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Scuba Forum / General / June 2005how to take a camcorder under water?
Hi, I haven't started scuba diving yet, but have been doing some snorkling. I have a Sony camcorder that I'd like to take down a few feet to record the fish. Can anyone suggest a good way of doing it? Thanks! David > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks! > David For just a few feet, Ewa-Marine makes water-proof pouches for most camcorders. However, if you're scuba diving, and intend to go to any depth, you should get a full underwater housing. Ewa-Marine makes those as well. If you look around the internet, you can find plans for building your own housing. I made one that I used with my old Hi8 camcorder. It was made of commonly-available plumbing supplies -- I use PVC pipe, an end cap and a flange for the body, and got a piece of polycarbonate for the front port. I took the rig down at least 30 feet. > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks! > David Depends on whether you want it to work or not.... Just kidding. Many of the camcorders on the market can be outfitted with underwater housings. Check the camera vendor or Ikelite. > > Hi, > > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Many of the camcorders on the market can be outfitted with underwater > housings. Check the camera vendor or Ikelite. For very shallow depths there are camera pouches that are waterproof if properly sealed. (think big zip lock bag with a lens fitting.) For deeper waters, or to keep your camera really safe , you need a proper camera housing. Any good dive shop should be able to point you at a suitable housing. The more controls you can access generally the more expensive and the greater chance of leaks. The best housings I have seen have a hose to attach to your tank and pressurize the housing. >Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Thanks! >David How old is the camera? Sony makes housings for most of their cameras. Probably about the same price as something from, say, Ikelite. But if it's an older camera, eBay is your friend. Hauling a video camera is a pretty tough thing for snorkeling. It's either too bouyant or too negative. And, unless you're a super free diver, you won't have more than a few seconds to use it.  Signaturedillon Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. > How old is the camera? Sony makes housings for most of their cameras. > Probably about the same price as something from, say, Ikelite. But if > it's an older camera, eBay is your friend. Sony Marine Packs are pretty abysmal housings, and way overpriced. You'd be better with any number of third party housings like the Stingray. But we're talking about housings that go down to 50 or 75 meters. Sony makes much more modest housings that are relatively cheap and go down to about 3m. Toby >>Hi, >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >either too bouyant or too negative. And, unless you're a super free >diver, you won't have more than a few seconds to use it. It's a fairly new camera...about 3 years old. I just want to use it near the surface, to get shots of the little fish who hang around when I'm in the water. I don't use my arms most of the time anyway, so I should be able to bob along using my feet and holding the camera, I believe. At the moment I'm trying to work something out using a ziplock freezer bag, and glueing it shut. I tried PVC cement so far, but it takes a real long time to dry. Maybe hot glue would work? Do it right or don't bother. Unless you don't mind trashing your camera because your rigged method failed and you soak your camera... > >>Hi, > >> [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > freezer bag, and glueing it shut. I tried PVC cement so far, but it > takes a real long time to dry. Maybe hot glue would work? >At the moment I'm trying to work something out using a ziplock >freezer bag, and glueing it shut. I tried PVC cement so far, but it >takes a real long time to dry. Maybe hot glue would work? Brilliant idea! Let us know how it works out. <EG> >>At the moment I'm trying to work something out using a ziplock >>freezer bag, and glueing it shut. I tried PVC cement so far, but it >>takes a real long time to dry. Maybe hot glue would work? > >Brilliant idea! >Let us know how it works out. <EG> It worked out okay until I sumberged the top of the bag. It was enough to get a few fish, but not enough to take down even a few feet without getting some water in it. >>>Hi, >>> [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > freezer bag, and glueing it shut. I tried PVC cement so far, but it > takes a real long time to dry. Maybe hot glue would work? That's a real bad idea, unless you don't like your camera very much. For every 33 feet you descend (34 in fresh water), the pressure increases 1 atmosphere. At fifteen feet or so you've added half an atmosphere of pressure, which is more than enough to find the smallest leak or pin-hole and force water through it into the bag. > For every 33 feet you descend (34 in fresh water), the > pressure increases 1 atmosphere. At fifteen feet or so > you've added half an atmosphere of pressure, which is > more than enough to find the smallest leak or pin-hole > and force water through it into the bag. I wouldn't even walk ankle-deep in the surf with a makeshift ziplock-bag around any of my camcorders. Especially in salt- water. Even if you could get a reliable seal, there is still the lens port to deal with. >For every 33 feet you descend (34 in fresh water), the pressure increases 1 >atmosphere. At fifteen feet or so you've added half an atmosphere of >pressure, which is more than enough to find the smallest leak or pin-hole >and force water through it into the bag. The OP will probably be smart enough to do a test-run _without_ camera :) Silicon paste also comes in handy to close the gaps. cheers -martin- Signature"Now I want you to say it thrice daily and don't dress a bun" >>For every 33 feet you descend (34 in fresh water), the pressure increases 1 >>atmosphere. At fifteen feet or so you've added half an atmosphere of [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >The OP will probably be smart enough to do a test-run _without_ camera >:) I used a flashlight to start with. >Silicon paste also comes in handy to close the gaps. > >cheers > >-martin- Maybe marine Goop...I'll give that a try next. > > On Sun, 29 May 2005 22:40:14 GMT, Dillon Pyron > > At the moment I'm trying to work something out using a ziplock > > freezer bag, and glueing it shut. I tried PVC cement so far, but it [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > pressure, which is more than enough to find the smallest leak or pin-hole > and force water through it into the bag. Even if the bag has no leaks when you check it, the pressure will press it against some sharp point and make it leak. Look through the dive magazines -- they always have ads in the back for stuff like that - there are some inexpensive "zip lock" types (only heavier vinyl) with good closures on them. Stay shallow -- pressure is NOT your friend with a camera. If you get salt water in the camera, probably not even worth bringing it back out of the water. mikey >> > On Sun, 29 May 2005 22:40:14 GMT, Dillon Pyron > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >there are some inexpensive "zip lock" types (only heavier vinyl) with >good closures on them. By this time I'm about convinced that's what it will take if I'm going down more than a foot or two, since these thin bags appear to often have tiny holes in them right out of the box. >Stay shallow -- pressure is NOT your friend >with a camera. If you get salt water in the camera, probably not >even worth bringing it back out of the water. > >mikey It's not salt water. I probably wouldn't even try if it was. > >> > On Sun, 29 May 2005 22:40:14 GMT, Dillon Pyron > > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > It's not salt water. I probably wouldn't even try if it was. Though salt water is far more corrosive, fresh water isn't pure deionized water and will corrode electronics, too. Bags leak no matter what. Protect your investment with the proper housing that fits your specific model of camera. ikelite is what I recommend- I use one! -- Brian Alves Listen to the new podcast for DV creators- The DV Show! http://www.thedvshow.com > > On Mon, 30 May 2005 16:16:04 -0700, "Mike Fields" > <spam_me_not_mr.gadget2@comcast.net> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > Though salt water is far more corrosive, fresh water isn't pure deionized > water and will corrode electronics, too. >Bags leak no matter what. Protect your investment with the proper housing >that fits your specific model of camera. >ikelite is what I recommend- I use one! I go to their website looking for one every so often, but so far haven't been able to find it. >>Bags leak no matter what. Protect your investment with the proper housing >>that fits your specific model of camera. >>ikelite is what I recommend- I use one! > > I go to their website looking for one every so often, but so far >haven't been able to find it. They tend to specialize in only the newer cameras. You might contact them directly. We had to get a Marine Pack through eBay for Carol's Sony digital, a Christmas present in 2003. A very old camera in the digital world. Signaturedillon Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. >>>>Hi, >>>> [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >pressure, which is more than enough to find the smallest leak or pin-hole >and force water through it into the bag. I've learned that just getting the whole bag beneth the surface does that. I wrapped the camera in plastic wrap several layers thick up to the lens, so the bag could get over an inch of water in it without hurting the camera imo, provided I got it out of there quickly. > >>>>Hi, > >>>> [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > in it without hurting the camera imo, provided I got it out of there > quickly. If you're serious about doing this, I'd suggest what I did in an earlier post -- go to a plumbing store, get a length of PVC pipe wide enough to accomodate the camera, an end cap and a flange. Carefully cement them together with industrial-grade PVC cement. Take a piece of polycarbonate (I used 3/8" thick) drill holes through it and the flange to accomodate screws with wing nuts. Take a rubber plumbing gasket and cut a ring shape to fit between the polycarbonate and the flange. Put in the camera (with a couple of scuba weights to handle the buoyancy. Turn it on. Screw the polycarbonate to the flange with the gasket in between. Go snorkling. This rig will cost less than $75, take an hour or two to assemble, and will keep your camera dry as a bone. As an alternative, invest in one of the EwaMarine polybags. >If you're serious about doing this, I'd suggest what I did in an earlier >post -- go to a plumbing store, get a length of PVC pipe wide enough to [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >This rig will cost less than $75, take an hour or two to assemble, and will >keep your camera dry as a bone. I just can't visualise it from your description. Can you send a pic? Or suggest where to see something similar online? If you want to send a pic, my email address is nopEda at bellsouth.net. That's not how to actually write it when you address it you know, but I don't want to post it in a way that will help any more spam a.sholes get hold of it. >As an alternative, invest in one of the EwaMarine polybags. They cost as much as the camera! I know it's a specialty item and all that, but