Underwater SR2

Will Darkin · February 12, 2008

Hi,

I'm shooting with an Arriflex SR2 and need a couple of underwater shots.

These would be in a slow-moving river and need only be a foot or less under the surface, at a horizontal angle.

Budget is small and renting underwater housing is probably not an option, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

timHealy · February 12, 2008

Hi,
I'm shooting with an Arriflex SR2 and need a couple of underwater shots.

These would be in a slow-moving river and need only be a foot or less under the surface, at a horizontal angle.

Budget is small and renting underwater housing is probably not an option, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

The only no or low budget method that could work would be a waterproof box with a plexglass or lexan side so that you could shoot horizontally. Maybe it could have a cover to avoid inadvertant splashes and styrofoam pontoons on the side so it could be a buoyant enough so not to sink but not buoyant enough to turn over and flip. Could be fairly easy to build yourself with stuff from a local hobby store and a home depot or lowes.

best

Tim

Jess Haas · February 12, 2008

Call around and see if you can find an SR splash housing rated for shallow underwater work. For real underwater work soft housings suck but for what you are doing it may be an option. Where are you located? If you can find one close by you might be able to get a real underwater housing for less than you would expect. Call Hydroflex(hydroflex.com) and Pace Technologies(pacetech.com) and explain to them what you are trying to do and your budget situation and see if they have any suggestions. I don't think either of them has a splash housing rated for underwater work but they might be able to point you in the right direction.

I do a good deal of underwater work and I have heard of all sorts of crazy contraptions that people have come up with in order to try to avoid renting a real underwater housing. The bottom line is that while some of them are theoretically possible, and I have even heard of people doing them successfully, the chances of ruining a very expensive camera make the savings just not worth it. They also are extremely limiting in terms of what you can do and the quality of the results.

Shooting through the side of a fish tank is an idea that comes up all the time. It isn't as easy as it sounds. You need a lot of weight in order to get the box to sink, but not too much or water gets in. One little splash or tip of the box and the camera is ruined. Fish tanks also aren't really designed for that kind of external pressure.

~Jess

Brad Grimmett · February 12, 2008

I believe there is a waterproof snorkel lens. Can't remember which one at the moment, but it might do the trick in this situation. Of course, the rental may end up being just as much, I'm not sure. Probably worth looking into. There was a post about it recently on the CML. I'm sure you can find it there.

Mikael Lemercier · February 12, 2008

slow-moving river and need only be a foot or less under the surface, at a horizontal angle.

Hi Will,

May be an inclining prism can be useful.

regards

Jonathan Bowerbank · February 12, 2008

Give Hydroflex a call and see if they have an SR housing lying around that you could rent for cheap.

http://www.hydroflex.com/ (Click on "Agents & Contacts" at the bottom of the page)

I rented a beater splash bag from them once for about $50 a day. It's worth the price for rental if you're protecting thousands of dollars worth in equipment.

robyn Buchanan · March 10, 2009

I am actually shooting on an SR II this weekend underwater. Our production is renting from Hydroflex. Student discounts are 50% off, which is incredible. The underwater housing unit is about $225. It is somewhat affordable for even us students.