Booked myself an overnight DB train to Düsseldorf (148€ return, in a 6 persons sleeper compartment) in order to attend boot 2008.
As far as I know, it's one of the biggest annual watersports fairs in Europe, and the ideal ground to get a look at existing & upcoming offerings from various manufacturers and dealers.
Of special interest to me this year are of course any affordable camcorder & housing solutions, compact & lightweight enough for underwater overhead environment exploration, not to mention extremely restrictive air travel.
Who knows, with a bit of luck I may find myself a good deal. Actually, this project kind of depends on me getting any deal there at all.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
How to write a script?
Having decided I wanted to make a movie, or rather an amateur documentary about cave diving, I started to write down some scenes I'd like to shoot. And before I knew it, I found myself wondering about screenwriting terminology and format.
So once again, I got Google to spew out a heap of links. One of which led me to Celtx, a basic but nevertheless very practical tool for managing and organizing a movie project.
Celtx for example auto-formats my script while I write it; allows me to keep track of tasks & events in an incorporated calendar; lets me describe locations, specify cameras, scribble notes, bookmark relevant websites, etc. Everything I guess which has anything to do with producing a movie. And all that totally free for download!
So once again, I got Google to spew out a heap of links. One of which led me to Celtx, a basic but nevertheless very practical tool for managing and organizing a movie project.
Celtx for example auto-formats my script while I write it; allows me to keep track of tasks & events in an incorporated calendar; lets me describe locations, specify cameras, scribble notes, bookmark relevant websites, etc. Everything I guess which has anything to do with producing a movie. And all that totally free for download!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Online flight booking
Booked myself a direct LTU flight from Munich to Cancun! (1228€ return, incl. the train ride from Sonthofen to Munich and back)
The online reservation was click easy & straightforward, but failed to inform me as to how much luggage I'm allowed to bring with me.
Flights towards America usually are surprisingly generous in this respect compared to ones bound for Asia. But, taking nothing for granted, I called LTU's hotline to check. To my dismay I was politely told I could check-in up to 20kg.
Twenty kilo only? My cave diving gear weighs more than that just by itself! In 2004 I was allowed 2x32kg, in 2006 2x20kg, and that with stingy dutch Martinair. And now only 1x20kg?
With a Top Bonus Service Card, costing only 40€/year, I could however get a meager 10kg more. Either that, or risk 10€/kg/way for any overweight upon check-in. Considering I had 37kg last time I flew to Mexico, not counting 6kg carry-on, that's not really an option. And I was actually already planning on bringing more gear along...
The online reservation was click easy & straightforward, but failed to inform me as to how much luggage I'm allowed to bring with me.
Flights towards America usually are surprisingly generous in this respect compared to ones bound for Asia. But, taking nothing for granted, I called LTU's hotline to check. To my dismay I was politely told I could check-in up to 20kg.
Twenty kilo only? My cave diving gear weighs more than that just by itself! In 2004 I was allowed 2x32kg, in 2006 2x20kg, and that with stingy dutch Martinair. And now only 1x20kg?
With a Top Bonus Service Card, costing only 40€/year, I could however get a meager 10kg more. Either that, or risk 10€/kg/way for any overweight upon check-in. Considering I had 37kg last time I flew to Mexico, not counting 6kg carry-on, that's not really an option. And I was actually already planning on bringing more gear along...
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Storage media
Currently there are basically four storage media to choose from: MiniDV, DVD, HDD & FLASH. Each with its pros & contras. Whichever medium is chosen, a back-up plan is of course highly recommended.
MiniDV :: Mini tapes are the oldest but still very popular medium, especially among prosumers, thanks to their mature technology and ability to record high quality images, each frame containing the full picture, as opposed to AVCHD's interlacing or progressive fields.
+ best standard-definition image quality
+ mature technology
+ relative ease of editing
+ cheap (tapes only cost about 2€)
+ after transfer, the tape can be kept as stand-alone archive
− moving parts
− sequential
− outdated
DVD :: Why anybody would go for this medium is beyond me?
+ ease of use: recordings can be viewed instantly on any DVD player
+ cheap (DVDs only cost about 1€)
+ after transfer, the DVD can be kept as stand-alone back-up
− rotating disks are prone to head crashes
− capacity limited to 4.7GB (8.5GB with DL)
− multiple DVD formats
HDD :: If you need loads of storage space, this is currently your only option. That is, until affordable Solid-State-Drives start rolling in.
