https://xray-mag.com/magazines/125

Panasonic Announces Firmware Update to Improve the Shooting Experience and Sharing Functionality of LUMIX S5II and S5IIX.

S5II Firmware Version 3.0 / S5IIX Firmware Version 2.0

1. Enhancement of Production Workflows
   
   New Native Camera to Cloud Integration with Adobe’s Frame.io 
   Compatibility with Frame.io Camera to Cloud is now supported, enabling images and videos to be automatically uploaded, backed up, shared, and worked on jointly via the cloud. Recorded content is sent to the Frame.io platform through an internet connection via Wi-Fi or USB tethering, enabling seamless sharing of captured photos (JPEG/RAW) and Proxy videos. This empowers creators to receive remote real-time feedback during capture and enables collaborative editing among production teams using their preferred creative software. Frame.io Camera to Cloud streamlines the workflow from shooting to editing, enhancing overall efficiency in the creative process.
   
   Proxy Video Recording 
   This new feature records a low bit-rate proxy file when recording video. Simultaneously recording a proxy file that is linked with the original video recording enabling a faster delivery from production to post.
    
2. Improved Basic Performance
   
   Real-time Auto-focus Recognition (Animal Eye, Car, Motorcycle Recognition)

   The improved real-time auto-focus system enhances the highly accurate Phase Hybrid auto focus of the S5II and S5IIX, efficiently recognizing people among multiple subjects. It also features an animal eye recognition function, to focus on and follow animal eyes, as well as a car and motorcycle recognition function, which is ideally suited for shooting motorsports.

   
   Enhanced E.I.S. Performance
   In addition to Standard, High mode is newly added to E-Stabilization (Video) function, which electronically corrects large shakes when shooting on the move. A perspective distortion correction has also been added to correct distortion that tends to occur during video shooting when using a wide-angle lens. Combined with Active I.S. Technology, it is now possible to achieve even more stable footage when shooting on the move.
    

3. Expanding Creative Options
   
   SH Pre-burst Shooting

   The newly introduced SH pre-burst shooting function records bursts before shooting begins. When set to the SH PRE mode, the camera begins burst shooting from the moment the user half presses the shutter button, allowing retroactive burst shooting up to the moment the shutter button is pressed down fully.

Hereafter a couple of reviews:

Sony have announced major firmware upgrades for the a1, a9III, a7SIII and a7IV

According to the Sony press release, firmware v2.00 for the Sony a1 is perhaps the most extensive. 

The Sony a7SIII and a7IV are upgraded to v3.00.

The Sony a9III will be upgraded to v2.00 which is expected to be available from 9 April. However if you live in the USA, availability is from April 9.

Nikon have announced firmware updates to their Z6ii and Z7ii cameras

According to the Nikon update page:

Changes from “C” Firmware Version 1.61 to 1.62

• Changed the default values for the following settings displayed when connecting wirelessly:
  • - Encryption keys
  • - The password displayed after the camera's default settings are restored
• • Fixed the following issues:
  • - In some cases, tapping the monitor would not move the focus point to the selected position.
  • - In some cases, the camera would take time between shots if Camera Control Pro 2 was used to take photos.

Nikon have just announced another firmware update for their flagship Z9 camera.

Although on the face of it, not especially helpful for u/w photographers, for sports and studio people, lots of interesting additions.

A full list is here:

https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/fw/516.html

Nikon's press release explains:

(Full details here: https://www.nikon.com/company/news/2024/0313_firmware_01.html)

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation (Nikon) is pleased to announce the release of firmware version 5.00 for its flagship full-frame/FX-format mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z 9.

Firmware version 5.00, the fourth major update since the release of the Z 9, increases usability for sports photography by expanding the Auto Capture and High-Speed Frame Capture+ functions. Portrait photography is also enhanced for more effective capture of the images photographers want, with the new Skin Softening and Portrait Impression Balance functions, and new Rich Tone Portrait Picture Control that enables rendering of details of the subject's complexion with rich tones. Furthermore, the evolution of the Z 9 continues with improved operability achieved in response to feedback from professionals requesting increased speed and efficiency.

