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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

The Gentleman's Underwater Bubble Blower Thread

Thanks for posting Jeff great stuff.
I recently did a trip to Socorro Mexico with my new Epic W with Standard OLPF and now I am really struggling to WB some of the deeper dives. We also had overcast conditions the whole trip.

You don't have any neutral spot in the image to pick up in Redline X? Usually the underbelly of sharks or other fish is a good place to start.

Did you used any lights? If not it will be a bit harder since you simply don't have the full spectrum when on deeper dives. Using a light, even if its not very strong will make a huge diference when doing WB in post.
 
Darek Sepioło;1707166 said:
Hi Vincent,

No need for H2O for that shallow shots. You'll get good results with standard or low light OLPF.

Cheers

Many thanks for the reply Darek.
 
Hi Vincent,
Here's a look at my test on an unfiltered Canon 16-35mm v2. STH, H2O, LLO in 10' pool, natural light only, midday clear sky, WB in scene.
Any of these OLPFs would work well, but if you want an enhanced blue water background, the H2O has the edge and the best chart color.
Hope it helps, Jeff

OLPF_Test_UWDL.jpg

Thanks Jeff, this definitely helps a lot.
H2O OLPF still looks better.
 
Rob Stewart Missing

Rob Stewart Missing

This is a call for anyone that can assist with the search for Rob Stewart, missing since yesterday evening off Islamorada, FL. He was shooting for his latest film at the Queen of Nassau wreck. His sister Alexandra is heading the effort. Her number is 416-805-0100. Or Tyler 424-212-9995.

https://www.facebook.com/calexandrastewart/posts/10155015079133466
 
https://www.gofundme.com/search-rescue-for-rob-stewart

The USCG advises that all help and tips are welcome. They advise that boaters and pilots who want to help in the efforts should contact the USCG Command Center at 305-292-8727 to enable the search organizers to safely integrate civilian efforts into the emergency response.

The Coast Guard spokesperson advises that help is not going to be turned away, but to please contact and coordinate with local authorities. This is for everyone’s safety, especially as additional air assets are brought on-scene.

The current need is for skilled boat captains and pilots. If you want to aid in the search, please contact the USCG Command Center for further guidance.
https://www.deeperblue.com/sharkwater-director-rob-stewart-goes-missing-diving-off-florida-keys/
 
sad news..another underwater cameraman is gone..all I can gather by whats on the web and scubaboard.com......Rob did his ccr trimix course last week with add helium from Peter Sortis..instr dive shop owner at Add Helium diveshop in Lauderdale..4 ccr divers on trimix..unknown mix..but Sortis was his instructor on this dive and passed out on the surface and was hauled up unconscious..the wreck was the 240 ft deep ex canadian ship called ..the Queen of Nassau..converted luxury ship..lost its shaft and sank intact..I dived this wreck..heavy currents in gulfstream..sometimes drift deco for 40 minutes or more..you can travel over a mile to deeper waters..they did 2 film dives..and the anchor was stuck so they went down to lose the anchor off..both divers passed out on surface..thinking low o2 mix like 10% maybe..used up scrubber maybe and three deep dives in one day..dangerous..I would never do it...lots of thoughts on Scubaboard.com..they are calling for techdivers with scooters..good luck out there..rip rob stewart
 
The news of Rob Stewart going missing is just crazy!
I am sure many of you have felt pressure to push the limits on the job and when you push back youre made to feel like you are not a team player but this shit is what can happen when you push the limits.

The repercussions will potentially be felt by many in our industry because this kind of thing will not go un-noticed and in Australia, especially our workplace health and safety can be pretty relaxed until something like this happens and then they come in guns blazing.

Its human life that has been lost and I cant even imagine what his friends and family would be feeling. My wife summed it up to me on a recent shoot by saying, as I walked out the door that its not worth dying for $3000. A little dramatic and made me feel like shit while shooting in the water at night in Sydney harbour, ha ha it was like she jinxed me and my mind was rattled.

Be safe, smart and most importantly strong (willed) out there fellas. You have been hired for your expertise in this field, so dont let some producer with a schedule to keep put yours or your teams life at risk!
 
In Rob's case, it was more of an equipment issue. CCR is the work of the devil, a witches brew of ever changing mixed gas pressures that require an intensive training program, the intelligence and ability to divide attention between life support and camera operation, and above all, a long and sensibly graduated training program with all of that. If one wishes to survive intact.