+ enormous storage capacity (from 30 to 100GB and more)
+ random access
− sudden movements may interrupt recording (an automatic safety precaution to prevent head crashes)
− built-in medium (any damage is fatal)
− no auto back-up solution
− relatively expensive
FLASH :: With flash memory capacities of 4GB and more getting cheaper each day, I'm sure this medium will eventually wipe out all the others. Be it in the form of replaceable memory cards or SSD.
+ capacity (up to 16GB and increasing)
+ random access
+ robust (no moving parts that can crash)
− affordable but not cheap yet
− no auto back-up solution (after transfer cards are usually reformatted for re-use)
Conclusion... While MiniDV still offers the best image quality, as Einsteiger I’d personally rather not get started with tape. It’s the past. It reminds me of film rolls and I sure never had fun with those. I know it’s not quite the same, but that’s how I feel about it.
DVD and HDD are out of the question for me: rotating disks, moving write heads and handheld shooting just don’t go together.
Meaning flash memory is my only remaining candidate. SSD however isn’t quite there yet, but it’s coming, as announced e.g. by Canon. Needing a camcorder right now though, I’ve decided to go for SDHC, the most standard flash memory card solution. As a bonus, that would also allow me to reuse my current camera’s 1GB SD cards, at least above water where I can easily swap them. For underwater an 8GB SDHC card, with about as much capacity as a tape, would be super.
MiniDV :: Mini tapes are the oldest but still very popular medium, especially among prosumers, thanks to their mature technology and ability to record high quality images, each frame containing the full picture, as opposed to AVCHD's interlacing or progressive fields.
+ best standard-definition image quality
+ mature technology
+ relative ease of editing
+ cheap (tapes only cost about 2€)
+ after transfer, the tape can be kept as stand-alone archive
− moving parts
− sequential
− outdated
DVD :: Why anybody would go for this medium is beyond me?
+ ease of use: recordings can be viewed instantly on any DVD player
+ cheap (DVDs only cost about 1€)
+ after transfer, the DVD can be kept as stand-alone back-up
− rotating disks are prone to head crashes
− capacity limited to 4.7GB (8.5GB with DL)
− multiple DVD formats
HDD :: If you need loads of storage space, this is currently your only option. That is, until affordable Solid-State-Drives start rolling in.
+ enormous storage capacity (from 30 to 100GB and more)
+ random access
− sudden movements may interrupt recording (an automatic safety precaution to prevent head crashes)
− built-in medium (any damage is fatal)
− no auto back-up solution
− relatively expensive
FLASH :: With flash memory capacities of 4GB and more getting cheaper each day, I'm sure this medium will eventually wipe out all the others. Be it in the form of replaceable memory cards or SSD.
+ capacity (up to 16GB and increasing)
+ random access
+ robust (no moving parts that can crash)
− affordable but not cheap yet
− no auto back-up solution (after transfer cards are usually reformatted for re-use)
Conclusion... While MiniDV still offers the best image quality, as Einsteiger I’d personally rather not get started with tape. It’s the past. It reminds me of film rolls and I sure never had fun with those. I know it’s not quite the same, but that’s how I feel about it.
DVD and HDD are out of the question for me: rotating disks, moving write heads and handheld shooting just don’t go together.
Meaning flash memory is my only remaining candidate. SSD however isn’t quite there yet, but it’s coming, as announced e.g. by Canon. Needing a camcorder right now though, I’ve decided to go for SDHC, the most standard flash memory card solution. As a bonus, that would also allow me to reuse my current camera’s 1GB SD cards, at least above water where I can easily swap them. For underwater an 8GB SDHC card, with about as much capacity as a tape, would be super.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000
Can a wannabe videographer expect to be taken seriously with a Xacti from underdog Sanyo? Well, probably not by any Canon or Sony boy. But that's not really my problem is it. Thing is, Sanyo's Xacti, at least on paper, fulfills most of my requirements. Something I can't quite say about its big name brothers. And that for half the price.
+ at 649€ it's the most affordable HD camcorder of the bunch, but what really makes it the best package deal is the custom-built Epoque EHS-1000HD UW housing for only 299€, fitting the Xacti like a glove!
