Ultra Low Light Subsea Cameras

May 1, 2012 - PRLog -- These include the CamScan which is a retrievable subsea or downhole colour camera system, designed to be run on a drill pipe conveyed tooling and sand line frames.  Another example is the MultiCam, being a low cost camera system for fixing onto subsea structures to provide a vital visual aid during critical subsea installation operations.

One camera module that is truly state of the art is the Ultra Low Light subsea camera which has proved to be invaluable in numerous scenarios providing visual clarity in nearly pitch-black conditions and deep water environments.

The Ultra Low Light camera by Claxton (http://www.claxtonengineering.com/) works effectively in conditions where lighting is poor or the sea is murky.  When using any form of lighting in water where there is a large amount of particulate material this usually means that you end up with 'bloom' as the particles reflect the light and thus reducing visual performance.  So how does Claxton get around this issue, well they have built a system which does not need high powered lighting.

This makes the Ultra Low Light camera effective in light down to just 0.0003 lux.  To get an idea of just how low that is, the level of lighting a single fluorescent tube in your kitchen at home is around 500 lux.  Designed to go deep the camera module is rated to 3,000m (300bar) but remains robust and easy to operate using the control unit.  As with all of Claxton’s innovations the low light camera is constructed using fully field proven components.

A few of the key benefits of the ultra low light camera includes its reliable performance while using it when the silt is stirred up on the seabed making visibility hard.  It is ideal for low clarity waters also, such as those in the North Sea.  Once video has been taken the files are in standard file formats for easy transfer.

The housing of the low light camera module is stainless steel with soda lime glass port but it is the state of the art CCD which enables clear vision in conditions just too dark for most cameras.

For offshore bespoke engineering solutions (http://www.claxtonengineering.com/Products/Bespoke-Engine...), Claxton Engineering based in Great Yarmouth, Aberdeen and Dubai have a proven record of ensuring swift, safe resolutions in response to unforeseen operating challenges.  They also hold a vast inventory of offshore rental tools (http://www.claxtonengineering.com/Products/Rental-Tools-A...), adaptors and equipment and with a large stock means many items can be supplied with 100% back up and immediate call-off.