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From: Tord S. Eriksson <tord_at_mindless.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:44:58 -0500
An alternative to the various regular water-proof cameras is using 
an Olympus XZ-1 (which I have only good things to say about)
with its own dedicated under-water housing, PT-050! You just
drop your camera into the house and instantly it can be used 
(the PT-050 is the size of a big DSLR, but much lighter)! 

Excellent grip, and nowhere as bulky (or flimsy) as most other 
UW houses. All buttons big and easy to access with gloves on, 
and well marked (quite unusual, me thinks!). 

Can be used down to about 120 ft (40 meters), so playing with it
in the surf is no problem!

The Olympus XZ-1 has a fairly fast lens (f1.9), and fairly high ISO, 
so even evening shots work out well! The front of the UV house is 
threaded for 67mm filters, close-up lenses, and similar goodies!

Works excellent with my Canon 77mm 500D close-up lens, if you use
a 67-77mm step ring! Superb closeups! Almost pro quality!

The UW housing also makes the camera easier to use in snow-storms, 
dusters, and similar nasty surroundings, as it makes the camera 
dust AND waterproof!

All the best, off to work!

<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tord S Eriksson,
MA in Journalism; ex Editor-in-Chief; Avid Photographer; Pentax Fan,
Articulated Bus Driver; Hon. Member of East Horsley Aerospace; 
Hon. Member of PAN, the World's Oldest Photo Club; On FlickR: Tord55;
</font>
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From: Mark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:21:29 -0800
I am thinking of going the waterproof housing route, but I'm thinking of 
using the Canon S95 or S100 or maybe the Panasonic DMC-LX5.
Quite a bit more money than the waterproofs, though

Mark Sanders


On 11/22/2011 5:44 AM, Tord S. Eriksson wrote:
> An alternative to the various regular water-proof cameras is using
> an Olympus XZ-1 (which I have only good things to say about)
> with its own dedicated under-water housing, PT-050! You just
> drop your camera into the house and instantly it can be used
> (the PT-050 is the size of a big DSLR, but much lighter)!
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:02:33 -0800
I like the GoPro Hero which is cheap enough (at about US$179) to allow
having a couple of them. The mounts are pretty good, too; with enough of
them available to allow almost any setup. They do record audio as well. And
the HD is amazingly good for such a small camera. Sue bought me an older
(non-HD) version last year off Amazon for $29 and I've used it mountain
biking quite a bit. Not tried it on the kayak yet, however.

One thing that the GoPro showed me is that my talent as a videographer is
definitely limited; especially in the editing and production parts. Nowhere
close to even the early projects Mark Sanders did. I'm more interested in
the experience than documenting it, I guess. Glad Mark and others who do
this well are around and willing to share their exploits.

Craig

On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 7:21 AM, Mark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>wrote:

> I am thinking of going the waterproof housing route, but I'm thinking of
> using the Canon S95 or S100 or maybe the Panasonic DMC-LX5.
> Quite a bit more money than the waterproofs, though
>
> Mark Sanders
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From: Mark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:56:46 -0800
The GoPro and the waterproof cameras all seem to make pretty good 
videos, but it's the stills that leave something to be desired. I took 
my DSLR out on a whale goose chase a while back and it just takes so 
much better shots. I don't have a WP case for it, so I'm gambling out 
there on the ocean. So I want something that comes close in quality to 
the DSLR, but fits into a small WP case.
Then all's I need is to get out on the water into some action for a change!

http://www.sandmarks.net/NovWhales/NovemberHunt1.html

Mark


On 11/22/2011 9:02 AM, Craig Jungers wrote:
> I like the GoPro Hero which is cheap enough (at about US$179) to allow
> having a couple of them. The mounts are pretty good, too; with enough of
> them available to allow almost any setup. They do record audio as well. And
> the HD is amazingly good for such a small camera. Sue bought me an older
> (non-HD) version last year off Amazon for $29 and I've used it mountain
> biking quite a bit. Not tried it on the kayak yet, however.
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:17:39 -0800
True... the stills from the GoPro and my other HD video cam are all 5mp
where the minimum for publishing is at least 8mp now; maybe even more.

