23 replies to this topic

[Heavy D]

I see the Sony HC-7 is now for sale and waiting on reviews to start poping up.
I also e-mailed Amphibico to see if they are going to release a housing for it. Here's their response I got today from them.

Good day,,,,

Thanks you for your request,, Next week we will introduce a EvoSE version for the HC7..-we should start shipping next Friday!!

You can check on the website , the Specification are similar to the SE unit for SR1,,but will come with a 0.55 lens, instead of flat port,,

Wow I didn't think anybody would have housings for at least 2 or 3 months.

just thought I'd share it will you guys

Edited by Heavy D, 08 February 2007 - 10:50 AM.

[SimonSpear]

Wow that was quick.

Does it come with free vignetting, or is that an optional extra??

Sorry, sorry, I know I shouldn't but Amphibico do sometimes seem to think that we WANT vignetting on our footage!

Cheers, Simon

[ronrosa]

HC7 housings shipping next Friday ?

What the heck ? I'm still waiting for FX7 housings to be released.

[Drew]

Ron, the HC7 housing is a generic one size fits all the HC, TRV, SR blah blah housing. They just throw in a few manual buttons and make sure everything is aligned and boom, instant housing.
As you can see, the FX7 uses different sensors in size and glass, so optics have to be redesigned. THen the manual controls, then the buoyancy etc etc.

Simon, vignetting was very acceptable in the age of overscan and preinternet delivery. Nowadays it's not and Amphibico I'm sure would have recognized this (esp with the number of complaints about it). So let's wait for their product to show before we pass judgement (or plan the cruxification)

[ronrosa]

Yeah, I know it's better that I wait and let the housing guys get it right.

Just a little frustrating for me because it ruined my master plan. I bought the FX7 when it just came out figuring the housings would follow closely behind and I'd be all set for my March trip. I even ordered a custom NIMH battery pack for my old light canister so I could go dual 100 watt lamps/canisters to get good HD macro.

Oh, well, my 1st HD scuba video will have to wait.

[Drew]

There's always that backup housing for the HV10.

[ronrosa]

Can't find anyone renting a HV10 housing. I did consider buying the Ikelite though. At $850 it's tempting, but what would I do with it once I get my FX7 housing ?

[Drew]

Give it to the wife... it's always nice to have a backup housing anyways... you can also rent it out to other people like yourself LOL

[Drew]

Amphibico is now shipping the Dive Buddy EVO HD SE7.

[Heavy D]

now we need some feed back on the on the camera with low light use.

http://www.amphibico...1000185#Product

[Mini Dive]

now we need some feed back on the on the camera with low light use.

http://www.amphibico...1000185#Product

There are two statements made on the housing link:

We have incorporated a new large 3.5" Color LCD Viewfinder on the rear of the housing for easy viewing at arms length.

and

"NEW" 3.5" Color Monitor back

So does this mean the housing includes a monitor or just a place to mount one?

[sjspeck]

There are two statements made on the housing link:

We have incorporated a new large 3.5" Color LCD Viewfinder on the rear of the housing for easy viewing at arms length.

and

"NEW" 3.5" Color Monitor back

So does this mean the housing includes a monitor or just a place to mount one?

It comes with the monitor but it's not HD. Also according to Amphibico (at least when used with the A1) it limits you to using the standard battery - the NP-QMD71 is too long.

Edited by sjspeck, 17 February 2007 - 12:02 PM.

[Drew]

The resolution of the monitor is 480x234, PAL/NTSC autoswitching composite in. It uses 4 AA batteries and has up to 4.5hrs battery life with 2500 NiMH batteries.

[Nick Hope]

I haven't seen or used the housing in the flesh but in my opinion it would have been better from an ergonomic viewpoint if they'd angled that monitor upwards a bit.

[Steve Douglas]

Light and Motion will soon have a housing for the HC-5 and HC-7
Steve B)

[syam]

Dive Buddy EVO HD SE 7. No manual white balance if use with the HC5 or HC7 excludes this housing from serious use.

Shooting without manual white balance is futile. Yet somehow Amphibico doesn't seem to want to make the extra effort to add that feature for the HC7. Why? So that ppl are forced to go one level up & buy the bigger housings (FX1, Z1, FX7, V1)? L&M went with the plunger type button with a panel on the side, maybe Amphibico should do the same.

I miss the good old days of TRV900, TRV950 where u can get great colours just by using a small setup.

[DeanB]

I heard that..

Dive safe

DeanB

[pmooney]

I think you have to compare apples with apples.

The TRV900 / 950 cameras were three chip cameras that were built for the "prosumer" market - that same market as the FX7 / V1 is now being pitched to.

To compare them to a single sensor CMOS consumer camera HC7 is hardly a fair comparison..


On the white balance issue ( PLEASE DONT SHOOT ME DOWN TO HARD ) most people who opt for the EVO / HC7 combo will be more than happy with the results achieved in auto everything and a colour correction filter.


That said , I also long for old type camera's that had lots of buttons & switches -rather than touch screens and menus that are buried deep within.

Edited by pmooney, 26 February 2007 - 05:21 AM.

[DeanB]

I heard that...

Dive safe

DeanB

[Heavy D]

I was looking at the HC-7 because I want something to travel with. I can afford a fx1 or 7 but don't want to haul another 50 pounds with me traveling. It's sad EVO will not have white balance. I looking for a small HD camera with white balance. I heard L&M has it but was leaning towards Amphibico. I'm still waiting for more feed back on the cameras low light issues first and will most likely look at both housings if L&M and Amphibico have them on display at http://www.beneaththesea.org/ this march. By then I should see some reviews up about the camera itself. If it not good I guess I'll wait another year and keep shooting what I have. If the FX-7 would have came out as good as the FX-1 I most likely would have bought it.