Click Here to Join for FREE!  Login 
A Family Outdoor Learning Center

  Search Site
 You Are Here: ..:: Discussions ::..
Your Own Lake Lot  
20 Acres Hunting Land
Lake County, Minnesota
Up North
20 Acres Hunting Land
Full details
Brainerd Lakes Area Lakeshore
Emily, Minnesota
Ross Lake
Brainerd Lakes Area Lakeshore
Full details

Outdoor Adventure Audio CD - Trout Whisperer
Outdoor Adventure CD
Trout Whisperer

Listen to Sample

Buy Now 

About Us  

Departments  

Resources  

Outdoor News  

Minnesota | Camping Forum | Fishing Forum | Hunting Forum | Outdoor Photography forum | Nature Forum

Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan Camping forums - Hiking forums - Fishing forums - Hunting forums - Nature forums - Outdoor Photography forum - Join the fun!

Forget Barack Obama and John McCain -Trout Whisperer for President

camping forum | fishing forum | hiking forum | hunting forum | nature photography forum

A great, friendly, place to find tips, get questions answered and to post your thoughts. Give it a try and post a message.

Feel free to post messages on any subject. But be nice, no profanity, no name calling, no commercial posts.

Members -  be sure to check for new pics in the Photo Gallery.

You just need to Register for free and Login to post a message in the forums.

Outdoor Recreation Forum Moderator: 
Buck Anderson
 2008 Presidential Election Poll  
Who will you vote for in the 2008 Presidential Election?
Submit Survey  View Results

Forums > Creating Outdoors Videos and Outdoors Photography > Nature Photography Forum - Outdoors Video Forum
Subject: What underwater cameras does Randyman use?
Prev Next
Please login to post a reply. Not a member? Register now.

Author Messages
Video DudeUser is Offline
JustNorth Newcomer
JustNorth Newcomer
Posts:5
Send Private Message
7/25/2007 6:42 PM  

Hi Buck,

I noticed some posts on the justnorth.com site that Randyman is filming some great underwater footage for your new fishing dvd. Can you tell me what camera he is using?

Maybe he describe them and upload some pictures of the cameras.

 
RandyManUser is Offline
JustNorth Pro
JustNorth Pro
Posts:615

Send Private Message
7/27/2007 6:45 AM  
Hey Web Dude

As I started to film underwater it was real obvious that the equipment I had was no were near good enough for what I wanted to show underwater. After some research I realized that close to 100% of underwater filming is done in salt water. Mainly because freshwater is hard to film in do to the fact water clarity in fresh water is poor at best.

Water clarity is tested using a secchi disk – this is an 8 inch diameter metal disk painted with white and black strips lowered into the water until you can no longer see it. At that depth you hit the water clarity for that lake during that time of the year. Just after ice out is when the lake has its best water clarity. As the summer progresses the water slowly gets more particulates in it and water clarity decreases. That being said – camera equipment underwater will pick up a clear picture at ½ of the water clarity. So if you have a secchi water clarity level of 10 – you can take footage of fish at 5 feet away. If you use this 5 foot area as an example – within that 5 foot area you would need to have the fish(s) you are filming, the background and “the what” or story line of what you are trying to show. The best way to explain how hard this is – the next time you film an event (like a family get together) attempt to film only items within a 5 foot circle from the camera background and all.

Another issue is lighting – sunlight is wonderful but in water, sunlight makes beams within the water. This is were the sun appears to be a lot brighter in lines from the surface to the depths. As camera equipment mores in and out of these area’s ( they move all the time as the sun, waves, clouds, etc. move across the filming area) it causes the camera to change all of its settings fast. There are underwater lights that “help” this issue however they also have a draw back in that they reflect off the particulates in the water making them more visible.

Before buying I also talked with a few people who film underwater for a living and found most use high end pro camera systems mounted in what is called an underwater housing. I ended up purchasing an Amphibico (http://www.amphibico.com ) housing and loaded it with the best camera system I could find. This underwater camera system is the one I use to get a lot of my underwater shots with. Basically you take an expensive camera, put it into this housing and swim around underwater with it. If you assemble the housing wrong and water enters the housing – you are done!

I also use my secret weapon – during my research I found a “drop camera system” kind of like a aqua view. Only this system is a 1,000 times clearer and is in 3CCD full color. It also records everything directly to a DVD. This system has allowed me to get shots that would be impossible to get with my Amphibico system.

As you can tell by my long post – I am into this! The JustNorth learning DVD’s set to be released later this year (providing we can get it all the shots we need) will feature tons of underwater footage that will blow your mind! I have already shown bits of this footage to test groups and have had 100% positive feedback.
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team
Please login to post a reply. Not a member? Register now.
Forums > Creating Outdoors Videos and Outdoors Photography > Nature Photography Forum - Outdoors Video Forum > What underwater cameras does Randyman use?


ActiveForums 3.7

Message attachments are for uploading a picture to your post. Allowed file types are jpg and gif. Max file size is 600 kb. For help see Frequently Asked Questions.

Bookmark this page, tell your friends, and visit us often. We enjoy your company!
Recent Topics  
trout lake-gunflint trail by trout whisperer :: Ask Trout Whisperer - Pro Guide and Columnist
Replies :: 0
Coming to Minn. by ctperk :: Camping - Hiking - Nature - Travel Forum
Replies :: 1
Needing scraps or parts you don't use by Beth :: Hunting Forum
Replies :: 0
Been Awhile by CrappieMagnet :: Ask Randy Johnson
Replies :: 4
Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 8/7/2008 by Jim Blue Max Charters :: Fishing forum
Replies :: 0
how to start a log pile by trout whisperer :: Ask Trout Whisperer - Pro Guide and Columnist
Replies :: 3
Aitkin County is updating its Controversial Shoreland Ordinance by justnorth :: Conservation Issues
Replies :: 1
Candidate fame spreading... by lablover47 :: The Back Room
Replies :: 4
Thank you to TW and the Gang by RandyMan :: Fishing forum
Replies :: 8
Campaign proclamation!! by lablover47 :: The Back Room
Replies :: 3

Recent Posts  

Click to view JNO departments
Outdoors LibraryFishingHuntingCamping and HikingSnow SportsWomen OutdoorsWhat's New at JustNorth Outdoors

Your Friends Aren't JNOs?
Invite them to Join JustNorth Today

About This Site  Site Map  Contact Us  Sample Articles  Join JustNorth  Link to Us  Tell a Friend

Minnesota | Camping Forums | Fishing Forums | Hunting Forums | Nature Forums | Outdoor Photography Forums 

Fully Searchable Forums For Outdoor Enthusiasts

JustNorth Outdoors hunting and fishing discussion forums - Have questions or comments about creating outdoors videos, outdoors photography, hunting, fishing, ice fishing, camping, skiing and snow sports, conservation issues, gear, or politics? Participate in the forums...
Copyright 2008 Jive Media Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.  | Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement | Advertise With Us
Page generated in 0.2964038 seconds.  reduce website downtime | powered byVisit Jive Media Group LLC