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Specialist DIR Kit OK this is the home of the Gavin - but questions and observations about other scooters, lights, video housing, RB80 etc. can find a home here.
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March 7th, 2006, 10:06 AM
| #2 (permalink) |
| New Member  Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Okinawa
Posts: 121
 | Hi Anders, I use a Sony TRV900 in a Gates Housing and a Sony VX2000 in a Gates housing. I love digital. I have owned Light & Motion Industries housings and they are nice, but I got away from electronics and went all mechanical with the Gates housings. I love how tough the Gates are and how they can handle abuse!!! Not to mention they are set up nicely, are easy to operate, maintain and travel with.
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March 7th, 2006, 02:22 PM
| #5 (permalink) |
| GUE Instructor  Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plymouth, Michigan
Posts: 30
| Hi Anders, One vote for Amphibico here! I am currently using a Sony HC1000 in an Amphibico (the Invader housing) and it is by far the best housing I have ever used. Easy to load, no fogging inside, neutral buoyancy, and gives me full control of white balance (as well as everything else). The w/a lense is fantastic as well. I have been extremely happy w/my Amphibico. Although the price is a bit steep, the product has been superior to the others I've used/owned. Good luck! best, brando |
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March 7th, 2006, 03:58 PM
| #6 (permalink) |
| GUE  Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Florida
Posts: 141
| Brando, What's your opinion about the 1000? One of our 900s finally gave up the ghost, and we were considering the 1000 until we found out that Sony had just discontinued the camera. They're still around (and at a discount), and housings are plentiful. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of choices these days for compact 3-CCD mini-DV cams. I'd rather not go with the first-generation compact HD cams, and there are not many choices for housings for the remaining compact mini-DVs. Anthony |
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March 7th, 2006, 05:02 PM
| #8 (permalink) |
| GUE Instructor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plymouth, Michigan
Posts: 30
| Quote: (Originally Posted by true) Brando, Hi Anthony,What's your opinion about the 1000? One of our 900s finally gave up the ghost, and we were considering the 1000 until we found out that Sony had just discontinued the camera. They're still around (and at a discount), and housings are plentiful. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of choices these days for compact 3-CCD mini-DV cams. I'd rather not go with the first-generation compact HD cams, and there are not many choices for housings for the remaining compact mini-DVs. Anthony Actually, I've been very happy w/the camera. The only downside I've read about is the "touch screen" controls. That hasn't affected my opinion of the camera. I use either the remote control for viewing on a television or the video editting buttons on my computer when editting. It produces a great video, even in our water up here w/the green tone and limited viz. The ability to control the white balance is key to being able to get nice video here short of having an awesome set of lights (as I'm sure you already know). Last I heard, the Amphibico was the only housing that allowed that control w/this particular camera....and the housing for this camera is more expensive than housings for similar (if not better) vid cams on the market....my guess is that this is due to the extra work required to allow control of the WB, coupled w/the fact that as soon as they had figured it out, Sony stopped producing the HC1000. When I was in the market for a new camera I read alot of the reviews and there was only great things to say about the HC1000 and it's video quality. After I had purchased the camera and a less expensive housing for the cam (an Equinox), only then did I learn that they had discontinued production of the HC1000. And only after a few months of using the cam did I learn how invaluable the WB control would be...so that is how I ended up w/the Amphibico housing. I've been extremely happy w/the performance, ease of use, and quality of video from this housing & lense. I guess if I had to do it over again, I'd probably go w/a camera that is still in production and an Amphibico housing (I've gotten spoiled w/the amphibico and probably won't go back to anything else) that is a bit cheaper than the Invader and still end up w/the same overall cost. I've had issues in the past w/cam's that went out of production and a housing that would only fit that cam... I had a camera die on me and if I didn't want to buy another housing AND camera, then I had to buy another vidcam (that is out of production) that would still fit my housing and the only one available was a refurb at a few hundred more than what a new cam w/same features would cost. Nothing like learning the hard way. I hope that helped a bit. If you are able to use a more "universal" type housing like Halcyon's, then if it were me, I'd go w/the deal on the HC1000. If it goes, you can still buy another cam for probably less money than a refurbed HC1000....and still use the same housing. Good Luck!! Best, Brando |
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March 7th, 2006, 05:38 PM
| #9 (permalink) |
| GUE Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Florida
Posts: 141
| Brando, Thanks for the info. It all reminds me why I'm glad Halcyon got out of the housing market. I honestly don't know how Gates, Amphibico, and L&M make a go of it with the short product cycles in both digital still and video market. I was at the PMA trade show in Orlando last week, and the guys at the Sony booth couldn't even talk about where their product line would be six months from now. They had just introduced the replacement for their first compact HD camera-- the one that has been on the market for three or four months! The VX2000s are still the workhorse cameras for us, but we need something compact that can go in the mini-mee Gavin extension for exploration shooting. Can you see any way that the HC1000 would work with simple mechanical controls? best, Anthony |
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March 7th, 2006, 06:13 PM
| #10 (permalink) |
| GUE Instructor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plymouth, Michigan
Posts: 30
| Quote: (Originally Posted by true) Brando, Good to know....I was going to wait a bit and see what happens w/the HD stuff. I'm glad I did given what you've learned.Thanks for the info. It all reminds me why I'm glad Halcyon got out of the housing market. I honestly don't know how Gates, Amphibico, and L&M make a go of it with the short product cycles in both digital still and video market. I was at the PMA trade show in Orlando last week, and the guys at the Sony booth couldn't even talk about where their product line would be six months from now. They had just introduced the replacement for their first compact HD camera-- the one that has been on the market for three or four months! The VX2000s are still the workhorse cameras for us, but we need something compact that can go in the mini-mee Gavin extension for exploration shooting. Can you see any way that the HC1000 would work with simple mechanical controls? best, Anthony Using a good set of lights, the WB setting shouldn't be nearly as necessary. The housing I used to use (the equinox) for this camera uses simple mechanical controls. Shouldn't be a problem to do that w/the Mini-Mee. It is small and compact, so it would be a good choice. I know that Panasonic has some nice compact vidcams too. Not sure about how you feel moving away from Sony though. Thanks Anthony for the info. Please post here when you do decide and let us know how it turned out. best, brando |
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