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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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Thanks Tom, if only I looked a bit more carefully :-)

Great images. This video shows how much can be accomplished with a fisheye if used for subject matter that fits it and if certain basic principles are observed. Large animals in open water backgrounds is one of such ideal uses. Keeping the animals in the center, and staying at a distance from them, helps eliminate or minimize the tadpole effect, while having nothing but blue water on the edges also alleviates the extreme plane curvature. If I showed images of the 10-17 on land and this video to anyone, they would not believe it's the same lens. As for the grade, whales are very difficult subjects, they are after all, grey/blackish/muddish in color, not a lot of tones that can be brought up there. I find that if I drop the luma levels of the shadows and tint them towards orange, sometimes the skin becomes warm enough so separate them from the water, but we're talking minimal improvements really.
 
Jon,

When I watch your shots and hear the music I wonder why anyone in the world wouldn't want to harpoon these creatures. Nice work, I'd be happy with that lens.

Did you use your scarlet on this shot? What settings?

Also... Did you use Premiere and the Warp Stabilizer effect? I saw a weird zoom/warping at couple of times. Around 2:01 to be exact.

Jon Shaw said:
Some Tonga footage from August, not super happy with the grade

Click to expand...

I wish I could watch this on a 4k large screen. Really enjoyed it, thanks Jon.
 
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John J Ellerbrock said:
DJ Roller sent over a link to an article about Aquarius, the infamous undersea lab in Florida. And sadly about to be closed for budget cuts.

Here's a shot of DJ and Sylvia Earle on a SAT dive for for 11 hours straight, and using DEEP EPIC on surface power the entire time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/energy-environment/aquarius-the-worlds-only-undersea-lab/2012/07/21/gJQAhbyu4W_gallery.html#photo=5
Click to expand...


Sad to see the Aquarius go. I shot an abc 20/20 special on the Aquarius with Hugh Downs and Sylvia Earle back in 1994 or 5? (Mostly Betacam but also some of the first DV for broadcast ever). It's kind of strange to be shooting inside the habitat but realizing that you are still soaking up nitrogen the same as if you were in the water at that depth.

I remember having dinner with Hugh and the President of Univ N Carolina-Wilmington and discussing possible ways to generate revenue for the habitat by running some dive/tourist programs since funding was always tight and the habitat was often empty.

From that article:

"Thomas Potts, the lab’s director, said that the program sustained “tremendous cuts” in 1996 and 2006, but that this time is different: “Now there is actual legislative language which says boom, let’s kill this.”"

Does anyone know if that means it is by the executive order or is there some congressional legislation that we can try to get changed?
 
It's a NOAA budget cut that Jane Lubchenco who heads up NOAA apparently is allowing to happen. Only a few employees there left now at Aquarius.

The need the extra money to fund weather sats. Heck with the ocean. We are thinking of approaching BP, would be good PR for them to save the oceans by funding the Aquarius Habitat to the tune of only 2.5 million per year. Small chump change for BP and they can help fund research for the future health of the oceans. A PR gold mine, and they could probably find a way to write it off easily somehow. God knows what kind of money they're spending just on the PR ads to say how they're saving the businesses in the Gulf. See them all the time, big bucks.

Will hate to see it go, NASA also won't have anywhere to do training for Asteroid missions. Crazy shutting it down...
 
Frazier Nivens said:
It's a NOAA budget cut that Jane Lubchenco who heads up NOAA apparently is allowing to happen. Only a few employees there left now at Aquarius.

The need the extra money to fund weather sats. Heck with the ocean. We are thinking of approaching BP, would be good PR for them to save the oceans by funding the Aquarius Habitat to the tune of only 2.5 million per year. Small chump change for BP and they can help fund research for the future health of the oceans. A PR gold mine, and they could probably find a way to write it off easily somehow. God knows what kind of money they're spending just on the PR ads to say how they're saving the businesses in the Gulf. See them all the time, big bucks.

Will hate to see it go, NASA also won't have anywhere to do training for Asteroid missions. Crazy shutting it down...
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I did a search to find her contact info:

538126 Lubchenco, Jane jane.lubchenco@noaa.gov 202-482-3436 Office Of The Under Secretary/Administrator

I will email her later tonight to ask that they reevaluate.

and I like your idea of approaching BP.
 
I just sent an email respectfully asking them to find the funding to keep Aquarius operational.

I'm also in touch with Board members today of the Aquarius foundation about the BP idea. But surely the newly formed Aquarius Foundation have already considered that as a potential sponsor of the Aquarius facility and it's research. But they may not want to get locked into that either from a liability standpoint. If they fund it they could potentially be held liable for any accidents that could happen. Only catch that I could see.
 
Frazier,

I've been filming Aquarius for the past two months as part of our documentary series. Will be back there next week for a second dive inside the habitat. I have some contacts in high level charitable foundations, who count some high up BP brass among their donors, I'm thinking I could introduce the concept to them. Send me some info on the new foundation if you want, I am more in contact with the actual personnel left at the base and for what I've gathered, they are not as aware as I'd hoped they'd be regarding who's in charge of sponsorship efforts.
 
Frazier,

If you need more people, I'd be glad to write BP. Pass the info on to all of us, some more details about the situation would be helpful too.



Frazier Nivens said:
I just sent an email respectfully asking them to find the funding to keep Aquarius operational.

I'm also in touch with Board members today of the Aquarius foundation about the BP idea. But surely the newly formed Aquarius Foundation have already considered that as a potential sponsor of the Aquarius facility and it's research. But they may not want to get locked into that either from a liability standpoint. If they fund it they could potentially be held liable for any accidents that could happen. Only catch that I could see.
Click to expand...
 