+ camcorder (55x90x113mm, 311g) & housing (195x124x186mm, 720g) both are super compact and together weigh just about 1kg!
+ the Xacti can record in Full-HD on standard SD/SDHC cards of up to 8GB, good for 1h25' of 1920x1080i/60fps video
+ decent low light performance judging from Videoaktiv's test shots, thanks to a relatively large 1/2.5" CMOS sensor
+ 4MP photos (more with interpolation, less while filming)
+ 1cm macro!
+ EIS*, while not as good as OIS*, it's better than nothing
+ 285° rotatable 2.7" widescreen TFT LCD
+ microphone & headset mini-jacks (resp. 2.5 & 3.5mm)
+ accessory-shoe
+ pop-up flash for photography
+ IR remote control
+ decent battery life of up to 120' of video or about 340 photos
+ the housing allows full control of the camcorder's settings and clear viewing of the camcorder's LCD!
Of course, everything just ain't peachy and sweet...
− MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression, while very space efficient, can not quite match the image quality of HDV, nor its relative ease of editing
− editing actually may pose some serious problems: besides requiring a lot more processing power, not all video players, let alone editing tools, support all the possible compression methods
− the 10x zoom reportedly isn't very smooth
− narrow lens equivalent to a 38mm objective for photos and 50mm objective for videos, but at least x0.4 & x0.7 wide angle conversion lenses are available, besides a x1.6 tele, and more importantly, a x0.56 UW WAL for the housing
− no OIS*
− no video light
− the housing is only rated to -45m, which, though it should be enough, won't let me do any deep dives with it
+ at 649€ it's the most affordable HD camcorder of the bunch, but what really makes it the best package deal is the custom-built Epoque EHS-1000HD UW housing for only 299€, fitting the Xacti like a glove!
+ camcorder (55x90x113mm, 311g) & housing (195x124x186mm, 720g) both are super compact and together weigh just about 1kg!
+ the Xacti can record in Full-HD on standard SD/SDHC cards of up to 8GB, good for 1h25' of 1920x1080i/60fps video
+ decent low light performance judging from Videoaktiv's test shots, thanks to a relatively large 1/2.5" CMOS sensor
+ 4MP photos (more with interpolation, less while filming)
+ 1cm macro!
+ EIS*, while not as good as OIS*, it's better than nothing
+ 285° rotatable 2.7" widescreen TFT LCD
+ microphone & headset mini-jacks (resp. 2.5 & 3.5mm)
+ accessory-shoe
+ pop-up flash for photography
+ IR remote control
+ decent battery life of up to 120' of video or about 340 photos
+ the housing allows full control of the camcorder's settings and clear viewing of the camcorder's LCD!
Of course, everything just ain't peachy and sweet...
− MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression, while very space efficient, can not quite match the image quality of HDV, nor its relative ease of editing
− editing actually may pose some serious problems: besides requiring a lot more processing power, not all video players, let alone editing tools, support all the possible compression methods
− the 10x zoom reportedly isn't very smooth
− narrow lens equivalent to a 38mm objective for photos and 50mm objective for videos, but at least x0.4 & x0.7 wide angle conversion lenses are available, besides a x1.6 tele, and more importantly, a x0.56 UW WAL for the housing
− no OIS*
− no video light
− the housing is only rated to -45m, which, though it should be enough, won't let me do any deep dives with it
JVC Everio GZ-HD7
Fujinon 10x zoom with OIS. Three 570KB 1/5" CCD sensors. 60GB HDD good for 5h of Full-HD recording in MPEG-2 format, plus SDHC card slot should more be needed. 2.8" widescreen LCD. 750g for 1099€.
There are currently two housings to choose from for this camcorder: Ikelite's #6015.7, rated to -60m, for about 1100€ and BS Kinetics' 2.2kg Sonoran, rated to -80m, for 1499€ (shown below).
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 review by Camcorderinfo
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 review by Tech.co.uk (Best buy: 5/5)
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 review by TrustedReviews (8/10)
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 test shots by Videoaktiv (72/100)
There are currently two housings to choose from for this camcorder: Ikelite's #6015.7, rated to -60m, for about 1100€ and BS Kinetics' 2.2kg Sonoran, rated to -80m, for 1499€ (shown below).
