HDR-XR520V/HDR-CX520V white balance?

So I have a question for any of you who have the HDR-XR520V or the 500V.

What has been you luck/experience on doing MWB with this camcorder and what has been your experience with UW video in general with it? I know this camcorder is suppose to have the "Exmor R CMOS" sensor which should be superior in shooting in low light conditions.

The reason I ask is L&M is suppose to be coming out with an upgrade to the Stingray + housing that will allow true "one touch" MWB if you have the Sony HDR-CX500/520V. This camcorder is pretty much the same as the XR series as far as the sensor. Just different recording media.

I was just wondering what to expect if it all comes together. For what it's worth, I pretty much shoot in the tropical waters of the caribbean like the Caymans, Bonaire, Roatan, Cozumel, etc.

Thanks!

Ive had the opportunity to play with the new Bluefin for the CX 500/520. It is MUCH easier to Manually White Balance than it is with the XR series camcorders. With the XR series, you still must access MWB through the manual touch screen on the side of the housing. With the new CX cameras, they were able to access the MWB through the fingertip controls on the housing, thus making it much easier and similar to how it is done on the HF S10/S11 Bluefin housing.

The new Bluefin CX500/520 housing will only come as a pro model, with the flip macro starting at $4199.

The upgraded handle for the Stingray will operate the MWB, but you will not have access to the other controls such as manual focus, flip macro, etc.

So have you had a chance to take it to any depths around say 50 ft. or more? It seems that one of the drawbacks I would always read about the HC5/7/9 is that it's very hard to get it to WB at much of a depth. Thread after thread on here have folks saying this.

Unfortunately no, I have not had the opportunity to dive with it in the ocean, only play with one of the prototype housings in the store.

Well I have a trip going to Bonaire in February so I hope to have one of the CX models and a new handle for my Stingray + by then. Never had the ability to do MWB in my short time so far doing uw video so it should be fun to experiment around with it. I'm pretty sure they will have the handle out by then.

So have you had a chance to take it to any depths around say 50 ft. or more? It seems that one of the drawbacks I would always read about the HC5/7/9 is that it's very hard to get it to WB at much of a depth. Thread after thread on here have folks saying this.

Which has been my experience with my little HC7 camera.

Which has been my experience with my little HC7 camera.

A buddy of mine has the HC/9 and a Bluefin housing and if I remember correctly, I think about 30ft is as good as he ever gets on the WB and that's tropical waters. But I think I have read that people were getting better results with the newer Sony's with the low light sensor I mentioned. Either way, I guess I'll find out if they do the upgrade handle for my Stingray +.

A buddy of mine has the HC/9 and a Bluefin housing and if I remember correctly, I think about 30ft is as good as he ever gets on the WB and that's tropical waters. But I think I have read that people were getting better results with the newer Sony's with the low light sensor I mentioned. Either way, I guess I'll find out if they do the upgrade handle for my Stingray +.

Yeah that's about all I get out of my HC9 in a gates with the best optics available (SWP25).

Yeah that's about all I get out of my HC9 in a gates with the best optics available (SWP25).

My understanding is that this limitation is not a result of the housing or optics.. but is a limitation of the camera itself.. the cam is only able to adjust to so much of a color temp range. I've heard that the higher end "pro" cameras are more capable than our "consumer" grade cameras.