even if I could afford it I would have to work really hard to convince myself to give in to such robbery, and pay those people $200+ dollars for a zip lock bag. I have not objection to companies making a profit, but at a certain point I feel people should draw the line, and when they start getting more than $100 each for plastic bags I believe that line has been crossed. Maybe I'm wrong, but as yet I'm still convinced I'm right. The fact that people are willing to pay it is the cause of the outrageous prices these companys charge and get, imo. >>If you're serious about doing this, I'd suggest what I did in an earlier >>post -- go to a plumbing store, get a length of PVC pipe wide enough to [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > I'm right. The fact that people are willing to pay it is the cause of the > outrageous prices these companys charge and get, imo. I suspect that the reason we have to pay that price is because of the cost of fighting claims of users, whose cameras were destroyed by saltwater probably through the user's own mistakes. Steve King dh wrote ... > They cost as much as the camera! I know it's a specialty item and > all [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > the > outrageous prices these companys charge and get, imo. Half the cost is likely product liability insurance premiums. To defend themselves against idiots that sue them when their camera gets wet because they forgot to close the top. >>If you're serious about doing this, I'd suggest what I did in an earlier >>post -- go to a plumbing store, get a length of PVC pipe wide enough to [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > I just can't visualise it from your description. Can you send a pic? Unfortunately, I don't have it anymore. The pipe is the length of the camcorder and wide enough to accomodate the body (I think I used 5" pipe). The end cap seals the back of the pipe. The flange attaches to the front and provides a mount for the port which is made of the polycarbonate. The polycarbonate is just a sheet of high-impact plastic that screws to the flange with a rubber gasket ring in between, to make a water-tight compartment. I used wing nuts so it was easier to open and close it. > Or suggest where to see something similar online? When I built mine, I recall having seen websites that demonstrated similar home-built rigs, but I don't know where. You might do a google search on "do it yourself underwater camera" or something similar. > If you want to send > a pic, my email address is nopEda at bellsouth.net. That's not how to [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > convince myself to give in to such robbery, and pay those people $200+ > dollars for a zip lock bag. Well, they are a little more than a zip lock bag. ;) I have an EwaMarine rain cape which I use a lot. At one point, I made something myself using polyethelyne which I sewed into something that looked like a toaster cover. I sealed the seams with silicone and made a lens attachment out of two UV filters. It worked, but my comfort level wasn't sufficiently high to trust my $2200 camcorder to it. The EwaMarine produce was a little under $200, and has served me well on numerous occassions. > I have not objection to companies making a > profit, but at a certain point I feel people should draw the line, and > when > they start getting more than $100 each for plastic bags I believe that > line has been crossed. The EwaMarine underwater bags are heavy polythelene, properly sealed, with an optical glass port, also sealed, and a quick-mount for the camera lens. The "zip lock" portion is a gasketed seal. There's a huge difference between this thing and a zip lock bag. > Maybe I'm wrong, but as yet I'm still convinced > I'm right. The fact that people are willing to pay it is the cause of the > outrageous prices these companys charge and get, imo. >>>Hi, >>> [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >so I should be able to bob along using my feet and holding the >camera, I believe. My wife's digital is 3 years old. That makes it almost an antique. I doubt that you'll find anyone who still has a housing for it. You may find one that's generic that will work quite well, however. > At the moment I'm trying to work something out using a ziplock >freezer bag, and glueing it shut. I tried PVC cement so far, but it >takes a real long time to dry. Maybe hot glue would work? Better to spend the money and get the Ewa Marine bag. It has a lens port and a very good seal. Signaturedillon Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. >>>>Hi, >>>> [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] >Better to spend the money and get the Ewa Marine bag. It has a lens >port and a very good seal. Those bags cost as much as the camera. During one of my first annoying searches I did see one for about $45, but at the time it seemed too much for a plastic bag. By now I wish to hell I'd saved the link, because everything else has been ridiculous. Those bags cost as much as the camera. During one of my first > annoying searches I did see one for about $45, but at the time it > seemed too much for a plastic bag. By now I wish to hell I'd saved > the link, because everything else has been ridiculous. Check out http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=search&Q=&ci=9437 Signature- Bill Buy a housing or EWA marine bag. I've used Ziploc bags for downhill ski footage where SNOW was the enemy but, to borrow from PTravel, snow isn't trying to crush your camera or inject it with salt water (which may as well be molten lava as far as micro-electronics are concerned) A properly designed enclosure is cheap insurance compared to a ruined camera. > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks! > David |
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