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If there are no optics (lenses etc.) involved it is hard to believe that the reduction rings create photons

I think we were talking about a separate focus light going off when the strobe flashed, not the video light on for example the HF

I’m not sure if Nauticam still makes the special port that allowed to flip the macro mode of the lens on and off again. It was the only one offering that functionality. Without that particular port, you have to decide whether to dive general-purpose (12 and 50 mm electronic zoom positions) or whether to switch it into macro before closing the housing and use it as a dedicated 43 mm macro lens that will do up to 1:3 . A close-up lens can be added in both scenarios, but it will result in higher overall magnification when combined with the macro mode. Or, in other terms, you need a stronger diopter if you use it in the normal mode. I cannot currently test which option gives better image quality under water, but the macro mode of this lens has a somewhat better reputation than the 50 mm zoom position. And the 12 mm position may result in vignetting depending on how narrow the port glass is - the Olympus ports from that time were really wide. There are dome ports for this lens, but then you can’t add a diopter. So, unless you can dive with the vintage Nauticam port, there probably are better all-rounder options than this lens today. I think the 12-50 can be used with any setup designed for the 60 mm when it is switched to macro mode. Essentially, an affordable and perhaps faster focusing alternative to the Lumix 45 mm (but consider the diopter as well). It will not focus to infinity, just like when you mount the MFO3.

Wondering how you conclude Silicone o-rings are one of the worst? The only downside you might consider is the low tear strength which they mention, but that is only an issue for dynamic seals - this might include anything that has a rotating shaft on a housing, but if it's lubricated prperly this won't cause an issue. EPDM is probably a better choice than Buna-N as it is more resistant to sunlight. Both EPDM and silicone seem like reasonable choices for o-rings in UW photo gear to me.

That’s a great idea Sergio. I was wondering, is that a Matty Smith 12” dome or a glass 230mm? If it is the former, how much weight are you putting in the bottom? I’ve been struggling to find the right weight for my 17” one. Thanks!

Thanks Tim!

A long time ago in a forum far, far away (Wetpixel 2012) the founding fathers all shared the same headache: managing to shoot macro and mid-range subjects on the exact same dive 🤔 But it was a dark but hopeful time! Alex Mustard had recently reviewed the Olympus EM5 but felt a bit awkward because he did not know exactly which forum section to use... He opened his post with a candid admission: Yes, I know it is not a DSLR (but I am not sure where else to post). It doesn't have a mirror. 😇 Meanwhile, Phil Rudin was geeking out over the new M43 lenses on the horizon, and rumors were spreading among enthusiasts that the Olympus 60mm would finally show up by the end of the year. Back then, acronyms like WWL, WACP, MFO-1 and MFO-3 were pure science fiction, stuff not even Isaac Asimov could have come up with... Ultimately, in those pioneering days, the Olympus 12-50mm lens, announced in 2011 and launched in 2012, was the classic Swiss Army knife, the hero of the two worlds.👑

BTW I have assumed the reason for the light going out on a strobe is to have more power available to recycle and thus speed it up. I only use these lights when scuba diving on night dives. Use as an aiming light and to convince DMs not to give me one of their lights - I try to give the appearance of a Christmas tree! For non-scuba dive dusk and night shoots I use separate lights that are never aimed on the same axis as a strobe, often they are at or near 90°.

From the article: "The battery compartment is confidently sealed with two heavy-duty Buna rubber O-rings. Most other strobes on the market, such as the Backscatter HF-1, are sealed with thinner and more delicate silicone O-rings." The replacement o-rings I have received from Retra were labeled EPDM as are the Maxi ones on this page: https://www.retra-uwt.com/en-us/products/o-rings-for-retra-flash-battery-compartment They should have a less obscure place to provide this specification as well as here. Here is one of many o-ring material info pages: https://www.theoringstore.com/store/index.php?main_page=page_4 Scroll down to see the good and bad of the various types. Looks like one of the worse types is silicone. One of the fatal factors of the Nikonos RS. I have a story about this as well. I have been using my Retra fairly intensely for a couple of weeks thanks to some good weather that just turned nasty yesterday - the lake (in the pix) is already up by three feet. Getting in some post-p! I have a few setting data points. At +3 (power level) I was able to take a pic every 3 seconds (time by intervalometer) and got about 1500 shots on a full charge (stopped shooting on the blinking red signal a couple of times) . My last shoot (Saturday, two days ago) I was able to watch the ready light (see pic) which did not go out when shooting 5 frames per second at 0 (power level). I drained the battery in my D4S (Z9 gen battery - version-d) before the Retra batteries died doing 5 fps bursts (via remote cord which you can see in the pic). Is there significance to the ready light not going out during a burst? (directed at Oskar). Retra needs to provide guidance on max FPS for different power settings in the User Manual app IMHO. The red blurry things in these pix (taken with an ipad - HEICs imported into LR) are Sockeye Salmon.

