Calling all TRV900-950 users!

Looking for anyone who uses the TRV900 or 950. I'm curious as to what particular settings you've used with success in different conditions.

Looking for anyone who uses the TRV900 or 950.  I'm curious as to what particular settings you've used with success in different conditions.

Got a TRV900 and a Gates housing. What settings are you talking about ?

I usually shoot everything in auto, with the recent exception of using manual white balance. Sometimes I manually adjust exposure.

Ron, in a forum where posts are few and far between, I can always count on you to respond.

I just made the jump up to a nice 3-chipper, so the flood of options I have on this camera are in some ways a bit overwhelming. I figure I'll probably only use a few of them for my purposes, but still...

I'm thinking about things like the Color Level option. It allows me to decrease or increase color sensitivity...wouldn't I want to jack that up to the highest level for the most color? Why is that even an option?

I don't have the ability to set white balance from my housing, so I'm kinda screwed on that one. I'll go ahead and assume the TRV's are good about that.

I have wondered about Exposure....the default is 60, but I wonder if when using lights on closer shots it wouldn't be more prudent to set it at 100 or so to keep from getting brighter-colored subjects overexposed and distorted. That was a big problem on my 1-chip.

Ron, in a forum where posts are few and far between, I can always count on you to respond.

 

I just made the jump up to a nice 3-chipper, so the flood of options I have on this camera are in some ways a bit overwhelming.  I figure I'll probably only use a few of them for my purposes, but still...

 

I'm thinking about things like the Color Level option.  It allows me to decrease or increase color sensitivity...wouldn't I want to jack that up to the highest level for the most color?  Why is that even an option?

 

I don't have the ability to set white balance from my housing, so I'm kinda screwed on that one.  I'll go ahead and assume the TRV's are good about that.

 

I have wondered about Exposure....the default is 60, but I wonder if when using lights on closer shots it wouldn't be more prudent to set it at 100 or so to keep from getting brighter-colored subjects overexposed and distorted.  That was a big problem on my 1-chip.

Well, there aren't that many underwater video discusion groups. I believe I surf most of them.

I'm not familiar with adjustable color level. Must be something new on the 950. How useful is it on land shooting indoors ?

My exposure levels use a different range than yours. I get +/-18. Are you sure your not talking about shutter speed ? For that, I set it at 60.

What controls does your housing allow you to access ?

If I couldn't adjust exposure or white balance underwater, I'd leave it in auto.

I've messed around with the exposure settings and color level, but frankly usually have enough going on to keep the camera steady that I usually leave everything except ND filter and the red filter on my gates housing alone.

Dougie,

I've got a TRV-900 in an Ikelite housing. I have largely used auto for the shutter and aperture, but one big tip I can give is to leave the focus on manual, using the one touch auto to refocus when starting a new shot. That really helps prevent the AF from hunting and ruining a shot where a patch of low contrast hits the centre of the frame.

Whats the 100 vs 60 thing? I know the 950 has a selectable zebra stripe level, 70 or 100 IRE, but that just shows you whats overexposed or close to it.

Martyn

Assuming this thread is still active.

I have had my TRV-900 in an Amphibico Navigator housing for about 4 years now. I generally start most shots in full auto. Adjustments I tend to make are to switch to manual focus for close-up (not macro) and shots with a lot of sea snot in the frame (the auto focus tends to hunt).

The other option my housing offers in a flip down interal filter. This is typically fitted with a red filter. I have replaced this with a x2 diopter (I use an external red filter). This diopter allows me to flip in x2 magnification when shooting closeup. Of course this is no substitute for exchangable wet lenses.

I always shoot with the ND filter off.

After discussions with a couple of notable 'pros' I have experimented with manual white balance, but have found this diffcult on open reefs where the amount of light can change second by second depending on wave action, clouds and the angle at which you are shooting. However, on deeper or closed shots I have found this very useful. I tend to use the sand or some other natural source for my reference white and make modifications visually to conpensate - some people have recommended using a white slate but I find most shots are 'washed out' when I do this.

Dougie,

I have had my TRV 950 for over 2 years with an Amphibico Housing and like it very much.

At first I had tried many things to get proper colors, I had fulled around with the camera settings like colors balance, and some other custom settings to no good success.

After about 20 dives of "playing" I realised that the camera's default settings were the best to use at any circumstances. The red filter is not required for depth less than 30' while required at any greater depths.

In order to get proper colors, I use the built-in red filter from Amphibico, the flip-on filter. On the TRV I make sure that the WiteBalance is ready set on before I close the housing. To see if it is on, you should have a kind a funny square-lozance symbol on the bottom left of the display. Now here is the "tricky" part;

In order to actually White Balance, you need to press EXEC on the camera, which is by pressing the little dial, that will make the symbol flashes for few seconds then get steady again. Now we know that the white balance works. Then close the housing and you are ready to go.

Now I suggest that you leave the red filter on all the time, and just use white balance to restore proper colors. Using the 950 with a red filter on land works too, as I get proper color using WB. Amazing how much color correction the 950 has.

Ok, now before every shot, i mean before pressing the RECORD button, just put a white slate (actually better result with a slightly off-white than pure white) to cover about 2/3 of your viewer and about 1' away from the lens in the direction of your shooting, then press the EXEC button or WB (on amphibico housing's handle), the little symbol will then flash few times and then do it's magics!

AS mentionned I have had extremly good success doing so EVERY time before I press record. I mean that at same depth, but different angle I still WB before I rec.

Now, you might also notice some red's while shooting in the shallow and pointing up, then you have the alternative to remove the red filter and white balance on the sun, that works quite nice too, and allow you to slowly move shallower while recording and not having too much red. But again, you will have to experiment on this to see the best results based on the light and water color, subject, ... you have.

Well, hope this helps you and some others to put nice color in your UW Movies!

Shoot more, shoot well and the shoot must go on ;-)

Andre