Nikon will continuously meet users' needs through firmware updates that expand the functionality of its cameras

Nikon is aiming to broaden its presence in the cinematography industry.

The company has disclosed its agreement to acquire Red, a cinematography camera manufacturer, which will operate as a fully-owned subsidiary of Nikon. Details regarding the terms and value of the acquisition were not revealed.

In its announcement, Nikon expressed its intention to utilize this acquisition to expand its footprint in the rapidly growing professional digital cinema camera market. By leveraging the strengths and networks of both companies, Nikon anticipates an innovative future in product development that will push the boundaries of film and video production. Nikon's proficiency in product development, reliability, image processing, optical technology, and user interface, combined with Red's expertise in cinema cameras, including unique image compression technology and color science, is expected to drive the creation of distinctive products.

Here the full press release:

https://www.nikon.com/company/news/2024/0307_01.html

Divers24.com reports a fire, this time in the Red Sea, on the Sea Legends.

Keep an eye on those lithium batteries, people!

Reports have come in of another live aboard fire in Indonesia, this one in Raja Ampat, details are scant, however it was posted that every one got off the boat.  Only seems to have made Indonesian new channels so far, there is a link to a news page in Indonesian.

https://scubaboard.com/community/threads/raja-ampat-boat-fire-dive-boat.643793/

https://papua.jpnn.com/papua-terkini/2670/kapal-pesiar-terbakar-di-perairan-raja-ampat-bagaimana-kondisi-23-wisatawan

Edge sharpness with wide-angle lenses underwater  can be an issue especially for users of full-frame sensor camera bodies.

One solution to increasing edge sharpness, which has worked for some photographers, has been the Sea&Sea correction lens which came in 77mm and 82mm diameter options. But this lens disappeared from sale a little while ago.

Waterpixels member @Ido has been in contact with Sea&Sea and has been told that the company plan to make the lens available again later in the year.

So if you have been hunting around for the Sea&Sea correction lens and have given up hope, all is not lost...... hopefully!

The March/April edition of the excellent Underwater Photography magazine is now available 

http://www.uwpmag.com/

The biggest trade fair for boats, diving (and underwater photography) in Germany traditionally takes place in January every year, BOOT in Düsseldorf.
I can report on Nauticam (who shared the stand with PanOcean), Seafrogs, Seacam and GoPro, but of course only individual impressions.
There were 3 Nauticam employees on site. One of the three FCPs currently available outside the factory was on display, along with the WACP-1, WACP-C and WWL-1b. I was particularly taken with this comparison.

Next to WWL-1b

The FCP is noticeably smaller than the WACP-1, but a little bit bigger than the WACP-C. I hardly noticed the difference in weight. What is particularly striking is that the front glass is very curved. Inside you can see what Nauticam claims are highly coated lenses.
The FCP comes with an interchangeable port connection (120 and 100) so that no adapters need to be used.

The pictures shown at the trade fair by Alex Mustard are, as always, beautiful, and I'm looking forward to seeing the practical experiences of normal people.
It was interesting to see the EMWL again in its various configurations. If you want to save yourself the relay, you either need a camera where you can turn the viewfinder image upside down or an inverting viewfinder.
Unfortunately, the FCP feels so good that I'm thinking more and more about putting my WACP-C in the "classified" and switching to the FCP.

Opposite is the SeaFrogs stand. In addition to the plastic enclosures from the Salted Line series, the new all-aluminium enclosures are also on display here. I may be wrong, but to me they look like a cheeky (but worse) copy of the Nauticam enclosures - and are nevertheless in the same price range. I'd rather stick with Nauticam.

Seacam is probably more focussed on cold-water divers and the stand staff were not very interested in walk-in customers. Lots of large dome ports, the Seacam flashes and the familiar housings. After 5 minutes without getting attention, I moved on.

The GoPro representative was amusing for me: a small stand, nothing diving-specific. They didn't make any effort.

