Online flight reservation

Booked myself a flight from Munich to Cancun with airberlin (902€ return). Not as easy & stress-free an online formality as it should be, requiring an additional 15' phone call to clear an unexpected 40€ seat-reservation surcharge in my bill, despite this being a free service for "topbonus Service Card" members (79€/year) - which I applied for so as to be allowed an extra 32kg of dive luggage free of charge, besides 30kg of check-in and up to 8kg of carry-on, including laptop.

Flight details:

06.03.2012	AB7414	13:05	München	Cancun	18:05
02.04.2012	AB7417	19:40	Cancun	Düsseldorf	12:25+1
03.04.2012	AB6031	14:50	Düsseldorf	München	16:05

PS: A month ago I could have booked direct flights both ways for 965€ return, but today those same flights would have cost me 1435€!

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UPDATE: Having received my "topbonus Service Card" by mail, I dutifully registered my dive bag & lights online as required, only to once again get an extra bill of 150€ despite this being a free service.

UPDATE: Finally got an email from airberlin apologizing for any inconveniences possibly caused and blaming a faulty registration. Supposedly the erroneously charged 40+150€ will be reimbursed.

UPDATE: Looks like both surcharges have been booked back.

Price quotes

It took a month to get all the info I requested via email, but now I have all the quotes needed to organize my next trip to Mexico.

Xibalba Dive Center replied quickly to my enquiry with an acceptable offer: 20 cave dives at 85 USD/dive when doing two a day or 110 USD when only doing one (including guide, transport & doubles filled with nitrox, but excluding cenote entrance fees).

→ Xibalba Dive Center

Xibalba now also has its own hotel, but it being priced over my budget as solo traveler, I tried, tried and tried again to contact Villa Matisse in order to check room availability & prices. Not getting any response whatsoever, I reluctantly googled my way through virtual space to some other decent looking guesthouses, the more affordable and well rated of which would cost me 70 USD/night when staying for at least 3 weeks... a bit too rich for my wallet.

→ Posada Luna del Sur

After several attempts getting connected to Villa Matisse, I finally managed to talk to Señora Lourdes, who promised to write me back, which she did several days later, with a pretty good deal: 2500 Pesos per week incl. breakfast, when staying for nearly a month. Currently, that's only about 140 EUR or 180 USD/week. Thereby bringing me back on track to realize my fifth trip to Tulum. That is, if I can still book an affordable flight from Munich to Cancun.

→ Villa Matisse

Medical checkup

Being over 40 and prone to ear troubles, I decided to have a full medical checkup (75€) before booking my next cave diving trip.

Luckily the doctor gave me the OK sign and associated paperwork after checking my hearing, blood pressure, lung function, heartbeat (electrocardiogram), throat, nose & sinuses (scan).

His advice being to put a drop or two of oil in my ears, half an hour or so before each dive, as preventive action against infections.

GoPro HD HERO2

GoPro just launched a new version of its popular action cam: the upgraded HD HERO2 now comes with an improved F2.8 glass lens (2x sharper), 11MP 1/2.3" CMOS sensor (2x more pixels) and image processor (2x faster), offering three FOV options (90°/127°/170°), from 30fps in Full-HD up to 120fps in WVGA quality, 10fps bursts, timelapse, selftimer, 3.5mm mic & mini HDMI ports and supposedly soon also a Wi-Fi BacPac for wireless remote control & streaming...


Sounds pretty promising indeed, except that it still suffers from the same problem as its predecessor: the housing, while rated to -60m, has a curved lens optimized for above water shoots, resulting in rather blurry underwater videos [see FAQ]. Meaning an adapted or custom made housing is actually needed for diving, ranging from 30€ for a DIY replacement lens to 499€ for an aluminum housing rated down to -100m. GoPro's supposed to release its own flat lens housing soon?

Not to mention that for proper compositional framing, an optional LCD BacPac would be needed too. Upping the price tag to about 540€ (GoPro HD HERO2 Outdoor Edition @ 350€ + LCD BacPac @ 100€ + BlurFix adapter @ 80€ + tripod mount @ 10€). Not cheap, but then again, just getting a dome port for e.g. a housed compact system camera with wide angle would cost almost as much if not more.

→ GoPro HD HERO2 action cam
→ aquapixs GoForFocus flat replacement lens
→ Eye of Mine flat wide lens housing
→ Snake River Prototyping BlurFix adapter (flat 55mm wide lens port)
→ Subspace Pictures underwater housing with dome port (127° FOV)
→ sub zero flat lens housing
→ UK Germany UK-PRO flat wide lens aluminum housing (-100m)

→ interesting reviews of the GoPro HD HERO and HERO2

Funding?

Having no regular income, project funding is no longer as selbstverständlich as it used to be. Meaning I've got to be even more selective about which trips I choose and what gear I invest into.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to make up my mind about a new camera system, my requirements being well above my current budget.

Cave diving footage in 3D?

A couple of days ago Panasonic announced the development of a twin digital lens for its Lumix G micro-four-thirds cameras, allowing high quality 3D shooting. With a release date planned before the end of the year, that means I could possibly record my next cave diving experience in 3D... now wouldn't that be something?

