Aqua Luminous

I have a -Inon 100-UWL- Wide Angle lens For Sale(no scratches) so if anyone would like it PM me -Scott

Tom, I am glad it helped- The Flat port is no good unless you are planning macro! If you attach any Wide angel lens you will have to go with the #9304 dome port. But remember that I could only find the Raynox 730 to work due to size the inside Diameter of the dome port is 68mm wide/inside to inside and by 47mm long/depth-from front of camera to dome glass. Good luck -Scott

Some Photos! -Scott

Tom, Unfortunately the answer to your problems will cost you! As they always do in the world of underwater gear!! Fist I will give you the history then I will give you the solution. All good things come to those who have PATIENCE and a lot of money helps!!! I have been shooting with the HV20 Ikelite for 8+ months @ 5 days a week for daily DVD's of the Manta dive here in Hawaii and film day and night with it. I first bought the Inon wet mount W/A lens UWL-100 with horrible results. I contacted Ikelite and they didn’t do their homework and used the specs from the Sony HC-7 as reason to believe that the lens would work, and well it doesn’t! So I asked if there was a way to mount a Internal W/A lens behind a dome port to achieve what I was after-- And the answer was NO not at this time but we will look into it.... 3 Months go by and 4 phone conversations with there R&D guru left no hope in site. I was about to sell of my rig when I found two solutions-- First was Ikelite said they just came out with a dome port that would solve the problems and an Internal Raynox 5050 would be the glass to use. The Ikelite#9304 Dome port was the solution. I was skeptical to say the least because of two problems I could see #1 All the R&D was done for this to work for the Sony HC-7 not the Canon HV20/30.... Red Flag #1 and second all you have to do is do a search on HV20 forums and loads of people have had Vingetting with the Raynox 5050 on land!! I told the Ikelite boys this and they shinned me on. Next--This was the nail in the coffin for me- GO TO RAYNOX SITE AND LOOK AT THE HV20 AND SEE THE LENS THEY RECOMEND AND YOU WILL FIND NO RAYNOX 5050 FOR THE HV20/30!! This I told to the Ike boys and they said well it works for the Sony cameras... Thanks Guys!! Well now you can see my frustration. So I took matters into my own hands. I bought the Ike #9304 port so I could have it my hands to do my own R&D and then bought loads of stuff from B&H and went to work. If it didn’t work I would sell it all or return what I could. The Results: Starting from the camera working out--If you use a Tiffen 43mm U/V clear filter first screw this on the HV20 on the lens this will give you step one and it has a 43mm thread to add onto-- then screw in a B+W 43mm to 52mm Step-up Ring--step 2 --Then attach the 52mm Raynox DCR 730. --This will just squeeze into the port and it will yield a nice wide angle (not as wide as the 5050) with 60%+ zoom and NO VIGNETTING!!! BUT IT WORKS. Side Notes: If you could find a 52mm W/A lens with the same Specs. As the DCR 730 in regard to outer diameter at the front of lens and total length of lens, with better glass and wider view that would be sweet but I could not find one as most are to wide of diameter or to long to fit in the Ike#9304 dome port. Specs on the Raynox DCR 730- Magnification 0.7x Rear Mount Diameter 52mm Front Mount Diameter None Construction, Elements/Groups 2 elements in 2 groups (all surfaces fully coated) Lens Diameter 2.6" (66mm) Length 1.2" (29mm) Weight 4.6 oz (130g) DCR-730 lens broadens an angle of view 37% more than the original camera lens gets. The lens is made of high index optical glass elements which obtain the maximum resolution power of 375 lines/mm at center (MTF30%), It's compatible with whole zoom area and stays in focus. In water it less but this is to be expected. If you leave out the Tiffen 43mm clear you will get Vignette so the trick I have found is get it just far enough away from the camera and with the 52mm wider lens gives you more glass to play with and the results are no soft edges or vignette a full wide angle. Option two is a Mangrove WP-80-IK that makes a Fathom port for the Ikelite. This was my 2nd choice due to cost--430.00EUR and I don’t know about the Vignetting. I talked with them and they sounded legit and they will send it to the US. I hope this helps all HV20 & HV30 Users out there and if anyone has more to add feel free. enjoy -Scott Blain http://raynox.co.jp/english/video/hv20/index.htm http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7270..._Twin_Pack.html http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1162...mm_Step_Up.html http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4064..._0_7x_Wide.html http://www.aditech-uw.com/product_info.php?products_id=454 http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/vwideangle.html