I still found AOI interesting because we also had the discussion here:
The UWL-03 looks very high quality, and the bracket still required for the diving housing also makes a stable impression. However, it is also quite small in nature, so I can't imagine that spilt shots would be possible with it. On the other hand, the edge sharpness increases considerably and you can get closer to the objects - according to the stand personnel up to 8cm, whereas without water contact optics at least 50-60cm are necessary. 

Finally, Divevolk cases for iPhones: It's easy to imagine that the mobile phone is very safe from water ingress and can be taken diving. But I have also been told that a protective glass significantly restricts usability and that you should use a removable protective glass cover for use above water, which can be removed from the Divevolk case for use.

https://xray-mag.com/magazines/123

https://xray-mag.com/magazines/123

Edition 136 of the excellent UWP Magazine is now available

https://www.uwpmag.com/?download=136

With thanks to Conrad Gowell (DriftC) for this article:

A legal victory for the Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC) marks a turning point in the protection of Orcas and Chinook salmon in South-East Alaska

https://wildfishconservancy.org/wfc-legal-victory-marks-turning-point-for-southern-resident-orcas-and-wild-chinook/

The new edition of the DRT Show will be held in Hong Kong from 15 to 17 December 2023.

DRT SHOW (Diving and Resort Travel Expo) stands as the premier diving expo in Asia, hosting events in various cities and regions such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Taipei, the Philippines, Okinawa, Malaysia, Singapore, and India.

To date, the DRT SHOW has successfully organized 44 exhibitions worldwide, drawing a crowd of 450,000 professionals and enthusiasts from the dive and travel industry, representing 65 countries. Regarded as the largest assembly of diving enthusiasts and marine conservationists, it serves as a hub for individuals passionate about the wonders of the underwater world.

The schedule is packed with activities of interest to underwater image enthusiasts.

I installed my first Leak Sentinel vacuum valve, a V3, in my Subal ND800 housing in 2014. Over 700 dives, changes of camera housing and upgrades to the Sentinel system, I’ve moved through V4, V5 and now the newly available V6. As the slogan goes, I’d never leave home without it. Why?

The Sentinel provides a unique extra level of security and reassurance to an underwater camera and has saved me from my own stupidity a couple of times…… So what is it?

The Leak Sentinel is a small valve which screws into a spare bulkhead on an underwater camera housing to monitor for leaks even before the housing goes into water.

A small hand-pump of the type used in the Vacuvin wine bottle corks then draws the air through the valve and out of the housing. (A small battery-operated pump is also available). This creates a vacuum indicated on the Sentinel by a green, “Good to Go”, blinking LED light. If the housing has not sealed properly because of a fault or, more likely user-error, the valve warning light will flash green/red or red indicating a problem.

Vacuum valves are great devices particularly to help avoid user-errors and, more importantly, warn of an issue before the housing gets wet. It is this feature which makes them even more valuable than a housing leak detector which only works when water is already in the housing.

Given the cost of the housing and its contents, installing one of these handy leak warning devices is money extremely well spent. I would argue it is one of the two best investments I’ve made in my system. (the other being a 45-degree viewfinder!)

The Leak Sentinel system is simple to install. The valve is screwed into an empty bulkhead on the housing so that the blinking warning light is visible when diving. In earlier models (V1 to V4) the battery was part of the Sentinel’s valve assembly. In the V5 “XB” model the battery was fitted on a printed circuit board fitted inside the housing with a wire connection to the valve. This avoided the need to disassemble the valve to change battery.

The V6 has just been released. Like the V5, the battery fits inside the housing. However, the cable is now fitted permanently to the battery circuit board and a connector has been added (see photo) linking the battery to the valve assembly. This is a big improvement as removing the V5 required disconnecting the wires at the printed circuit board – which could be problematic.

In addition, gone is the square of Velcro which was supplied to hold the printed circuit board to the top of the housing. Now there’s a magnet! This should make battery changes even easier.

Like the V4 and V5, once a vacuum is established and the LED stays green for a reasonable length of time (I usually wait an hour), the Sentinel can be switched off by pressing the LED and left until dive time. This saves battery life. Switch it back on pre-dive and the green, Good-To-Go LED should reappear and blink steadily.

