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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 :)

Underwater Bubble Blowers User Group Thread NEW

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Will Keir said:
How many players do we have in the Epic underwater housing game? 2D for now.
(please help me update prices to reflect the current market)

~ Gates Deep Epic ~ http://www.gateshousings.com/news/gates-announces-deep-epic-housing/
Price: Aprox. $20,000 (price may need updating)

hostedstore-images-products-detail-gt-deepepic-250x250.jpg


~ Pawel's Deep X~ http://www.achtel.com/DeepX/index.htm
Price: $20,000 10/4/12

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~ EQUINOX UNDERWATER VIDEO HOUSING ~ http://www.equinoxhousings.com/products/RED-EPIC{47}SCARLET-HOUSING.html
Price: $7,500 (price may need updating)


EQ-RED-SCARLET-2.jpg


~ Aquavideo's Digital Cinema Underwater housing ~ http://www.aquavideo.com/
Price: ???

epichousingstarboard300.jpg


~ Amphibico ROUGE ~ No good info on their website to date.
Price: $13,000

Amphibico_Rouge_01_tn.jpg



Anyone I am leaving out? The underwater "tubes" such as , EpicCam ( http://www.epiccam.com/ ), I left out for obvious reason.
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Will: sorry you couldn't find the price. It's in the press release .pdf that is linked on the first page.

My website is hopelessly out of date and in need of major revamp, but I have been in the process of a major move (first since 2001 and only the 4th in 30 years) so haven't been able to devote the time.

Here are the Prices for AquaVideo Epic/Scarlet housing:

PVC $5795.00 Aluminum $7895 Both include 6" acrylic dome and the PVC version is an aluminum frontplate that allows use of the larger screw type Aquatica macro and 8" acrylic ports as well as the Aquatica 6" acrylic dome that is supplied and the aluminum frontplate provides the heat transfer to needed for appropriate camera cooling. The aluminum housing doesn't need the aluminum front plate for heat transfer, so is supplied with our own 6" acrylic dome and can also use any of the other plate/port options)

Please note that these are ready-to-dive prices - If I'm not mistaken, it should be noted that the Rouge price you listed doesn't include a port, so at least one is required in addition to that price, and that may be true of the Gates as well.


8" AR coated BK7 glass dome is $2395 and is a completely separate front plate.

The picture above is the PVC version, below is a picture of the aluminum version being used in the pool. Operator is adjusting focus on the Ruby 14-24 PL lens.
 

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The Deep Epic with macro-port and dome is more like $24,000.
Gates does not give discounts (dealers lose their dealership if they do so) so the msrp is net.
Soon another manufacturer will release its housing for the Epic/Scarlet.
It will be priced very competitive :yesnod:
 
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Hey guys,

Just to let you know that we have a tool that lets you calculate FOC for any given sensor/lens combination on the UnderwaterCinema.com website. Under the tab "Tools" you will see the "Field of view calculator" link, click it and the app launches. You can either choose a sensor size, or if you're not sure, there's a list of cameras you can choose from instead. Then, just choose a lens from the drop down menu and you'll get horizontal and diagonal coverage in degrees. Hope it helps!
 
Michael Maes said:
The Deep Epic with macro-port and dome is more like $24,000.
Gates does not give discounts (dealers lose their dealership if they do so) so the msrp is net.
Soon another manufacturer will release its housing for the Epic/Scarlet.
It will be priced very competitive :yesnod:
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Michael purchased 3 Port Extenders, SP80 Dome and FP80 Flat ports.

Base price for DEEP EPIC is $18,280 USD. DEEP SCARLET is $13,155.

Both base prices include External Monitor for 5.6" touch screen, Seal Check, Tool / Spare parts kits, Pelican / Storm cases and of course Gates service / support. DEEP EPIC includes the REDMOTE Controller, Tally light and remote record/stop.

Add PE for the lens of choice ($600 to $1100), and Dome or Flat port ($1100 to $2800)


J-
 
...yes, but some housings do not require costly dome ports, flat ports or port extensions...saving thousands of dollars (and delivering superior image sharpness with no distortions)
 
You can't put a price on the positive attitude and wonderful service and support that Gates offers. John never puts a negative spin in any way on his competitors!!! I have found the Gates products offer excellence in underwater imaging coupled with a great attitude both here in this forum and how they treat their clients giving an edge in this relatively small market. My clients have always been completely happy with the images created with the Gates line of products. Instead of continually bagging everyone else's products at every chance to try capture part of this small market, John always puts a positive spin of things there by creating good will and expanding his client base.
 
I believe most customers are happy because of a better product and images they can produce, not flattery. But, I accept that many in this industry prefer to be told what they like to hear, rather than what they need to know.

I respect John's views and I wish he would participate more actively in discussions.

