Amphibico Endeavor with HVR-V1 review and field test

Do I hear 'Panic Buy' from Amphibico!!!

Seams a little strange if they have already sold half and it is just out that they won't make more... All the costs of development must be massive, the production on the housing is probably the cheaper bit.

Whats the point in making more & more housings for an old model when there is a new camera coming out that needs one made. Just make so many to cover your costs , make a profit if you can and move on to the next new model as it's a tiny market.

Light & Motion did not even make one for this model.

Thing being, the V1 / FX7 was a bit of a half way between the other two sony's. So it was a outside bet. From all the feedback I've been reading it seems to be a very good cam and more people are warming to it, more closer in performance to the Z1 than the A1. I personally think light & motion made a mistake in thinking it would not be a seller.

But hey..Bring on the EX "For the sheer joy of diving EX"

Dive safe

DeanB

The review is almost done. Just have to do the pics and send it in. I'm stuck in Africa so broadband isn't an option.

Jules

The signal is processed in 4:2:2 1920x1080. It's recorded as 1440x1080 4:2:0 HDV onto tape. The only way for 4:2:2 is to capture from HDMI to HDD.

I've just spent 10 days shooting with a V1 in stormy, windy, often overcast and frequently raining Cornwall (got to love British summers eh?) and I was very impressed with it, but due to lack of housing availability it was obviously only used for topside on boat shots.

I was filming a scientific expedition where we sat tagged a number of Porbeagle sharks. It was frantic at times and every second of footage counted (at times I had a polecam in one hand and the V1 in the other!), so there often was not time to mess around getting the right settings. In these circumstances I was blown away with how well the V1 performed in full auto or nearly full auto. Obviously if you had time to set up the shots then the manual controls came into their own. As an all round performer I really rated the V1.

The expedition was a massive success. We got 5 DNA samples, Sat tagged 4 sharks and got the first comprehensive free swimming footage of Porbeagle sharks ever, so it was a massive achievement. I'd have loved to have got the V1 into the water

I'm off to Cornwall again tomorrow for another 10 days, but I'll try to post some screen grabs when I get back.

Cheers, Simon

Thanks Drew,

unfortunately I found the same info on the page as well.... Capturing HDMI to HDD means live action, I guess. So the only thing I have to figure out, how will I put a mac pro with speedy hard drives into a housing to solve the problem

The review is almost done. Just have to do the pics and send it in. I'm stuck in Africa so broadband isn't an option.

 

Jules

The signal is processed in 4:2:2 1920x1080. It's recorded as 1440x1080 4:2:0 HDV onto tape. The only way for 4:2:2 is to capture from HDMI to HDD.

"Almost done" on July 23rd but not yet posted by August 7th (two plus weeks later) seems like Drew may be dogging this job a little. I, for one, am really anxious to see what he liked or didn't like.

Come on, Drew. Give us what you've got!

--Richard

Complain, complain, complain... like a bunch of kids on a road trip!

I run on the lunar calendar.

Complain, complain, complain... like a bunch of kids on a road trip!

I run on the lunar calendar.

Sigh. I can't believe you construed my post as complaining, when all I was really doing was whining.

Are we there yet?

--Richard

Hi All,

I collected my Endeavour two weeks ago now from our UK distributor. So far I haven't got it wet, and please remember these are the first impressions of a novice as far as "professional" housings are concerned.

It looks superb, beautifully crafted and sleak. It is certainly heavy out of the water, how do you Phenom guys lift yours

The rear mounted HD monitor is very clear and bright, even in sunlight. It does display all the camera info as promised. It is powerd by 4xAA batteries that are mounted in the rear door. I am assured that it will run for 4 hours on 2700 NiMah's.

The camera saddle is very stable and clicks nicely into position, and it is easy to plug in the connections. There is a slightly different arrangement for the mike connection for the V1 over the FX7, but both options are installed in the housing.

There is a nice combination of electronic controls and mechanical buttons. The handles allow access to all the common controls including playback option, and a few seconds of last footage if requested. The camera's menu is easily accessed through 4 buttons on the right just in front of the handle. Menu on/off. up and down and execute. So setting AE shift, peaking etc. etc. is easy.

Electronic MWB is easy to access. Simply press the White Balance button on the back of the housing to bring up the user set WB (A) and then press the WB button on the top of the right handle. Works well on the surface so I see no reason why it should'nt be OK u/w.

Aperture control is accessed with a mechanical button and large wheel in the same place as on the camera.