Assuming of course that I can also get an appropriate interchangeable lens system camera and underwater housing at a reasonable price...


Mind though that actual lens specifications and pricing have not yet been divulged. Not to mention that capturing & recording 3D footage is just one side of our normal way of seeing things, with processing & editing and playing & viewing, other, as yet to be clarified, facets.

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UPDATE: Found a very informative article about stereoscopic 3D:
→ "A Beginner’s Guide to Shooting Stereoscopic 3D" by Tim Dashwood


UPDATE: Panasonic Lumix G 3D lens specification: 12.5mm (65mm*) F12 (fixed), stereo-base: 10mm, minimum-focus-distance: 0.6m.

UPDATE: Panasonic's GF2 & GH2 cameras can only record 3D stills with this lens, NOT 3D videos :o( Older MFT cameras won't support it at all.

Burn test

Even with two TillyTec LED 2000 light-heads connected, it looks like I can still get more than two hours out of my TT 3 battery-pack, though not quite at 100% towards the end. I actually just turned off the lights after 130' in order not to deep-drain and possibly damage the battery.

	Flexi II	TT 3
2x LED 2000	-NA-	>100'

LED it shine

TillyTec's fairly unique offer to upgrade almost any of its light-heads or battery-packs to a newer more powerful one is quite a clever business proposal and in my case an irresistible temptation deal.

I seriously considered upgrading both my HID 35 & LED 1000 to a LED 2000 SPOT & VIDEO resp., as suggested by Tilly at Boot 2010. Besides 50% more output, this new combination would not only improve my technical setup as needed for cave dives but also result in a better video lighting solution, the latter being my main reason to upgrade.

Better but not quite optimal yet. Which is why I chose to keep my LED 1000 both for recreational & technical diving purposes and only exchange my outdated-technology HID 35, not just for one, but for two LED 2000 VIDEO heads, i.e. one as upgrade and one new.

Thereby gaining a dedicated dual video lighting solution that, at least on paper, should provide well-balanced hotspot-free illumination. My only slight concern being whether twice 175W of halogen equivalent 110° diffused output will indeed be bright enough for my needs...

As I have no cave diving scheduled yet for the near future, I refrained from: (1) swapping my primary LED 1000 for a LED 2000 SPOT, (2) upgrading my backup LED W30 to a W40 and (3) getting a new second backup. Preferring to wait for the LED 3000 to come out this summer and see whether maybe a W50 comes out later this year, before already gearing up once again for another trip to Mexico.

However... TillyTec's LED 2000 VIDEO are currently on back-order and me having a recreational dive trip coming up soon, I was sent only one LED 2000 VIDEO and one LED 2000 SPOT with diffuser in stead.

While not quite what I'd finally decided upon after long deliberation, at least I'll have the chance to try out both versions of the LED 2000 with the option to keep or exchange which ever one I please later on.

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UPDATE: Sent back my LED 2000 SPOT last week in exchange for a second LED 2000 VIDEO as originally requested and got it promptly delivered today, no questions asked.

I did not get to test the LED 2000 SPOT as a focus light, but for my videography purposes, it has too much of an hotspot, especially at close range, even with diffuser. The LED 2000 VIDEO on the other hand is just perfect for my needs, without any noticeable hotspot.

→ close-up videography of critters illuminated by one LED 2000 VIDEO

Olympus PEN E-PL1

Olympus just announced an new µ4:3 system camera: the PEN E-PL1, together with a polycarbonate housing rated to -40m, making this its first MFT model worth considering (housed set for about 1250€ RRP).

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UPDATE: Onderwaterhuis.nl has a pretty good deal for only 999€, incl. PEN E-PL1 camera with standard 14-42mm zoom and PT-EP01 housing with flat-port & PPZR-EP1 zoom ring. And, for those like me who'd rather take down Olympus' M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm F4-5.6 zoom, Zen Underwater has made a wide-angle befitting dome-port for 490€.


Note that though the PT-EP01 housing officially has a fixed flat port, it can be replaced fairly easily, as demonstrated by Zen Underwater and soon also by Athena, with several ports for various MFT lenses.

boot 2010: TillyTec

There's nothing like seeing and handling things one-self, so once again I pilgrimed to the huge boot fair in Düsseldorf. Primary target this year being TillyTec's LED 2000 and newly announced LED 3000 heads.

The standard LED 2000 has a 175W halogen equivalent 10° beam ideal for tec diving. Of particular interest for me though is the non-focussed version with a more diffused 110° wide beam meant for videography.

So now I'm seriously considering upgrading both my HID 35 and LED 1000, to resp. a LED 2000 SPOT (with additional pop-on diffuser) and LED 2000 VIDEO, as suggested by Tilly.


Whereas the LED 2000 has seven LEDs, the LED 3000 will use only one super-power LED with 250W halogen equivalent output! Plenty of light indeed, but alas way too focussed for use as video light.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Still on the lookout for a new underwater photo & video solution, there's currently only one option that kind of fulfills my handful of requirements without costing a fortune: Panasonic's µ4:3 Lumix DMC-GF1 in a 10Bar housing rated to -60m (housed set for 1490€).


