Underwater Video camera

[Ashleym]

I am looking at purchasing one of the under water video cameras sold by Waeco dealers - the yellow one - and was wondering if anyone has one (or any other brand) and could let me know if I am wasting my money.

I fish fresh and salt and thought it would help me understand what my sounder was reading re : structure etc.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Ash

[DaneCross]

A mate of mine has a sony handycam with underwater housing (that he purchased separately for around $450). He took some footage with it when we went snorkeling on the weekend and it worked well. Its only rated to a depth of around 4-5m I think ??? so it wouldn't be suited to diving. But the advantage I guess is that you kind of have the best of both worlds, i.e normal everyday video cam for normal use or add the housing and you can take it for a swim ;D
Something to think about anyway,
Dane

[basserman]

well ash (nice name :-X)
i know of a few game baots that do the comp thing and they have them and they put them out in the spread so it makes it easyer to see what they have chaseing and i have seen some footage and it blows your mind at how the fish realy take lures and what speed they get up to ;D

[szopen]

For normal Sony cameras (video and still) you can buy Marine Pack underwater housings.
They are normally rated to 50m depth and with good care on o-rings should be no problems.

I have one for digital camera P9 and have been diving with it for a while.

The rear mounted camera that you mention is a bit different thing. I have not seen one used.
But Cabelas in the US have quite a range of such camera systems.

[Big_unit]

How much are the waeco ones ?

A bloke in our fishing club has one with a B&W monitor he goes on about it, so it cant be too bad.

Cheers
James.

[jeffo]

id love one for marlin fishing... they look awesome under water.

[finga64]

Good idea Ash!! :D
Do you want to record what is under water or just view what is underwater?
Scott

[Ashleym]

I was just wanting to view what was under the boat really. Recording would be good fun but not the main purpose.

I believe the Waeco (or RV-marine) product has an output on the monitor that would allow connection of a handycam or the like.

I believe the Waeco/RV sells for around the $350 -$400 mark.

Regards

Ash

[finga64]

This may suit, may not
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=72537&item=4541407803&rd=1

[Ashleym]

Thanks finga. ;D I might give it a go

[DaneCross]

Thats cool, I like ;)

[bungie]

Anybody heard of "Yaha" before ?? the company that made the unit ?

[DICER]

I saw a footage about CSIRO using multiple video units to record shark density and species at various reefs in northern waters. The used normal off the shelf video units in a custom built (pipe) housing, and a sledge-like base with bag of crushed pillies in ziplocked guttermesh strung underneath. Worked a treat.

They would arrive at a reef. Load up video unit, push start button, place video in pipe with perspex covering. Tighten the perpex with wingnuts to the pipe opening with an o-ring sandwich. They then placed the pillies in the ziplock guttermesh and smashed them with the foot. This was put underneath video unit. All of this was secured to a small sledge, that was lowered over the side of the boat (with attached float), in waters up too 30-40 metres.

They would have offloaded many of these cameras at any one reef and they would come back to check what inspected the pillies over the 2-3 hrs of video roll. And the footage and sound was amazing....chomp chomp....

[DICER]

I have had a look at the waeco site (below?). Personally I think you could do better (and also $521 second hand!!). I think that the fin an weight wont be sufficient, and the tv unit is too small. B+W as well.

http://www.waeco.com.au/news.asp?id=136#

trust me...the research people are likely to have looked at all the cheap options, and most probably that is why they opted for this cheap option as I mentioned above.

I suggest you do your own tests on the housing. Before you drop your camera overboard, drop it with the camera to a depth of 50 or 60 metres and inspect for water. You will have to have very good visibility for video to go beyond 20 metres, but a light balance or compensation mode in the video unit would help.

DICER

[subzero]

http://www.spycameras.com.au/product_info.php/cPath/50/products_id/240
$310-00

[subzero]

And heres a better selection, with franchises (Shops) throughout Aussy.
http://www.ozspy.com.au/underwater/underwater.asp

[Ashleym]

Thanks Lloyd

That looks like the same one I saw in one of the fishing mags for $350.00. Unit seems good - runs black and white and includes everything i.e battery, monitir & case.

I may have to start dropping hints for upcoming birthday.

Regards

Ash

[bugman]

Ash and SZ Open,

I've got the same Sony P9 with underwater housing. The Mpeg video quailty isn't the best but it's good to show others what's available.

I've dived it to 35m and haven't had a problem yet (touch wood). It's great to take photos with then come to the surface and show the fishermen on just how much is below them.

Bugman

[szopen]

Well.....

On about 5th dive during last week holidays, at 15 meters I pulled out the camera from the pocket to take a picture and noticed that the underwater housing was about quarter filled with water and a small bubbles of air going out in place where the 0-ring got jammed (closed the housing in a rush in the morning).

Too late to do anything so just continued with the dive but it was not much fun.

So from a lesson hard learned:

1. Always check wisually if the o-ring is properly closing before going into water.
2. A couple meters below surface take out the camera and check if there are any bubbles escaping. Than you still can go up, I was too deep.

And it does not matter how many times you used it before without problems.

[DICER]

Sorry to hear about the camera szopen. Was all lost?

Regarding the above posts - some of the all-in-one video cameras on the ozspy website above have led lights (?) very close to the lense or optics. In a slightly turbid or evenly remotely turbid situation you'll have reflection from particles in the water.

It's best to have incidental lighting or flash away from the camera lense to reduce the reflection off particulate.

[bugman]

Szopen,

Ouch ... I feel your pain - when I first got mine I took it over for an overnight trip to moreton with the marine case. Long story but overnight the boat was swamped and off course the camera was not in its case - rather beside it.

Ended up with a $500 case and no camera so bit the bullet and bought anouther one.

Stupid thing is the case doesn't fit all the Sony P models.

Bugman

[szopen]

Exactly the same situation here.

I have a nice case.

The camera is an old model so I'm not sure I will be able find one.

Looks like a walk to the market today.

[Brad1m]

I have a canon 20D and was going to see if it was possible to buy a underwater housing for it, but after reading some of these posts I am not to sure if it would be safe or not. Would not be good to buy one, if one actually exists, to find that it was filled with water. Any suggestions?