New light system for underwater camera
JW Fishers has
developed an external light system for their popular MC-1 mini
camera. The
compact underwater camera is ideal for use where low cost or
small size is critical. The
new light system provides high intensity lighting to optimize
picture quality. One
or two lights can be attached directly to the camera housing
with a specially designed, easy to remove bracket.
The lights are available with either 100 or 250 watt
quartz halogen bulbs and are water cooled to ensure long bulb
life. Power is
supplied from the surface allowing unlimited operating time.
The standard mini camera system includes a 500 foot depth
rated underwater housing with black & white camera and 150
feet of umbilical cable. The
camera sends live video through the cable to the surface for
viewing and recording. Any
TV or video monitor can be connected to view the clear, sharp
video images produced by the underwater camera.
The mini camera and lights are ideal for
any type of underwater inspection operation.
The 6 inch long, 2 inch diameter camera housing can
easily be mounted to a diver’s helmet or lowered into a pipe
for internal inspections. An
internal ring light with high intensity LEDs provides the
lighting when performing internal pipe inspections with the mini
cam. The MC-1
is currently in use by commercial diving companies worldwide
giving topside tenders and supervisors with their own view of
the worksite. The
mini camera is also being used by law enforcement agencies and
military units to search for evidence or explosives, and to
survey underwater sites before deploying divers.
Other applications for the system include inspection of
seawalls and shiphulls by attaching the housing to a long pole
handle and maneuvering it from the surface.
Two east coast companies recently reported new and unique
uses for this mini underwater camera. A Rhode Island company that manufactures sediment sampling
devices attached an MC-1 to their equipment so the operator
could view the area being sampled, and a dredging company in
Florida attached the camera to their equipment allowing the
operator to view the bottom before and after dredging
operations.
A number of options are available for the MC-1 system
including cable lengths up to 1,000 feet and color or PAL
(European) format cameras.
The color camera is a great option for those applications
where a color picture is important such as viewing benthic
habitats. The mini
camera’s housing, lights, and brackets are all constructed of
corrosion-proof PVC and urethane to give years of trouble free
performance.
