First of all, everything we shoot is HD, crisp, clear, beautiful HD and nothing else. All of our images look simply amazing, and a reason for that is that we use the absolute best equipment, coupled to the highest end accessories. However, depending on the needs of a particular project, there are 3 types of Underwater Systems we use, all of which have their own advantages and limitations. And of course, we also have our custom made 3D system as well.
Small Format:These systems are comprised of cameras that fit in the palm of the hand and custom made housings that are equally small. From a production standpoint, their size and weight make them ideal to film fast moving subjects, such as large fish or extreme freedivers. They are also great for difficult projects requiring low drag equipment, such as deep wrecks, drift dives, technical and cave dives. They produce beautiful images but, due to the high compression of the AVCHD codec in which they record, their ideal destination is the small screen, such as video for the web, DVD or specific TV programs. When higher quality is needed but bigger cameras cannot be used, we are able to extract better pictures out of these cameras by hooking them to external recorders, such as Cinedeck or Nano Flash, which record images with much less compression.
Cameras: Canon HF-S10
Housings: Aquavideo HD Extreme (made exclusively for Ideas in Blue, tested to 500 ft)
Optics: Canon glass wide angle adapters, acrylic dome ports
Upgradeability: Yes, through the use of external recorders such as Nano Flash or Cinedeck, producing a much higher quality image.
Availability: 4 systems, available both for rent or with an Ideas in Blue operator
Medium FormatOur workhorses, these systems are comprised of Sony cameras that record in the professional XDCAM format coupled with world class Gates housings and Fathom optics. This is the golden combination used in the vast majority of all BBC, National Geographic and Discovery Channel programs. The images are simply breathtaking, but the system's bulk makes it more suitable for situations that are more controllable, such as slower moving animals, reef close ups and shallow to medium depth dives. Their images are great for all types of TV programs, Blu-Ray, DVD and with the addition of external recorders, they are also suitable for cinema projects.
Cameras: Sony EX-1
Housings: Gates
Optics: Fathom SWP-44C glass port, the best underwater optics ever made.
Upgradeability: Yes, through the use of external recorders such as Nano Flash or Cinedeck, producing a much higher quality image.
Availability: 2 systems, available exclusively with an Ideas in Blue operator
Intended mainly for cinema projects, these systems use the RED ONE 4K camera and custom Aquavideo housings allowing the cameras to be fitted with a variety of lenses as demanded by the specific projects. This system provides the highest quality underwater images ever recorded, but they are very unwieldy and heavy to operate and due to the lack of automated features, as is traditional with high end cinema systems, they also require long set up times to shoot even the simplest of situations. For certain projects, we are able to increase this system's mobility by attaching it to underwater scooters, allowing for fast shots that are impossible for a lone operator, but it should be noted that this system is only intended for high end productions that can afford its cost and the extended periods of time required for its use.
Cameras: RED ONE 4K
Housings: Aquavideo
Optics: Variety of PL, Nikon and Cannon lenses and glass dome ports
Upgradeability: Yes, through the use of fiber cables allowing directors to control exposure and focus from the surface.
Availability: 1 system, available exclusively with an Ideas in Blue operator
3D StereoMany compromises must be made when shooting 3D underwater. For better effect, cameras should be as close to each other as possible, so we use the same cameras as in our Small Format systems, and we add the Nano Flash or Cinedeck external recorders to bypass the AVCHD compression and provide better images when needed. This set up allows us to use relatively small housings which in turn allow us mobility underwater. The resulting images are ideal for all types of small screen projects, such as video for web, Blu-Ray, DVD and TV programs.
Cameras: Canon HF-S10
Housings: Aquavideo
Optics: Canon glass wide angle adapters, acrylic dome ports
Upgradeability: Yes, through the use of external recorders such as Nano Flash or Cinedeck, producing a much higher quality image.
Availability: 1 system, available exclusively with an Ideas in Blue operator