175 replies to this topic

[CamDiver]

To clarify: I stacked Century Achromatic Diopters +3.5 & +2 behind a gates Z1 Housing FLAT PORT.

Cheers,
Mark.

[BlueReef]

I know I read it correctly, but.... $7k for the housing????!?!!!! Holy cow! I knew it'd be pricey, but that...well... to be honest I think is outrageous.

Just think of all the development of all the components in a camera, and a housing is knocked out in a matter of a few months for the same price! Something is wrong there. Perhaps no one actually complains to them though? We'll see.

[ronscuba]

Welcome to the world of UW video. It's fairly common for housings to cost as much if not more than the camcorder.

[Drew]

Bluereef
Housing manufacturers are out to make money, first and foremost. They also have to invest in building the housings and estimating what the demand is. So if they don't think there's going to be huge demand (and there usually isn't for a $6k camera) then they will adjust production accordingly and price will be higher. Look at the FX7/V1 housing and compare the price to the FX1/Z1 housing. Same price, because the demand for the Z1/FX1 was higher being the first 3XSensor HD camcorder.
Look at the EX1. There is no lower model like a FX1/7 so it's limited to the $6k market people. How much demand do you think is around?

[wagsy]

Mmmmm.....I hope this does not mean we have to sell the Vstrom

[BlueReef]

Yeah - I do understand the aspects of supply and demand and production costs etc, I never expected them to be cheap, but I still don't see the justification of SUCH a high price. ok I couldn't make one myself, but the machines are already in place, you just need the right mouldings/jigs etc., and I think 40-50% could probably be taken off that price.
Also having it a little cheaper opens up the market place even more, from all the talk on here, it seems their high price is the limiting factor no the number of buyers.

Admittedly though there has been talk of waiting for the PMW700 camera which is a bit of a different shape so perhaps there'll be more housings made for this one and hence cheaper (less risk for the manufaturer due to demand). We'll see. Anyway it gives me a bit longer to save my pennies!
I don't know if I'd part with that beast though wagsy;)

[Drew]

Well it's business. If the housing doesn't sell, they'll lower the price to move it. They also have a very specific time window to do it in. Probably 1.5-2 years before a model is defunct.

[Nick Hope]

What's the PMW700?

[BlueReef]

What's the PMW700?

hehe - sorry, meant the Sony PDW700

[Drew]

The PDW-700 is an ENG style using the new 50mbps XDCAM HD codec using 2/3" CCDs. It'll be MUCH bigger than the EX camcorder format. There will definitely be fewer housings for that camera.

[Nick Hope]

That's a much more expensive camera than the EX1 isn't it? I just read a reference to £22k UK price.

[Drew]

What are you doing up so late Nick?
It's an ENG camera Nick I believe the most expensive XDCAM series now.

[Nick Hope]

Just putting a ballpark price together to get a rig in the water. Prices are from B&H/Gates:

PMW-EX1: $6,449
Gates EX1 Housing: $7,000
Gates SWP44C port: $4,479 (I guess new version may be more)
Gates EM43 monitor: $2,325

Total: $20,353

Plus memory cards, shipping, taxes, flat port, diopters, extra batteries etc.. Plus lights.

[CamDiver]

Go for it Nick, you know you want to !! ??

[wagsy]

Nick I would wait and see what others come out with....I am....
I was pretty impressed with the footage coming out of the FX1 with the internal wide angle on.
It had much more zoom range as well for some reason.
Put a dome port on the end, have access to a few WB presets and away you go.

[DeanB]

Oh come on... whats £11,000... its a drop in the broadcast ocean of life...

The results would speak for themselves...

FX1...HDV...HDV....HDV.....HDV....

I'm angry with myself as I was going to buy my EX1 today but am too hungover to drive to the shop...

So tomorrow will be decision day....

EX1 HDCAM (EX)...HDCAM (EX)...HDCAM (EX).. Sorry should that be XDCAM EX... whatever still better.

The footage I saw on the EX1 was amazing... the macro capability was fantastic... Crisp picture...

Go on Nick you know you want to... B)

Dive safe

DeanB

[Nick Hope]

I'm trying to get someone else to pay for it! Or should I say someone else might be trying to get someone else to pay for it.

If it's down to me I'm well and truly going to wear my Z1 and Bluefin out, same as I did with my VX2000/Gates, now that I finally have a really stable workflow.

Dean, tell us more about the macro. Was it underwater or topside? What was in front of the standard lens?

[DeanB]

It was the standard lens...

The bloke in the shop put his Rolex (obviously makes to much money) on a shelf and held the EX a short distance away...maybe 12".. then hit macro... On the big 50" screen the minute digits were pin sharp and massive.. He could have done a commercial for Rolex... Looked amazing

Dive safe

DeanB

[Nick Hope]

So we can forget about diopters then?

[Drew]

Nick
don't forget RAID 10 array for clip backup or BluRay Disc Burner and plenty of Blu-Ray discs. Oh and a new computer to edit
And no you cannot for get about diopters. The FD of the EX1 is 50mm at full wide and 735mm full zoom with Macro on. It's a great lens and it does nice CU but you still need a diopter for pygmys and such.