Underwater videography

Although technological changes since 1909 have improved the ease of operation and quality of images, significant challenges in the form of protecting equipment from water, low light levels, and the usual hazards of diving must be addressed.

Sesto Continente directed by Folco Quilici and released in 1954, was the first full-length, full-color underwater documentary.

[4][5] The Silent World is noted as one of the first films to use underwater cinematography to show the ocean depths in color.

Its title derives from Jacques-Yves Cousteau's 1953 book The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure.

The purpose of the recording was to document the inspection and condition of an offshore oil storage unit located in 130 feet (40 m) of water off the Louisiana coast.

[12] This new approach was used on the Shelf Diver, owned and operated by Perry Submarine to obtain the successful video-recording of the inspection of Tenneco's Molly Brown 32,500 barrel oil storage unit.

Two months later the Shelf Diver was employed by Humble Oil and Refining Company to make a geological survey of the floor of the Gulf of Mexico.

This results in a larger volume which creates extra buoyancy requiring a corresponding use of heavy weight to keep the housing underwater (about 64 lbs.

Dome ports allow for very close subject distances, decreasing the in-water light path and improving image brightness and color saturation.

This lets the photographer get closer and make the subject clearer and also with fewer focusing and depth of field problems.

Today cameras are more sensitive to low light conditions and make automatic color balancing adjustments.

The longest wavelengths of light are lost first (reds and yellows) leaving only a greenish or blue cast in deep water.

Modern underwater video lights are now relatively small, have run times of 45–60 minutes and output 600-8000 lumens.

One manufacturer offers a plastic bag type housing with a watertight seal, and a glass port front.

Camera capacity, based on videotapes, or even harddrive recording is usually at least 2 hours, and necessitates very little opening of the housing during the dive day.

[20] The subsequent results may be transferred to a hard drive, CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc or thumbdrive for easy distribution or archiving.