God Speed

I've been diving with Closed Circuit Rebreathers (CCR) since 2009 in all kind of dives (shadow, deep, caves, dams, low vis, high visit, wrecks, solo, etc.). But I just have certification to dive my CCR, not others, because there are a lots of CCR's on the market and one must be certified for the CCR one dives with. So putting all the CCR's in one bag is not right.
I don't know all the facts of this accident, but it looks like there was no malfunctioning with the rebreathers they were using. After all they made 3 deep dives that day and reached the surface after the last one, signaling OK. The fact that both Rob and he's instructor blackout after this third dive can be an indication that both had reached the limits of human physiology (the safety rules say that one should do just ONE deep dive each day; some very experienced deep divers may do TWO in some rare situations; doing THREE (!!!!) is a very high risk) or the limits of CO2 absorption capacity of the scrubber, for example.

As I said, I don't know the "little" facts, but there are some other factors they may have concur to the accident, some related to the CCR (although not necessarily a malfunctioning) other related to hard dive conditions added to the fact that it was the third deep dive of the day.


With all the respect for Rob, I really don't like to make comments about someone else accidents, but he's dead should be at least be used as an example in order to avoid other accidents, as Tom said.
Personally, I would like that all the facts and conclusions were published, somewhere sometime, so we all can learn from them and avoid further similar accidents.
 
snip:

Personally, I would like that all the facts and conclusions were published, somewhere sometime, so we all can learn from them and avoid further similar accidents.

Having lost a close friend and long time employee to a deep dive on the Andrea Doria, I can tell you three things:

1) it's a pretty shitty feeling and situation all around ...

2) It's very hard to get all the facts and conclusions as everyone tends to go into CYA mode.


3) It is very easy for underwater cameramen to get into a feeling of invincibility - be it sharks, dive conditions or whatever. While it can be fun to tell war stories of your harrowing experiences, as you gather more experience it is also pretty wise to start to establish some realistic (and somewhat conservative) limits on what risks you will take - if only in your own mind - well before you go on future projects. As Lee's wife said - it isn't worth a few thousand dollars (or a few more war stories.)

As Tom would tell you - there's an old aviator's saying "There are old pilots, and bold pilots ... but very few old, bold pilots."

Three deep dives 200+ (or more) is definitely pushing it. As evidenced by the fact that the other diver with Rob also passed out when he got to the surface, but was fortunate to be rescued in time.
 
GATES STO Training -- Miami RED Store 21/22 March

GATES STO Training -- Miami RED Store 21/22 March

The next GATES STO Training will be held at RED Store Miami. Instructor Ron Lagerlof and RED Guru Sean Ruggeri are your guides for Setup / Test / Operation of Gates rigs. They will also cover optics, camera considerations, and color correction strategies (e.g. H20 OLPF). It's two days of intensive learning and fun.

More Info: https://www.gateshousings.com/uncategorized/gates-sto-training-miami-2122-march-2017/

Registration: https://www.gateshousings.com/events/gates-sto-training-miami-2122-march-2017/


 
Hey everyone.. I am looking for a secondhand Nauticam LT housing for my Red Epic in good condition, I plan on using the adaptor and my RS lenses.
Or the Gates housing I know also offers the RS lens adaptor but I know much less about this setup.

I have been building my own housings for years but the engineering to adapt the RS lenses is a little beyond what I can achieve, so I will go with the experts!

I am keen to buy and don't muck around, I will be shooting in the Maldives and Coral sea later this year and would to do it with the RS glass... :-)

PM me or email croppycam@bigpond.com

Many thanks, Dean
 
Hey Dean,

Have a look at John E's new PA housing, you'll be impressed.

Alarming news coming from your reefs, is it as bad as the journalists are saying? Some interest from clients to document happenings over your way, pm me.

Cheers,

Tom
 
Nikonos RS for DEEP WEAPON and Pro Action

Nikonos RS for DEEP WEAPON and Pro Action

For those that don't know, Tom recently had a prototype Pro Action out for testing. He provided excellent feedback. That and other tester comments have resulted in a production model Pro Action housing with a number of positive changes. Thanks to all those testers for helping make PA a better product.

As y'all know, DEEP WEAPON (and predecessors DEEP EPIC and DEEP DRAGON) support the Nikonos RS lenses, mapping focus / iris to the housing controls.

Well, you read it here first: Pro Action will also support Nikonos RS lenses. Official announcements not yet made, but soon. We have all the design details worked out, but the rollout of this accessory will follow launch of PA, which will be next month.

J-



Hey Dean,

Have a look at John E's new PA housing, you'll be impressed.

Alarming news coming from your reefs, is it as bad as the journalists are saying? Some interest from clients to document happenings over your way, pm me.

Cheers,

Tom
 
I have always been a strong proponent of keeping Red cam brains strictly within recommended temperature limits (for extended component life, blackshade parameters, etc), the PA is the first compact Red housing to incorporate cooling/recirc fans and an internal extended surface heat transfer fin design to accomplish that.

Fits in a small Pelican too, carry on-able in most cases.
 

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