Looking to get wet in uw video

I've been into uw stills for a while now, and I'm ready to take the plung (er, sorry for the pun) into uw video. Can you please offer up your top three mid-range options for a good starter kit that isn't too overly complicated but has the essentials and will provide me a setup to grow into (i.e. not a setup that is solely for beginners)?

Please drop your top three here.

Hmmm i would have to think about that. So many new ones popping up i can't keep track

1. A good condition used Sony TRV950 or 900 in Gates or Amphibico housing (low price these days, good quality)

2. Sony HC1000 in Amphibico, i believe they have cracked the manual WB (the successor to the 950)

3. The new small HD from SOny, the HC1, its much smaller than other HDs and will be reasonably priced, again Amphibico or Gates are my fave housings. More expensive than the other two, as well as giving you a few headaches for editing and playback at the moment but is definitely the way for the future.

Whatever you get into make sure you get a camera and housing that gives you access to manual WB, that is the only way to get superior colour if you ask me.

Hey Mike, what do you think of the TopDawg housings? They've always seemed like a pretty good option with the number of cameras they can be adapted for.

Yea, the Top Dawg is a great option i think for those who are looking to get something that is versatile for a number of cameras. I don't think you can go wrong with one of these especially for the low to mid range cameras. Nice to be able to use a newer camera in the same housing when they come out. However, i don't know too much about their adaptability for things like manual WB. Perhaps Peter Mooney can elaborate more as he is a large dealer for them

Thanks Mike.

Top Dawg housings are without doubt the most versatile and affordable of all the housings.

That being said with that versatility there is a little compromise. ( no flip filter / no microphone / flat port )

The basic functions are accessible power on / off rec / stdby , zoom , manual focus / auto focus select and if your camera supports it - photo mode ( switchable ).

It is possible to get them to manually white balance by preselecting manual white balance mode before putting the camera in the housing.

If you power the camera down and restart it the whitebalance will reset - certainly not a one button push but achievable.

I have found the Top Housings to be very popular with people starting out in the video world.

People find a lot of comfort in knowing that they will always be able to get a camera that will fit / function in their housing - not to mention the ease of upgrading their camera as time goes on.

My biggest criticisms of the Top Dawg housing is the exposed circuitry inside the housing. Being bare, they were susceptible to humid conditions and failed too often for me. I believe that the circuit boards of L&M (Top Dawg is a derivative of the L&M sting ray housing) are now coated for better humidity protection. I'm not sure about the Top Dawgs. Perhaps Peter can tell us.

That said, it is a viable housing for multiple generations of camcorders. Obviously optics are limited to a WA lens inside and white balance isn't easy. The magnetic controls are easy to use but require a little more maintenance than the typical hard wire/IR controls in my experience.

Another budget choice would be the USVH. It is also electronic controlled and lacks WB function as well but is budget oriented and works. With the extended controls you have access to the menu system, a plus. Still it is not possible to WB with the touch screen cameras. I've heard nothing but good things about Warren who runs the outfit. However this is a buoyant housing and needs ballast. Good thing is you can strap a weight on it without a problem.

Funky, there isn't a perfect housing out there. You need to weigh the pros and cons of each housing. Also you will need to figure out what kind of lighting system you want and how it will integrate into your housing. Hate to say this but welcome to the dark hole. Your wallet is in jeopardy.