Ross, you have been a vocal critic here saying that 75° angle of view was not enough for underwater. It is my understanding that your new Deep Atom housing is limited to about 45° (Atom beam splitter limited to about 65° and shooting through a flat port causing 25% magnification). Is this correct? Are you not finding it limiting anymore?
 
The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands

The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands

Greetings fellow Bubble Blowers, I am deeply honored to announce my participation in The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands, a project that Emmy Award winning underwater cinematographer Mark Thorpe has been brain-storming for several years now, to take place in remote regions of the South Pacific over the next two years.

As expedition pilot and second underwater camera for this effort, I am now equipping an ultralight aircraft with a gyro-stabilized Epic mount to capture all of the necessary aerials that go into a production of this kind. In our extended sojourns in those remote atolls, I will also be teaching Mark how to fly the aircraft in order that we are able to trade off flying and filming duties. In return, I will be flying Mark's wing underwater, so to speak, absorbing the art of the shot from one who has proven to excel, capturing never-before-seen images of untouched reefs swarming with healthy shark populations.

We are at that very interesting stage, the funding of the project, several parties are in play. The challenge however, as always, is to retain creative control whilst satisfying the needs of the investors. I am, nonetheless, very confident.

In all of this, we will be selecting u/w housings for the project. The solid and rugged construction of the A/V product, the undeniable reliability of the Gates housing, the huge functionality of the upcoming Amphibico Rouge, the Hans Haas u/w reference lens that is Pawel's strength; horses for courses, I see a huge and specific advantage in each and every one of these units. In an ideal world, funding would allow for one of each.

We'll see how all of that goes. That having been said, I would like to be able to call on all of you here for advice, with your kind permission, the great shooters, Johnny, Rudi, Frazier, Ross, to mention a few, and the housing/lens gurus Mike, John, Pawel; if this projects gets legs and wings, as I think it will, it will be huge.

Mark's vision is enormously fresh and original, working hard to give it birth.

Wish us luck.

Best,

Tom
 

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Looking forward to it all Tom, happy to have got your nod on this, from the skies to the reef channels, it's gonna be a belter! Just wondering at how many hours flight time do I get to name myself 'the RED Baron'? :shocked:

To all the manufacturers, if there is one thing I understand is the workings of social media which will play a large roll in the continued promotion and distribution of updates as the project winds its way through the planned two year shooting schedule. With currently 130k followers through my three main social accounts I will start promoting all players, sponsors and suppliers according to their level of input once the budgeting is secured. This will also include a pretty radical aesthetic update of the liquidmocean website to include logo's and links and the inclusion of mentions in all public media announcements as the marketing campaign picks up and maintains momentum.

If any of you are interested in being a part of this by supplying the required hardware for the duration of the project just drop me a PM and we can discuss all options from there. This is not just another underwater production, it's a production from a place that has never been documented below the water line. Wildlife, WWII wrecks, Celestial Navigators and more. Should be a doozy.

Regards,
Mark.
 
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Pawel Achtel said:
I believe most customers are happy because of a better product and images they can produce, not flattery. But, I accept that many in this industry prefer to be told what they like to hear, rather than what they need to know.

I respect John's views and I wish he would participate more actively in discussions.

Ross, you have been a vocal critic here saying that 75° angle of view was not enough for underwater. It is my understanding that your new Deep Atom housing is limited to about 45° (Atom beam splitter limited to about 65° and shooting through a flat port causing 25% magnification). Is this correct? Are you not finding it limiting anymore?
Click to expand...


Pawel:

Do you really have to take every post as an opportunity to twist it into an argument for your deepX? It's tedious and sours this entire thread. Just because many of us - AND the entire history of underwater photography - disagrees with you doesn't mean we have stuck our head in the sand "and prefer to be told what we like to hear"

Of course it is limiting, but it is a limitation of 3D shooting underwater with practical beamsplitters. And of course if he could go wider he would. Does it leave room for an argument for side by side Nikonos epics with its massive interaxial? Yes - just as it does for side by side GOPros (or the new sony action cam) with their much better interaxial than deepX 3d. But the fact that there are major practical tradeoffs in shooting underwater 3D today doesn't change the fact that normal/better underwater shooting has been and is done with rectilinear lenses in the 95 - 110 degree range or fisheyes even wider.
 
Michael Hastings said:
Pawel:

Do you really have to take every post as an opportunity to twist it into an argument for your deepX?
Click to expand...

Agreed I think everyone here has second thoughts in regard to posting anything as it always results in a response from Pawel to get a plug in for his products. Every time I post something there is Pawel attempting to knock me down or to make some negative comment to gain the upper hand with his products.
 
Thanks Mark,

We can even paint 'Red Baron' on the side of the nose after your first successful 'shoot down' :yesnod:

Sorry to interrupt the Deep X argument guys, carry on. :beatdeadhorse5:
 
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