Shooting in Rainforest Environment. Advice needed

[InAction]

Greetings,

I am getting ready to head to South America to film in the rainforest. I am primarily doing some guerrilla style documentary shooting with some local communities, animals and plants. I was initially going to be bringing my Sony HVR-V1U, but after doing much research, realized that the weather down there would be a crucial factor in keeping my gear intact. The amount of precipitation and unpredictable rainfall, will be a factor in keeping my camera from getting wet and or moldy. I also realized that I already have a lot of gear in my backpack and that adding a Prosumer video camera with a pelican case, and all the other gear required to shoot with that piece of equipment, would be unrealistic and very difficult. I am going to be having to navigate myself through rough terrain and hike and must make sure I have as lightweight and weather ready gear as possible.

That being said, I am rethinking my gear. By chance I saw a camera on the internet from Sanyo, called the Xactia. This camera shoots 720P HD completely waterproof up to 10'. I know I won't be getting the footage I could with my HVR-V1U, but with it's mobility, waterproof features and ruggedness, it seems like it might be a good little camera to shoot with out there. I wanted to get your advice on whether you think this would be a good camera for my project or not. So you know much about this camera? Heard any bad/good reviews?

Also, I will be away from electricity, so I will need a solar charger that will be able to power this camera up. Can you recommend anything?

If I were to take a mini laptop out there with me, would I be able to upload the flash cards to the laptop?

I know this camera does not shoot well in low light. Is there a handheld device I can bring to aid in that, for the sake of interviews, etc.?

I am also bringing my Nikon D-40 digital SLR as a point and shoot camera. I am looking for advice on a good bag that would hold both the camera and the video camera, as well as there accessories and batteries etc. Maybe something that hangs around my waist in the front, since I am wearing a bigbackpack on my back already.

I look forward to your thoughts and advice on all this. Thanks so much!

 

[danielbrevick]

I can't help with many of the questions you have, but I will suggest a few things. I just returned from Molo Kenya 2 moths ago and it was fairly successful - different environment altogether but a few basics may apply.

1. Are you totally sure your HVR-V1U will not hold up? It seems for all you are investing to go it would be hard to give up the res/quality. You have to be totally sure your camera can't handle it - or that you can't take the precautions needed.

2. I was under great restrictions re: what I could bring - but i managed to bring back-ups of almost all the cheap but essential items - I'm talking about back-up power connectors, back up usb connectors, bateriers, chargers all the little and cheap things - that if you lose one or if one gets damaged you are sunk. This paid off as one of the power convertors (for Africa) blew, I had a backup thankfully.

3. Since I was under such restrictions (weight, space, carry on) a friend told me to bring and loaned me a traditional photographers vest - it had like 18 pockets on it. I wore it loaded down with stuff into the airports and laid it on the x-ray machines. What you wear on a plane does not count as carry on. I then stowed it either in the over-head or under my seat. It weighed almost 30 lb.. I could not have pulled this off without this extra bit of capacity for essentials.

4. I was not able to bring any lighting at all - I thought I might be able to buy some shop lights - but couldn't even find that in either Nairobi or Kikuru. I did bring a reflector - the type that you twist and it folds into a small circle. folded it fit into my laptop bag. i also managed to bring a small cheap stand to hold the reflector. this was really my saving grace as far as lighting goes - it was just enough to add the light i needed for interviews, it put the highlights in eyes (even with lower light and it just made everything look so good. I'm finding that even my weaker darker shots are looking quite good when color corrected - the reflector was cheap and took up little space.

5. I was there for a month and i brought 11 - 500 gig portable hard drives, i don't think one laptop will be enough to store what you are shooting - consider this carefully (I'm not sure how long you will be there.) I filled 6 of them and then used the other 5 for back up .

6. Just a few practical things - get your meds/vacs up to date, tell your credit card company where you will be (otherwise your card may be rejected).

7. Be courageous, I was very nervous, we were in an area of extreme poverty, I got kidnapped, we were nearly mobbed a couple times - but I didn't play it too conservatively and got back safely and plan to go again.

Good luck.