Revolving video mounting system.
Note: we have 2 versions: Original version for UV scooter only, and "Universal" model which fits the N-19, UV's, and most other tech scooters.
ABOVE: Shown with Death Ray 200 WATT HMI light. Can be adapted for all housings.
GATES PAGE Light and MOTION page Features: *Revolves 360 degrees in seconds without screws *Quick release mechanism: housing can easily be removed from scooter *Low profile: housing sits less than 1" / 25mm from hull! *Can be used to attach any device or tool to the scooter
*Stainless steel cambuckle 100% security of camera/scooter connection
Demonstration video click here! Initiated by a strong diver demand for a commercially available revolving video mounting system, Submerge is pleased to release our patent applied for design. This video mount will fit any 10 3/4" OD scooter hull, which includes Submerge UV Scooters, Gavin scooter and clones of either. SAMPLE VIDEO TAKEN WITH REVOLVING VIDEO MOUNT 17 MEGS Once the system is attached to the scooter with a cam strap or hose clamps, the camera can be removed from the scooter by simply loosening 2 thumb screws and pulling on the 2 stainless steel spring plungers (attached to the rope in the picture). The base of the system remains on the scooter. No tools are required. As each camera housing is different, the customer will either have to make the necessary attachments to this adapter plate themselves, provide Submerge with the custom locations of thru holes, or provide Submerge with the housing for in-house customization of the attachment. As we make an attachment for each housing we will provide a list and pictures on this page. The first attachments will be for Gates housings, Equinox, Light and Motion, Amphibico housings.- call for details. Price $625 Includes stainless steel cam buckle or 2x hose clamps, plus 1/4-20 screws as required.
TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR VIDEO ON SCOOTERS:
For scootering, it's important to use a camera setup which is as close to neutral as possible.
If your scooter handle is at 6 o clock at rest, your camera rig must be very negative.
I personally mount the camera on the scooter so that at rest, the handle is in the normal 3 o'clock position,
and the camera is on top at 12 o'clock: as in the following picture: (Note: UV-26, handle is at 2 o'clock)
The advantage with this position:
*when taking video at rest, you don't have to constantly hold the scooter twisted 90 degrees from were it wants to go
*At rest, the camera is on the top of the scooter, where it is best protected from sand, rocks, wreck ect.
*you have to hold the scooter at this position when scootering, I use 2 hands to stabilize the video,
I also shorten the tow rope so I am closer to the camera, and have more control.
You really don't want the camera lined up with the handle, and scooter around normally as if the camera was not there,
unless you want to get the video to rotate every time you turn left of right. If you hold onto the scooter,
and manhandle it when you make turns, keeping it level, your video will be much easier to watch (no sea sick viewers).
This technique does require more diver effort, maybe a 2 /10 as opposed to a 0/10 when scootering normally.
But you will be rewarded with the quality of the footage, and when taking video when AT REST, your effort is 0/10,
and the quality of the video will exceed anything you can manage having the camera hand held...
the mass of the scooter makes a huge improvement to stability of the shot.
Lighting:
the traditional amateur underwater video setup is a camera housing with video lights attached on arms
either side of the camera. This is really as setup for MACRO photography, and only works when in very clear water
or when doing, you guessed it, macro shots.
If you are taking video from a scooter, you are more likely to be taking wide angle shots. I suggest a wide angle lens
min. 70 degrees to 120 degrees, with LOW POWER and low profile video lights (10 or max 20 watt HID)attached to the
scooter/camera for foreground fill in only, and have lighting divers with higher powered lights,
separated from the cameraman, you know, like the way professionals do it!
I use a 10 watt HID with video reflector mounted next to the camera, and our switchable 100/200 watt HMI DEATH RAY
is used by the rest of the video team.
Complete system. Hole pattern will fit GATES housings, late model Amphibico, Light and Motion (see below) and other housings which may require some custom in house machining.
Turret mount base.
Top of turret with adapter plate (hard coated, dichromate sealed aluminum)
Bottom of mount showing "V" grove which securely locates onto the cylindrical hull. Also note, unbreakable stainless steel cambuckle.. plastic ones break regularly.
Background Info
When taking underwater video, several camera angles can be easily taken which would be far more difficult on land. For example, you can hover easily 30 feet off the bottom taking an "aerial" view, giving the sensation of flying over the object.
However, there are many cases where taking underwater video is far more challenging than on land. Visibility can be very limited, so to take a video image of a shipwreck for example, it is impossible to do it in 1 continuous shot as the wreck could be 600 feet long and the visibility only 20 feet. In this case, it would be necessary to move the camera along all 600 feet of the wreck, not just take a shot from one position as would be possible on land.
Taking footage of a water filled cave passage, which can be well over 1 mile long, presents the challenge of both transporting the camera through the water and also taking footage when moving through the passage.
In both instances, due to the slow speed of the human swimmer and the drag created by video equipment, often a battery powered electric underwater scooter is used to transport the diver and the camera to the location.
Many divers have attached the video camera directly to the scooter. This enables the diver to transport the camera to the site, whilst also allowing footage to be taken while moving forward towards or along the object, or through the passage. It can also be helpful when taking stationary shots as the mass of the scooter stabilises the camera. (the heavier the scooter, the more stability)
When operating the scooter with the video camera attached, it is most common to have the camera fixed in the look ahead position. This limits the footage to that angle, whilst scootering. Many camera operators would like to be able to take video with the camera pointed at different angles during a dive, not just one angle
Sometimes divers themselves are the subject of the footage. If the divers are scootering, side by side, having the camera pointed directly ahead limits the shot to the rear of the filmed diver only; whereas the best shots would be looking back towards another scooter diver, or taking a shot from the side, all whilst moving forward.
Features of Submerge scooter video system:
1) At the point the mount is secured to the scooter, the use of a modified V-block design which is 7 inches wide provides a stable base to attach the rest of the mounting system. The video mount must be securely attached to the scooter so that there is no movement when the scooter is moving through the water. Most underwater scooters/DPV's have cylindrical hulls so attaching a camera is not as simple as if it were to a flat surface.
2) Stability, at the point the mounting system rotates. As the camera will be able to rotate 360 degrees, there is a difficulty to ensure there is no slack or play between the two mating rotating parts. This is made more difficult being underwater, as tight tolerances on unsealed rotating parts often get clogged with sand which is in the water, stirred up by wave action, divers or scooters.
3) Low profile. The camera should be mounted as close as possible to the scooter to minimise drag. This is complicated as the device which allows rotation must be between the camera and the scooter hull.
4) Ease of attachment. It should be a very simple task to attach and detach the camera to the scooter, without tools, as it is often necessary of desirable to do this at the waters surface. For example, for boat diving in rough seas it is much better to lower the scooter and the camera into the water separately and then attach in the water, to minimise risk of equipment damage. Also, it is sometimes desirable to take the camera off the scooter whilst in the middle of a shoot, to take a shot which would be difficult if the camera was attached to the scooter.
5) Securing the camera at an angle. There is a lot of drag in the water. Some camera housings are quite large, and there will be a lot of force acting against rotating parts. This makes it difficult to design a mounting system which is strong enough to hold the camera at an angle without slipping, whilst also using a minimum of parts and which is very easy and fast to adjust.
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