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Note: This is a repost from the Video Gear forum, as I believe it would be of great interest for photographers as well. I finally found the game-changer I'd been searching for. Just before my dive trip to Lembeh in October 2025, I purchased the Mid-Range Focus Optimizer 3 (MFO-3) from Divesea Indonesia. Their service was excellent—the lens was promptly delivered to the Dive Into Lembeh Resort, waiting for me upon arrival. The Problem with Traditional Macro For too long, I've been frustrated by the limitations of my standard macro setup (Nauticam-Sony FX3-Sony 90mm lens). The experience of missing a shot of a large subject, like a magnificent octopus, because it simply wouldn't fit in the frame was constantly disappointing. Even when shooting small, spectacular critters like nudibranchs or a blue-ring octopus, I often felt constrained by a lack of compositional variety. I needed more space, more context, and a different perspective. A New Name for a Revolutionary Lens While the Nauticam MFO-3 delivers incredible results, I believe its name—"Mid-Range Focus Optimizer 3"—is overly technical and confusing. The official descriptions, with their heavy emphasis on blackwater photography, do not adequately capture its true, versatile benefits. Honestly, if I hadn't taken the leap and tried it myself, I would never have understood its immense potential. If you ask me, this lens should be renamed the Wide Angle Macro Lens (WAML). Why WAML? Because it perfectly describes its function: it gives you the power to shoot with a wide-angle perspective while keeping your macro setup. While it won't offer full wide-angle capability, it tremendously expands your range of possible subjects and compositional opportunities. Beyond the Lenses I own several other Nauticam lenses, including the SMC-2, SMC-3, and MFO-1, but the MFO-3 quickly became the most-used lens on my Lembeh trip. It truly unlocks a new dimension in muck and macro diving photography. To show you exactly what this lens can do—and the incredible footage you can capture—I’ve put together a short video demonstration. A few print-screens from the video (with MFO-3 and without MFO-3) are posted below. WITH MFO-3: WITHOUT MFO-3: If you enjoyed the video, please SUBSCRIBE for more underwater adventures and hit the notification bell so you don't miss our next video! https://youtu.be/bi6gxZ-RvLM

I finally found the game-changer I'd been searching for. Just before my dive trip to Lembeh in October 2025, I purchased the Mid-Range Focus Optimizer 3 (MFO-3) from Divesea Indonesia. Their service was excellent—the lens was promptly delivered to the Dive Into Lembeh Resort, waiting for me upon arrival. The Problem with Traditional Macro For too long, I've been frustrated by the limitations of my standard macro setup (Nauticam-Sony FX3-Sony 90mm lens). The experience of missing a shot of a large subject, like a magnificent octopus, because it simply wouldn't fit in the frame was constantly disappointing. Even when shooting small, spectacular critters like nudibranchs or a blue-ring octopus, I often felt constrained by a lack of compositional variety. I needed more space, more context, and a different perspective. A New Name for a Revolutionary Lens While the Nauticam MFO-3 delivers incredible results, I believe its name—"Mid-Range Focus Optimizer 3"—is overly technical and confusing. The official descriptions, with their heavy emphasis on blackwater photography, do not adequately capture its true, versatile benefits. Honestly, if I hadn't taken the leap and tried it myself, I would never have understood its immense potential. If you ask me, this lens should be renamed the Wide Angle Macro Lens (WAML). Why WAML? Because it perfectly describes its function: it gives you the power to shoot with a wide-angle perspective while keeping your macro setup. While it won't offer full wide-angle capability, it tremendously expands your range of possible subjects and compositional opportunities. Beyond the Lenses I own several other Nauticam lenses, including the SMC-2, SMC-3, and MFO-1, but the MFO-3 quickly became the most-used lens on my Lembeh trip. It truly unlocks a new dimension in muck and macro diving photography. To show you exactly what this lens can do—and the incredible footage you can capture—I’ve put together a short video demonstration. A few print-screens from the video (with MFO-3 and without MFO-3) are posted below. WITH MFO-3: WITHOUT MFO-3: If you enjoyed the video, please SUBSCRIBE for more underwater adventures and hit the notification bell so you don't miss our next video!

Have you tried this snoot in water? I did similar snoot with couple glasses and didn't seal the tube to allow water coming in, even with support by GPT to setup the right focal length with multiple glasses to reduce the light output angle, it could be only 8mm spot at 10cm distance from the snoot, considering the impact of sea water. Everything looks perfect in the air but when I tried it in the real dive, it didn't work as expected, the spot is much bigger and the brightness was also much more lower as what I tested in air.

