[irnbru]

Hi there - this offering looks very similar to GoPro and Sartek - and for £189 it is a lot cheaper than buying a GP plus an underwater housing.

I'm wondering on the low light capabilities and filming in dark/black areas. Places I'm diving aren't big enough for video lights.

Anybody got any further details or a link to some test footage?

I have a GP1 at the mo, but am looking to replace it with either a Sartek or this Intova (GP1 low light is not the best)

 

[irnbru]

BTW - this is the user manual if anybody wants to take a look http://www.intova.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SP1-manual-English.pdf

 

[Two Hats]

Based on what I have seen of, and used (although very limited uae) of Intova products, I wouldn't touch any of their camera stuff with a bargepole.

This however looks good as an onboard bike cam for me. I currently have a pair of Drift HD170's and they are a bit fragile (1 was returned within a month). I went for those rather than a GP as they had built in screens AND the lens could be rotated to line up the shot (important when mounting on a vehicle).

If you do get one, I would be interested in the results.

 

[ChristianG]

Based on what I have seen of, and used (although very limited uae) of Intova products, I wouldn't touch any of their camera stuff with a bargepole.

+1

I'll add that, without exception, all these devices are severely limited in low viz situations. I rather doubt that you'll ever be able to use conventional photography in near-black conditions without an artificial light source.

 

[11431]

Another +1 to avoid intova, their previous cameras have been dreadful both in bid quality and results.

Reading through this manual, they haven't published any specs, which to me means they're not very good and/or intova don't think that's very important

 

[irnbru]

Cheers for the replies - the absence of any actual technical details prompted the thread.

I have sent Intova an email requesting additional information, if I receive any I will post it here.

In the meantime, here are a few Welsh, Scottish and Egyptian dives - shot with a GP1, light handling not great...and it's just POV footage more for my own records.

Welcome to Stirling Scuba - YouTube

 

[irnbru]

OK - well I've got an email, it's not great...but it is an email.

Their tech guy pointed me in the direction of the online manual (which we've read) and then suggested utilizing, "a wide angle light of 55 degrees or larger at at least 200 lumens." and "Our IMINI works nicely as you can dial down the power for macro and put it on full power for farther away shoots."

*sigh*

So have said I'd like some more technical information iris, aperture that kind of thing - so will wait and see.

 

[Zubar]

+ another for the above comments. I have an intova sp8, its hopeless. Poor quality pics and the term shutter lag was invented for the camera. At about 3m in the red sea the video was ok, and my missus likes it out of the housing as it is small, and orange.

C

 

[ChristianG]

my missus likes it out of the housing as it is small, and orange.

Nuff said, I think.

Ooops, is that sexist? If so I seem to be in good company.

 

[11431]

OK - well I've got an email, it's not great...but it is an email.

Their tech guy pointed me in the direction of the online manual (which we've read) and then suggested utilizing, "a wide angle light of 55 degrees or larger at at least 200 lumens." and "Our IMINI works nicely as you can dial down the power for macro and put it on full power for farther away shoots."

*sigh*

So have said I'd like some more technical information iris, aperture that kind of thing - so will wait and see.

If that's the advice from their technical department then it shows how technically inapt they are! 45 degrees is a very narrow beam, I would want at least 90, 200 lumens is a paltry amount of light, I'd suggest 800 as a minimum, the clearer the water, the more ambient light you have to compensate for, the more lumens you'll need.

 

[ChristianG]

If that's the advice from their technical department then it shows how technically inapt they are! 45 degrees is a very narrow beam.

Well, they did say 55 degrees, and I would prefer at least 100 degrees (without diffuser), but whose quibbling?

I've said it before, I'll probably say it again: Intova, and all the other manufacturers at that (lowest of low?) end of the market, build "camera systems" down to a price point. It follows that such manufacturers are not interested in giving you "bang for the buck" since "building down to a price" and "bang for the buck" are mutually exclusive - sad that.