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 review by Camcorderinfo
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 review by Tech.co.uk (Best buy: 5/5)
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 review by TrustedReviews (8/10)
→ JVC Everio GZ-HD7 test shots by Videoaktiv (72/100)
Sony HDR-SR8
Carl Zeiss 10x zoom objective with Super SteadyShot OIS. One 3.2MB 1/2.9" CMOS sensor recording HD videos to a 100GB HDD and photos to a proprietary Memory Stick Duo. AVCHD (HD) and MPEG2 (SD) support. Super NightShot Infrared System. Tele Macro. A pretty impressive feature array indeed, but definitely not cheap at 1299€. For only 1149€ though, you can get the HDR-SR7, with a smaller 60GB HDD.
UW housing wise, Top Dawg Germany seems to offer the best deals for this Sony camcorder, be it the Top Dawg II or Mini at 899€ (shown below) or the brand new Top Dawg III at 949€ (without monitor!). Not cheap either, but then, these housings can be used with various Sony camcorder models, supposedly also future ones...
→ Sony HDR-SR8 review by PC PRO (Recommended: 5/6)
→ Sony HDR-SR8 review by Tech.co.uk (Best buy: 5/5)
→ Sony HDR-SR8 review by TrustedReviews (Recommended: 8/10)
→ Sony HDR-SR8 test shots by Videoaktiv (71/100)
NOTE: Sony also has a purely flash memory based camcorder, the HDR-CX7, which records to Sony's like-no-other Memory Stick PRO Duo. This proprietary approach, also seen in Sony's non-standard AIS*, while not bad per se, is enough reason for me to look elsewhere.
UW housing wise, Top Dawg Germany seems to offer the best deals for this Sony camcorder, be it the Top Dawg II or Mini at 899€ (shown below) or the brand new Top Dawg III at 949€ (without monitor!). Not cheap either, but then, these housings can be used with various Sony camcorder models, supposedly also future ones...
→ Sony HDR-SR8 review by PC PRO (Recommended: 5/6)
→ Sony HDR-SR8 review by Tech.co.uk (Best buy: 5/5)
→ Sony HDR-SR8 review by TrustedReviews (Recommended: 8/10)
→ Sony HDR-SR8 test shots by Videoaktiv (71/100)
NOTE: Sony also has a purely flash memory based camcorder, the HDR-CX7, which records to Sony's like-no-other Memory Stick PRO Duo. This proprietary approach, also seen in Sony's non-standard AIS*, while not bad per se, is enough reason for me to look elsewhere.
Sony HDR-HC7
Used by Andreas Voeltz of Top Dawg Germany, this supposedly popular HDV camcorder alas stores to soon-to-be-forgotten mini tapes. Worse, its low-light performance apparently ain't too bright. At 899€ I'd expect better from Sony's contender against Canon's HV20 in the last days of the MiniDV battle.
On the other hand, there're plenty of UW housings to choose from for this one: Amphibico, BS Kinetics, Ikelight, Light & Motion, Sealux, silverfish, Top Dawg, etc all have one or more models to suit almost any budget from 350 to 3000€. The cheap one's a no go though.
Shown here is a typical polycarbonate UW housing from Ikelite, #6039.07 for about 1000€. An hinged external mirror on the left side of the housing allows viewing of the camcorder's LCD.
→ Sony HDR-HC7 review by Camcorderinfo
→ Sony HDR-HC7 review by SimplyDV (4/5)
→ Sony HDR-HC7 test shots by Videoaktiv (71/100)
UPDATE: The HC9, Sony's new player in the HDV game, is on its way.
On the other hand, there're plenty of UW housings to choose from for this one: Amphibico, BS Kinetics, Ikelight, Light & Motion, Sealux, silverfish, Top Dawg, etc all have one or more models to suit almost any budget from 350 to 3000€. The cheap one's a no go though.
Shown here is a typical polycarbonate UW housing from Ikelite, #6039.07 for about 1000€. An hinged external mirror on the left side of the housing allows viewing of the camcorder's LCD.
→ Sony HDR-HC7 review by Camcorderinfo
→ Sony HDR-HC7 review by SimplyDV (4/5)
→ Sony HDR-HC7 test shots by Videoaktiv (71/100)
UPDATE: The HC9, Sony's new player in the HDV game, is on its way.
