Which Underwter Camera?

[PyrateJim]

If you were looking for an underwater camera system simply for viewing and observing the bottom, what company and/or system would you look at?

-Camera can be hard wired to a monitoring unit on the boat.

-Should be trollable at very low speeds.

-Should have low lums requirement for near dark conditions (not dirty/silty water)

-Can be color or b/w

-Can be used forhunting, fishing checking out bottom contours, ect...

I'm not looking for a sales pitch, just an opinion on what is most popular.

 

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[Dinkydick]

Well there are many things to be considered when talking about TV cameras underwater. What is
the maximum depth you intend to work in? Will the water be dirty? Will you be able to see the camera underwater when it is on the bottom? These questions come to mind quickest. The reason I ask is how will you know: Where your camera is at? Which direction is it facing? What are you looking at? Which direction do you want the camera to move to see another object? Is the picture on the monitor visable in direct sunlight? Most of these questions deal with knowing and telling the camera what you want it to look at. Underwater TV cameras have VERY limited visability B/W has the most sensitivity in low light conditions. IR lights can help some. Halogen lights work better but require more power to operate. You also have to consider cable lengths. Alot of these problems are solved by someone holding the camera underwater and telling you what they are photographing. Towing the camera behind the boat is out of the question unless you like to buy replacement cameras. Cameras work very well in crystal clear water but you still have the positioning problems.

Solutions - Build a holder for the camera with the camera lens facing straight down. Put weights on the camera and drop it over the side of the boat. You will know approximately where the camera is located. Be sure you put some kind of fin on the camera to align it with the water currents. Otherwise it could spin on you and make you seasick looking at the monitor. When the camera hits the bottom you will see it if you have enough light. Build a ROV and control your camera with it. Though many of the problems mentioned above will still exist. Other than the ROV approach the only thing you will ever see is the bottom where the camera is pointing.

As far as manufacturers are concerned, any will work provided they are designed for the water depth you intend to operate in. I have seen some on ebay for $150 and some less.

I hope this answers some of your questions.

Dinkydick

 

[Dinkydick]

PyrateJim:

Here is a pic of one of my custom built underwater cameras. I have it mounted in a PVC pipe frame so that I can control the depth of focus when the camera is on the bottom. The two small gray things are the Halogen lights with the camera in the middle. The green thing on the top is the stock I have the camera mounted to when a diver holds it in his hands. The PVC pipe frame is removed when the camera is handheld. If you look real close there is a clear plastic fin mounted behind the camera in the back. This is to prevent the camera from rotating. Operating depth 400-feet. The black things on the wires are waterproof connectors. I have a 900-foot umbilical for the camera and lights when I do pipe inspections. I also have custom built IR lights.

Here it is