The Sentinel electronics allow for an element of temperature variation. It will cope for example if the camera is setup in the housing in an air-conditioned room – and then moved into a higher ambient temperature before diving.

The system uses an easily available and inexpensive CR2032 battery. Battery life is certainly into the dozens of dives and many hours.

On the very rare occasion when I’ve had a question, the Leak Sentinel’s producer, Miso Milivojevic of Vividhousings, has being unfailingly helpful at finding a solution in response to my emails.

So, easy to install, easy to maintain and relatively inexpensive…. is it worth installing one on your system? No question. Who doesn’t want to reduce the risks of a flood and enjoy the additional reassurance a vacuum valve provides. Never leave home without one.

The winners of the HIPA Diversity 2023 photography competition have been announced.
Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) is an international photography award, founded in 2011 under the patronage of the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The Grand Prize was won by Massimo Giorgetta with an underwater photograph.

Congratulation to Massimo!

Protected Lives
A night dive encounter with a magical 5 cm Jellyfish Tunicate in Lembeh Strait - North Sulawesi, Indonesia. This mysterious sea creature is so transparent, it's almost invisible. Filled and covered by other marine life, it is like a miniature diverse ecosystem, floating through the night sea.

(image credits: Gopro)

GoPro Hero 12 Black announced with external mic and dual-channel audio plus 1/4” tripod mounting

GoPro has announced the Hero 12 Black, and this year, the ubiquitous action camera maker has its sights set on sound. The 12 Black’s headline upgrades include external microphone support and dual-channel audio capture, so you can record both camera and external mic tracks and then mix them in an edit. The latest GoPro also sports a handy ¼-inch thread between its flip-out feet, giving you even more ways to mount it, and the addition of HDR video, plus 8:7 capture in all modes, boosts the imaging credentials too.

It's no secret that many were hoping this would finally be the year GoPro improved its low-light performance and upped camera sensor size nearer to that coveted 1-inch mark, like DJI with its 1/1.3-inch Osmo Action 4. But it looks like GoPro’s bringing back its 1/1.9-inch sensor introduced on the GoPro Hero11 Black for round two.

Despite this Hero 11 Black sensor encore, there are still plenty of meaningful updates introduced for the 12 Black. Here are our highlights:

 GoPro's finally stepped up its wireless audio game with support for Bluetooth microphones – either in the form of earbuds or dedicated solutions.
Voice commands and external audio are all heard by the Hero 12 Black's Bluetooth input, so hands-free control over the camera at a distance should be easier than ever, and with dual-channel capture, both camera and microphone audio are recorded. Whether using it with a helmet or mixing down in-car and out-of-car audio, this should unlock freedom never before available in the GoPro ecosystem.

This dual-channel capture isn't just useful for wireless microphones. If you have the GoPro Hero 12 Black paired with a GoPro MediaMod, it can simultaneously record front and rear microphone audio, and you can mix both in the edit – ideal for interactions or vlogging in a bustling location.

The Hero 12 Black also introduces Timecode sync, making it much easier for editors to switch between multiple cameras and manage clips.
he headline video feature this year is HDR, pulling back blown-out skies and drawing extra detail from shadows in high-contrast scenes. 

Like its predecessor, the Hero 12 Black captures video at up to 5.3K resolution at 60 frames per second (fps), or 4K resolution, 120fps in standard video mode. If you're happy to switch to slo-mo, this caps out at 2.7k at 240fps.

The headline video feature this year is HDR, pulling back blown-out skies and drawing extra detail from shadows in high-contrast scenes. 

Like its predecessor, the Hero 12 Black captures video at up to 5.3K resolution at 60 frames per second (fps), or 4K resolution, 120fps in standard video mode. If you're happy to switch to slo-mo, this caps out at 2.7k at 240fps.

Video editors and fans of log capture and LUTs – explained in our color grading introduction – will appreciate GoPro’s new GP-Log mode and custom LUTs. This should make it easier to tune footage from your Hero 12 Black and splice it into a multi-camera workflow. 

