First time out with my VX2000

Hi All:

Linked below is my first "test" video shot in a fresh water lake, day and evening, between 10 and 40 FT deep with no video lights used. I'm using a Sony VX2000 in a Gates housing with the Fathom SWP25 port that I'll be adding an external monitor to shortly.

This is the first time I've ever done underwater video. My plan is to dive in this lake over the winter (cheap) and get used to using the camera and system before I take it offshore. My goal for this first session was to get the "feel" of the handling, along with playing with the white balance. The video covers about 6 dives over the weekend and includes footage from bright sunlight to almost dark. I put it together in iMovie, added a few titles, transitions and credits followed by publishing it to YouTube using the iMovie "share" feature. I'm not certain if I used the "best" YouTube settings, because the video on the computer (and on TV) looks a WHOLE lot better that the YouTube stuff, even considering the quality loss using the YouTube video format...?

I actually learned quite a lot from just playing with the camera. The difference in using MWB was amazing. The video switches between automatic and manual white balancing. In some cases, I couldn't re-balance which is why some of the video is the way it is (control, not camera issue). The Gates control for setting the MWB is also a little tricky and took some getting used to. The clip with the bus and other "darker" video was shot in VERY low light, probably similar to a dark room in a house.

I'm also having some difficulty with understanding how to focus using the Fathom SWP port. I thought you were supposed to automatically focus on something close, switch to manual and then everything in the distance would be in focus? For some reason this doesn't seem quite right. Most of the video in the link is automatically focused.

My next test session will concentrate on exposure settings, followed by shutter controls. Suggestions would be appreciated and respected, as always!

Thanks...

Andy

Hi Andy,

it looks like you enjoy your new toy... :-)

I guess you meant this video as an example of how auto and MWB works with your camera.

The difference is tremendous!

Allow me to give you some advise if I you want to create a clip for people to enjoy

which where not part of the action.

- shorter is better, 4 min max.

- add music

- use only the best stuff (MWB, interesting action....)

BTW youtube is HORRIBLE!!! They convert everything down until you can´t see the difference

between Jenifer Lopez and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Keep posting!

Hi Mexwell!

THANKS for replying and for the suggestions!

I just pasted this stuff together and put it up hoping to see if anyone would give me thoughts on shutter speeds and exposure settings for my next time out, given what my video looked like. I didn't mean it to be anything other than BORING, which it CERTAINLY was, LOL!

I'm working on putting up my own website to run video through, you are so RIGHT about YouTube.

And, yes, I do LOVE my new "toy!" By this coming summer I'm hoping to be shooting video on wrecks off Cape Hatteras (east coast Atlantic of the USA) that will be MUCH more enjoyable.

Now, if I could only quit this office job and enjoy the life Nick does!

THANKS again!

Andy

I'm also having some difficulty with understanding how to focus using the Fathom SWP port. I thought you were supposed to automatically focus on something close, switch to manual and then everything in the distance would be in focus? For some reason this doesn't seem quite right. Most of the video in the link is automatically focused.

I'm not sure quite how the Fathom SWP port works but with many ports you can focus on something like your fin, or some reef at say 2-4 meters away, and then most far subjects will be in focus. If you have good vis you can probably get away with auto focus as long as your port (both sides) and camera lens are absolutely spotless. The stuff that's most likely to "hunt" are pelagics out in the blue (i.e. the stuff that you least want to), so you could try and get good at switching to manual focus just for sequences like that. If all you are shooting is fairly far away then do your manual focus on something at that range.