depending upon demand.

Does anyone contributing to this forum actually shoot PL lenses underwater? I've looked at lens inventories pretty extensively and I don't see something I'd rather use for my work than Canon EF 8-15, EF-S 10-22, or EF 16-35 /2.8L II. Breathing isn't an issue when dealing with the compressed focus distance range created by a dome port's virtual image, and I'm skeptical that there is a perceptible sharpness benefit.

All of these housings have their unique features. I don't think any other system matches this from a user experience stand point, and am pretty thrilled with what Nauticam has accomplished.

 

[Zeb B]

Some folks have asked privately what my issues were with the Canon 1Dc in an underwater / Nauticam housing setting. Here ya go:

1. No AF in Live View with Canon Log mode on = deal killer in an underwater housing. There is no manual focus on most UW housings. Canon says this is an intended "feature"
2. Custom WB is a pain in the ass but you better do it every 10' since you are baking in the WB. Auto WB does not function for shit underwater.
3. 8 bit codec no beano at 40'+ where there is only blue light. You got 256 shades of one color getting crushed down to whatever via MJPEG making banding in the continuous blues when looking up. Combine that with no Canon Log and you have shitty DR and tone range underwater.
4. Camera shuts off Live View sometimes when swinging from dark to light as if to protect the sensor. Lost a couple real hero clips where large critters swam from the deep into the sun ball right over my head.
5. Oh and . . . Adobe doesn't support the stills RAW coming out of camera yet so I have several hundred stills trapped on a card with no way to process them. My 1Dx is Adobe supported. Go figure.

The picture looks good on land where Canon Log can be used with Live View AF and the high ISO is for real. Shoots 3200 clean. For underwater I'm looking at RED Dragon for answers to all the challenges.

Ship it soon please

 

[Vince Doran]

Only seems like yesterday when my purchasers were happy buying my Hi8 underwater images. I guess wearing a Gopro3 x 3 whilst surfing G-land or patting Great Whites on the nose just doesn't cut it anymore...It's 4K or it's shit

 

[John J Ellerbrock]

DEEP EPIC Iris Control -- Canon / Nikon Lenses

DEEP EPIC Iris Control -- Canon / Nikon Lenses

FYI...

If you are using Nikon or Canon DSLR glass, recent versions of EPIC firmware allow assignment of iris to the SSD module User Key 1 and 2. Both keys are accessible within DEEP EPIC, which means iris control can be at your fingertips-- or on the REDMOTE (as it has always been) along with access to every function and setting on the camera.

Johnny Friday pointed out a new feature for which I was unaware: Edge Focus. It's easier to see than explain, and a valuable tool for critical focus. He has this and two other focus / exposure tools assigned to the buttons on the external monitor.

Lastly, if you're not following us on Facebook then you're missing heaps of activity. Lots of DEEP EPIC housings being used around the world.

J-

 

[Pawel Achtel]

....If you are using Nikon glass -

That would be me, I guess... :biggrin:

greetings from sunny Tasmania.

 

[Frazier Nivens]

EPIC UNDERWATER HOUSING CONVENTION

EPIC UNDERWATER HOUSING CONVENTION

Underwater Housing Convention, collection of EPIC's. Gates is nicely represented and a couple of Aquavideo EPIC housings were in attendance.

 

[David Cole]

Oh, Frazier... those beasts WANTED to be filmed in 3D too


-- Dave

 

[Rudi Herbert]

...so, all you need to stop complaining about the size of DEEP EPIC or DEEP RED is to put them side by side with their Aquavideo counterparts?

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Amphibico Rouge scuttled courtesy the good folks at FedEx Corp, arrived at Ft Lauderdale 24 hours after my flight left, was shipped overnight service, took four days.

Would like to extend a big thanks to Mike Hastings for providing me with one of his housings at, literally, the very last minute, cheers Mike.

 

[Frazier Nivens]

Oh, Frazier... those beasts WANTED to be filmed in 3D too


-- Dave

They were Dave. The prototype housing is at the left. You should've been here.