First trip with Canon XA10/G10 and L&M Bluefin HD

Hello, all. I'm going to take a Canon XA10 in a L&M Bluefin HD housing to PNG this month, and could use some tips on things to get or bring before I go. It will be my first trip with only a video setup, and I'm nervous that I'll forget some $5 accessory that is indispensable. I'll likely use a G10 in the L&M housing and an XA10 topside, with some kind of shotgun mic.

The setup will be:

Light & Motion Bluefin with OLED

Fathom 90 port (borrowed from Scubacam)

2 x SOLA 4000 lights on locline arms (with ULCS arms and clamps as backup)

Stix float for Bluefin

XIT404 tripod tray and legs

32GB SD cards

Topside accessories:

shotgun mic / XLR cable

58mm polarizer

58-77 setup ring

77mm variable ND filter

Extra underwater accessories:

GoPro HERO2 flat port housing and 3D flat port housing

ULCS balls for GoPro

I'm interested in a way to get a 1" ball right above the Stix Bluefin float so I can attach a GoPro of some sort. It may require some custom hardware.

All other advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'd use something like THIS. Unbolt the ball section from the strap and drill a hole through the stix float over the threaded hole on the top of the housing. put the a machine screw the right length and thread pattern through the bolt hole on the ball, through a large washer, then through the float and tighten in to the hole on the housing so the whole package is tight. You could even use the other hole in the ball adaptor to bolt it to the float just to make it secure. Then I would buy an extra plane ticket to PNG, and send it to me .

Hello, all. I'm going to take a Canon XA10 in a L&M Bluefin HD housing to PNG this month, and could use some tips on things to get or bring before I go. It will be my first trip with only a video setup, and I'm nervous that I'll forget some $5 accessory that is indispensable. I'll likely use a G10 in the L&M housing and an XA10 topside, with some kind of shotgun mic.

 

The setup will be:

 

Light & Motion Bluefin with OLED

Fathom 90 port (borrowed from Scubacam)

2 x SOLA 4000 lights on locline arms (with ULCS arms and clamps as backup)

Stix float for Bluefin

XIT404 tripod tray and legs

32GB SD cards

 

Topside accessories:

 

shotgun mic / XLR cable

58mm polarizer

58-77 setup ring

77mm variable ND filter

 

Extra underwater accessories:

 

GoPro HERO2 flat port housing and 3D flat port housing

ULCS balls for GoPro

 

I'm interested in a way to get a 1" ball right above the Stix Bluefin float so I can attach a GoPro of some sort. It may require some custom hardware.

 

All other advice would be greatly appreciated!

The only thing I can think of at this stage Eric is spare batteries.

I have 3 batteries for the video camera & 2 sets for the rear screen, plus several sets for the handles.

You may want to consider making a handle for the top of the housing.

I have a thread on here with one I put together for about $3 & took under an hour to make.

I can tell you after doing several dives with it that it makes a big difference holding onto the handle & not the arms.

You should put a clip onto it also to be able to let it go when you want to clip it off.

Cheers pete.

Have fun.

Thank you, Pete and textilet. Good feedback.

I have 2 camera batteries, and I believe the rear screen takes AAs, so I'll have plent of those. I'll look into a handle, too. I'll have the Stix floats on, so the handle will have to be high enough to clear them.

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...=bluefin+handle

Nice DIY handle! I may have to go to friends' places—I can't bend metal that thick here at home.

Eric,

If you're going without this, you're tying one hand (eye?) behind your back!

pentamirror

Absolutely indispensable!

Don't know if your Stix float is this one: Bluefin uw balance

but it may be worth seeing and using your own preferences.

Other than that, you have some trip envy going here...

Tom

Hi Eric,

I have now made a new version of my handle to suit the float. Check out my handle thread for updated photos.

Cheers Pete.