Sony TRV950 and Gates Housing question

[MikeVeitch 0]

Hey there, any of you have a similar set up?

 

I am having a big problem trying to set manual white balance below 60 feet, it just won't take, even in bright tropical conditions.

A friend with same camera and Amphibico has no problem at any depth. Will try putting his into my housing to see if it is just the camera or a combination of both.

 

Or could it be something like the red filter is too dark? THe port coating?

Or???

[sjspeck 3]

If you don't hear from ronrosa, PM him over at Scubaboard. He has a 900 and a Gates housing and recently posted somewhere about successfully doing manual WB at depth.

[MikeVeitch 0]

Thanks, i'll post this up on Scubaboard and see if he answers...

Mike

[Nick Hope 151]

Mike, You need to keep white balancing at regular intervals on the way down. Don't ask the camera to make a huge WB adjustment in one go. If it's too late and you're already down there, try pointing it straight at the sun before hitting your WB control. This works for me with my VX2000/Gates. Oh, and of course it's easier with the red filter helping out.

 

Nick

[MikeVeitch 0]

Thanks for the suggestions Nick, but that is what i do already. Pretty much WB every 5-10 ft or so and i never take the red filter off unless i am in massively dark conditions.

Will try the pointing straight at the sun though...haven't tried that yet. Usually i have the sun at my back to gain as much light on the off white card/slate as possible.

[Andre 0]

Hi all,

What I really find stranged in this situation is that under thex exact same conditions, same camera but with my Amphibico Dive Buddy Plus 950 I have no trouble WB at any depths (or almost depending on the light situation).

In fact I have dove with Mike where I did my WB and he couln't, and we were side by side...

We both use similar RF.

Now is there a difference between the RF in Gates vs Amphibico?

 

Anyway I hope this put some lights on Mike's problem, and hopefully someone has a good pointer.

 

cheers

Andre

[Andre 0]

if you read my post on "Calling for ...950" I explain how I proceed for my WB and get astonishing results.

 

Andre

[MikeVeitch 0]

Ok, so i have done a test, i used my friends 950 in my housing and he used mine in his.

The result? I could WB at depth and he could not. THerefore, it's my camera that has a problem as opposed to the housing.

 

Seems strange as we both use default settings as opposed to a custom mode.

 

Anyone with any ideas?

Am assuming that if i send back to Sony they will think it is fine as they won't be testing at depth but at the surface where it is fine...

[caymanchrisb 0]

I believe that the problem is intrinsic in the camera as you found out, what I have seen over time is that some CCDs are more sensitive than others even in the same model camera. In low light conditions the CCD is less able to cope. In Yap with the VX1000 some years ago, I found that the best way of getting WB settings were to : as mentioned before , do it often on the way down and experimenting with pointing at the sand, the sun, a slate.... and for different effects ie. making Mi'l channel green turn blue to try a white balance on the pink/red coral polups.