Lighting for my housing

Can anyone help me? I am just taking my first steps into underwater video,

I just sold my FX1 video camera as its too big and heavy for carting around the world so I am replacing it with a JVC GZ-HD6. Trying to decide what housing to buy for it, its a tie between Ikelite and Equinox HD6. Both similar in price but the Equinox comes with a wide angle port, and can be modified later for any camera upgrades for 1/3 price. Equinox lighting is expensive though compared to Ikelite, are lights and mounts a universal type setup of do different manufacturers need different mountings?

Thanks

Josh

Equinox lighting is expensive though compared to Ikelite, are lights and mounts a universal type setup of do different manufacturers need different mountings?

http://www.brightstar.com.tw/product_info_e.php?UID=772

There are several post on this lights here

bye

Google HDVSEATEK and have a look at their lighting...I think I've also seen their ad here on Wetpixel.

I use their 50w HIDs and 2000 lumen LEDs.

Also for cheap and cheerfuls try Pro Watt scuba they do 50 and 100 watt halogens for a pretty good price. I had a set for a couple of years and they never missed a beat and I still miss the warm look of Halogen compared to HID.

Jon

If you don't mind wearing a battery cannister on your waist, Sartek still makes halogens. I use a wetconnect cable which makes water entry and exits easy.

That's one thing I have always hated about some of the better lights, having to attach a battery canister to myself. I've been using the L & M LED 2000 lights for several trips and like them a great deal since I can adjust the power on the spot to the shot being taken.

Steve

Can anyone help me? I am just taking my first steps into underwater video,

I just sold my FX1 video camera as its too big and heavy for carting around the world so I am replacing it with a JVC GZ-HD6. Trying to decide what housing to buy for it, its a tie between Ikelite and Equinox HD6. Both similar in price but the Equinox comes with a wide angle port, and can be modified later for any camera upgrades for 1/3 price. Equinox lighting is expensive though compared to Ikelite, are lights and mounts a universal type setup of do different manufacturers need different mountings?

 

Thanks

Josh

We have a light arm adapter you can purchase to mount your lighting system onto our housing. If you choose a different lighting system Let me know what system you are using and we can get you all taken care of.

That's one thing I have always hated about some of the better lights, having to attach a battery canister to myself. I've been using the L & M LED 2000 lights for several trips and like them a great deal since I can adjust the power on the spot to the shot being taken.

Steve

To each his own Steve. I like wearing the battery canister. It takes the place of some lead, and it makes lifting the housing into/out of the water easier.

Ron,

Where do you attach it? I used one of those large canisters for a few dives in the Cocos a few years back and had it hanging off my BC towards the front, it prevented me from getting down low. Then having to disconnect and remove it in the water to hand up to the skiff operator was a bit of a pain as well.

Like you said, we all have our preferences.

Steve

Steve, I wear it on my waist belt at my hip. I barely even notice it's there. Could be because my BCD is a Dive Rite Transpac. Kind of like a soft backplate and wing.

Here's a pic off the halcyon site showing how I wear it.

http://www.halcyon.net/files/locations/aus...a_dr-gbr072.jpg

Battery canisters shrunk when NIMH cells came out.

I prefer personally to have my video unit as a self-contained unit in itself (housing and lights), I have never been all that excited about being attached to my rig. Ron is right though, the newer battery packs are getting much smaller and much easier to attach to your belt without hanging and banging off the bottom. Steve you are probably thinking about big lead acid packs that manufacturers use to offer before Nimh and lithium battery packs came out. Some still do come with lead acid packs, stay clear of those, they are just to heavy.

Josh, I think it'll be much easier to recommend a system if you told us your budget, usage and size requirements. Otherwise people will just start suggesting what they have which may not help you at all.

Battery canisters shrunk when NIMH cells came out.

Steve you are probably thinking about big lead acid packs that manufacturers use to offer before Nimh and lithium battery packs came out. Some still do come with lead acid packs, stay clear of those, they are just to heavy.

Ron and Tman, are you suggesting Steve is ...errr... old skool? :)

NiMH batteries have been out for a long time. I've been using them for the last 10-12 years at least. Before that was NiCd and lead acid, which are toxic and NiCd is now (or going to be) even banned in the EU.

Sure putting the batteries on the bottom of the housing for lights is nice for macro except the pods don't allow the housing to get down low... which sometimes is more important than the diver getting down low.

Furthermore, to get brighter lighting for WA, the battery pack has to be bigger. If one looks at the Gates setup for the Squid 250, the battery packs are also on the housing. This helps with inertia and handling but balance will have to be adjusted based on lens setup and also overall buoyancy. No free lunches.

Being this is my first housing and lighting set up I dont have the big budget (under USD 1000 for the lights), At this time Ikelite Pro lite 3 100w is looking the best value for money. I have spent alot of time looking around at products and reviews since putting up this post, thanks everyone for your input its been a great help.

Josh, I think it'll be much easier to recommend a system if you told us your budget, usage and size requirements. Otherwise people will just start suggesting what they have which may not help you at all.

 

Ron and Tman, are you suggesting Steve is ...errr... old skool?

 

NiMH batteries have been out for a long time. I've been using them for the last 10-12 years at least. Before that was NiCd and lead acid, which are toxic and NiCd is now (or going to be) even banned in the EU.

 

Sure putting the batteries on the bottom of the housing for lights is nice for macro except the pods don't allow the housing to get down low... which sometimes is more important than the diver getting down low.

Furthermore, to get brighter lighting for WA, the battery pack has to be bigger. If one looks at the Gates setup for the Squid 250, the battery packs are also on the housing. This helps with inertia and handling but balance will have to be adjusted based on lens setup and also overall buoyancy. No free lunches.

If your budget can cope I'd really recommend keeping away from Halogen lighting for two reasons:

Halogen is quite inefficient in terms of Lumens produced per watt of battery power consumed (compared to HID or LED). A 100w halogen will give you about 2000 Lumens...a 35 watt HID will give you about 3500 (and don't need as big a battery for the same burn time).

Halogen colour temperature is quite low ...usually less than 4000 Kelvin. As a daylight fill you will get colour imbalance (excessive warmth, ie reds). Some people like this but it's totally unnatural...and very passe IMO. You will also be doing a lot more WB when using Halogen as a fill. HID and LED are daylight colour temperature...perfect fill balance.

There are some very affordable, high quality HID's available out there if you look beyond the big names...

Being this is my first housing and lighting set up I dont have the big budget (under USD 1000 for the lights), At this time Ikelite Pro lite 3 100w is looking the best value for money. I have spent alot of time looking around at products and reviews since putting up this post, thanks everyone for your input its been a great help.

Josh I actually have an older version of that light which I bought in a lurch on location because I needed illumination and it was the only thing available. It works and the bulb being vertical is at its most efficient. Using a 100W HLX bulb, you'll get 3600 lumens out of that and if I remember correctly you can vary the power. With my really old version, you couldn't use it topside because the heat would bubble the plastic cover.

Still for $1000, I suggest you search for 2nd hand options as well. I suggest you check out the lights primer for an intro to the various technologies to familiarize yourself with choices available.

I'd love to get rid of my 100 w Halogen Ikelite Pro Video Lites (Version 2, I think)...LOL

I think you are making a solid decision on waiting on the light system to gather more info on LED's and HID's and also to play around with your new housing. Everything is good to go, you are going to love your new Ikelite housing.