News

If you are a hobbyist underwater photographer, chances are you haven't heard of Ocean Presence Technologies (OPT), but they have some pretty interesting products.  OPT is a California based company that offers a range of continuous underwater video monitoring systems. The video cameras are controlled through the internet and you can stream the footage live. OPT developed their first video monitoring system for the Manta Network for manta research, but now have expanded to offer a full line of systems.

The newly released AquariCam model is the latest addition to the lineup.  It's a fixed lens camera that is capable of shooting and transmitting H.264 compressed 1080i video.  These cameras are meant for research, education or monitoring and I can't even make up a reason why a consumer would get one -- other than that they are very cool. Press release below. 

Press Release

Ocean Presence Technologies is proud to announce a new addition to its line-up of high-definition underwater cameras. The AquariCam® OPT-12HD complements the OceanCam-HD and the AquariCam-HD pan-tilt-zoom models. This new Full HD fixed lens camera provides the highest resolution available with a wide fixed lens and up to 120x optical/digital zoom. The OPT-12HD transmits H.264 compressed 1080i video with bi-directional audio. Thousands of visitors can simultaneously view the full high-definition live video stream.

Building on the proven reliability of our other underwater cameras, the OPT-12HD delivers Full HD video with an excellent 16:9 picture quality at 30 fps. The Internet-ready HD camera supports H.264 and Motion-JPEG compression. The imaging system uses a HD-CMOS with approximately 2 million effective pixels.

The AquariCam-HD can cover a wide 50- degrees of monitoring area with great efficiency. It features a 10x optical with an additional 12x digital zoom. Using digital zoom with standard definition video cameras generally degrades image quality.

High-definition image sensors now make digital zooming practical without significant image quality loss.

The OPT-12HD was designed for public aquariums, especially for use in small tanks. Cameras are connected using a single hPoE (High-Power-over-Ethernet, IEEE802.3at compliant) marine-rated cable.

Our unique Double-BoreTM sealing system employs two concentric o-rings for double protection. Pairs of sealing o-rings protect the housing from boring marine organisms. Although initially designed for shallow water applications, the OPT-12HD can be confidently deployed in the ocean and has a depth rating of 180 feet (55 meters). Solar-powered wireless networks enable remote deployments with up to a ten-mile range. Underwater lighting, floating battery packs and wave generator power systems are also available.

The OPT-12HD is our most affordable high-definition underwater camera system. For more information on this and our other HD-IP cameras, please visit www.oceanpresence.com or email: Robert.Aston@oceanpresence.com.