For check-in, I personally prefer a regular lightweight hard case. For carry-on I use a Pelican light, which some don’t like because it can draw attention. I have never experienced that during som 20+ years traveling —then I have never dived in Mexico 😬 I just like that it can be tossed around and give protection. Otherwise I’d chose a normal carry-on size legal lightweight hard case. Nowadays it’s weight setting limits rather than size if you want to be within the regulations. 23-25 kgs for checked and 7-8 for carry-on are easily exceeded with just essentials. So getting lightweight, travel-friendly gear a must. And don’t forget ”personal item”. I got a Patagonia fannypack (my 23 y/o daughter keeps a distance when I wear it) which can fit some arm segments and a lens and other smaller details, taking some load off my carry-on.

Hi Isaac, really a nice try with 3D printing. Can you share more details about the material you were using, PETG or Nylon?

If you have not tried an aluminum print yet i highly recommend it. They are clean, sharp and very modern looking. Compared to a traditional framed paper print they are a bargain in large format sizes.

That looks really nice Isaac! Given what Nauticam is charging for extensions these days that is extremely reasonable.

Admin dudes: any chance of pinning this topic? I'm finding it super useful. I haven't printed anything for over 10 years and have forgotten whatever I learnt about colour management. And my spider is sure to be useless now. But I'm feeling a renewed printing urge coming on! While we are at it, could the printing gurus suggest a user-friendly Mac compatible spider, which works with all types of displays, please? Might as well get some thoughts on underwater photo-friendly displays too! Say, mid-range prices? Many thanks in advance...!

I suppose I should chime in here. I've had several requests for 3D printed extensions, so I recently went ahead and designed/tested an N100 version. I made the prototype 17.4mm, as I believe that is the reported length difference between the Sony 90mm and 100mm lenses (if anyone knows for sure the ideal length for the extension for the 100mm, please let me know). It's simple to do other lengths as well (it might be tough to do shorter than 15-16mm with the current design, though). It has a bayonet but not a port lock, though that shouldn't be an issue if you use a vacuum system. I tested it to over 100m. Obviously, a 3D printed plastic extension is not nearly as nice as an aluminum one from Nauticam, but I just thought I'd let people know about this option - especially for people wanting a non-standard length or to save a little money. I'm hesitant to mention price because I don't want to flaunt the forum's rules on self promotion/advertising, but I also know that's one of the first things anyone who's interested is going to want to know. So I'll just say that I'm thinking in the neighborhood of $100 plus shipping, but if the moderators want to remove that (or any of this), please feel free.

Personally I would use the fact that the print supplier uses Adobe RGB as a deciding factor in choosing a vendor, it indicates they understand colour and are prepared to make the most of their printers to give the best possible prints. You might pay a little more, but to me it's worth it if you are going to display your work. I actually print my own with an Epson P800 and my printer has been profiled so I can soft proof the image before committing to print.

You'll need a couple of things, first a zoom gear - until it is on the port charts that means designing and printing one. Sometimes you'll be able to find a zoom gear from another model lens that will work, but usually a custom gear is required. Second you need to decide which port you want to use with it. basically with Nauticam it's either the 180mm or 230mm. Some of the newer 16 - xx mm zooms work fine with the 180mm, including the newest Sony zooms and some of the Tamron zooms. Others need the 230mm port for good corner performance. Hard to tell which is needed until someone tests it, Third you need to work out what extension is needed. getting this right is important for good performance behind a dome. This involve placing the entrance pupil at the centre of curvature of the dome. You need to work out where the entrance pupil is and do some geometry to work out where it is in relation to the dome. Not incredibly complex but you need to comfortable with geoemtry and the required calculations. The Caveat is that the calculation may be able to be done, but the lens might perform better with a little more or less extension when physically tested. The alternative it to take a stab and and try it with different extensions if you have them available, If you don't have access to a port and some extensions probably you need to wait for Nauticam or some other interested person with the right resources to test the lens. Maybe @Phil Rudin will test it sometime?

I think all the MBAs have 2 usb c ports.

