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A Guide to Underwater Wildlife Video & Editing: Part 2

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Read Part 1 here.

A part serialisation of a book by Jeff Goodman

PART 2: How to choose the right camera and housing

Choosing the right camera can be an absolute minefield so it is worth looking closely at various models before parting with your hard-earned cash. Not all cameras have a suitable housing made for them although this is becoming less the case as time goes on.

Let’s first of all think about what your expectations are.

Are you thinking of becoming a professional or would you simply like to make extremely good videos yet remain an enthusiast? Are the films you are about to make for TV broadcast, for home movies, or something in-between? Either way, the product wants to be aesthetically good and often could be shot on a range of camera types. But when it comes to technical quality and versatility, then you simply get what you pay for. A camera with enough specifications for TV broadcast is going to cost anything between £6,000 to £60,000. The underwater housing on top of that may cost up to £20,000 extra. A good amateur camera is going to cost somewhere in the region of £150 to £1,000.  There are then good semi professional cameras that fall in between..

Let’s have a look at a few choices.

Video really has come into it’s own over the past few years. Even your mobile phone is capable of taking fun images. But as we are going to take the art of underwater filming a little more seriously let’s start by looking at some serious equipment that will give us a degree of control and flexibility

Choosing your camera really is difficult as there are so many different types in the market place. As well as the standard dedicated video cameras there are also now excellent video capabilities on SLR’s such as the Canon 7D. I am sure that as this book goes to publication, there will be new models of cameras out that do even more amazing things. But what ever they do and how ever they do them, the basic principles of good videography remain the same. This also applies to editing software which we will cover later.

In general video cameras with underwater housings come in three very broad categories. At the lower end there are the ‘easy shot’ consumer cameras such as the Canon Ixus, which are pretty well fully automatic with a few manual menu driven choices. The quality of this small camera is excellent.

Next are the middle range such the HDR-XR550 or the HDR-CX730 with the Gates housing which will give more manual control over things such as exposure and focus, although it must be said that in this middle range of housings not all camera functions may be available through the housing controls. Finally semi professional rigs such as the Gates housing for the Sony PMW-EX1R.  Now we are getting towards fully functional cameras and housings with very good through housing access to all the camera features.

I won’t be able to cover all cameras and how their functions are accessed, but generically they are mostly the same. This book will go through that generic camera and leave the individual reader to consult their owners manual for precise layout and functions.

Just as a guide for you, the camera and housing I use when teaching students is the Sony HDR-XR550 in a moulded metal Gates housing. (At least it is at the time of writing this. It’s not possible to keep up with new products for the purposes of a book, but on-line reviews or specialist magazines will certainly be doing this.) With this camera/housing combination, I get a very good quality camera with a good range of manual/auto controls through the housing. Having said that, housings are very personal things and I highly recommend you to get your hands on a few before buying.

Camera Format  – Tape or hard drive?

I have always loved shooting on tape. It is a solid tangible piece that I can physically hold and know with confidence that all my hard earned material is on it and in my hands……safe!

The quality is good and reliable, images and sound transfer easily to any edit software, and I always have a physical backup to put away in the filing cabinet.  Tapes are small and are no real problem to carry. In an emergency, most countries have a shop somewhere that will sell them. Should the real horror happen and the housing flood, then the tape inside is still retrievable.

Hard drives however, are taking over and it’s no good burying my head in the sand and trying to ignore the digital take over, so I will embrace it with good grace. Probably the most common format used by the non professional is AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition). I must confess that the quality of the newer cameras using this format is amazingly good and the playback through the camera results in some very fine images. The hard drive on the Sony HDR-XR550 which I’m using for the purposes of this book, is to say at the least, big.  The 240GB’s  give around 101 hours of full HD movie. That is a lot of movie. It is also a lot of movie to loose should your hard drive go down. So the most important thing when using none tape formats is to make sure you download to a separate hard drive after each and every dive. Not to do so is foolish and may result in tears.

Hard Drive or Card Capture means you need to take a laptop or backup device on location with you. Not such a big problem really but then again it all depends on the local electricity supply. But, as most people take laptops with them everywhere now………..

The AVCHD format is good but difficulties can occur when trying to play and edit the material on a computer or laptop that is not fully up to spec. Dual drive and plenty of memory are essential. With older laptops the files do not readily play well and are prone to crash or jitter.

Things are getting better but if you are having trouble, keep the original AVCHD files in backup and trans-code them to something like mpeg4 for easy editing. This still gives good quality especially if you are uploading to the web.  As technologies change and advance so quickly, I can only say that a web search on how best to deal with your video and audio files is always crucial.

Which Housing?

Just because you have a camera you like, doesn’t mean that there is a commercially built housing available for it. You can build your own, but that’s for another book. When looking at cameras, look to see what housings are available. OR, do it the other way round and look at housings and see what cameras they facilitate. Often companies such as Cameras Underwater will sell a package of camera and housing together. This in fact is probably the better way of doing it because you can rely on the knowledge that a manufacturer has built a housing for a suitably good camera.

Three main types of housing are acrylic see-through housings, moulded metal ones and circular tubular ones

The acrylic types have the advantage of letting you see into the housing to make sure that all the controls are working, as well as being able to see if there are any leaks. The moulded metal types are robust and pleasing to look at. The cylindrical ones have been the most common type over the years as it is easy to adapt the internal controls to many types of camera. As long as it fits inside of course. All of these types should be able to take interchangeable ports which we will discuss later on.

There are pros and cons to all these housings, but one important factor to be considered is, how much control you have of the camera through the housing. Some housings will only give you on/off and zoom control and leave all other functions to automatic settings. Others will give a much more comprehensive range of manual/auto controls such as focus, exposure, white balance, zoom, on/off and more. Decide carefully on your wants and needs before falling for any luring sales pitch that may leave you frustrated later on.

Mechanical or Electrical Housings

Let’s look closer at the way in which you can operate the camera controls through the housing. The Gates housing I am using for this demo has mechanical controls. This is where a control rod passes through the body of the housing itself and directly makes contact with the camera controls. This is a very reliable system and easily maintained or repaired in the field. The slight downside to this is that on the bigger housings the push rods or gear wheels can become loose and not engage fully. So, a bit more maintenance is needed.

The other type, such as the Amphibico, uses the camera electronics to operate the functions, removing any need for holes or control rods in the housing.  I find this type of control very good and precise, until that is, some sort of electrical fault manifests itself through salt corrosion. It must be said that most units are very well sealed against this happening, but, you are working in a marine and salt environment and electronics do suffer. As with the mechanical controls, regular maintenance is essential.

Next time we look at Underwater Camera Monitors and how to minimise the risk of leaks in your housings.

Jeff is a multiple award winning, freelance TV cameraman/film maker and author. Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world's oceans and their conservation that hold his passion with over 10.000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the 'Underwater Action Camera' course for the RAID training agency. Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life, witnessing, first hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time. Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.

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Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph

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UPY

An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.

“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”

“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”

Photo: Jenny Stock

In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”

UPY

Photo: Nuno Sá

More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.

About Underwater Photographer of the Year

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.

Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson

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World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023

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The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.

Grand Prize Winners

  • Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
  • Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
  • Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 cash prize award.

Celebrating Diversity and Innovation

This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation

World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.

This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.

Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.

Explore the Stunning Collection

Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.

For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.

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