Housing colour, any influence?

Hi!

I was wondering recently, if the colour of the housing has any significance. Seacam states that their housings are siver "because fish love the glittering surface and are not shyed away".

I think it was a nice excuse for the fact that sea water resistant anodizing was available in silver finish only for some time. I saw housings in an amazing variety of colours and I'd like to know if somebody has any experience or proof that the colour matters.

I'm currently undecided which color my new housing will get (I'm torn between plain silver, cool titan gray or a nasty signal orange).

Helge ;-)=)

Just buy an ikelite and duct tape a few cans worth of sardines to it (or lures). That should attract the fish.

Helge, 18 years ago I repainted one of my housing to mimic a coral reef, just to see if it could give me an edge in macrophotography, aside from getting a lot of comments from fellows u/w photographers, it did'nt change a thing, in the end the only one being fooled was me, (but Hey!, I did have the coolest housing around),

I thing that marine creatures are atune to their environement, and that a two meter, bubbles releasing pseudo fish is not going to fool them, wheter you have a camouflaged or a zircon encrusted candy apple red housing. So, please buy the housing for the mechanic performance and not the stealth approach.

By the way, once a Nikonos V got unclip from my B.C. and fell to the sea floor, I realised it was gone when it was time to shoot with it, Boy was I glad I bought the orange version and not the algae green version, the damm camera would still be in the bottom of the ocean.

YES! I certainly think housing colour is important. I much prefer a teutonic metallic grey than a blue or clear housing. So much smarter!

I am actually being serious. When I got my strobes I refused to by them in Red - subtronic's old colour. For all that money I wanna look good too!

Alex

Hi!

Thanks for the input. I see, you all take it at least as serious as I do.

I thought that seeing me diving would outrun any housing, no matter of the look or size ;-) I was just wondering why Seacam said that fish love silver.

I can't buy a housing 'cause there isn't any available for my camera. Same old story. I'm going for a prototype again. This gives me more freedom in design (and colour as well ;-)

I lost a walkie talkie once when climbing (and I had the black model, not the yellow one) and didn't find it anymore. I think that you see it far better, even on the boat and people will tend to see it ranther than bumping into it causing damage.

Anodized red is a bit dull (and lots of housings are red), so going for Orange then?

My common sense says "signal colour" but the little tec diver inside says "BLACK".

I agree with Alex that for the huge amount of money I spend, it has to be to my taste, at least sort of. That includes handling and available extras (ports, strobes) in the first place but look and feel as well.

Titan gray looks cool but I'm wearing shades of black already so I had to stick reflecting stripes to my fins so my buddy will find me in bad viz. Also, dropping a nearly camouflaged housing must be a pain.

If I take the duct tape version, what lens would you recommend for the shark portrait (WA?) and should I use a ring stobe? It might get a bit close inside.

Helge ;-)=)

YES! I certainly think housing colour is important. I much prefer a teutonic metallic grey than a blue or clear housing. So much smarter!

I am actually being serious. When I got my strobes I refused to by them in Red - subtronic's old colour. For all that money I wanna look good too!  

Alex

Jawhol!

I'm mit you Alexander! (clicks heels)

Hi!

If I take the duct tape version, what lens would you recommend for the shark portrait (WA?)

Why...the (get ready for it)...fisheye lens of course!! Thank yewww....I'll be performing at the Laugh Factory next Tuesday. Try wrapping heavy duty aluminum foil around the lens.

Hi!

Why...the (get ready for it)...fisheye lens of course!!  

Stupid me. Could have figured it out myself. Of course the fisheye is the least suspicious lens possible. I'll be able to get all the teeth in one go too (and there'll be only one try, I assume).

Serious again: I've learned a bit more about anodizing in the meantime. It seems that one of the best coatings implies a dark tan on the surface. Therefore, the "teutonic" surface seems to be the most durable. There may be some new techniques that allow even bright colours but I haven't found out yet, if they are as sturdy. If you anodize and compress the surface you can't apply paint anymore. It wouldn't stick because the surface gets *very* smooth during the compression process.

There's even a technique called anodized printing where you may apply very resistant labelling. It's used with medical equipment e.g. Would be interesting for labelling buttons and wheels on a housing as well.

I'll have an apointment at an anodizing company so I'll find out next week.

Conclusion: up to my current knowledge, the "teutonic" gray surface is amongst the best surface protections you can get for money.

Helge ;-)=)

Actually I chose blue as I had seen so many photos with a model in them with a silver housing that I felt the silver housing always stood out. I felt the blue would not stand out and thus leave the key features of the photo to draw the viewers eye.

IMHO

I do agree for the money we should get to pick what coloUr we do want.

Couln't resist...sorry...

Chum, empty bucket of chum on diver + housing at surface, bring wide or fisheye + insurance=really close shots...no problema.

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