As per topic headline: I'm reaching out to those who have ACTUALLY USED AN EMWL.

The question really has to do with "best practices" and reality of getting into and out of the water with this massive chunk of glass and electronics.
BOAT ENTRY AND EXIT discussions ONLY - PLEASE

I'm aware the "textbook" recommendation is to jump in with all parts separate and assemble in the water.
That leads to my question about the usefulness of the reflex arm attachment with dual ball mounts ostensibly for use with a 3 way clamp to attach float and arm at a distant point.
I must be total fumble fingers as the thought of trying to attach a 3-way clamp, while in water, while not dropping a $2k+ lens and or my strobe, into the depths, kinda eludes me.

I've watched the video where @Alex_Mustard describes taking everything apart to clear copepods from between sections, but never actually SEEN anyone do this maneuver.


My dry-land/ pre-trip imagination has me attaching the focus unit via bayonet and covering it, while soft case carry the reflex element and optic in a pocket. Then after rig handed off to me in water, assemble the pieces.
OR
Assemble fully prior to entry and disassemble underwater to clear?

Thoughts?

Edited July 8Jul 8 by DocTock

It depends on the entry for me. Most of my diving is shore diving so that's easy, enter the water with the kit fully in place then as I'm heading to the site underwater I just loosen and the click back into place each component. Really simple.

For boat entries I take the EMWL off prior to going in, then enter as normal with my main rig, no different to any other entry. I'll then have someone on the boat pass me down the EMWL which I have all 3 parts attached to each other, and as I'm decending I'll put it onto the rig, then loosen and reattach each component as I'm heading to the site.

Once you're used to the bayonets it's quite easy.

Its not the kind of rig where you jump in and immediately shoot, like you might do with regular WA for dolphins or whales or seals etc so you can take your time.

The swing arm looks useful in theory and probably works well, but for me I prefer to go in with the mindset of shooting in a particular way, knowing I might miss the occasional opportunity but it keeps me focussed on my pre dive photo plan. Others might do it differently

Mike

I've been using the EMWL since its release in 2020 mainly with the relay.

• On the GH5s, I made a small tray at the back of the housing with a bayonet holder to store the full system assembled to enter/exit water.

• On the Z8, that system was impossible to set. I go to the water with the EMWL fully attached on my on the BCD D-rings. I have printed caps on both ends to protect the lenses

• Depending on your setup, an alternative solution - especially if you don't use the relay - is to enter/exit the water with focus unit installed and other lens tips stored on the EMWL arm bayonet holder or in small mesh individual mesh bags.

In all cases, you have to install/clean all EMWL components underwater. While I haven't used it, I think the EMWL flip system is too complex to be practical in the field (and I must admit, I've never seen anyone using it on trips).

11 hours ago, eocean-eu said:

• I have printed caps on both ends to protect the lenses

Would you happen to have the files for 3D printing on these caps? The actual Nauticam rubber versions are painfully expensive... Did you print in PTEG or another filament that is more flexible yet survives UV and saltwater?


Otherwise - appreciate all the suggestions.
I am bayonet mounting for the EMWL, the EMWL swing looked silly and heavy AND this looks like a lens set up that needs to be the SOLE focus on a dive, not while trying to "do everything".

When boat diving (e.g. Hawaii) I giant stride in after having stuffed the EMWL into the pockets of these: https://fourthelement.com/product/technical-shorts/

The pockets could be larger (esp. on larger sized shorts - I have the max size) as the parts stick out a bit. With the 130° I put the objective with hood attached to it into one pocket and the focusing unit plus relay lens unit (straight version) into the other.

Carrying the EMWL parts to the dive store (in the case of HI diving), I carried it with EOcean lens caps on the ends and the parts wrapped in a lens wrap. I do the same for local shooting of salmon. See pix attached. Note the bright blue color. Black parts tend to disappear in the dark which it is here for about half the year (same latitude as Oslo).

Edited July 13Jul 13 by Tom Kline

Last month in red sea I skipped on using relay as my new monitor allowed image rotation and the logistics became quite simple. Scubapro's new cargo shorts host the base plus 130 comfortably even on zodiac on the way to dive site. Then jump into water and based on needs and subject at first use atach both, disattach 130, clean bubbles and attach again and shoot. When not needed store the base+130 in cargo shorts. Done.

Edited July 18Jul 18 by RomiK