California Diving News

Sea & Sea Digital Camera Housing
Sea & Sea, the world’s leading manufacturer of underwater imaging gear, announces its latest housings—a new generation designed for Canon D30 and D60 digital cameras. Designed to allow photographers to take the digital SLR into the underwater world, the DX-30/60 housing was created Sea & Sea to provide more creative freedom for underwater photography than has ever before been available.

The new Sea & Sea DX-30/60 housing has been designed to provide fast and comfortable operation of the Canon D30 and Canon D60’s essential functions. Easy-access controls operate the main command dial, sub-command dial, AF frame selector, AE lock lever, focus ring, AE compensation, drive modes and auto focus mode. The LCD monitor provides a 100 percent viewing screen for precise review of recorded images. Controls for the camera’s digital functions are positioned on the back of the housing next to the LCD. All the digital menus are accessible from the housing including review, delete, white balance and the jump feature which lets you look at your images as pages of thumb nails.

The Canon D30 at 3.1mega pixels and the new D60, with 6.2 mega pixels resolution, represent a new trend in digital cameras. Both have all the standard features of an auto focus auto exposure SLR with the added advantages of digital image capture. With digital capture the underwater photographer has almost unlimited frames per dive, extended low light ability, ISO adjustment on the fly, plus white balance, which can be adjusted for blue water. The annoying shutter lag common on many compact digital cameras has been illuminated. The new digital SLR’s take photos instantly when you push the shutter release. Both models look, feel and shoot like an SLR, just no film.

The DX- 30/60 has many of the unique Sea & Sea design elements that have proved so valuable on their earlier SLR housings: the Quick Shoe for one-step tool-free camera-to housing assembly, a bulkhead connector for an accessory shutter-activated focus light, the port lock that prevents ports from loosening and disengaging, and double-lock safety locking latches that prevent accidental release. Built with divers’ needs in mind, this housing features an oversized shutter release lever for gloved hands, a rubber covered viewfinder for viewing through a facemask, and sturdy, stable dual hand grips for imaging in the always-in-motion underwater environment.

Constructed of clear and metallic polymers that demand minimal maintenance, the DX-30/60 housing is rugged, good looking and easy to maneuver.

The housing is also designed to work with Sea & Sea’s extensive line of NX housing ports. NX ports are available to fit almost any Canon EF lens you would choose to take underwater—from extreme macro to super wide fisheye, exclusive companion gears are available for manual focus and zoom. Sea & Sea’s high-performance YS-strobes provide the light.

For more information on the new DX30/60 Housing, please visit your Authorized Sea & Sea Dealer. For the Dealer nearest you, see http://www.seaandsea.com or email sales@seaandsea.com.

Light & Motion’s Tetra Housing for Olympus Digital Camera
Light & Motion’s Tetra housing accommodates Olympus’ latest digital camera, the four megapixel C-4000 Zoom. The C-4000 pairs nicely with the Tetra housing and allows you to focus on the task at hand... capturing great digital images.

Tetra includes a custom glass flat port, strobe arm ready mounts for most strobe arms and bulkhead ports to support Wetlink underwater strobe connectors. Optional accessories include Wetlink strobe connectors, Wetmate underwater changeable lens system and Tetra Pointer light. Tetra can be purchased as a solo housing or as part of a complete Travel Package including strobe(s), sync cord(s), extra lenses and custom case.

With digital photography you can shoot until you get the shot you want and simply erase the junk. No more shooting 36 frames on a roll and getting one “keeper,”—maybe. In addition, digital photography provides the flexibility to print out your favorite photo or e-mail it to a friend.

For detailed information, visit the website at http://www.uwimaging.com or call 831-645-1525.

Subvoyager Low Cost ROV
Creative Essence Inc. is introducing the Subvoyager to the recreational marine market. The Subvoyager is a remote controlled robotic underwater vehicle, featuring a high-resolution video camera that transfers live video feed to a topside viewing and/or recording source.

One of Subvoyagers’ most unique features is its magnetically coupled thrusters. This technology is used to transfer the power to the propellers without the need for shaft seals, making the ROV virtually maintenance free.

The Subvoyager is easy to use and comes complete with tether and joy-stick controls. It needs only to be hooked up to an external video output source (not supplied). Optional virtual reality glasses put the operator “inside” the Subvoyager. For the serious users, there is a computer capture system that can record video of your entire undersea experience, with accompanied technical data, and immediately make it available on the web.

Creative Essence Inc. is the designer and manufacturer of several diverse types of products. The president of the company Robert Stoughton has over 20 years experience as a robotic, animatronic designer and developer.

For additional information call 941-748-7438 or visit http://www.subvoyager.com on the web or ask your local dive shop for Subvoyager by name.

ScubaDoRags
For years, scuba instructors and divemasters have looked for ways to keep track of students and divers in the open water. Many have discovered that ScubaDoRags provide a way for divers to be “seen” and look good at the same time.

Introduced by designer Susan Martin last year, ScubaDoRags are made of a variety of vivid spandex materials. They are light-weight and highly functional.

Divers with long-hair find ScubaDoRags a great way to prevent hair becoming entangled underwater, while divers on the surface appreciate the protection for the sun and other elements ScubaDoRags provide.

Martin, an experienced diver and style expert, saw the need for a product that provided light-weight head and hair protection during some diving experiences in the Caribbean. “Women with long hair often had trouble under the water and I saw the divemasters and instructors using makeshift head coverings to protect themselves. Right then and there, I decided that we could create something better, and we did.”

Members of the dive education community appreciate the fact that divers wearing ScubaDoRags are easier to see under the water. “It sure makes keeping track of your divers simpler when several are wearing bright colored ‘DoRags’. I wish more of my divers would use them,” said Divemaster Bill Johnson.

Available in 20 different forms, including both solid colors and collectible patterns, Martin says that ScubaDoRags have developed a personality and a following of their own. Some of the designs have been “retired,” while others have simply just “sold out.”

New ScubaDoRag styles will be unveiled soon. For more information visit their website at http://www.scubadorag.com.