Panasonic HDC-SD5
Leica 10x zoom objective with OIS. Three 520KB 1/6" CCD sensors recording Full-HD videos of 1920x1080 pixel directly to SD/SDHC flash memory cards. All that and some for only 699€.
However, without an UW housing there's not much to consider.
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 review by SimplyDV (5/5)
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 review by Tech.co.uk (Recommended: 4/5)
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 review by TrustedReviews (8/10)
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 test shots by Videoaktiv (66/100)
UPDATE: Sealux has a fairly compact universal housing for all Panasonic camcorders that are equipped with a chinch, plug switch or 10polar monitor exit. SRP 1880€ plus accessories.
However, without an UW housing there's not much to consider.
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 review by SimplyDV (5/5)
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 review by Tech.co.uk (Recommended: 4/5)
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 review by TrustedReviews (8/10)
→ Panasonic HDC-SD5 test shots by Videoaktiv (66/100)
UPDATE: Sealux has a fairly compact universal housing for all Panasonic camcorders that are equipped with a chinch, plug switch or 10polar monitor exit. SRP 1880€ plus accessories.
Canon HG10
Canon's first AVCHD 40GB HDD camcorder compares favorably to the HV20, its HDV cousin, besting it even in build & handling, but, digital compression having its price, it can't quite match it in image quality. Price tag: 949€.
Alas, as good as this one looks & sounds, there's no UW housing yet.
→ Canon HG10 review by Camcorderinfo
→ Canon HG10 review by SimplyDV (5/5)
→ Canon HG10 review by TrustedReviews (Recommended: 9/10)
→ Canon HG10 test shots by Videoaktiv (72/100)
UPDATE: Even better, Canon has announced its first two AVCHD flash memory camcorders, the HF10 (RSP 1299€) with 16GB internal flash memory as well as a SDHC slot, and the HF100 (RSP 1099€) with SDHC slot only. Both are expected to be available from April 2008.
Alas, as good as this one looks & sounds, there's no UW housing yet.
→ Canon HG10 review by Camcorderinfo
→ Canon HG10 review by SimplyDV (5/5)
→ Canon HG10 review by TrustedReviews (Recommended: 9/10)
→ Canon HG10 test shots by Videoaktiv (72/100)
UPDATE: Even better, Canon has announced its first two AVCHD flash memory camcorders, the HF10 (RSP 1299€) with 16GB internal flash memory as well as a SDHC slot, and the HF100 (RSP 1099€) with SDHC slot only. Both are expected to be available from April 2008.
Canon HV20
Probably one of the best HDV consumer camcorders to be had at the moment and very competively priced at 799€. Unfortunately it records to mini tapes, which though cheap & fairly reliable, I'd really rather not start with, as it's a medium of the past at the end of its lifecycle.
The only UW housing I know of is Ikelite's #6071. At nearly 1000€, not really cheap for a polycarbonate housing, even though rated to -60m. Nor what I'd call a travel light solution at around 4kg including camcorder, but without any of the inevitable accessories.
→ Canon HV20 review by Camcorderinfo
→ Canon HV20 review by SimplyDV (5/5)
→ Canon HV20 review by TrustedReviews (Recommended: 9/10)
→ Canon HV20 test shots by Videoaktiv (71/100)
→ Canon HV20 report by Wofgang Winne (in German)
UPDATE: Canon has announced its next HDV model, the HV30.
The only UW housing I know of is Ikelite's #6071. At nearly 1000€, not really cheap for a polycarbonate housing, even though rated to -60m. Nor what I'd call a travel light solution at around 4kg including camcorder, but without any of the inevitable accessories.
→ Canon HV20 review by Camcorderinfo
→ Canon HV20 review by SimplyDV (5/5)
→ Canon HV20 review by TrustedReviews (Recommended: 9/10)
→ Canon HV20 test shots by Videoaktiv (71/100)
→ Canon HV20 report by Wofgang Winne (in German)
UPDATE: Canon has announced its next HDV model, the HV30.
Camcorder quest
Having a wish is one thing. Finding the right gear to realize it another. Thanks to Google however, I quickly gathered way more suggestions and contradicting opinions than I could process, but eventually also a short list of candidates for the job at hand.
