Underwater video recording requires the proper equipment
If you enjoy scuba diving or deep sea adventures, you may want to explore the possibilities of underwater video recording. Life underwater offers a variety of vibrant colors and beautiful scenes that can create impressive recordings, even in the hands of an amateur. Professionally, underwater video recording can add to the variety of your portfolio; owning the proper equipment can make you a more attractive selection for clients. Understanding the basics of underwater video recording can help you approach the task correctly.
Equipment
The most basic piece of equipment you will need is a video camera. Because of the electrical problems posed by even small amounts of water, purchasing a waterproof video cameras housing to protect your video camera is necessary. Waterproof video camera housings can be purchased at many shops specializing in photography gear, or from a variety of Internet retail stores, some of which specialize exclusively in underwater video. Make sure you purchase the housing compatible with your video camera. Also, check the housing specifications so that you are aware of what depths you can safely bring your camera to.
You will also want to purchase additional O-rings for proper housing maintenance. Any button or movable piece on your camera housing will require at least one O-ring; replacing worn O-rings is essential to keeping your camera dry. Proper O-ring maintenance includes using lubrication every month or so with O-ring grease; disassemble the O-rings every few months to wipe off any large particles that may cause malfunctions.
Wet Test
Giving your underwater camera housing a proper wet test before use can help spot problems in your housing before ruining your camera during use. After attaching all necessary O-rings and prepping your housing, dunk the housing underneath water. Again, make sure your camera is not in the housing when you do this. Let the housing sit underwater for a few moments and look for bubbles coming from the housing in the meantime. If there are none, remove the housing from the water and, drying your hands and the housing exterior, check the interior for any evidence of water. If the housing is leaking, recheck the O-rings for cuts or nicks, replacing any O-rings that are damaged. Repeat the wet test. If your housing still isn't dry afterward, contact your housing's manufacturer for proper customer support.
Port Connections and Oxidation
Many underwater camera housings include port connections that keep electricity constantly flowing to your monitor or lights. Although water will not short these connections out, contact with saltwater will cause the metallic finish to oxidize, inhibiting the proper flow of electricity to your camera. If you are having electricity current problems (i.e. flickering camera lights), check the port connections on your housing's bulkhead. If there is any green film, you've found evidence of saltwater oxidation. To remove from the male metal port connections, lightly sand away the green film with fine grit sandpaper. Then take a metal pipe cleaner to the female connection, clearing away any grit from the inside. Use some form of compressed air to blast air through the female connection afterward.
Lighting
Proper lighting is important to capture video underwater, where there is much less light than on land. Your housing should come included with a fill light that shoots light straight at your target. If you don't have one, purchase a key light to attach to your housing. Your fill light should be arranged so that it throws light at your subject from a 45-degree angle. Without the key light, your subject will be shadowed so that it is barely visible on video. Aiming both the fill and key light properly at a subject will allow you to capture clear, colorful video.
Tags: your camera, your housing, video camera, video recording, camera housing, fill light, underwater video recording
