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We are proud to announce that the winner of the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year, Overall category, is our fellow member Ross Gudgeon for his photograph titled "Fractal Forest". Fractal Forest - Macro By Ross Gudgeon, Western Australia From the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year announcement: The overall winning shot, Fractal Forest, skews perception and leaves us questioning reality with an inside-out view of a cauliflower soft coral, captured by Western Australian photographer Ross Gudgeon in the Lembeh Strait of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Our judges remarked that the photograph gives us a unique perspective on coral, with the photographer taking us out of the marine habitat into a whole new world. There’s nothing fake here, but still we ponder, is this nature or a painting? Technical details: Inside-out view of a cauliflower soft coral. Named for its characteristic appearance that resembles a cauliflower, with numerous small, rounded, bump-like polyps that give it a puffy texture. This unique perspective was made possible by the Nauticam EMWL, an underwater version of the probe or insect eye lens. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS with Nauticam EMWL wet lens, 1/100, f/9, ISO 400, Sony A7RIV, handheld, 2 x Retra Pro flashes. Here the competition winners announcement: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the YearEntries for the 2020 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year are now closed

Mafia Island is located in the Indian Ocean, off the East African coast of Tanzania. I learned about Mafia Island from reports of several scubadivers in internet platforms, who consider it an “insider tip”. In November/December 2024 three divers (Lisi, Franz and me) set out towards Mafia in order to experience firsthand the diving and possibilities for UW-photographers. Mafia Island is not difficult to reach via international flights from Vienna/Austria to Dar es Salaam/Tanzania. From there, the travel continues with a short 30’ flight via domestic airline. The airport in Kilindoni, the largest village of the island, is small and, accordingly, the airplanes are small too (the photo shows the main building of the airport and, to the left, the nose of the aircraft that brought us there). By default, only 15kg of luggage, including the cabine luggage, are allowed in the small aircraft. It is very positive to note, that one can book extra luggage in advance by EMail with the domestic “Coastal Airline” (https://coastal.co.tz/), in order to avoid unpleasant surprises when arriving with masses of unannounced luggage. This way, our extensive diving and photo equipment was “nullo problemo” (in order to avoid overload of the aircraft, we had to book an extra seat in advance, that remained empty). There are several resorts located on Mafia Island, but only a single one, “Big Blue Mafia Island Diving Centre” (https://bigblumafia.com/) is perfectly positioned within the Mafia Island Marine Park, where most of the diving spots are located (the marinepark fee, that has to be paid for every single day of the stay once upon entrance, is worth every single cent). This resort is owned and managed by Maura, an Italian, who is the friendly contact person for booking and payment. She is married to a local diving instructor, native to the island, who runs the diving base (their son is working as diving guide, one can say it is a true family enterprise; also the other instructors, guides and employees contributed to a very pleasant stay including safe and wonderful diving). Accommodation is simple, but corresponds to western standards, comprising tasty half (or, when required, full) board and aircondition. Cleaning and freeing the huts from mosquitoes with pesticides is done twice per day. At this point it is appropriate to mention that effective repellants and malaria prophylaxis are strongly recommended by our Austrian tropical medicine specialists. Diving is done using Dhow style boats, that provide plenty of space for the few divers. They are made from heavy tropical woods and are powered by an outboard engine. When winds allow, the boats are also able to sail along silently and swiftly. Chole Bay is the heart of the natural reserve and accordingly most diving spots are located within the bay. Depending on weather, diving spots outside the bay can be dived also. Since the tidal range within Chole Bay is substantial, departure times for the two-tank boat dives are dominated by the tide, are highly variable from day to day and were between 05:00 AM and 14:30 PM during the two weeks of our stay. Despite careful consideration of tidal times, substantial currents are possible. At low tide the visibility within the bay can be pretty modest (as low as 4-5m), but at high tide and also outside the bay it can be remarkably good (up to 30m). Taken together, the diving conditions are certainly not easy for UW-photographers. This is more than compensated by outstanding biodiversity and abundance of species that guarantee the presence of great motifs in high number, rewarding those that take up the challenge. School of common blue-striped snappers (Lutjanus kasmira), outside Chole Bay. Sony A7R5, WACP-C, Sony 28-60mm @28mm, 1/160s, f/10, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Also inside Chole Bay, the quality of hard coral is good. Sony A7R5, Canon 8-15mm @15mm, 1/100s, f/10, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Attracted by me, since I was using the macro setup (when I was equipped with the fisheye lens, mating Nembrothas were almost guaranteed), a giant Potato Grouper (Epinephelus tukula) shows up inside the bay. Sony A7R5, Sony 90mm macro, 1/200s, f/9, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): The diving comprises plenty of motifs for wideangle photography, but Chole Bay can be regarded as a true macro destination for UW-photographers as well: Numerous nudibranch species can be encountered around Chole Bay. Noteworthy to state, our stay coincided with the mating season of the Golden Nembrotha (Nembrotha aurea). These seaslugs are hermaphrodites and mating takes place by connecting the sexual organs, located on the right side of the body, with each other in order to transfer the sperm. Sony A7R5, Sony 90mm macro, SMC-1, 1/250s, f/14, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Blue Pseudoceros flatworm (Pseudoceros bifurcus) moves leisurely over hard coral. Sony A7R5, Sony 90mm macro, SMC-1, 1/200s, f/14, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Shrimp city is a coral block located inside Chole Bay that is not only populated by countless camel shrimps (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis), but also glassfish, damselfish, anthias, muray eels and groupers. Sony A7R5, Sony 90mm macro, 1/250s, f/13, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) sitting on black coral. Sony A7R5, Sony 90mm macro, 1/200s, f/13, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Reef octopus (Octopus cyaneus) peeks out curiously from its shelter. Sony A7R5, Sony 90mm macro, 1/200s, f/18, ISO 100, 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): A report about diving at Mafia Island cannot be complete without whale sharks (Rhincodon typus). Outside the marinepark, between the African eastcoast, where the impressive Rufiji river ends up in the Indian Ocean, and the west coast of Mafia Island, the Mafia channel is formed. The high input of biomass from the Rufiji river delta causes plankton to bloom within this strait. This results not only in poor visibility (6-10m; and hence (again) challenging conditions for UW-photography), but, at certain times of the year, whale sharks gather for feeding. Snorkeling excursions by boat are offered and we were able to spot up to 15 different whale sharks on a single day (including a touching encounter with a female shark, closely accompanied by her half-grown up offspring). Whaleshark feeding on krill. Sony A7R5, WACP-C, Sony 28-60mm @31mm, 1/200s, f/7.1, ISO 200: Whaleshark fading away into the blue. Sony A7R5, Canon 8-15mm @15mm, 1/250s, f/6.3, ISO 250: It was an unforgettable diving trip and fond memories will endure. We already have booked flights and resort for another two weeks in November 2025, in order to visit again this little paradise… 😊

