So the BBC has an upcoming six-part series dubbed South Pacific and to help create some hype for the show they released this footage of Dylan Longbottom in “a 12 foot monster barrel wave.” Before I spout off about why that statement is ridiculous I’ll get through the rest of the nitty gritty.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BOhDaJH0m4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]
Aussie cameraman Bali Strickland was in the water filming Longbottom with a specially outfitted TyphoonHD4. Before this shoot, the camera had never been used in this manner. German camera/technician specialist Rudi Diesel is responsible for making this all happen. The following are specs for the $100,000 camera:
TyphoonHD4 & UwaVis Using an advanced CMOS sensor with ultra high light sensitivity of 1000 ASA – colour Resolution 1280 X 1024 pixels HD res. 720p up to 1000 fps Max. frame rates up to 200,000 fps
4 GB internal memory, storage 3500 frames (recording time e.g. 3.5sec at 1000 fps or 7 sec at 500fps / at 720p). Internal memory can be partitioned into 2, 4 or 8 partitions.
UW-housing: A live image is displayed on a LCD viewfinder. All camera functions can be operated while diving. The recorded shot can be viewed immediately. Lens control via servo motors (iris, focus, zoom) Lenses used: (F-mount) Nikon prime lenses 14mm and 17-35mm.
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A double overhead wave is nothing to scoff at and just paddling out in that big of surf made me pee my boardies a couple years back in Costa Rica, but I wouldn’t be calling what Longbottom was in a “monster barrel wave.” Not to discredit him or anything, but he’s a big wave surfer that’s been in far bigger surf than that.
Like this one.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqcp-iacjBQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]
If you want to see a monster barrels then check out this video of Jamie O’Brien in his personal sandbox Pipeline.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny2oFLEvYi0&hl=en&fs=1]
Or you can watch Miguel Del Toro surf a 100-foot wave down in Patagonia.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbETb6NKLCU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]
