Announcing the Raja Ampat Entrance Tag Design Contest!

Do you have the perfect Raja Ampat photo?
Is it one that truly captures the excitement and beauty of Raja Ampat diving?
Do you want to see it printed 5,000 times and attached to BCD’s the world over? 

Wetpixel and the new Raja Ampat park, are working together to come up with the image or design that will be printed on over 5,000 park tags to be attached to diver BCDs while in the park.

Entries must be uploaded before the end of the day, October 9, 2007.  We’ll choose finalists, but the winners will be chosen by public vote from October 10 until the 19th.  The winner’s image will grace the official park tag, and he/she will also win a free trip to Raja Ampat, courtesy of local dive sponsors!  For more details, see the contest page!  You can also download the official call for entries.

The folks at Wetpixel have published their first copy of Wetpixel Quarterly, a brand new print magazine devoted to high-quality underwater photography.

I received my first copy of this magazine about a week ago and have shown it to everyone that walks in the door. I am very impressed with the overall quality of the magazine and the images showcased are spectacular. In this first issue, Wetpixel Quarterly has also showcased an interview with Norbert Wu, a well-known and respected professional underwater photographer. [Read more →]

Ever wonder what goes into manufacturing a Gates Underwater Video Housing? We did, so we took a trip to San Diego to answer that question for ourselves. Gates Underwater Products has long been known for their durable and dependable housings, the following article will show you what goes into the manufacturing of their housings and what makes the Gates name synonymous with reliability and durability.

Design
To begin, the housing goes through an initial design phase, which includes taking very detailed and accurate measurements of every aspect of the camera. This information is input into the design software, so the team can determine exactly what they want the housing to look like and how it will function. All Gates housings use mechanical controls, so this portion of the design is crucial.
Once a design is chosen, the Gates engineers will begin working on a prototype. The process used for making prototypes is exactly the same as that used for the final product. Prototypes allow them to test the product and incorporate changes well before the housing goes into production.

Machining
Each housing is machined out of a solid block of 6061-T6 Aluminum, as shown in.6061 is the grade of aluminum, and T6 is the temper process which imparts strength. Without the T6 temper, the aluminum would be much softer and flex under pressure. The T6 temper is a necessary component of achieving the 450ft depth rating, which all Gates housings have.
The machining of these aluminum blocks is done on a CNC (computer numerical control) machine. The CNC is operated by a computer “controller” that reads G-code instructions and drives a machine tool, which selectively removes metal according to the design parameters entered into the machine. [Read more →]

I would like to pass on one of the best pieces of advise that I have ever received in regards to shooting underwater video and taking underwater photographs.

There are plenty of books, dvd’s and articles available which will tell you “how to shoot great underwater video”. Although a lot of these resources are very helpful, they are printed and produced using that authors theories and opinions. If you’ve ever read more than one of these, you quickly realize that each one has their own way of completing some of the same tasks. This isn’t because one knows more than the other, but rather, each one has found what works for them and what is comfortable for them.

When using one of these resources, don’t try to completely mimic what someone else is doing. You need to take their information and find a way to use it in a way that works for you. You need to find methods that not only complete the required task, but something that you can understand and be comfortable with.

Along with this, you need to be at least somewhat disciplined, which means don’t get in the water with a blank 60 minute tape and expect to surface from a 60 min dive with a tape full of hollywood quality video. This is just not realistic. As much as possible, you need to plan out what you are going to shoot. This is true with photo and video. As divers we are always told to “plan your dive and dive your plan”, you should use this as photographers and videographers also.

Planning each dive will allow you to get better images and video. Don’t get in the water planning to shoot video, or take pictures of a nudibranch and switch to shooting whale sharks. You won’t surface with as much video or as many pictures, but what you do have will be much higher quality. This will also make indexing your photos and videos much easier and more enjoyable.

Size and weight. 
The key design objective for the FX7/V1 is simple: provide a compact, lightweight and travel-friendly pro-grade housing to the globe-trekking underwater videographer.  In the past, 3-CCD feature-rich underwater video systems were doomed to suffer excess baggage charges in large cases of heavy equipment. Not so for the FX7/V1.  Prosumer and professional customers will appreciate how the FX7/V1 housing lines follow the camera closely, minimizing size. Further, a variety of new and skillful machining techniques help make the FX7/V1 housing more than 35% lighter than similar housings manufactured just a short 3 years ago.  This means the FX7/V1 system will, in most configurations (such as housing, port, monitor and hard case) fall well below the 70 lb / 31 kg international checked baggage restriction. 

Controls. 
Gates is the first to remind customers that reliable mechanical controls require a learning curve.  Time is often necessary to understand and acquire a ‘feel’ for them.  Once learned they become second nature for easy and effortless camera control. Every generation of Gates housing endeavors to improve the mechanical controls for ease of use.  The FX7/V1 housing is yet another significant step in straightforward camera control.   Rotational actuators, lock outs, travel stops and other functional design details on the FX7/V1 dramatically close the convenience gap historically found between electronic and mechanical controls. 

Optics. 
The continued partnership of Gates and Fathom Imaging brings the latest in ‘no compromises’ imaging:  the SWP44B.  This port is designed specifically with the FX7/V1 in mind.  In fact, changes in the Sony camera like 16:9 CMOS sensors and short focal length necessitated an entirely new lens.  [Read more →]