I'm looking through some options for a wide-angle options for Canon R6 Mk II in Marelux housing. As EF 8-15 Fisheye is quite hard to find, I'm looking for some alternative.

Gear I currently have

• EF 16-35 F2.8 III L

• WWL-1B (was using this with Nauticam R50)

At this point, I’m unsure whether I should:

• Use the EF 16–35mm with a dome port, or

• Try to build a setup that works with the WWL-1B on a Marelux housing

Getting a new lens is also an option if it makes more sense overall.

Also, have anyone tried Marelux Aquista 120? From the port chart, it seems like it works with EF 16-35 but I cannot find any review or sample images.

Any suggestions, experiences, or sample images would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

AN 8-15 fisheye is an excellent lens and IMO a 16-35 is not a replacement for it as it doesn't focus particularly close so is likely to need a large 230mm dome port to do its best.

You could consider a sigma fisheye but that's unfortunately also discontinued. A quick look shows quite a few 8-15 lenses on sale from second hand camera stores in Japan which might be a good option, they are advertised on Ebay.

In rectilinear lenses, the 15-30 STM lens and 14-35 focus much closer and work better in domes including smaller domes like the 180mm, sample images are found here, where you can compare performance of the lenses:

Your problem with the WWL is that the Nauticam port chart does not have any recommendations for full frame and the WWL-1B, they list the WWL-C with the 24-50, however the 24-50 doesn't receive good reviews. The WWL is only slightly wider than the the 16-35 lens in the horizontal axis.

What's best probably really depends on what you shoot, for reef scenics and CFWA, the fisheye is king, anything needing some reach like pekagics maybe the rectilinear or look into the 8-15 plus 1.4x.

If going with a housed lens (versus a wet lens) I'd recommend only two choices.

FYI - I'm an APS-C shooter having never pulled the $$$$$ trigger for Full Frame......Just not worth it to me and I print some big prints occasionally that look fine at viewable distances.

Buy a Canon 8-15mm F4L Fisheye (plenty of clean used ones are out there for good prices) or the get newest Canon RF 15-30mm IS STM lens, also a bargain if you prefer rectilinear or like me want lenses to use above water.

Either choice with a correctly specified dome port will make great images.......

Only corner pixel peepers who insist on shooting nothing less that f11-22 may find "deficiencies". You will drive yourself crazy overanalyzing differences never visible in your final photos......

I've shot Sigma 15mm Fisheye on Nikon and Canon bodies, the oldest Canon 15mm Fisheye and a friend's borrowed Canon 8-15mm L F4 Fisheye. They all can deliver great images.

The newest rectilinear WA choices (Canon 15-30mm for Full Frame and RF-S 10-18m IS STM for APS-C) are also great and will serve as great surface photography lenses.

I apologize if this sounds dismissive but I've never understood how the insane corner sharpness issue has been discussed to death for awhile now.....Especially considering some of the high megapixel cameras people shoot with !!!!!

Just crop it a bit if you find anything objectionable for your final image! You'll still have a big enough file for any printing, publication use, etc.

Good luck with your Marelux housed Canon R6 II !

David Haas

Canon EF 8-15mm L F4 Fisheye shots from long ago.....I used my lowly APS-C Canon T4i in an Ikelite housing and small 6" dome port.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by dhaas

14 hours ago, puttsk said:

Gear I currently have

• EF 16-35 F2.8 III L

• WWL-1B (was using this with Nauticam R50)

Then you least cost route would be buying the

WWL-1B + Aquista Mount: 55803 and the Macro Port 97 31302
..both on stock with a dealer near you.

Sorry, I did not see that you are from Thailand and thought you were Czech. 🤦‍♂️😅

I have also looked into Aquista 110 there and asked a ton of questions about it.

The mount is identical to WWL-1 requirements and you should be able to plug your WWL-1B into the front.
I am quite curious how this old lens will perform behind Aquista 110 or WWL-1B.
Please report back with impressions and results if you will go that road.

Edited 45 minutes ago45 min by Adventurer

26 minutes ago, Adventurer said:

Then you least cost route would be buying the

WWL-1B + Aquista Mount: 55803 and the Macro Port 97 31302
..both on stock with a dealer near you.

Sorry, I did not see that you are from Thailand and thought you were Czech. 🤦‍♂️😅

I have also looked into Aquista 110 there and asked a ton of questions about it.

The mount is identical to WWL-1 requirements and you should be able to plug your WWL-1B into the front.
I am quite curious how this old lens will perform behind Aquista 110 or WWL-1B.
Please report back with impressions and results if you will go that road.

Several mistakes in this response, First WWL-1B needs the Nauticam bayonet mount adapter NOT the Marelux mount for Aquista lenses. The NA-adapter will work on any of the Marelux flat ports with 67mm mount. With the Canon RF-S 18-45mm used with R50 you would use Marelux flat port 32 and have full zoom through in APS-C. With EF 16-35mm F/2.8 L III you need Marelux flat port 87+20mm extension NOT port 97. With Aquista 110 the same two port configurations are used except with the Marelux bayonet mount and they will also work with the Aquista 130. Also be aware that just like the Nauticam wet wide lenses the EF 16-35 will have a limited zoom range starting at 28mm, each of the lenses on the Aquista ports will start at 28mm and very depending on zoom range. Aquista lenses are now 130 & 110 to reflect the max AOV.

Photos with the Aquista 130 prototype (no float collar) both full frame at 28mm and vertical at 44mm using the Sony 28-60mm, Marelux Apollo S stones in TTL. Paradise Reef, Bali Indonesia.

Edited just now1 min by Phil Rudin