All Activity

Artisanal Warming Gel Filters I first made some custom warming filters last year to pair with my Retra strobe reduction rings. The Retra 4500k diffuser cannot be combined with their reduction ring, and in my PNW diving environment I really need both at the same time. My first take at this project was successful, but pretty crude and ugly. First, I found gel sheets and 3-inch acrylic disks on Amazon. I cut out a 3-inch round disk of the gel filter and then smeared one side of the acrylic with Superglue and stuck on the filter. It was quite messy, removing the bubbles was never fully successful, and I ruined at least 50% of the samples in the process. And I stuck my fingers together multiple time despite wearing gloves. I printed a TPU ring to enclose the filters and stuck them in the Retra reduction ring. I added a ridge in the reduction ring to hold the filter in place and made some vent holes to drain the bubble created. I've been using this solution for months now with good success. The bubbles and scratches didn't impact the strobe quality as best I could tell. Amazingly the superglue-acrylic sandwich survived the better part of 100 dives. Recently I decided to take another stab at a better and cleaner process to create the filter disks. I laid out a single sheet of gel filter and taped it down to a slab of cardboard. I set aside 8 acrylic disks and peeled the protective film from one side and put a bit of tape on the other, still protected side, so I didn't flip them accidentally. Then I painted the entire gel sheet with a 2-part clear epoxy resin. I placed 8 of the disks on the epoxy-gel surface and pressed hard to get out most of the bubbles. 24 hours later, they are fully set and dry. Using an X-Acto knife I cut out each disk and then had to "shave" the dried epoxy from the edge of the disk. This is more tedious part of the operation. Finally, I peel off the top layer's protective film and slip on the TPU ring. The filter can then be popped into the reduction rings as seen here: The disks are very durable, and this version is much cleaner that what I managed to make with superglue back in December. My custom Retra and Backscatter Atom reduction rings fully support the filters. My Backscatter HF-1 reduction rings were designed to sit on top of the Backscatter filters, but now I can redesign them to use the bayonet mount rather than the bulkier slip over design I currently have. That will be my next project in the next few days. Here is a close-up image of the HF-1 filter, the clear disks, and the final Artisanal filter. Many other filter gels are available if other color casts are desired, even Blue Floro gels. Links for the materials I used from Amazon: 3-inch acrylic disks: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097D7Z51M?th=1 4500k gel filter sheets: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08814S8KM Two-part epoxy resin: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083SRX7TJ?th=1

I actually did that mod on the NA-GH5 with a reed switch (magnetic) but there is a big trick behind as you are right: the circuit needs to sense the vacuum forming when one to go from yellow to green. That implies removing the vacuum during "rest time", turning off the circuit then turning it back on and restoring vacuum. The pushbutton Nauticam puts on their housing that allows to rearm the alarm when switching ports is not a "normally open" pushbutton but a "normally close" model. Contact is broken with the pushbutton is pushed which meaning it just turn off momentarily the circuit when you press it. So you need to solder in parallel to that switch a "normally close" reed switch which are hard to find unless you use a reed switch with 3 pins (the common one, a Normally close and a Normally open pin). By locating the reed capsule close to a wall of the housing and placing externally a strong magnet, you can then arm and disarm vacuum. You then don't have to open the housing, just release and redo vacuum before diving. With a usb-c bulkhead, I did a 10 days cruise like that without ever opening the back of the housing. The bulkhead was used to charge battery and download files. Every morning I just had to remove the external magnet so the circuit was ready and then start to pump.

I got mine from Diveinn for 55 euros last month but now both models are about 80-85 euros.

Received in great condition! Good trade with SH Jeong.

thanks for the comments, much appreciated Hi Luko, according to the boss we were in chops and hops on the 28th. Pity you didn't say hello - I'm sure my 5 words of Italian would have come in useful 🤣 Ajiex said similar to you, but said Batu Niti and Baturinggit were productive so we mainly went there Hope to see some of your shots Mike

NIce ones, I love shooting gobies on tunicates too, especially with the help of our mutual guide and friend Ajiex. btw I think I saw you dining at Chops & Hops when I was in T'ben 2 weeks ago with some friends (around april 28th). Did you have a good trip? I thought Tulamben was pretty deceiving this time, water was much too warm (30C!) and many critters AWOL.

Still up for me. I signed in and all that.

@Pooley lovely photos!

Does someone know a reseller for Kraken bulkhead in Europe ? If not I can order directly from Kraken... But 30$ postage for a 60$ product :(

Here we go https://www.l-rumors.com/first-images-of-three-new-laowa-lenses-including-their-first-autofocus-zoom/

Great photos, thanks

It was offline for me as well after I saw your message. I checked and the domain registration expiration was May 14th, yesterday. Probably something to do with that boundary.

And up..

It was certainly down when I checked.and showing as being on hold in whois, maybe it was switching domain provider at the time.

Looking for a Subal DP54-B Dome port type 4 or 3 have one sitting around?

Problem with doing this is you cut through the anodizing on the threads meaning it's more prone to corrosion and the thread won't be as strong. It would be quite easy to strip the threads out. There's a few different brands of clamps that offer coloured versions, including nitescuba or you could convert to full ULCS clamps.

still working for me check your cookies

I have mostly ULCS and Nauticam clamps. The ULCS are US standard 1/4X20 and 1/4X28 (fine). The M6 is quite close to 1/4X20 which is slightly larger in diameter. You could possibly convert your M6 outer clamp to 1/4X20 by running a tap through it and then thereafter use the ULCS clamp knobs in your preferred color. Use a permanent thread locker (271 or similar) on the outer clamp half. Just a thought, have not tried it.

Amazing Photos! I like a lot the first one. The sea squirt color is incredible.

Up for me as well, there was someone still posting until yesterday...

Still up for me at the moment...

I fully get that the big attraction of muck diving is to find tiny weird creatures but I'm consistently drawn to gobies, mainly because I think their environment adds an extra dimension to photos

This could be a good alternative to Canon 8-15 to have a FE mount native lens. To be followed... link to SonyAlphaRumors article

What a fantastic name! This is from PNG in 2006;

Popular ScienceReal-life Snuffleupagus found swimming in the Great Barri...The resemblance is uncanny.