The underwater photography on my pages were mostly created with frozen shots from digital video. I use a Sony TRV-103 Digital-8 Handy-Cam housed in an Ocean Images Dolphin-Pro housing. I then edit pictures/video on my PC using various programs.For photo editing, I use Adobe Photoshop Pro. For video editing, I use Adobe Photoshop Pro, Movieshaker, and DV Gate. I don't have lights for my video camera yet, so the images aren't as colorful as they should be. The full light spectrum does not reach the depths that we dive. You can solve that in one of two ways....buy lighting system for camera or use a filter. This season, I have ordered a filter to correct the color spectrum, but I hope to have a lighting system for my camera soon. I have over 18 hours of underwater stock footage from USVI, BVI, Florida Springs, and North Carolina Diving. My main subjects have been fish and shipwrecks. I have found that digital video, if done correctly can yield some great still images. I have friends with Nikonos and Sea and Sea cameras. They can shoot 4 rolls of film, and maybe only have 4-6 decent images. Everytime I go diving with my camera, I have several decent images. Pixel density isn't where I would like it to be with my current camera, but I think the future looks very bright for digital imagery/videography. There is just so much more you can do with original digital images. My advice would be forget a still camera that uses film!!!!! If you want a camera, go digital and buy a housing for it. Or better yet, the new top quality digital video cameras can give you great images and videos! The average price of a digital8 camcorder with acceptable pixel density is around $400.00. You can buy a housing and lens filter for around $700.00. So for around $1,100.00 you can have a real versatile set-up. This advice, of course, is for the novice hobby videographer/photographer.

I use a Sony TRV-103. This is a digital8 HandyCam. It has a 37mm lens. I use a 37mm CY Filter and a .6x wide conversion lens on the camera. With the added lenses, it makes the fit in the housing pretty tight, but it works. The digital8 format still uses an 8mm tape of the Hi8 format, however, a digital image is embedded onto the tape. Analog is no good. If someone tries to sell you an analog camera nowadays, and you can run a computer, tell them to stick their analog camera where the sun does not shine. You need digital! The TRV-103 has a fire wire port for the computer, Sony calls it an IEE-Link interface. The TRV-103 also has a LANC jack so it can be operated by remote control........like as in housing controls. I bought this camera in 2000 for about $800.00, however, a similiar camera will now sell for around $400.00.

The picture of the camera is also a link to Sony.com. You can buy right from Sony.

I use the Dolphin-Pro Universal Video Housing from Ocean Images, Inc. I originally bought this housing from DiversDirect. DiversDirect no longers carries this housing, however, you can buy direct from the manufacturer at www.oceanimagesinc.com. I paid approximately $700.00 for the housing, and $70.00 for the filter I needed. Ocean Images is a small business that I really trust. One of the things I like about their housings are that they are molded in yellow. If you were to lose track of your housing, it will be easy to spot. Some of these other housings on the market are clear, silver, black. blue. etc. How are you supposed to find that if you drop it??????? Were the people who made these housings divers? Probably not. The guys at Ocean Images are divers, and I trust them. I have never had any problems or leaks in my housing.

The Logo below is also a link to Ocean Images Website.