Top Dawg housing and White balance?

With all the talk about HD and the high end setups being discused here I hope I'm not taking people 2 steps back with this ?

I have a Top Dawg II housing with the monitor back, I am currently using a Sony DCR TRV 30. I am upgrading to a 3ccd TRV900-950. With the TRV30 I would white balance on the surface (actually automatic when you turn the camera on/off) then attach the URPRO filter. The results were very good considering my limited experience with UW video.

My ? is that the Top Dawg does not allow me access to WB controls nor am I able to flip the filter on/off with a lever. I have recenly watched a video shot with the 900 using no filters but the housing had the ability access the WB underwater and I was extremely impressed.

Can anyone provide me some suggestions as to how to acheive the best results using this combination?

Thanks,

Coldwaterdude

If I can make a suggestion. Go to my review on the kenstone.net editing site and read up on the Warm Cards for white balancing.

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/white...ds_douglas.html

White balancing can make a significant difference in the quality of your clips. Better to fix things here than in post production. I always use Gates housings as they are as tough and durable as you can buy plus, they have white balance controls. In fact, I am ordering a new Gates housing this afternoon for my Sony HVR-A1U. You can carry a white slate with you but the IRE on the slate is probably more than the standardized 100ire. Warm cards are easy to use, inexpensive and well worth it. Hey, tell them I sent you.

Hope this helps,

Steve

Steve-

Thanks for the link it is very usefull. I am still challenged with the actuall white balancing method.

My TOP DAWG does not allow me access to the manual white balance controls so I am left with the auto mode.

So do I-

Leave the UR PRO filter off the camera and do the auto WB once at depth with cards?

With lights or with out?

Leave the UR PRO filter on the camera and do the auto WB once at depth with the cards?

No lights since I have the filter.

Will the WB at depth without the filter and no lights bring back the red?

Thanks again.

Coldwaterdude

Steve - very interesting article about warm cards; boy this WB subject is PHD material isn't it!?

I wonder if you have seen or even used Amphibico's White Balance & Color Chart? (ACWB0711 Aluminum White Balance & Color Chart 7" x 11" Price: $195.00 USD)

I just bought one but have not yet 'used in anger' - I'll be trying it out in Bali in two weekends with my A1 in a refitted USVH 950 housing with a new manual WB control drilled into the side. I'm keen to try a number of WB methods - including diver Dan's shoot the sun tip (see earlier thread)

Any feeling for this card? At least it should enable one to color correct in post prod'n if one shoots the color side at depth as well...

Hi,

Have never seen Amphibico's card in use or anywhere so I can't speak to it. Very expensive tho and the Vortex Media's Warm Cards are soooo much cheaper, well made and easy to use under the water. I attached mine to a slate on an arm that I can swing in front of the lens, focus, white balance and move out of the way. You could also put the warm card in your bc pocket but I would be afraid of bending it unnecessarily.

You're right, this is the stuff of PHDs. I have seen people WB on the sand, into the sun, all kinds of methods. However, if you think about it, the WB standard is set to 100IRE, even 70 IRE is decent. I would rather be consistant in all my shoots so that if I WB in Indonesia and then again in Bali a year later, my films will have the same consistancy unless I want to effect a change but that would be under my controls.

To answer Cold Water Dude's question, I WB with both the lights and UR filter on if I am shooting something relatively close to me where lights will necessary. For wide angle shots where lights have no effect, you would have to re WB with or without the UR filter on. The auto white balance does a decent job but no where near what manual wb can do. However, if I did not have access to a manual white balance( and I wouldn't buy or own a housing that did not have this feature) than you will need to WB under the water. When putting on the UR filter after it has already automatically WB itself without the filter or lights on, you could always turn the system off, put the filter and lighs on, and return the cam back on. The auto wb shoud make the proper adjustment but , like I said, not as accurately.

Hope this helps,

Steve

Steve-Nick,

Thank you for your input. It has been very informative.

Steve basically what you are saying is WB-WB-WB then do it again. The link you sent for the WB cards is great and I will be ordering a set this weekend.

Would I be able to eliminate the UR filter by WB as I go? I miss lots of surface shots due to the UR filter, as I do not have the ability to flip it on or off like most high end housings.

BTW can you send me some info on your up coming Bali trip? Wife and got to talking and it would be nice to go back.

Thanks,

Coldwaterdude

There are a number of dive operators in Bali, but we prefer to dive with Wolfgang at Water Worx in Padang Bai http://www.waterworxbali.com

Depending on the season Mantas and Mola Mola can be good video opportunities, but there is aways good diving on the East Coast. Of course further North at Tullamben is the famous Liberty Ship wreck but the viz can be very poor there at this time of year.

shawh, jbonehoss, and NickJ will be in Padang Bai March 3/4/5 trying various combinations and permutations of housings, WB methods, and cameras! Be there or be square

LOL still looking for big stuff in Bali waters?

Muck baby MUCK!

Well we all know you have your secret locations in Indonesia Drew where new species are being discovered weekly! Sure muck diving is great in Bali, but we have been pleasantly surprised by the pelagics too - of course it's all a matter of timing - as in "hey, you should have been here LAST week" etc - how many times have you heard that ...? <_<

Our Bali and Komodo trip is on a liveaboard and is scheduled for July, 2007. Not surprisingly, it has been filling quickly but we still have open berths and the best time to go with plenty of time to save and prepare. If interested, email me at home: steve-sharksdelight@cox.net and I can send you the specifics of our trip. Most of those going are fairly experienced videographers so it is a great way to learn and share all kinds of techniques and skills.-Look forward to hearing from you

Steve