Mini Dive

My HC7 has a bright, shiny, beveled surface near the lens barrel which will reflect a bright spot on the inside of my dome port in bright lighting conditions. To mitigate this problem I've resorted to taking a black "felt pen" to this shiny surface. I suppose having the already "black" HC9 would help resolve this problem.

I used the good ol' Run-a-Dub Laundry marker on my shiny ring and it took care of the reflectivity.

I am extremely happy with the Gates housing for my HC7     The manual WB is easy to use.

24hrs and counting....

Make sure to take the opportunity to visit the Ranger Station in Chatham Bay, the suspension bridge is well worth seeing.  If you are going on one of the Hunter boats, make sure to read the Christopher Weston 70 page book on the history of Cocos.  The Okeanos may also have a copy, I don't know since I have only been on the Hunter boats.  Enjoy  

I have the HC7, Gates housing and SWP25.  And I was at Cocos last June.  You will want to set the manual focus.  The HC7 tends to search in the blue water on auto.  I used the red filter with manual WB and did not have any problems.  The shot of the hammers with the sun behind them at Alcyone won't be a problem with the filter, you will be at 100-110 feet looking up.  You won't need the lights except for night dives, unless you really want to swim with them for a few close-ups of critters.  The sharks won't get close enough for the lights to do any good during the day.  However, the SWP25 is great for bringing in the action.  One last thing; if it has been a few minutes since your last shot, the HC7 takes a few seconds to start filming again and that wait can be infuriating.

I just got a USVH MiniDV for my sony trv950. Problem is, the person I got it from had lost the manual. I want to read up on it before I screw it up. Anyone have a link or a digital copy they could email me?

You could contact USVH and ask them for a copy:

http://www.usvh.com/Contact.html