I do like the way the GoPro will take 3 shots at a time or take timed
shots, however. If it were a 10mp cam then that would be great. Downside is
viewfinder, no zoom, etc.

But they are great for just fastening to you or your kayak and letting them
run.

Craig

On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 12:56 PM, Mark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>wrote:

> The GoPro and the waterproof cameras all seem to make pretty good videos,
> but it's the stills that leave something to be desired. I took my DSLR out
> on a whale goose chase a while back and it just takes so much better shots.
> I don't have a WP case for it, so I'm gambling out there on the ocean. So I
> want something that comes close in quality to the DSLR, but fits into a
> small WP case.
> Then all's I need is to get out on the water into some action for a change!
>
> http://www.sandmarks.net/**NovWhales/NovemberHunt1.html<http://www.sandmarks.net/NovWhales/NovemberHunt1.html>
>
> Mark
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From: Chuck Holst <cholst_at_q.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:26:28 -0600
The GoPro Hero seems good enough for professional videographers. Watching
the Nova episode about the Iceman murder mystery a few weeks ago, I noticed
one of the researchers opening up the corpse had a Hero strapped to his
chest. Later there was a cut to a closeup of the operation that was
apparently captured by the Hero. I suppose the waterproof feature of the
camera made it easy to sterilize. 

Chuck Holst
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From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:38:10 -0800
The cable tv program "Rock Stars" featured construction workers scaling
loose rock on the White Pass highway through the Washington Cascade
Mountains and several of the workers were wearing GoPro cams on their
hard-hats and a couple of them had cams on their chests. Pretty handy
having them video their own shots; saves on costs. Just gather up the SD
cards every hour or so, dump them to your editing machine, and hand 'em
back. Must make the editing seriously tedious though.

But pretty interesting when a television series is using $179 off-the-shelf
cams.

Craig

On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 3:26 PM, Chuck Holst <cholst_at_q.com> wrote:

> The GoPro Hero seems good enough for professional videographers. Watching
> the Nova episode about the Iceman murder mystery a few weeks ago, I noticed
> one of the researchers opening up the corpse had a Hero strapped to his
> chest. Later there was a cut to a closeup of the operation that was
> apparently captured by the Hero. I suppose the waterproof feature of the
> camera made it easy to sterilize.
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From: Tord S. Eriksson <tord_at_mindless.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Nice kayak camera!
Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:11:14 -0500
Mark wrote:

"The GoPro and the waterproof cameras all seem to make pretty good 
videos, but it's the stills that leave something to be desired. I took 
my DSLR out on a whale goose chase a while back and it just takes so 
much better shots. I don't have a WP case for it, so I'm gambling out 
there on the ocean. So I want something that comes close in quality to 
the DSLR, but fits into a small WP case.
Then all's I need is to get out on the water into some action for a change!"

Sadly, the XZ-1's zoom isn't longer than on any of the water-proof 
compacts you find out there! But it has a really fast lens, compared
to almost all other compacts out there, and goes from quite wide
to short tele (equivalent to 28 b 112 mm on a 35mm SLR camera)!

But that XZ-1 UW house is a pure marvel, so very, very, well designed, 
so the camera doesn't feel at all cumbersome in, or out of, the water. 
Not true for most UV houses!

Total weight of the XZ-1's house is around 750 grams, with the camera, 
and the battery, included, while the C-8080 UW house weighs in at
over 1.5 kilograms, not counting the camera,the battery, and the essential 
lead weight! Nor the beefy wide angle port, which I do not own!

The C-8080 house has over 20 buttons, by the way, all unmarked!
But they are made out of metal, while the XZ-1's are plastic, and very 
well marked - like they've been embossed, and then painted - will survive 
years of wear and tear! 

The grip around the XZ-1's house is just right - about the size a DSLR,
while the C-8080's is for a guy with BIG hands!

<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tord S Eriksson,
MA in Journalism; ex Editor-in-Chief; Avid Photographer; Pentax Fan,
Articulated Bus Driver; Hon. Member of East Horsley Aerospace; 
Hon. Member of PAN, the World's Oldest Photo Club; On FlickR: Tord55;
</font>
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