Videographer Dennis Dillon recently shot a documentary project about the Galapagos Islands for HDNet’s “Dan Rather Reports” using Sony’s XDCAM HD PDW-700 optical camcorder and the PMW-EX1 solid-state memory camera.
The PDW-700 optical camcorder was used for interviews, environmental shots and “real big widescape beauty shots, since the 700 blows other cameras away,” Dillon said.
The PMW-EX1 compact camera was fitted with a specially designed Gates underwater housing for all underwater shots.
One of Dillon’s two PMW-EX1 camcorders was always kept in the housing and only used for underwater shots. The other was small enough that he could easily fit it into a backpack and pull it out when the needed for B-roll.
“The underwater shots came out great, in very difficult conditions, with high current and a lot of turbidity,” he said. “But this camera’s low light capability is also incredible, it adjusts phenomenally.”
Dillon said he and his team used Sony’s SxS PRO Memory cards for the PMW-EX1 camcorder, four 16 GB cards and one 8 GB card.
The goal of the film is to examine the increase in eco-tourism in the area, and its “human” impact on the archipelago. The documentary aired Dec. 9 on HDNet and will rebroadcast throughout December.