Waterpixels is delighted to announce that Maria Munn has joined the team as our Compact Systems Specialist. For many years Maria has taught and specialised in producing amazing images using compact systems especially the Canon G series. She’s been looking too at action cameras and housed smartphone systems and has posted some really helpful guides and reviews. A more detailed resume for Maria is on our About page. We’re sure members will welcome warmly her knowledge, experience and enthusiasm. Great to have you with us, Maria.

Some time back, I wrote an article about creating your own fibre optic cables: a quick, easy, inexpensive and very satisfying process. In case you missed it it, a link to the piece is here. https://waterpixels.net/articles/articles_technique/diy-fibre-optic-cables-easy-r32/ Now, many months on, a couple of additional suggestions: BURPING On entering the water and descending the plugs at both ends of the cables often need burping. Tiny air bubbles seem to be able to block fibre optic light transmission. Easy to resolve of course: simply remove and replace the plugs at the camera bulkhead and strobe ends of the cable. Worth checking especially before setting up for that crucial, once in a lifetime image. DAMAGING THE CABLES On a recent long dive trip in Raja Ampat, my system was being hauled in and out of RIBs with the strobe arms being moved and folded sometimes by me, sometimes by the boat crew. At some stage one of the fibre optic cables gained a small “crimp” which resulted in the attached strobe not firing consistently. Annoying of course although easy to replace the cable. This got me thinking about a way to protect the cables. For my next trip I used some cheap garden micro-watering system hose tubing to provide a protected route for the cables from the housing bulkheads to the strobes. Cost was a few cents. I found it slightly better to cut the tubing slightly shorter than the fibre cables as this allowed for easier curves at each end. The tubing is held against the float arms using short loops of bungee cord. I found it worked best to push the fibre cables into the strobe plugs only on descent or at depth. This allowed for burping and avoided any strain on the connections whilst handling during entry. In general I’ve found it better not to have fixed connections at both ends of the fibre cable. If one end can pull loose when strained, (best I've found is the strobe end) this avoids breaks and overstrains especially during transportation or in rinse tanks (avoid them at all costs!). If stretched or tugged the cable will simply pop out of the strobe end bush. No damage results and the cable is easy to push back in. The first photograph shows the fibre optic cable and the garden hose tubing; next one with the fibre pushed through the tubing; then "hung" on the strobe arms; and finally the loops to hold the tubing and cable in place.