My ultime idea, (result of my precedent test) is to have a part I can put on the top of more or less this solution, with a diaphragme in it. Why on the end of the snoot... because if the diaphragme is on the begining to much light is lost. I I can focus a maximum of light on a small point (in my case with the smal diaphragme I have from Aliexpress, 25 mm diameter) The hole will be possible to be adjust from 2 on 25 mm and that with a maximum of power light comming out. 2mm is probaly not usefull but will be possible. (if the guide is good and understand what the photograph want... why not. but this no the scope of the model I show you today

no in this example only a matte glass (like you can find on the Retra snoot. I have some fresnel lenses from different diameter and focal length. I will probably combine different lenses.

Did you use a fresnel lens?

a first picture You see, no you don't see the donut... I reach the target. It is not with the "big aperture" but I hold a small cap with a small hole of 9 mm The idea is to make some cap with different hole size and change it during the dive, Probably printed in TPU

Small update of my test. The idea is to have a snoot where the water can go in --> no problems with water coming in ... it is build for that. Perhaps in an other step I'll try to have air in the snoot but it is not the subject now The bottom part will be "fix" and the top can be print again and again to try different size length and/or diameter of the opening in the top. It is also possible to try different type of glas, lens, fresnel to test the result In the midle it is possible to insert some additional lense to focus the light an put some part in to avoid the reflexion.

I normally only look at the Waterpixels site on my computer screen, because of the nice images. But I just realized that the Triptychs are very "vertical" and indeed better to display on a smartphone screen (or a rotated IPad).

I jumped to Apple (14", M1Pro, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD) when I retired almost 3 years ago and these M processors became available (In my profession I needed some programs that exclusively ran with Windows PC, no chance for Apple). It was a leap forward when working with LR and PS, I never looked back (although the reliability/stability of MacOS in general, reminds me at the earlier stages of windows 🫤)... I am using this laptop during travelling and also at home (at home I have a second calibrated monitor for photo processing). The laptop is still perfect for me for travelling - no complaints for standard procedures... At home I frequently use the new AI functions of LR and PS (e.g.: denoise in LR and also the backscatter removal by Erin Quingley in PS). Then the M1 chip comes to its limitations (amost 1' for AI denoising in LR or backscatter removal in PS; 61 Mpixel raw files). I read that the new M5 chip is the first of this series that has special hardware, that accelerates AI functions. I guess the time ripens to upgrade (the bottleneck is AI, all other performance is totally o.k.), but no hurry, I easily can wait for M5Pro or M6Pro... Just for travelling, for me, any Mx laptop would do it (small 14" for better fit into the backback), but I like the "Pro" because it has multiple slots, including a card reader (the "Air" versions are quite spartanic with just a single USB-C slot and I would nee dto carry an adapter with me (also o.k. but better "Pro")). When buying new, however, I would not go for an older model, the newest hardware is the most futureproof and will serve the longest time (buy cheap, buy twice...)... Wolfgang

Hi, For my last trip, I was looking for a bag that was large enough, had wheels, and was as light as possible. In the end, I bought the Mares Cruise Roller, enough space for one full diving equipment (BCD + fins + regulator + wetsuit + clothes + other stuff) and in only 3kg. Is also foldable when empty. It was the lighter I could find big enough for my needs. It has the disadvantage that once it is full it is not very stable when upright, but not big deal. It's proven to be very helpful for me.

Bill, Thanks. I figured as much, but my buddy did stress that the M4 Pro was significantly faster than the M4 for LRC work. I assume the M5 Pro will be a similar step up. I just checked configs on the Apple site, and all the MacBook 14s max out memory at 32GB, so I think I'll wait a bit anyway. I'd like to get 48GB memory. Evan

If you wait you will wait forever. The 5 Pro will beget the 6 then the 6 pro etc. For travel I have a Mac Air (M4) 24 GB ram and 1 TB ssd. Plenty fast enough and have no issues. We bring a bunch of 4TB ssds with us as primary and backup. BVA

What recommendations do you have for mobile editing hardware? I’ve avoided learning Lightroom and Photoshop, but it’s clear I need to jump in. I use my iPad for personal travel, but PC and Laptop for work. I’m retiring soon and contemplating moving to all Apple for synergies between iphone, ipad, laptop, and desktop. A friend recommended nano-texture MacBook Pro 14” with M4 Pro, 48 GB unified memory, 1TB SSD. Now that the M5 is out, but no mention of M5Pro, do I get the M5 or wait for the M5Pro? Thanks, Evan

Thanks for the report, interesting place, not too far away for me. Although I have to add that I don't like to see dead fish in a diving report. For me Fish are friends not food!