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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

I took the new Laowa 24mm probe lens out for test dive yesterday.
Mounted on the Scarlet W, in the Pro Action Housing, using two GT-14 lights and with the lens set to the minimum of F14, I found exposure was good shooting 5K @ 50fps but very shallow depth of field.

Any movement at all is exaggerated on the lens, so next dive I'll be setting up a tripod.
All in all a great lens that offers a unique view and will allow you to get super close to certain subjects.


 
Peter Lightowler said:
For those that don't know, Gates recently held an STO training event at NASA's NBL pool.

The primary focus was on the Gates housings as well as Red camera specifics, taught by Sean Ruggeri, and then a little bit of Davinci Resolve thrown in for good measure.
Our last day in the pool, we were fortunate enough to be underwater while a couple of the Astronauts conducted a training mission on the full scale replica of the International Space Station.
Click to expand...

Pardon my minor attempt at me too oneupmanship: Back in the late nineties AquaVideo made seven cameras for use in the NBL. Took several meetings and lots of paperwork to get the contract and have some interesting not for publication back stories.

Here's a couple screen grabs from the 2002 Imax Space Station film:
 

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Gates STO / NBL

Gates STO / NBL

One upmanship? YOU, Michael? I had a bet going on how long it would take. Hahahahaaaaa....

Seriously, it's a bucket list thing. A real 'gas' for us old peeps.

Hope to see you soon. I'm buyin' the beers if your tellin' NBL stories.

J-

Michael Hastings said:
Pardon my minor attempt at me too oneupmanship: Back in the late nineties AquaVideo made seven cameras for use in the NBL. Took several meetings and lots of paperwork to get the contract and have some interesting not for publication back stories.

Here's a couple screen grabs from the 2002 Imax Space Station film:
Click to expand...
 
Tom Hamilton said:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48230157

Deepest dive ever and what did they find?
Click to expand...

No escape from plastic even at the highest mountain tops to the deepest ocean bottoms. Tom I don't know whether you remember (towards the end of the "Alien Runner" filming day) at Leo Carrillo State Beach, CA our crew cleared perhaps 20 lbs of washed-in plastic and other debris off the beach. And that was in a supposedly protected state beach?
 
Last edited:
Yes I do remember that Neil. I unfortunately contributed to that debris in the form of a very expensive dive mask, swept off me noggin by a large wave in the surf zone. It was either that or the Gates...
 
Tom Hamilton said:
Yes I do remember that Neil. I unfortunately contributed to that debris in the form of a very expensive dive mask, swept off me noggin by a large wave in the surf zone. It was either that or the Gates...
Click to expand...

Ouch! Didn't know that you lost the dive mask. PM me about that please. Let me see what we could do about this. Thank you for your contributions.
 
Hello gents,

Haven't been in this forum for a couple of years at least I think. How are my old compatriots doing? Anybody doing anything interesting and unique?

Regards,
 
Rudi Herbert said:
Hello gents,

Haven't been in this forum for a couple of years at least I think. How are my old compatriots doing? Anybody doing anything interesting and unique?

Regards,
Click to expand...

Not super unique but I just started my underwater cinematography journey, in the fall. After years of wanting to take my Scarlet-x underwater I finally pulled the trigger on a used Gates Deep Weapon and Nikonos RS lenses. Working on a couple small personal projects, one being a doc on local marine life. But mainly just trying to learn as much as I can right now and figuring out how to build support gear for my setup on a limited budget. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to make the focus knob easier to turn with thick gloves and numb hands in the winter.
 
Thanks Tom! The water in the winter gets pretty cold, I've seen surface temps as low as 0c when I've gone surfing. I had a custom dry suit made in November, so this was the first winter I actually dove here. Hardest part is staying out of the wind while setting up the housing. Id love to get down to Florida to do some diving at some point, I've only ever been snorkeling there.
 
Hiya Rudi! This forum has been quiet. Remember the good 'ole days of raging debates, banned users, and re-starting the UW thread thrice over? Hahahaaaaa....
 
John J Ellerbrock said:
Hiya Rudi! This forum has been quiet. Remember the good 'ole days of raging debates, banned users, and re-starting the UW thread thrice over? Hahahaaaaa....
Click to expand...
Hi J-

One has to break an egg to make an omelet... haha!
And, luckily, one of the omelets turned into the much welcomed H2O OLPF :)

Rudi Herbert said:
Hello gents,

Haven't been in this forum for a couple of years at least I think. How are my old compatriots doing? Anybody doing anything interesting and unique?

Regards,
Click to expand...

Hello back to you, Rudi! I hope life has been treating you well !!
I missed our hour-long conversations :)
 
used gates

used gates

Matt Inkpen said:
Not super unique but I just started my underwater cinematography journey, in the fall. After years of wanting to take my Scarlet-x underwater I finally pulled the trigger on a used Gates Deep Weapon and Nikonos RS lenses. Working on a couple small personal projects, one being a doc on local marine life. But mainly just trying to learn as much as I can right now and figuring out how to build support gear for my setup on a limited budget. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to make the focus knob easier to turn with thick gloves and numb hands in the winter.
Click to expand...

hi matt..jim kozmik here from ..blue realm tv series in toronto been looking for used red gates or nauticam housings enjoy..
 
Matt Inkpen said:
Right now I'm trying to figure out how to make the focus knob easier to turn with thick gloves and numb hands in the winter.
Click to expand...


Hi Matt, Gates has a great solution for that: Knob Extenders.
I made my own but it's best for you to contact John Ellerbrock at Gates. Great guy!!!
Here some shots:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/270216046379566029/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/270216046379566024/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/270216046379566021/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/270216046379566020/

Gates's Extension Knobs really feel good at hand and offer a great grip/precision, even with thick gloves.
 
Hey guys, was hoping someone could offer some advice, in a bit of a frustrating situation with a new rig..

I've shot stills in the water for a long time across surf and dive housings + FS7 etc. and never really had to deal with any major fog issues. Of course DSMC2 is a whole different beast, but i'm yet to be totally comfortable in being able to see out a swim without any condensation, and hoping there might be something simple i'm missing.

My rig is an aluminium surf housing, Gemini, 502 monitor. If submerged - i'll get 40-60 minutes before the port is starting to fog around the edges, if out of the water on a jetski or boat more like 15 minutes. I recently added a vacuum valve system and some Silica packs up near the front of the lens - but it only seemed to slightly delay the same result. I'm trying to be fairly meticulous with not setting the camera up in non A/C, dry environments but regardless of where i'm setting it up I seem to be getting the same outcome.


Should I be looking at blasting compressed air inside the lens port before closing up? Unsure of what else I can really do with this other than trying some other moisture absorbing products, and keeping the wet shirt over the housing body/port between shots out in the sun. Any tricks here would be much appreciated :)
 
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