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We're considering launching the First Annual WaterPixels Underwater Photography Contest, and before we go too far with planning and development, we'd like to hear from the community. The idea is to create an annual WaterPixels competition judged by a panel of underwater photographers, with categories covering different styles of underwater photography. Winning images would be featured in the official WaterPixels 2027 Calendar, which would be available for purchase through the WaterPixels Shop. Each photographer selected for the calendar would receive a complimentary copy. A dedicated contest page will be added to the site to list winners each year with optional Bio, Contact info listed on the site for some exposure if wanted, or simply just simple photo credit.. its up to the winner what the would like. We're considering an entry fee of $5 per image, with photographers able to enter up to 10 images total, with a maximum of 3 images in any one category. The contest isn't intended to be a major commercial competition. Entry fees and proceeds from calendar sales would go toward supporting the costs of hosting, maintaining, and continuing to develop the WaterPixels community. We're also considering a Members' Choice Award, giving WaterPixels members the opportunity to vote for their favorite images from the finalists. Before we put the work into making this happen, we'd really like to know if this is something our members would actually participate in. Ive started a Contest management system for just this but before I get in to some serious time on it.. just want to see what we are looking at for interest. If low response.. we will just table it until next year and ask again and ill work on other things for the site. Please vote in the poll and leave a comment with your thoughts, suggestions, or concerns. We'd especially like to hear what would make you more—or less—likely to enter.

I prototyped a similar Snoot-Iris about a year ago, but didn't finish it as I just don't find changing aperture of the snoot all that useful. 95% of the time I use the widest openings anyway, and I didn't want issues with binding of the moving parts in an Iris. Then I got the Backscatter OS-3 snoot, which uses a rotating disk/cartridge instead of a card. It's is pretty much the same effect as an Iris but a lot simpler. I did make an adapter so I can use the Backscatter snoot on either the HF-1 or Retra strobes.

I'm still struggling with the decision to upgrade/update my Subal/D7200. Considering the OM-1 vs a used D500 and a new Subal housing, and I'm wondering what persuaded you to go with the OM-1. I had a housing issue shortly before our last dive trip, and my wife graciously allowed me to shoot her EM1 Mk ii on wide angle dives. Once I got the hang of it, I found it takes very good pictures. I didn't love the speed of focus acquisition and I did not love the viewfinder. But I understand the OM-1 has improved on both. I was also a bit ambivalent about the small Nauticam housing. It felt less polished than my Subal and was also a bit awkward in my somewhat large hands--though I imagine I just needed more time to become comfortable. Have you had your OM-1 in the water? How does it compare with your D500?

I realy like videos that give a good impression of your coast, with critters and wideangles. This is a perfect example.

lol, thank you very much! I was able to keep it together and not crap my suit, lol. Thank you!

Yes! Interested in a shareable 3d print file for this iris. I'm sure I'll either miss clipping one of my Retra "hole-cards" to a D-ring, or it will break eventually. Good to have a compact alternative. Love to see some resulting shots too!

Apple iMac @Nando Diver Do you use GP-TUNE+ Transform as first node?

I'm on a 100% DIY snoot... The last version was not the last one... I had some change to do but no time for the moment and the nex trip will be without macro I have a little time to study the change I need to do. Can you give us some return of experience of the use under water ? Thanks

In the end, for various reasons, we didn't go in 2026. This week I was checking availability for next year (2027), and everything was already fully booked. Anyway, I’ve just done something crazy and booked with Tongan Expeditions for September 2028... I’ll have time to save up, and my future self will have to pay for the flights and the trip in a couple of years 😅

Hi All, A quick post about an adaptation of the retra snoot I've implemented to improve functionality. Instead of using the slide masks, I've created a 3d printed iris that allows the snoot beam to adjusted on the fly from ~24mm down to about ~3mm. At 24mm, the iris is circular. At 3mm the iris is hex-oid. My snoot is set up for a sea and sea ys-d3, but i presume it would bolt between any standard retra snoot columnator and strobe mount. This may not be for everyone as you may want perfect circles, may want the full diameter beam, or you may want other shapes. But for me it seemed to work well. The iris unit is 3d printed in ASA. I did break the handle off on one dive and there is still room for design improvement, which im working through. I've only just returned from a trip and I'm yet to review my snooted photos, so will share these once I've made room and had a chance to review. Wanted to gauge whether this is something that retra snoot users are interested in.

The 6000 lumen video light is specced to be 110 deg wide, compared to the strobe coverage 160 deg with wide angle diffuser , the coverage without diffuser is not stated, I would guess it's maybe 130 deg based on my strobe?? The pilot light beam is narrower and I think designed for the snoot aiming. The short version is that if you are setup with standard strobe positions to minimise backscatter the pilot lights won't be pointinng at your subject. My approach to a focus light and assuming mostly strobe illumination is a torch with a 60 deg beam and about 400-700 lumens in the cold shoe of the housing. It's relatively dim so less likely to cause the fish to leave but easily enough for AF to grab focus within 1m or so from and also being so dim it doesn't show up in the images.

Yes, you can certainly be a gear head and it's fun to toss around various options and you can be just as much a gear head with m43 as FF. Interestingly all the moderator crew now shoot or have bought into m43 with 3 x OM-1s and a GH5 in use. Having said all that Davide's post to me is a reminder not to succumb to paralysis through analysis and have constant FOMO about not getting the very latest and greatest. The sensors these days are so good there really is no bad choice and it comes down to other things like lenses that are available, battery life, native sync speed etc, things you can tick off, rather than subjectively staring at test images and noise plots and confusing your self. Make a decision and starting using your new tools!

Yes, I totally agree. In this light, it's interesting to revisit the discussion in this September 2024 thread as well: https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1704-number-of-camera-sold-worldwide/ Let's see how how the prediction holds up in two years 👁️‍🗨️ Who knows, maybe by then we'll all have smart dive masks giving us augmented-reality dives in real time 😁 In the meantime, hold on to your hoverboards...

TimG I agree . I love the images I made with a Nikon D200 and D300. It is all about some skill and experience with your tool after all. I was wondering what you thought of the D800 ? Was it a camera you fell in love with at the time?

I missed that, was listening to the review with half my brain.

Definitely a “code brown” moment at first, but a very cool encounter. I’m amazed that the shark was so chill with you swimming alongside with lights. Thanks for sharing!

Did you get the DR21 studio version for ipad or computer ?

It has an A setting on the aperture ring allowing it to be controlled from the camera.

Looks like the aperture will require a gear of some sort

Yes we can..... From my point of view pictures and photos are work of art, not a technical discipline. Br Markus

Rembrandt and his underwater painting technique - should he have used 20MP brushes?

That is just it, you cannot have your cake and eat it too. Didn't that get somebodies head removed or was that "let them eat cake" or something! Anyways, to have a monitor or 45 degree VF and a dome, it is what it is. By going to the larger Maxi strobes which are neutral I was able to remove the outer float arms and just have bare skeleton arms outboard. View finder/monitor, no. Run and gun or jump and go, all of that stuff added negates the premise. In some future where I am exceedingly wealthy I will hire a porter to haul all my equipment about and when we see something photo worthy they will hand me my camera and assist. And serve as a model and set up off camera lighting. And if an OWT shows up hungry sacrifice themselves for benefit of my escape!

Partially plastic, not that there is anything wrong with that! The front end is aluminum and acts as a heat sink. The rest of the body is very tough plastic that does not scratch and dent like aluminum body strobes do.