ROV Images

At work I am involved in project that uses industrial ROVs for scientific observations. ROVs can take great images of animals from well below diving depths. I'll post some more wierd animal images soon - but here are a couple of fairly normal species from deeper that 500m taken West of the Shetland Islands (UK). The images were taken with a 3.2 MP compact modified for deep water use.

You can read more about the project on the website:

http://www.soc.soton.ac.uk/GDD/serpent/

Hi!

Great stuff. How do you aim the camera? Video viewfinder? What lights do you use? Flash or continuous?

It's amazing how some people manage to have lots of interesting projects and fun with the add-on value of payment ;-)

Helge ;-)=)

You really need a second strobe in the second shot

Can you give more details on the equipment you use there?

More photos it's obvious.

Arnon

The housed digital camera that I have seen used on the ROV is actually a Coolpix 990!!!

The camera is controlled via a laptop computer that has a display that simulates all the buttons and dials on the camera. The controls go down the tether/umbilical on the ROV to the camera.

The zoom and strobes are controlled by the camera too and the Coolpix has a "ttl-like" sensor on it that yields decent photos.

The pan and tilt are controlled by separate gears as the camera is mounted in a gimballed setup - it's pretty cool.

Cheers

James

I want one!!!

The camera or the Rov ;-)

Just to answer a few questions. The camera is controlled with a video viewfinder. The system is pretty much as James described. The camera has seperate pan and tilt controls, but it is often easier to move the whole ROV because the skill of the industry pilots means they can move the ROV by a cm or so!

Some of the smallest ROVs cost about the same as a Seacam housed EOS 1D - so not completely beyond the realms of possibility for a photographer - although then you have to buy a camera! But you'd certainly be able to sell the images.

Alex: Just out of curiousity: Do you have links to the manufacturers?

Simon

Just a quick search on the web revealed this one:

http://www.seabotix.com/products/lbv150s.htm

These ROVs start in the UK from <£9000 - in USA at <$14000.

and just for fun: B&H Canon 1Ds = $8000 + 15mm f2.8 = $580

and Seacam housing = $5500 + Fisheye port = $1500

total = $15580 - and that's without viewfinder, strobes etc.

But (sadly) I rather have the Canon and Seacam than the ROV. But it makes you think (especially because the UK (Jessops) price for a 1Ds (£7000) isn't much less than the ROV!

Very Cool link....

Im gonna add to todo list: Winning Lottery ;-)

One of my friends here at work (now with BP) had a long career with Perry designing ROV's. From time to time, I check Ebay, and we found one for sale there not too long ago. It was one of the old Honeywell "MNV" or "mine neutralization vehicles"

It's starting bid was $10,000 and no one bid on it. Unfortunately, it was one of a few systems that run on 400hz AC power, which is not easy to make. You can't exactly get a 400hz generator from Agrekko.

Here are some shots from the NOAA ship Nancy Foster - I got to go aboard when they were doing deepwater surveys around the Flower Garden Banks:

http://www.reefpix.org/gallery/album31

The Phantom S2 is a small survey ROV (what some people call a "flying eyeball" with video and still cameras. The pilot is controlling it on the left, and the sanctuary manager can see the video feed on his monitor on the left and control the camera using the computer on his right:

Of course, the ROV's used in the projects Alex is working with are MUCH bigger (like the size of a van) and stronger.

Cheers

James

I want that guy in the middles Job! :mrgreen:

The camera or the Rov ;-)

Yes.

I want that guy in the middles Job! :mrgreen:

James can correct me on this if I am wrong... I think that is Doug from the FGBNMS. I can attest to the fact that he is a remarkably fluent underwater swearer as well as a GIS specialist (which, I think, means that he always knows where he is ).

I still regret not spending the moolah to do the deep dive in a submarine thing on Grand Cayman. Perhaps this year...

Hi!

Have a look at the poor man's ROV:

A small composite video camera in a self made housing (the small silver ball in the center), 3 water pumps (for small room fountains), 2 tank lamps and a Scubapro Splashlight (with depth gauge). All mounted on my camera handles (will be changed to a dedicated rig later this year).

Tested operating depth 40m (that's the length of the cables).

We did a survey in a medieval well prior to diving it in person. The pictures were captured on a VCR. it wasn't that bad, compared to the cost of the whol apparatus.

There's a short diary (in German) and some more pictures about the survey at http://web.utanet.at/studiogalerie-ikebana.../Kulturaum.html

Helge ;-)=)