Camera for video taping classes

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Seckendorf on January 8, 2009 at 6:15pm

BTW, I'm using my Canon A650 in the Canon housing. With an 8-gig card I get an hour at high-res and two hours at low-res. The low-res seems good enough for this application. The camera was about $300 and the housing was under $200.

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Permalink Reply by Chew Poh Chang on January 13, 2009 at 6:59pm

I have 3 video cameras
Olympus Digital 600/Olympus housing - most compact and light weight and good for quick shot if resolution is not priority
Canon G9/Canon housing - compact and good for high resolution shot. Very versatile.
Sony SR12 with L&M housing) - good for HD quality shot to create video for your students on the trip!

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Permalink Reply by Jeanna Edgerton on January 13, 2009 at 8:25pm

Jeff,

I am still in love with my canon (SD850) that you saw in San Diego, and think the wet mount wide angle lens is fabulous. I know you got the canon that uses regular batteries, but did you know I didn't have to charge my battery the whole time I was in San Diego? I actually charged it about 2 weeks later, but it still hadn't died. All the videos Brian has posted were taken with that camera. It fits easily into my drysuit pocket. The guys at Backscatter or Reef Photo can help you with the Inon lens.

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Permalink Reply by Roger Bly on January 15, 2009 at 11:50am

For instructors, it seems like the key features are low-light performance, wide angle and robust. The current sub-$4k HD cameras are not very good in low light. I would stay away from the consumer HD cameras for simple classroom review. The sony TRV-900/950 used to be the ultimate instructor camera. Is there a newer small SD camera with similar ~4 lux sensitivity?

I've been shooting the Sony A1U HD for the past 2 years. A cold water instructor would not be happy with it's low light performance.

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Permalink Reply by Douglas Steding on January 15, 2009 at 2:39pm

I have a TRV-900 in my closet . . .

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Permalink Reply by Marc Blackwood on January 15, 2009 at 4:07pm

Get a couple of the Salvo 200W can lights and forget about low light performance :P

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Permalink Reply by Maciej Arkuszewski on January 20, 2009 at 6:23pm

Edge said:

Jeff,

I am still in love with my canon (SD850) that you saw in San Diego, and think the wet mount wide angle lens is fabulous. I know you got the canon that uses regular batteries, but did you know I didn't have to charge my battery the whole time I was in San Diego? I actually charged it about 2 weeks later, but it still hadn't died. All the videos Brian has posted were taken with that camera. It fits easily into my drysuit pocket. The guys at Backscatter or Reef Photo can help you with the Inon lens.

Hey Jeanna, couple of questions.

What's the max clip time on it?
What's the total memory capacity?
What was the price?
Any chance you can measure wide angle (out of water) by holding it 3 feet from the wall and measuring the distance it spans? That would give me somethign i can directly compare against TRV

I tried Bonica with Snapper housing and it doesn't even get close to TRV-900 angle which I use as my benchmark.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Seckendorf on January 20, 2009 at 8:06pm

Hey Maciej,

At 3 feet, my Canon A650 covers a 3-foot wide span. Remember, with a flat port, you'll get about a 25% magnification, so it's not as wide in the water.

It has unlimited clip time, 2 hours of low res on an 8-gig card, about $290 plus $180 for the housing.

You're welcome to try it anytime. It's the camera we used in San Diego.

Jeff

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Permalink Reply by Jeanna Edgerton on January 20, 2009 at 8:14pm

Most of the canon housings are under $200.00 (mine is rated to 130 ft). I am sending you a link to some canon housings - mine is the wp-dc15 - but there are models for more "current" canon cameras.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_p_0_24?url=search-alias%3Dphoto&a...

My camera is the SD850 IS. For it's size, it takes incredible video. Many people who have seen our videos are surprised when I show up with this itty bitty camera.

If you take video in "standard" mode, there is no limit to the clip length - you can video until your SD card is full. The camera will accept a 4 GB card. If you video in fast frame rate, the clips are 1 minute and compact video has a max clip length of 3 minutes.

Inon has 2 wet-mount lenses that are attached by a bayonet system. The wide angle has a 105 degree angle:

http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117...

and the fish-eye has a 165 degree angle:

http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117...

I have used one of the lenses, but can not measure it as you requested as it was a loaner. I am ordering one this week. If you have any questions, Reef Photo was quick to respond to my emails, and I have met the guys at Backscatter - they can answer any question you have.

Hope this helps.

Hope you had a great trip.

Jeanna

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Permalink Reply by Maciej Arkuszewski on January 20, 2009 at 9:05pm

Thanks guys.

So based on my measurements my TRV 900 (with WA lens) from 3 feet spans 3 feet 4 inches - giving me a whooping 96 degree angle, jeff's camera is 3 feet giving it 90 degree angle and Jeanna's 105 degree angle is obviously best - it would give almost 4 feet of span. But that's based on calculations not real life experiment :). I know for a fact that my TRV in my housing is a little on a narrow side when compared to same TRV in light & motion housing and was ok for classes, but wider angle makes it so much easier...

Jeff, did you explore wide angle options for yours? If not I will, but any pointers are appreciated.

Jeanna, any idea how much minutes per GB yours can shoot in standard mode? I was lookign at specs and seems that very few manufactureres spell that number out.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Seckendorf on January 20, 2009 at 9:36pm

Hi,

I haven't looked at the wide angle options...I think the external lenses that Jeanna found will work, but I'm more interested in a small camera that also meets my needs topside, which this one does, primarily with the lens (the long end is really good). All these little cameras are a compromise, and this one seems okay. The model Jeanna has is wider, smaller, but doesn't have the long lens capability.

I'm always trying to find something that accomplishes something like 80% of my needs, then I can rent or borrow a camera for the other 20% of the time. My little Canon easily does that.

js

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Permalink Reply by Jeanna Edgerton on January 20, 2009 at 10:14pm

At the lower setting (320) I get 40 minutes of video with my 1 GB card and at the higher setting (640) I get about 20 minutes.

I honestly can't tell the difference between the two settings, and for class, the 320 is definitely sufficient. With a 4 GB card, you should be able to get over 2 hours.

Jeanna

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