Cool- thanks for the excellent advice! I've got an HC7 in the housing
now but Amphibico doesn't have a manual white balance option for that
camera, only the A1U. My old and beloved TRV-900 did auto white balance
so well I thought I could get by with the auto on HC7...not so!!

I'll check out ebay.

Will



Jim McGauhey wrote:
>
>
> --- In uwvideo@yahoogroups.com <mailto:uwvideo%40yahoogroups.com>,
> William Kimlinger <will@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hello all.
> >
> > I'm looking for a used Sony HVR-A1U to put in my amphibico housing. If
> > anyone knows of one for sale I'd appreciate it.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Will Kimlinger
> > www.tortugavideo.com
> >
>
>
> I've purchased 2 off ebay with good luck, but you might have to wait a
> month for a really good deal. There's a lot of demand for this camera.
> My first one broke and I tried to fix it myself. Bad idea! (These
> cameras have a problem with false moisture alarm, pro fix is about
> $400.) Right now there's one mid-bid at about $875, but with 28 bids
> there's a lot of interest and it will surely go much higher. Up to
> $1,500 is an OK deal. Careful of A1J sold as A1U. I look very closely
> at sellers feedback. It hard for a 200,000 transaction seller to get
> 100% positive, go I'll go with 98.5% or more, wanting higher % as # of
> transactions gets lower. To eliminate the many hundreds of hits that
> aren't cameras, my search criteria is
>
> sony a1u -battery -lens -kit -case -for
>
> I never buy the kits as they come with lots of overpriced junk. I also
> buy my tapes about 50 at a time, using Sony Premium, blue wrapper, for
> less than $3. I find the HD tapes aren't necessary; one review showed
> HD tapes had more drop-outs! I've been shooting an A1U in Ocean Images
> for almost 4 years now. Set the one button assignable to white
> balance, if you have a control for that button. This is a very popular
> camera for run 'n gun reality shows, so demand is high.
>
> I also bought a HC1 as a backup. Same camera without XLR sound, some
> software differences, and one button white balance. Since the Ocean
> Images housing has optional controls to use the touch screen menus, I
> can set HC1 white balance via menu. Or review footage during safety or
> deco stops.
>
> Consider HC1 also as it has same imager at about $500+ less cost.
> Unless you want XLR for surface sound. I think they both offere zebra
> stripes, etc, although I'm not certain on HC1 as I don't use this
> feature. I'm usually shooting with lights. Can always get a Beachtek
> for XLR sound at less than the difference. I'm now building a 35mm
> lens adapter for using 35mm still camera lenses for narrow depth of
> field. For surface work, of course.
>
> Good luck, it's a great camera.
>
> Jim McGauhey
> Washington State
>
>
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