The Hero 11 Black introduced GoPro's 27MP, 8:7 sensor, and it's back for round two, this time introducing HyperSmooth 6.0, which adds a new feature called AutoBoost. This analyses the field of view and automatically adjusts stabilization accordingly while bringing back 360º horizon lock.

Photos can be pulled from full-res videos at up to 24.7MP or captured natively at 27MP. The Hero 12 Black has also been upgraded with a new light painting photo feature, which creates an time-bending image in addition to the stylized light painting video mode introduced on the Hero 11 Black.

We loved the versatility GoPro's 8:7 sensor brought to the Hero 11 Black, and the Hero 12 Black extends its capabilities, introducing a vertical video mode for dedicated portrait capture and adding an 8:7 aspect ratio recording option to all shooting modes.
the Hero 12 Black looks almost identical to the 11 Black, though sports a speccled rubberized banding around the front and frame. Look a little closer at its design, though, and between the flip-out feet – which extend to form a traditional action camera mounting system – is a 1/4" thread for even more mounting options.
Otherwise, the camera has the same shape as past GoPro 11, a front and rear screen, a removable lens guard and battery door, and a microSD card slot and battery cavity.

While the battery spec of GoPro’s latest cam hasn’t changed ­– the Hero 12 Black still ships with an Enduro battery – you can expect longer capture times from a single charge, with GoPro stating 70 minutes at 5.3K 60fps, and 58 minutes at 4K 120fps. If you're happy to drop the resolution right down, you can even get 155 minutes at 1080p, 30fps.

The 12 Black also enjoys updated Easy Controls, adding more features and simplifying the language to make it even more accessible.
 

(image credits: Sony)

Sony has unveiled the Sony A9 III, a full-frame mirrorless camera boasting a 24.6MP resolution and a global shutter. The global shutter functionality ensures simultaneous readout of information from each pixel on the sensor, eliminating distortion in both still images and videos of moving subjects.

Employing a stacked design, the 24.6MP CMOS sensor, in conjunction with the latest Bionz XR processor, guarantees swift operational performance. The Sony A9 III, also recognized as the Sony Alpha 9 III, achieves continuous shooting at an impressive 120fps, devoid of blackout, with a maximum shutter speed of 1/16,000 sec. In single-shot mode, the maximum shutter speed reaches an unprecedented 1/80,000 sec.

Introducing a Pre-Capture function, the Sony A9 III allows the camera to capture up to 1 second of images at 120fps when the shutter release is half-pressed. These images are saved to the memory card upon full depression of the shutter, enabling continuous shooting.

(image credits: Sony)

Furthermore, the camera supports shooting with a compatible Sony flash at any shutter speed, eliminating the need for a high-speed sync (HSS) mode and enabling flash use even in bright sunlight with a wide aperture.

To address diverse shooting scenarios, the A9 III features a speed-boost option assignable to a button. This allows for a quick transition from a slower shooting rate, such as 20fps, to 120fps.

Sony asserts that the A9 III incorporates its most advanced autofocus system, featuring 759 phase-detection AF points covering 95.6% of the frame with precision down to -5.0EV. Equipped with an AI processing unit, the camera ensures rapid and accurate subject recognition, supporting Real-time Subject Recognition AF and Real-Time Tracking even at the high frame rate of 120fps.

Additionally, the A9 III boasts a 5-axis 8-stop image stabilization system. The global shutter contributes to distortion-free video, allowing the camera to shoot in 4K at 60p with 6K oversampling. Notably, it is Sony's inaugural Alpha camera offering 4K 120p video without cropping, complemented by 10-bit 4:2:2 color, S-Cinetone, and S-Log 3 modes.

The rear of the A9 III features a 3.2-inch 4-axis multi-angle LCD with 2,095,000 dots, accompanied by a 9.44-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder boasting a 120fps refresh rate at the highest image quality, extendable to 240fps with a slight reduction in resolution.

Priced at $5999 / £6,100 / €7,000, the Sony A9 III is slated for release in spring 2024.