WWL-1

[Tino Dietsche]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm currently dealing with the topic of Sony 28-60 kit lenses with a Nauticam WWL-1 and one or two questions come up.

 

According to my research, the WWL-1 is basically compatible with different housings or ports. I think the WWL-1B only works with Nauticam ports? Is that correct?

 

What are your experiences with the WWL-1 with ports and housings that do not come from Nauticam? e.g. Ikelite, Seafrogs etc.? Are there any problems, tips and tricks that you should be aware of? What recommendations do you have regarding bayonet systems?

 

A colleague just bought a new case from Seafrogs for the Sony A7C with 28-60. How would you attach a WWL-1 there? Or are there even alternatives to the WWL-1 that we could look at?

 

Thanks for your feedback,

Tino

[Barmaglot]

Just now, Tino Dietsche said:

According to my research, the WWL-1 is basically compatible with different housings or ports. I think the WWL-1B only works with Nauticam ports? Is that correct?

WWL-1 has options for either M67 or Nauticam bayonet mount (it's a removable ring; the lens ships with both). WWL-1B and WWL-C only use the Nauticam bayonet. Nauticam sells an M67 to bayonet adapter that you can put on a port, but it doesn't fit all ports - the M67 threading is on the inside of a narrow groove, so if your port has a wide front flange, it will not fit.

[Robin.snapshots]

I have tried the WWL-1 (not b) on a sea frogs salted line port using the 67mm thread. It’s cumbersome but it works. 

The port I was using, was not rated for the weight of the lens so it had to be attached underwater.  This is probably similar on the 28-60 port so be prepared to enter/exit  the water with a separate lens or have it screwed on a float arm. The sunhood can be adjusted to the correct position in relation to the screw threads so that works fine.

 

A really good alternative to the wwl-1 would be the AOI UWL 09 pro.  Optically very similar but has the same usage quirks. The aoi bayonet system won’t work on the seafrogs port either, so also here you would be stuck with using the m67.

 

Third party bayonet systems/flip adapters will probably not work either as they usually increase the distance from the wet lens to the port.

[Chris Ross]

You need to be able to burp the lens if it doesn't clear all the air between the WWL and the port, some people report it works without this but be aware it might be needed.  The M67 WWL-1 (not 1b) can work on any port and also work with third party bayonet systems potentially however the bayonet need to be designed to get the back of the WWL very close to the port glass.  This avoids vignetting which you would need to zoom in to remove and lose field of view.  You would need to experiment to see if it works.

 

 

How you can make it work depends very much on the port you are attaching to.  Any port can use the m67 version, select ports can accept the Nauticam bayonet adapter and so be able to use the WWL-1b and WWL-c.  It would be easier to answer if we knew which port you were contemplating using.

 

[Tino Dietsche]

Hello everyone,

Many thanks for your responses. Currently it's mainly about the setup of a colleague who recently bought a Sony A7C with 28-60mm kit lens to replace her TG-6. She got the underwater housing from SeaFrogs with the standard port for the 28-60mm. The port has a 67mm thread from what I see on the web.

 

Recommendations for possibly attaching a WWL-1 or similar to the SeaFrog Port would be exciting at this point.

 

Thank you for your help,

Tino

[Chris Ross]

I think the only solution for the Sea Frogs port is to use the m67 version, the rim of the port is too wide to take the Nauticam bayonet adapter.  This means the lens needs to be screwed in to the port everytime which is not as convenient.  The other question if how well the Sea Frogs port fits the 28-60 lens, it needs to have the lens quite close to the port glass to allow the combination to achieve the maximum field of view.

[Barmaglot]

1 hour ago, Chris Ross said:

The other question if how well the Sea Frogs port fits the 28-60 lens, it needs to have the lens quite close to the port glass to allow the combination to achieve the maximum field of view.

They have ports designed specifically for 28-60mm on FF and 16-50mm on crop, so this shouldn't be an issue. I don't own the FF version, but the short macro port fits the 16-50mm lens very well, and I'm pretty sure I've seen 28-60mm users reporting the same. I've taken to splashing down with the UWL-09F in a thigh pocket and attaching it as I descend - saves the stress on the mount threads and is actually more convenient than detaching the lens to burp it.

[Architeuthis]

MAYBE (in the case the port of Seafrogs is longer) one could ask Saga or WWW.unterwaserkamera.at to make a Seafrogs/Nauticam adapter and just use the Nauticam ports for the required lenses (or MAYBE such an adapter already exists?)?

 

Wolfgang

[Barmaglot]

23 minutes ago, Architeuthis said:

or MAYBE such an adapter already exists?

Never heard of one. I have seen an adapter from SeaFrogs to Inon ports offered at unterwasserkamera.at (link) but it's quite expensive for what it gives you. It also won't fit an A7C housing, as it uses a larger port opening (90mm, rather than the older 80mm). I suppose Saga could do a custom job, but it would also be expensive, and if one is using a SeaFrogs housing to begin with, they're going to be cost-conscious (I know I am).

[Barmaglot]

On 2/19/2024 at 5:12 AM, Robin.snapshots said:

The aoi bayonet system won’t work on the seafrogs port either, so also here you would be stuck with using the m67.

Could you please elaborate on this? Looking at the QRS-01-MB1 installation manual, I don't see anything that would interfere with mounting it on a SeaFrogs port. What am I missing?

[Robin.snapshots]

4 hours ago, Barmaglot said:

Could you please elaborate on this? Looking at the QRS-01-MB1 installation manual, I don't see anything that would interfere with mounting it on a SeaFrogs port. What am I missing?

I do not recall exactly but I believe it was either due to the slots not mating or the threads not going deep enough to grab on the seafrogs port. 
 

Based on the manual you posted the slots should not be a problem (anymore) as they should be removable. 
 

I unfortunately can not test it myself as I sold my uwl09-pro at the time because I couldn’t get the bayonet working with my sea frogs port.

 

 

I do have the nauticam version here, that doesn’t fit on the seafrogs because, as Chris pointed out: the rim around the threads is too thick. The nauticam bayonet system has to go around the threads so to speak.

Edited February 26 by Robin.snapshots

[Barmaglot]

17 minutes ago, Robin.snapshots said:

I do not recall exactly but I believe it was either due to the slots not mating or the threads not going deep enough to grab on the seafrogs port. 
 

Based on the manual you posted the slots should not be a problem (anymore) as they should be removable. 
 

I unfortunately can not test it myself as I sold my uwl09-pro at the time because I couldn’t get the bayonet working with my sea frogs port.

 

 

I do have the nauticam version here, that doesn’t fit on the seafrogs because, as Chris pointed out: the rim around the threads is too thick. The nauticam bayonet system has to go around the threads so to speak.

I see, thank you. If a previous version had the keying slots not removable, then I can see how that would be a problem. Thread depth should not be an issue; even if it gets in the way, it's easy enough to grind off some plastic on the front of the port.

 

I use a UWL-09F (not pro) with SeaFrogs and Sony 16-50mm, and I've been considering getting the bayonet system for a while now, but the exorbitant cost (over $300 for mount base + lug ring + caddy, and then I would need an M67 adapter and another $122 caddy for a close-up lens) has been putting me off.