Neoprene Camdom for Sony HC3 - manufacturers

[skymoo 0]

Anyone knows who manyfactures the camdoms for the sony PCs - TRV ect... I'd like to contact them to encourage them to make a thin one for the Sony HC3, as camdom + box is what I've found to be the best combo for protection in very VERY humid areas. Although experience has shown me that the neoprene camdom helps against condensation, they are not too popular these days. Where are these manufacturers?

http://www.childrenofthesky.com

Freefly!

[Miami 0]

Check out www.competitionhelmets.com, they make them for most video and still cameras. Looking at mine it looks like they use 2mm neoprene so it's pretty thin, but still very effective. I don't use mine in a box though, just the neoprene.
Hope this helps!

Miami

[peckerhead 0]

Skydance sells condoms but I don't think they make them. Since the neoprene stretches the TRV style condoms will work on a HC3. I have a condom for a Sony TRV that will fit on my HC3.

The camera fits so snugly in my cookie box I don't think it would fit with a condom on it. If you are going to use both (box and condom) you would likely need to have the box custom built for the extra bulk of the condom. (Maybe it will work, I will give it a try.)

It may give great protection but it doesn't seem practical to use both a box and a condom. You would have to remove the camera from the box and then peel the condom off every time you want to change the tape, change the battery, acsess the buttons or the view screen, etc.

I jumped my HC3 with this condom before I got the box and it worked OK but it still did not protect the main switch. You could still bump it to a different setting even with the condom on.

Just a thought.

[betsi 0]

you can find some here:

www.paragear.com/templates/parachutes.asp?group=455&level=1

[skymoo 0]

Quote

If you are going to use both (box and condom) you would likely need to have the box custom built for the extra bulk of the condom. (Maybe it will work, I will give it a try.)

Thanks, I'm qouting with the guys in Australia a custom made Neoprene for the HC3... I'm telling them to make tons for all of us! If the cost is absurd, I'll go with the stretched TRV camdom. Skydance, Paragear, and competition helmets sell TRV camdoms for $35-$40. Guys at Way Cool will custom make them for the HC3, and were nice enough to quote at $140 plus shipping from Australia... hmmm.

The camdom really makes a difference, specially when you can cover the junction of the wide angle and the camera lens - avoiding fogging. Also covering the tape door helps against condensation... so in really humid areas (97% where I jump) it is worth the extra uncomfort you mention. The guys at competition helmets a a zipper for convinience, so you don't have to remove the neoprene to view the LCD screen.
Anyway, put your HC3 into its old camdom, and let us all know if it fits in your cookie box! Thanks again PHead for helping out.

http://www.childrenofthesky.com

Freefly!

[peckerhead 0]

Ok, I was able to fit the HC3 in the cookie box with the condom on. It fits very snug but the box will close. For this to be practical I would have to at least cut a hole in the condom for the lanc port. You will still have to peel the condom back towards the front to accsess the view screen and change tapes or batteries. Even without the condom you have to remove it from the box to do this so no big deal.

I have been using a quick release and screwing the tripod screw through the box and directly into the camera. This would be difficult to do with a condom on the camera so I think you would have to ditch the QR and mount the box directly on the helmet. The tripod screw keeps the camera from shifting around inside the box but with the condom on this is not a problem.

I will have to play around with it but I think this just might work....

Advantages: Better protection for the camera especially from cold and high humidity. Less chance of a fogged lens. Camera will not shift inside the box so no need for the tripod screw. Makes the camera more "snug"

Disadvantages: Not practical to use the quick release.

Eliminating the QR will lower the camera at least a quarter inch so I have to make sure the still camera will not be in picture on the video but otherwise It should work.

The condom I have was sized for a TRV 50 and it was stretch to fit. The HC3 is a much smaller camera so the condom fits but not real tight. I would recommend getting the smallest TRV style condom available. Skydance sells them for $35 And they ask to specify which TRV model when ordering. I think the TRV 50 is one of the larger models so a smaller one would fit better and the box will close easier.


All for now...