Chris Rasmussen

Much to my dismay, the monitor jack on my Z1 has stopped delivering audio. I've tested it with four, good, working headphones and confirmed the problem is with the camera. If this has popped up before and there's a field repair, please share! (I'm not crossing my fingers here...) Can anyone recommend a good repair facility for Z1 cameras, preferably in northern CA? May thanks! Chris ~

Hi Piyush, Redrock Micro (redrockmicro.com) offers a "do it yourself" guide to making lens adapters. It sells for $45, covers all parts required, design plans and most importantly: the custom sut ground glass (the heart of an adapter). Studio/monthly just did a good review of Redrock's M2 adapter in their March issue: http://www.studiodaily.com/main/searchlist/7749.html I'm lazy myself, and am saving for the $2380 complete HD package... if I don't go for broke and order a RED ONE instead. :D Cheers! Chris ~

Greetings all! After long consideration of the quality and features of every high-end U/W housing available for the Z1, I wound up purchasing the Amphibico Phenom kit with Discovery II lights and power pack, and after my first four dives with it, I'm happy to report - I'm impressed! First and foremost, the lens port is distortion-free and loses no sharpness. The complaint that I'd read of, and weighed heavily before the purchase, is that there's a slight vignette in the corners when shooting at the widest angle. While I found this to be true, the emphasis is on "slight" and it disappears with the barest of nudges of the zoom. The controls are logically laid out, very easy to use, and feel quite solid. (For a kit costing over ten grand, they'd better!) I especially appreciated the White Balance button by the right thumb, permitting dead-on accurate color in natural light even past 60' in California waters. The boyancy is neutral, making it a joy to steer, and the view port for the LCD display is centered on top and very easy to see while shooting. (I'd planned on buying a separate monitor for convenience, but found the top-located screen to be just fine. I'll save the money for a bigger boat.) The housing and lighting kits come in seperate, very sturdy cases, and assembly for dives is quick and straightforward. (I'll admit here, however, that I actually read the manuals through cover to cover before even lifting the housing out for the first time.) The arc lights performed evenly and brilliantly for the full 65 minute rating, and only then started to fade. My one wish is that the included flat diffusion filters were convex, allowing wider coverage. The housing, lights, packaging, and accessories This isn't intended as an in depth review, just a first impression. If anyone considering a housing for their Z1 camera has any questions about the housing or underwater shooting in general, I'll be happy to answer them! Cheers! Chris ~

I have the Chrosziel studio rig, and recommend it highly. The machining is typical Chrosziel - everything fits together and adjusts very smoothly. Assembly is quick and simple, though you need a narrow flathead screw diver in your kit for mounting and dismounting the camera from the support. The unit I got came without instructions, which neither hindered nor disappointed me. If you?ve never used a studio rig before, a quick glance at an online diagram of the system will show you its arrangement. With your camera mounted on the rig, shooting is easy with a minor caveat that the on camera mic prevents the handle and the adjusting knob of the rotating 4x4? filter slot from sitting straight up, but you can rotate your 4x4? polarizer enough to cover its range without either handle bumping. Another note on the rotating slot: the matte box must be at the front of the rods to turn comfortably. This is not a flaw ? just something to be aware of when setting up. If you use the Century .6x wide-angle adapter AND a 4x4? filter in the rotating slot, there is a very minor vignette from the matte box itself (approximately 2%) when the camera is zoomed full wide. This can be solved either by zooming ever so slightly or by removing the filter from the (rearmost) rotating filter slot and sliding the matte box closer to the camera. The Chrosziel rig works flawlessly with the Century 1.6x telephoto adapter, though nose-heaviness becomes substantially more apparent. If you?re shooting on a tripod without a sliding base plate, you?ll need to keep the tilt locked solid when not in use. While some of this might seem critical, I?m merely pointing out ?personality? quirks in using the unit. The performance and integrity of construction are terrific. For three grand and change, I?d cheerfully buy it again. (If you?re looking to buy, I can recommend ZGC ? www.zgc.com ? without hesitation. The prices are good, they know their stuff, and dealing with them is an utter delight.) Cheers! Chris ~

As I wait - admittedly impatiently - for Fathom Imaging to finish the SWP44 for the Gates U/W Housing, I?ve grown curious as to the quality of Century?s adapter lenses. Has anyone out there shot with them yet? Please do share your experiences! Chris ~