My requirements, as usual, are pretty basic:
Camcorder
• affordable
• compact & lightweight
• robust recording medium, e.g. SSD* or SD|SDHC memory cards
• high resolution video, i.e. good enough for full screen viewing
• decent low-light performance
• easily editable video format
• decent simultaneous photo capabilities (min. 3MB, preferably 5MB)
• wide angle objective with powerful zoom (min. 10x)
• macro setting
• OIS*
• large LCD monitor
• microphone & headset jack
• hot-shoe
• long battery life
Underwater housing
• affordable
• compact, lightweight & robust
• full control of the camcorder's settings
• clear viewing of the camcorder's LCD
• depth rating of -60m
My requirements, as usual, are pretty basic:
Camcorder
• affordable
• compact & lightweight
• robust recording medium, e.g. SSD* or SD|SDHC memory cards
• high resolution video, i.e. good enough for full screen viewing
• decent low-light performance
• easily editable video format
• decent simultaneous photo capabilities (min. 3MB, preferably 5MB)
• wide angle objective with powerful zoom (min. 10x)
• macro setting
• OIS*
• large LCD monitor
• microphone & headset jack
• hot-shoe
• long battery life
Underwater housing
• affordable
• compact, lightweight & robust
• full control of the camcorder's settings
• clear viewing of the camcorder's LCD
• depth rating of -60m
Friday, December 21, 2007
Camera specs: Sea&Sea DX8000G
☆ RICOH CAPLIO GX8 digital compact camera
☆ SEA&SEA DX8000G underwater housing
| Sensor |
| • 1/1.8" 8MP CCD |
| • photo: 3264 x 2448 pixel (4:3) • video: 320 x 240 pixel (30fps, 4:3) |
| • ISO: auto or manual from 64 up to 1600 |
| • WB: auto, daylight, overcast, tungsten, fluorescent, manual |
| Lens |
| • 3x optical zoom • equivalent to 28-85mm |
| • aperture: F2.5 (wide) - F4.3 (tele) |
| • focus: from 30cm to infinite (wide) & down to 1cm (macro) |
| • shutter: 30-1/2000s (photo), 1/30-1/2000 (video) |
| Storage |
| • 26MB built-in memory |
| • MMC or SD memory card up to 1GB |
| Formats |
| • photo: JPEG or TIFF |
| • video: AVI |
| • audio: WAV |
| Features |
| • 1.8" TFT LCD (130'000 pixels) |
| • built-in microphone |
| • built-in flash |
| • hot shoe |
| • easy connectivity via USB cable |
| Size & Weight |
| • W:114 x D:29 x H:58mm |
| • 261g (incl. 2xAA batteries & SD card) |
☆ SEA&SEA DX8000G underwater housing
| Features |
| • access to all the camera's functions & settings |
| • clear view of the camera's LCD |
| • rated to -55m |
| Size & Weight |
| • polycarbonate |
| • W:150 x D:103 x H:95mm |
| • 450g (dry) |
Recording memories
Two years ago I got to try out my Sea&Sea DX8000G digital compact camera (shown below) fitted with 0.6x WAL in Yucatan's cenotes, using only the light of my TillyTec HID 35 with flood reflector.
Not surprisingly, whereas 125W (halogen equivalent) is pretty bright for the human eye, it's barely sufficient for snapshot photography in the absolute darkness of an underwater cave. Still, I managed to take a few halfway decent photos, good enough for my travel journal.
Photography being hardly feasible, I switched to shooting videoclips in stead, a less demanding more forgiving art when it comes to lighting.
These 320x240 30fps low-res clips made me conscious of videography's power to record not just a nicely framed two dimensional moment in time, but a more realistic experience, potentially giving captivated viewers the sensation of being there themselves.
Which is exactly what I'd like to do this time around: To record high resolution live memories of cave diving in Yucatan.
Not surprisingly, whereas 125W (halogen equivalent) is pretty bright for the human eye, it's barely sufficient for snapshot photography in the absolute darkness of an underwater cave. Still, I managed to take a few halfway decent photos, good enough for my travel journal.
Photography being hardly feasible, I switched to shooting videoclips in stead, a less demanding more forgiving art when it comes to lighting.
These 320x240 30fps low-res clips made me conscious of videography's power to record not just a nicely framed two dimensional moment in time, but a more realistic experience, potentially giving captivated viewers the sensation of being there themselves.
