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FEATURES AND BENEFITS We built our production kit around the Sony CineAlta HDCAM that is the HDW-F900 camera. It is the highest quality, most versatile camera available. A more detailed discussion of HDTV can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_television 720P IS THE NTSC PANASONIC VERICAM. 1080 P OR 1080I IS THE HIGH DEFINITION FORMAT SONY HDWF900 CAMERA. HD DV OR MINI-HD ONLY RECORDS ONE FRAME IN 24 THAT IS ACTUALLY 1080. ALL FRAMES IN BETWEEN RECORD ONLY THE CHANGES BETWEEN EACH 1080 FRAME. THIS IS “EXTREME COMPRESSION” THAT WILL NOT HOLD UP IN COLOR CORRECTION OR MEET BROADCAST STANDARDS. Some other things will affect image quality:
Using expensive technology may not be worth the cost if it is not operated by experienced professionals. Cranston and his team have the experience, preparedness, and organization to get the most out of each shooting opportunity. We use rebreathers, have years’ experience in remote dive locations, and we use genuine HD cameras in custom underwater housings. The Sony HDW-F900 will shoot in your chosen frame rate, in either Progressive (p) “ the film look” or Interlaced (i) the smooth 50 /60fps video look. We can meet American standards or European standards, whatever the producer chooses. HDCAM is the highest quality available in a field camera, this true-HD video can be converted to 35mm or even 70mm film for feature or Imax theatre release. This conversion is becoming more and more common. The Fujinon lens that Cranston provides in his kit gives the highest quality optics. The 4.5 x 13 zoom with a x2 doubler makes this lens the clear choice for wide-angles and close-ups, underwater or topside For available light shooting, Cranston’s HDWF900/3 cameras have the latest software upgrades. These add 2 more “zones” to the dynamic range, and 2 more stops of low-light sensitivity. We can add tungsten cable lights, for a big wide colorful underwater scene. Also we have available a portable battery-powered HID light kit, which adds important shine and fills shadow as needed. Our set of tungsten 650 watt cable lights are powered by a portable generator located on a support skiff, or can run from a ship’s main power. These lights can be mounted on the camera, or hand-held. The cable floats, so there is no reef damage from a heavy, sinking cable. The 500 foot length of cable is easy to manage and move, since it is floating. This lighting system is exclusive to our team’s kit. There is no other underwater lighting system that is so efficient to use. Ours is the most even, and adjustable lighting, across the entire width of a wide-angle lens. Because the underwater world is mostly a blue environment, our camera work benefits from the red spectrum in tungsten lighting.
WHY USE REBREATHERS? Because Cranston and his team members each have thousands of hours diving closed circuit rebreathers, the rebreathers are actually safer to use than SCUBA for many dive jobs. There is always plenty of breathing gas to stay longer and get the shot and then do extra decompression if needed. If rebreathers have a dangerous reputation it is because someone was trying to do a job without having the experience needed. The advantages of diving with a rebreather while doing underwater camera work:
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