HVX Ewa Marine or UW Housing rental SF Bay Area?

[Mister Big]

Hey everyone. Some time in mid-march or so I'm going to need a Ewa Marine bag or UW housing to dunk my HVX (arriving tomorrow, thank you very much) in a shallow pool about 3 feet deep. My question to you is do you have one I can rent for just a day? I know an Ewa Marine bag will come in very handy during the life of the camera, but I'm just tapped out right now. Thanks!

[DCSensui]

Mister Big...

Do you really want to entrust thousands of dollars of equipment to a plastic bag?

Consider renting a decent housing. It might be about what you would pay for an Ewa Marine bag but it's less likely to spring a leak.

If you do use a bag, make sure there's enough airspace all around and a small towel inside to soak up any water if it does leak.

3 feet isn't all that deep. Unless you have a catastrophic failure and water comes flooding in.

Keep in mind that each foot of depth is about 0.5 pounds of pressure per square inch. At three feet you now have 1.5 pounds per square inch. Figure out how many square inches of surface area your HVX has in a bag, and that's how many pounds of pressure is being exerted upon your camera at that depth. Things start to look interesting at that point. :-)

Good luck with the shoot!

[Mister Big]

DCSensui, I don't really want to entrust thousands of dollars to a plastic bag. But indie film making is all about risks and compromises, isn't it? Thanks for the advice on the towel. I'm hoping someone the SF Bay Area has a decent housing. Otherwise, it's the bag. I've heard of an aquarium trick, but I don't want to try that.

[benhuddleston]

I have an Ewamarine bag, and have used it extensively with my HVX in situations similar to yours, to great success. Although very skeptical before I purchased it, it has won me over for shallow water shots. It's cheap, easy to use, and has never leaked. Not one drop.

The likelihood of it springing a leak in 3' of water are slim, unless it comes damaged. Just test it beforehand to ensure it's not leaking. I've never used a towel; I have used silica packets to absorb condensation though.

[robmneilson]

Is the lens on the front of the EWA marine bag removeable?

I was thinking of modifying the bag to protect my HVX and Brevis in desert dust storm conditions.

[jetaddiction@mac.com]

i have a great housing .nd setting knob as well as a manual irus knob. as well as zoom ,on off ,record. glass port. i had the door at the back to get to the p2 cards. i tape in a silica plate moisture collecter. i mount my gyro on it as well for on top of water. but am up in canada.

[Mister Big]

Is the lens on the front of the EWA marine bag removeable?

I was thinking of modifying the bag to protect my HVX and Brevis in desert dust storm conditions.

I don't think the bag is big enough for a Brevis. The image on B&H makes it look like the HVX is in there pretty darn snug. I doubt there's even room for a wide angle adapter.

[robmneilson]

Well what I mean is I'd like to remove the glass lens on the front of the EWA marine bag so I can have the brevis flip on there, and Im going to modify a "condom" to put over the Brevis to keep the dust out.

[ilikebmxbikes]

i have underwater housing that fits a DVX100b. it wont fit your hvx, but i am located in the bay area. just thought i would throw that out there.

[Justyn]

Same. I have a great housing down here in FL. Accomodates my fisheye lens and pretty much indistructable and even has a tripod mount.. built by Jim Bailey through www.waterhousings.com He might know someone up in San Fran so worth giving him a shout...

[Justyn]

Also... not that I highly recommend this.. but I've seen people do it... If you are shooting from the surface down into the pool.. or possibly just surface stuff. I've seen people use a 20 gallon fishtank.. Very sketchy but if you are careful it will work and I've seen some pretty darn good results... cheers

[Mister Big]

Yeah, I've heard of the aquarium method, but I think I need the camera to be IN the water, not just looking down. I may end up buying the Ewa Marine bag and also use it as a hazardous duty/rain shield. A general "condom" as some have called it.

[Justyn]

The bag will work for still water environments so you'll be cool in a pool or such just going under, but it won't stand up to surf or extremes. My housing has been thown off a wakeboard boat at 40mph with no harm... Its had a 10' wave crash down on it with no harm.. It's about 3 times as much money, but there's security and variety...


The one other cool thing though about the bags or a housing is that they are great to use in really dusty or environmentally unfriendly locations.. like where paint is flying or whatever. I also use my housing when the camera might be in harms way.. the front port replacement is only 40 bucks if it's scratched or cracked but since it's 1/2 thick it won't break and neither will the cam.

cheers


J

[DCERVENKA]

Same. I have a great housing down here in FL. Accomodates my fisheye lens and pretty much indistructable and even has a tripod mount.. built by Jim Bailey through www.waterhousings.com (http://www.waterhousings.com) He might know someone up in San Fran so worth giving him a shout...

Hi Justyn - do you have any better pics of your housing than what is currently on their website? I'm also curious which controls you had built on your? The last housing I had didn't have ND or iris controls and it drove me crazy!

[Justyn]

Totally understand... Yes I do have better pics and Jim is the best... The ND filter is the only thing I wished I had gotten too.. but this was my first housing.. Jim would have built it.. I do have the following though: Iris, zoom, focus assist, focus. He would put one for anything really as it's all custom..


here's some pics: http://www.electriccowtheater.com/WATER/photos%20/

Footage are large files so download or stream, accordingly...

and here's some footage: http://www.electriccowtheater.com/WATER/test1.mov

And a personal favorite:

http://www.electriccowtheater.com/RUSTY/expo.mov



Jim is truly awesome and I highly recommend it.. I'd also say though to get it to accomodate a wide angle or fish so you could put pretty much anything on it then.. I usually shoot mine with a fisheye on it. He puts so much time and energy into them and it's really a piece of art. Let me know if you need more info.. cheers


P.S. Tell him Justyn sent ya. I was able to help him sell 5 housings last year and not one complaint. He built them for Warren Bolster and believe me... he'll make whatever you want your housing to be.. and he can even build in pistol grips or whatever.. You do also have to specify the depth you want to go. Mine is rated for 20' as it's mostly for watersports stuff.. CHEER S





J

[Tai Lyon]

I have an Ewa bag and for what it is, it works just fine. You need at least 5lbs of ballast weight to be able to go more than a foot or two under water but my held up great down in the Galapagos on a shoot. Having said that, I now want a proper housing that would allow me to dive with my camera and not be worried about the bag. I literally carried my bag and camera like it was my baby, which I guess it is, making sure no sharp edges or the like came in contact with it. Just understand its limitations and you wont be disappointed for the price.

Tai

[Justyn]

Tai... you have the right attitude and that's great. I do understand that fear that goes into it.. but with a good built housing that's gone after a couple of minutes. I mean, my housing has taken all kinds of abuse and keeps water tight.. knock on wood.


I too have to experiment with weight to get mine to be neutral.. it's very boyant by design and usually I sit on it to keep myself afloat... I need over 10 pounds to get it to be neutral atleast.. cheers all