Underwater digital camera technology advance

The OE14-408 is the latest underwater digital stills camera to be revealed in Kongsberg Maritime’s portfolio of underwater and harsh environment cameras and imaging systems.

The OE14-408 provides superb image and colour quality and has a range of newly enhanced features since the previous OE14-208 model. These include 10 megapixels per image (double the pixel resolution), improved colour depth and dynamic range, Ethernet upload connectivity, a much faster flashgun refresh rate and a more compact housing for ease of deployment. When used in conjunction with Kongsberg Maritime’s new dedicated flashgun (OE11-442), the camera offers accurate exposure control via through the lens (TTL) flash metering, resulting in striking image clarity. The flashgun recharge rate has been doubled, allowing improved productivity for inspection operations.

The OE14-408 has a 5X zoom capability and is depth rated from 4,500m to 9,000m. Each image is framed and temporarily stored on inbuilt 8GB solid state storage. The images can be the uploaded ‘on the fly’ via USB2 or Ethernet, meaning that they can be transmitted immediately to the surface or to shore and viewed anywhere on the globe.

David Mackay, general manager at Kongsberg Maritime said, “Kongsberg Maritime is recognised for technical innovation in professional underwater and harsh environment cameras including underwater digital stills, HDTV and low light camera technology. The OE14-408 is our most advanced underwater digital stills camera to date and we are confident that its enhanced specification and performance will position it as a strong successor to our previous OE14-208, which sold more than 170 units globally to the world’s leading ROV service companies and marine research organisations.”

In addition to the OE14-408, Kongsberg Maritime also revealed a number of other new enhancements to its camera and imaging sonar range at Ocean Business, including the new wider (70 degree) angle OE14-502 HD camera option, the OE15-110/11 compact inspection camera, a fourth generation underwater 3D/stereo TV development programme, and the M3 multi-mode, multi-beam imaging and profiling sonar.