Mark, Congrats Bro--Nice to hear that you finally got it wet. I have been fallowing the work flow and learning curve on the RED forum, I am not envious--alot of work but a amazing image. Thats a sweet pay off!! Is the Ex1 yours? what housing do you have for it--can we see some pics and any screen grabs to wet our whistels!! NICE -Scott

Mark, Seeing that I am only a hop skip and 5 hour jump to Cali, I would be willing to Nurse your little one, here in Hawaiian waters (Film some Humpbacks and Mantas) till Daddy Duddy comes your way... The things we do for friends!! Congrats Bro- Hey Peter Howzit? Thanks again for the chat and the cappuccino last year, hope to get back to your neck of the woods in 09. Hope all is well. -Scott

I am off to the Bahamas in 3 weeks and the only reason is for the shark dives. If in the future things change I would not go back!! NO SHARK DIVES- NONE OF MY TOURIST MONEY!! I think that's a clear message. I am sure I am not the only one anyone else feel that strong?

A Century achromatic diopter +2 or +3.5 will not work with the Gates dome port and my Z1, I tried both when Mark and I were in Lembeh Strait and the results were bad. The flat port is the way to go. I do think that a "PRO Housing" should have all the the bells and whistles so to speak (use of achromatic diopter and CC filter @ same time and access to all Settings etc..) because they sure ask that in there price!

Drew are you saying you have a Custom Gates housing for a HV20?

Nice imaging Nick lots of diverse shots with good composition and substance-kudos How Long were you there for this shoot? -Scott Blain

Justin the options are none at the moment- I have been on the phone with Ikelite several times talking about a solution and the facts are this- Sony has a bigger market share so they are looking at a dome port for the likes of the Sony line that would let you use a internal wide angel lens with the dome port to get better images. They said it might work for the Canon but the Canon wide angel lens is to big to fit inside the dome port! That the latest also they said the more phone calls and emails they receive from Canon users will help in a timely solution....SO CALL AWAY Ask for the design manager. Ikelite--317-924-7988 or ikelite@ikelite.com -Scott Blain

I have been trying to get some footage for people to view of the Canon HV20. Thanks to Wagsy's new site I uploaded there-Check it out Enjoy I will add more soon! -Scott Blain http://hdvundersea.com/view/28/manta-ray-night-dive-hawaii/

Anastasia who are you diving with out here? I have a company that does the filming of the mantas here in Kona, we film for Kona Honu Divers. Im out there about five nights a week and use a Canon HV20 and Sony Z1U. I have found that you will get the best results with a manual white balance on a white slate once you get to the campfire and have the ambient light mixed with your own lights. Shoot wide all the time and set manual focus on your fin or a diver about 3ft away, dont zoom and pray for better weather! at the moment we have a big swell and the vis is crap. Will get better soon thats the beauty of Hawaii. Let me know if you need more info. enjoy! -Scott

Billy Looks great--kudos I wish I had my hands on tools like that! So whats the final weight of the rig? Hear a link to what you need---http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/242571-REG/Pelican_PC1500D_Silica_Gel.html These fit in housings nice you can stick them in the oven for three hours to reactivate after they turn pink. I had this in my Sony-Z1U and never had one dive with any moisture. I also turned on Mark Thorpe to these for his Z1U while on a trip together and he's had good luck with them as well. Hope that helps--maybe you should quit your day job and make custom housings for a fraction of the cost--God knows we need more competition out there!! enjoy -Scott

Andy I have Fathom ports and only use the cleaning solution they recommend. Optimax cleaner and they have special wipes rather than a T-shirt etc.. Its great stuff and you can use it on your monitor and camera lens. Hope that helps. http://www.opti-max.net/ -Scott