Micro-Four-Thirds system cameras have interchangeable lenses and relatively large sensors in fairly compact mirror-less bodies. That is, near DSLR image quality and HD video in a relatively small casing.

So far however, only Panasonic & Olympus have presented µ4:3 cameras & lenses. Meaning the selection's still rather limited, though slowly expanding and quite promising.


Most importantly, several third party manufacturers have already started developing housings, e.g. 10Bar, Athena, Nautilus & Seatool.

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UPDATE: Inon's X-2 housing can now also waterproof the GF1 to -75m.

TillyTec demos

Being pretty happy with my TillyTec lights, I gladly obliged when Tilly asked whether I could make some clips showing his lights in action.

The main demo, featuring TillyTec's HID 35 & LED 1000 and starring yours truly, has been on YouTube for about a week now and as of today you can also watch it on TillyTec's own website!

More specifically, the diver being filmed (a.k.a. yours truly) is using a TillyTec HID 35 with flood reflector, and the cameraman (a.k.a. Miguel) is using a TillyTec LED 1000 with diffuser. Whereas a bright focussed beam is better for long-range illumination and signaling, for videography a wider softer beam is preferred in order to avoid any hotspots, which is why both a flood reflector and diffuser were used.

Note that ideally the cameraman would have two bright lights (of at least 100W halogen equivalent), both fitted with flood reflector and diffuser, and the diver being filmed would have one powerful light (of more than 100W halogen equivalent) with or without flood reflector depending on the scene to be recorded.

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Embedded here is a 30" demo of TillyTec's LED W30 back-up light:

Feedback wanted!

Read this blog? Saw the videos on YouTube? Watched the DVD? If so, I'd really like to get some feedback, preferably in your native tongue, as long as it's positively formulated in a language I understand :o)

Videoclips: Into Darkness

Both my pseudo documentaries being way too large to be released online, and world-wide DVD distribution being beyond my limited means, I chopped down the two main features into YouTube sized videos for instant viewing anytime anywhere:

— Part 1 : Cave Diving
— Part 2 : Underwater Speleology

UPDATE: Both videoclips were removed from YouTube due to possible soundtrack copyright issues (even though I purchased the songs).

Director's cut

Done! My first movie project is at last ready to be released for viewing by a selected few, that is, the first DVDs await distribution :o)

It sure took a while, but after nearly six weeks of editing, I finally got two cave diving documentaries strung together, as well as some extra videos, good for about 70' of wonderful submersion into darkness.

Into Darkness
•• Part 1 : Cave Diving (±35')
•• Part 2 : Underwater Speleology (±21')

Extras
•• Dos Pisos - A Walk In The Park (±4')
•• Temple of Doom - The Downfall (±33")
•• Cenotes - Another Look (±9')

For the record: Together, these five MPEG4 source videos only take up about 1.5GB, however, after having been processed & encoded by iDVD, they just barely fit onto a 4.7GB DVD?

Soundtrack

Got the first of two documentaries clipped together, with titles, soundtrack and credits, good for nearly 35' of infotainment!

To set the mood, I've chosen popular Mexican bolero-ranchera songs by Javier Solís and ancient Mayan music by Xavier Quijas Yxayotl.


For the record: Generating the actual documentary from my 24MB iMovie project took nearly one hour, resulting in a MPEG4 video file of 720MB with an interpolated resolution of 720x540 pixels.

Underground movies

So far, selecting the best takes from more than a dozen shootings in various cenotes, I've lined up a 38' sequence of otherworldly scenes for the first of two documentaries, showing what cave diving around Tulum looks like. Again, this being just a quick draft, some serious post editing is still needed, besides getting the sound on track.


As I only started to get a clumsy feeling for underwater videography after my high resolution camcorder flooded, most of my best footage was shot in low resolution with my three year old back-up camera. Meaning the two underground movies I intend to produce will be rather grainy. For a more detailed feel, I plan to release a separate wanna B movie clipped together from some of my initial shootings.

Wanna B movie

After sifting through several gigabytes of raw material various times, discarding useless footage and marking some of the better sequences, I've now roughly cut & pasted a pseudo-high-res wanna B movie of 12', which of course still needs reviewing, remixing and trimming, not to mention an appropriately dark soundtrack, before being released.

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UPDATE: Re-cut some of my cave diving footage for public viewing:

→ Cave diving in Yucatan's cenotes [03/2008]

Slideshow: Cenotes

Some snapshots to look at while you wait for more...

… removed …

Screening

Importing the 8GB of high-res* footage taken with my defunct Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000 on its first and only six cave dives took over 90'... but now I've got about 90' of MPEG4 source material neatly stored in my iPhoto library and ready to be edited into a wanna B movie with iMovie 08 on my iMac. That is, screening is in progress!

Since mixing high and low resolution footage within one movie is a really bad idea, I'll import the 14GB of low-res* footage taken with my Sea&Sea DX8000G later on, as soon as I've got an external HDD.