I think he edited the post and it now has PNGs.

Strange I can see them in Chrome on a Windows laptop and when I inspect or download them they apear to be png images.

Can't see your pics. HEIC photos don't render on anything but an Iphone. My backup focus light is a Kraken 1500 I think, but uses a smaller 18650 cell. I've tried to standardize every light I have using 21700's to make travel and charging easier and run time is a lot better.

Bought this cheap Dive light Wurkkos DL05 for 50€ its bright enough to use has spot mode, but for video light its money out of the window. For video light too close to the subject is excessive bright in full power, all modes are inconsistent and are very concentrated in same spot Moving too far way the 81 angle is too narrow, even for use with Gopro. I've use it side-by-side with Divevolk LS50 and its night and day difference.. the Divevolk cost 250€ more, but worth every cent of it... Ive try every single angle, power, position but the Wurkkos has no other use besides spot mode.. For the 6000 lumens mode (spot + beam) the spot mode its too bright in center, for video light is useless.

Cheers - that is useful information for some image ideas that I am working on.

Dave, The Kraken 1800 WSR is a single button. It uses the single button to navigate between several modes. But in any mode, pressing the single command button twice quickly will place the light in auto-off (Burst) mode. I had previous the 1500 model and after much use it succumbed to corrosion and the lens gland leaked. My new one I shall endeavor to be more careful with it to clean it well. I have an Orca 710, it is a slightly larger light than the Kraken unit.

DaVinci Resolve Youtube channels I use. https://www.youtube.com/@LearnColorGrading https://www.youtube.com/@MrAlexTech

This is the reason I use a very simple single button focus light. I don't like the two button models that require two hands or any multi click arithmetic to change modes. My current OrcaTorch v710-2 cycles high, low, red, blue, off. No auto-off. Works great, wide beam, long run time on low, and i swivel it pointing up when not needed for snooting or shooting another diver portrait.

Probably about 1/4 power, level 2 on the dial. Here is one of a group of striped nudis (8-10cm each) devouring a Sea Pen. Shot with the curved port 60mm @ f14. Level 2 or 2.5 on the Maxis, using reduction rings.

Great, thank you - very useful indeed!

I've never seen the need at least with macro, at night you can use max sysnc speed as you are not trying to include any ambient light. For wide angle, if there's some ambient light, a low powered light helps, you usually don't need a bright focus light, mine is 700 lumens and I've used a 350 lumen light quite successfully, that low it's quite unlikely to show up unless your ISO is very high or very long shutter speed.

The point of the MFO3 with 60mm for me is that if a larger subject comes by i can shoot it without backing way up. The 60mm works quite well for small stuff. The MFO3 gives about a 35-37mm macro, the 30mm is not a substitute as even though it is 1:1 this is achieved about 10mm from the port glass. I've used the Pany 30mm and while it's nice particularly with slightly larger subjects the practical limit IMO is about 0.5x as it gets hard to light if you get any closer. On my local dive site the size range is extreme, from the 400mm long weedy sea dragon down to 10mm nudis and tiny pygmy pipe horses. The pipe horses sway in the surge and for me anything shorter than the 60mm is too limiting on approach angles to shoot them with decent magnification. For me the 45mm is a similar argument, it gets 1:1 and working distance is a bit shorter but acceptable, but woerking distance gets too short with a diopter - but for me if I don't need one on the 60mm , I certainly don't on the 45mm. But you can add the MFO3 to the 45mm and get something like a 26mm close focus macro lens for even wider fields.

The focus light is seldom visible in the photo. Especially when using red focus light it can be distracting, however. There are plenty of lighths in different strengths available with "Auto-Off" function. I do not see a reason to acquire one without this function... I have the precursor of the WeeFine 2600 Smartfocus lamp (I think it is now WeeFine 3500, but models have changed). "Auto Off" does not require anything additional, it can be used as a wholesome night dive lamp as well and, if necessary, it can serve as lamp for the occasional video...

Let's agree to disagree :-)