The 94 degree port looks awesome, and I can focus right up to the port. There is space with my FX7E to put one, possibly two dioptres, on the front of the camera, but this will disable the flip filter so I may have to fix a CC filter to the camera - I will need to experiment. I haven't yet looked at the possibilty of swapping the filter for a dioptre which would be better. Buying a flat port for pure macro dives is an option.

Electronic zoom works smoothly and slowly, you can speed up the zoom for quick adjustments using the left trigger as a "shift" key. The latter also doubles up most of the handle buttons for other functions, these include power off, standby return, backlight, record review, dispay toggle on the monitor, and the left and right lights if fitted.

Gain and shutter speed controls are initiated with mechanical buttons on the rear of the housing and then using the up/down menu keys.

The monitor has a digital zoom as on the stand alone version, but the housing also has a button for the camera's expanded focus so is redundant.

I am not taking it to sea until the end of September when Wendy and I are off to a photoshoot week on a liveaboard in the Southern Egyptian Red Sea. Fortunately we will be flying with Astraeus and they give an extra 25kg for £50 ($100) return, which is the best deal I have seen for a 5 hour flight from the UK.

I will be dunking it and myself in a diving buddy's pool this weekend just to see what it feels like u/w, there are six small removable weights on the bottom of the housing to adjust the buoyancy.

Well I am now off to the gym to work on my biceps and triceps so that I can hand the beast up to the crew on a standard Red Sea dive boat!

More later, and Drew I am really looking forward to your "expert" report, but I'm not moaning

Roger

Roger, a couple of questions:

does the housing offer a button/control for the picture profile button?

-- control for the 3 assign buttons?

-- I am understand right, that the menu's scroll wheel is not avalaible at the rear side, insted of this, the mentioned right side's up/down button will adjust for example the gain, shutter and menu?

thanks,

Jules

Gyula

No Assign Button access. Picture Profiles yes. Yes also on the menu control panel controls operating all functions except Iris.

Roger

It's not really all that heavy. 12kg with camera and big battery. I could easily toss it back on an RIB with 2+ feet of clearance. Not that I'd do that with the housing

Hm,

I am between the Gates and the Amphibico housings. Each of them has its strength and weakness. Unfortunately I have never been in close contact with a Gates housing, so I have to rely on reviews and photos. And they have no dealer in Switzerland...

And: Drew or Roger, would you be so kind the send me the manual of the Endeavour housing? That would be a great favour to me. I try to have one Gates V1 manual as well, it could help me to decide.

I would wonder however, whether my Amphibico lights could be mounted on a Gates-housing...

thanks,

Jules

Jules

Here is the destructions for the Endeavor

Endeavor PDF

Here is some info on the Gates

Gates PDF

Thanks Wagsy,

it was really fast

I am looking for the same detailed manual for the Gates as well, the feature sheet has been read already, but the Endeavour manual is very useful!

Jules

Well Jules the Gates review MAY come in Nov, hopefully along with the XH review

With housings, I never look at what functions they have but what functions they don't have and how it affects you as a shooter. I then assess how I can use the functions that are on the camera to overcome the shortcomings. That of course means that I have to know what I'll be shooting mostly. The most flexible housing functionwise comes at a price of bulk and weight often.

Wetpixel is going to start a database for the bigger 3 sensor cameras and housings and important 1 sensor cameras. The Endeavor is the beginning of this new service to readers.

Wow you Guys answered Jules mighty quick.

One thing missing is the ND control. Am I right in saying this is really no more than an AE shift under auto exposure, if so this is available with the menu.

Roger

Thats because I'm siting here editing and the net computers is always on

ND control is like a physical pair of sunnies on to restrict the light if too much is comming in.

If you are shallow and your fstop is maxed out at F11 just spin the shutter up....thats what I do and your fstop will drop abit.

AE shift in the menu is adjusting the cameras brain to say OKAY instead of me being on F11 with this much light coming in, I will be on F10.

Or it can be the other way round - or +

Roger

ND filter is separate from exposure/iris control. ND1 is 1/4 and ND2 1/16. It is important in controlling light, especially in shallow water conditions. Alternatively, you can use the flip filter to cut 1+ stop of light.

The AE shift merely changes the exposure by 1/3 increments if I remember correctly. It does not control the ND filter, unlike the smaller cameras which have it built in... or so they claim.

Since you are shooting in 50i, it doesn't matter as much as if you were shooting at 24/25/30P.

I have the Gate housing and HD monitor. I leave on Saturday for a week in the Caribbean and will post some sample clips when I get back.

The Gates has access to ND 1 & 2, and 2 assign buttons. For now, if anyone has any specific questions about the Gates, feel free to ask. Jules, I have a hardcopy of the manual, but not the electronic version.