Hay Frasier nice seeing you again in Key Largo..Dan Mauro,the director/producer of The Blue Realm tv series and I just completed 4 weeks of nature shooting for Discovery Channel with 3 more shows to follow..The White sharks of Guadalupe off Mexico were great.hard to shoot with the gray water color all week.Just to let you no of some show airings...
1.The Last Mermaids ..world premieres in Ft Lauderdale Oct24-27th at the film festival
2.The Curious and Unusual Deaths show just aired this week on Discovery
3.In Canada our war of 1812 ...2 hour special with the underwater battle scenes airs Oct 4th 800pm on CBC..satellite
Going to look at the new ROUGE red/epic housing from AMPHIBICO at DEMA..BUILT IN MY BACKYARD....COULD BE MY NEXT TOY.KOZ
 
It's here

It's here

Speaking of your next toy Jim, here are first pics of the real deal, now on display at Blue Ocean in Monterey.

Very pretty piece of engineering, can't wait to get one into the water.

Cheers
 

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Finally some pics....some things i see that maybe this is an early model and not fully completed:
1. bulkhead to cut down on any flair or stray light from inside the housing that will of course reflect off the port. -that seems an easy fix for them to put some kind of permanent or removable bulkhead

2. Is RS232 enabled as was spoken of ? i don't see how there is control over getting into camera settings via the handle buttons. Or is that now off the drawing board?

3. Looks built around the tokina 10-17 in this picture....Im assuming there are other ports to allow for variety of lenses? ---speaking of other lenses....That mount looks like a PL mount? This now looks most interesting...What sort of mount is this OR is it a cannon mount?

4. inside dome coating? Is this coming on final assembled unit?

**what are the 15mm rails for? I actually like them, but do they have any accs. that are to go with them?

5. Lastly, is there an external monitor? Tried this in past, and find it much more difficult to use monitor inside the housing. I believe i was told that there is going to be an external monitor?

....Well, it is nice to see more designs out there and brining new ideas to the table. I look forward to seeing the completed unit. I do however think Amphibico is a bit late to the game on this one, but at least they are back. And Montreal is one of my fav. cities...
 
Here is what I have so far Johnny;

1. bulkhead to cut down on any flair or stray light from inside the housing that will of course reflect off the port. -that seems an easy fix for them to put some kind of permanent or removable bulkhead

I assume that will be addressed in the final production version, which is slated for about three weeks from now.

2. Is RS232 enabled as was spoken of ? i don't see how there is control over getting into camera settings via the handle buttons. Or is that now off the drawing board?

Yes, all camera menu functions accessible via housing controls, thru RS232 connection.

3. Looks built around the tokina 10-17 in this picture....Im assuming there are other ports to allow for variety of lenses? ---speaking of other lenses....That mount looks like a PL mount? This now looks most interesting...What sort of mount is this OR is it a cannon mount?

It is. Ports to accomodate varying lenses come as extra, have the price list if anyone is interested. Three servo motors are included in the housing with appropriate lens gearing for cine-style lenses.

4. inside dome coating? Is this coming on final assembled unit?

Inside dome is coated on the production unit.

**what are the 15mm rails for? I actually like them, but do they have any accs. that are to go with them?

At the moment, carry handles and lights. Or a sandwich tray, shark bait box, framed picture of your current girlfriend, anything you can think of. Very handy to have I'd say.

5. Lastly, is there an external monitor? Tried this in past, and find it much more difficult to use monitor inside the housing. I believe i was told that there is going to be an external monitor?

Yes, via HDMI out, they are still deciding on a suitable hi-rez external monitor to house, anyone who has a good suggestion please let me know, I will pass it on to Montreal.

....Well, it is nice to see more designs out there and brining new ideas to the table. I look forward to seeing the completed unit. I do however think Amphibico is a bit late to the game on this one, but at least they are back. And Montreal is one of my fav. cities...

Can vouch for that, it's where I grew up. Anyone going, PM me for best bars and restaurants. :-)

Rouge housing with 9.25" glass dome port, including everything mentioned above, $15,490. Port extenders, flat port, and external monitor housing extra.
 
As for monitors---I'd suggest (my personal opinion) go BIG....i think 5" is too small. Would be great to house the LCD which Bob C. & i are discussing now....BUT, i'd like to see this go to 7" minimum but likley 9" to 10" monitor....Yep, that big. However, not having the RED Lemo monitor means you loose very nice features like Edge focus, and other handy tools.
 
It's my understanding that a 7" monitor is the leading contender, however, with enough input from the guys and gals here and elsewhere, they'll go bigger.

As for the tools you mention, you'll still have the Red Pro 5" LCD thru the housing back window for that.
 
Guys,

For me, the one thing that makes this housing actually very interesting is the availability of ports. Those are all Aquatica ports, I don't think they'll reinvent the wheel and design new ports when Aquatica has some proven ones already from their stills housing. All of the Aquatica glass domes are coated both in and out, anti reflective on both, and even a silicone oxide on the inside, great for eliminating lens reflections onto the dome surface. Not having an external monitor for me almost makes this housing a no-go, but in fact, I'm willing to forget/forgive all that in exchange for that beautiful 9.25" dome Aquatica has, which is a must for lenses like the Nikon 14-24, Nikon 16-35 and even the Tokina 11-16. He who has never used a 9.25" dome or larger has no idea what a difference it makes when compared to an 8" dome. I tested both the nikon 14-24 and Tokina 11-16 with a 9.25" dome and +2 B&W diopter and the results were spectacular. It sounds easy enough to accomplish, but as of right now, the only housing that could offer the option of larger than 8" domes is this one, and for me, this IS its selling point. Of course, this may change in the future when other brands begin to offer large domes.

And yes, 7" should be the smaller monitor we're allowed to use underwater by law, 9" being much better.
 
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