Which is exactly what I'd like to do this time around: To record high resolution live memories of cave diving in Yucatan.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Planning
After having sent out several inquiries into cyberspace, today I already got the first replies from Villa Matisse and Xibalba dive center. I know both from my last stay in Tulum and they're each my first choice for respectively homelike accomodation and professional dive support.
Whereas February is already fully booked, the good news is that Señora Lourdes still has a studio available for me in March & April, at 150$/week - almost twice as much as 2 years ago, but still a lot cheaper than staying at the beach or elsewhere in town.
Robbie's wife Aneke also sent me a relatively good deal price-wise regarding cave diving: 20 cave dives at 75$/dive, in stead of the listed 120$/dive. That's excluding cenote entrance fees at about 10$/dive, 15$/stage and 7$/tank for nitrox 32.
Whereas February is already fully booked, the good news is that Señora Lourdes still has a studio available for me in March & April, at 150$/week - almost twice as much as 2 years ago, but still a lot cheaper than staying at the beach or elsewhere in town.
Robbie's wife Aneke also sent me a relatively good deal price-wise regarding cave diving: 20 cave dives at 75$/dive, in stead of the listed 120$/dive. That's excluding cenote entrance fees at about 10$/dive, 15$/stage and 7$/tank for nitrox 32.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Let's go diving!
I don't remember exactly when I decided to go diving again... except that it occured shortly after my voluntary, though therefor not less traumatic separation from my newly acquired iMac?
South-East Asia, as much as I like it there, just wouldn't do this time. South Africa, always again a possible candidate for its big animal encounters, for some reason never quite makes it to my final selection. Antarctica, without a doubt the most extreme destination on my wishing list, already got scrapped several months ago due to lack of space for crazy divers onboard the Russian ice-breaker.
After some target hunting, my attention quickly focused & zoomed upon Central America. Action packed diving with sharks or some more adventurous cave diving? Tough choice. In the Bahamas however, both are possible. And, while researching the cave diving scene there, I got within just a few clicks of booking a caged diving & snorkeling with dolphins trip with Shark Diver. Almost.
The Bahamas are gringo land (read: big dollar), so any stay there would have to be kept as short as possible due to the unfavorable dive vs living cost ratio. However, that's kind of hard to accomplish due to the logistics involved with cave diving on two different islands*. So, just as with cave diving in Brazil, this one got classified as an option to be remembered for some future trip.
Besides, who wants to be confined behind bars when there are uncaged alternatives? Or even more thrilling great encounters...
Anyways, the Bahamas temporarily postponed, my choice once more fell upon Yucatan's amazing underwater caves. This time with a special project in mind! That is, if I can get the gear together.
* Cave diving in the Bahamas can be organised by Cristina Zenato from UNEXSO in Freeport on Grand Bahama or Brian Kakuk from Bahamas Underground in Marsh Harbour on Abaco.
South-East Asia, as much as I like it there, just wouldn't do this time. South Africa, always again a possible candidate for its big animal encounters, for some reason never quite makes it to my final selection. Antarctica, without a doubt the most extreme destination on my wishing list, already got scrapped several months ago due to lack of space for crazy divers onboard the Russian ice-breaker.
After some target hunting, my attention quickly focused & zoomed upon Central America. Action packed diving with sharks or some more adventurous cave diving? Tough choice. In the Bahamas however, both are possible. And, while researching the cave diving scene there, I got within just a few clicks of booking a caged diving & snorkeling with dolphins trip with Shark Diver. Almost.
The Bahamas are gringo land (read: big dollar), so any stay there would have to be kept as short as possible due to the unfavorable dive vs living cost ratio. However, that's kind of hard to accomplish due to the logistics involved with cave diving on two different islands*. So, just as with cave diving in Brazil, this one got classified as an option to be remembered for some future trip.
Besides, who wants to be confined behind bars when there are uncaged alternatives? Or even more thrilling great encounters...
Anyways, the Bahamas temporarily postponed, my choice once more fell upon Yucatan's amazing underwater caves. This time with a special project in mind! That is, if I can get the gear together.
* Cave diving in the Bahamas can be organised by Cristina Zenato from UNEXSO in Freeport on Grand Bahama or Brian Kakuk from Bahamas Underground in Marsh Harbour on Abaco.
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