I have long fascinated with shooting ring lights underwater starting with the Inon Quadflash, through the various Athena modifications to Sea and Sea strobe heads, continuing to the Saga fiber optic rings and now to the Weefine 3000. The Weefine 3000 is the latest version of the LED lights made by Kraken and Weefine. The Weefine 3000 CCW Weefine 3000 CCW Ring Light It's similar to the earlier 3000 lumen LED modules but has adjustable color temperature and a 3000-lumen burst (strobe) mode. It also has a super closeup mode that can shoot subjects as close as 25 mm (1 inch) from the strobe. It is powered by a protected, 26650, 5000 mAh Li battery. The battery can be charged via a built-in USB-C port. One very neat thing about the light is that it allows for a very small, compact system underwater. No arms necessary, just the camera/housing/port and a single fiber optic cable. The light is shown below on an AOI housing for the OM-1 camera. AOI housing for the OM-1 camera with the Weefine 3000 CCW Ring Light The ring light can attach to any port with a 67 mm thread and can be rotated for any angle once attached. One nice feature (or bug) is that when you are using the light in the strobe mode, it remains on at low power to act as a focus light. During the day it was not terribly necessary but worked fine at night, although you will also need some kind of dive light to find your way. My wife said it was very easy to find me in or small group, just look for the circular dive light. How well did it work? Better than I had anticipated. Years ago, I had the Kraken version of this light, and it was fine; this version with improved ergonomics (no multiple button pushes) worked great. Here is a nice little clown (Triopha catalinae) from a dive in local Southern California waters before the Raja/Triton Bay trip on the Wellenreng. This was shot at 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 using the Olympus 30 macro lens on an OM-1 in an AOI housing. Certainly, enough light to illuminate the subject, I slightly reduced the shot exposure by 0.1 to increase the contrast a bit. For other local subjects, such as this anemone it also worked well. This one was shot at f/5.6, 1/160 sec and ISO 200. I shot with the light quite a bit on our trip to Raja/Triton Bay. Here is a nice little Goniobranchus coi, shot with the Panasonic 45 lens, f/6.3, 1/160 sec, ISO 400. I was very close; you can see the out of focus gills. I love Christmas tree worms, here is one from Triton Bay. Same lens, 1/250, f/7.1. Here is a crinoid shrimp, same settings. I shot a lot of tiny things, but also a bunch of anemone fish. Here is a Clarke in an orange anemone. f/14, 1/250, ISO 400. Overall, the light worked well for the things I was shooting, it of course is completely useless for anything more than 250 mm (10 inches) away. The color temperature is fine but shooting in raw lets me adjust as needed. A friend used the light as a video light for a TG7 with a 52 mm to 67 mm adapter and said that for most nudibranchs the light was much easier to use than independent lights on arms. I wish it had more power, a 6000-lumen burst mode for this type of light would be awesome, but the current version is adequate for micro 4/3 shooters and awesome for the smaller sensor cameras like the TG series.

During our first stay in the Philippines, just after COVID, we skipped Moalboal. At the time, it was still "complicated" to change islands. For this trip I studied an Anilao – Romblon combo but it seemed relatively complicated to me... I gave up. Good for us with the typhoons, we would have been stuck for a few days. Anyway, we went back to Cebu again, with Moalboal and its sardines as our first stop. For the rest of the season we chose safety by returning to the Thalatta Resort south of Dauin in Negros Oriental. It was also an opportunity to re-test this hotel, following the change of ownership. For the third place, another safe bet, the Island View Beachfront Resort and its Anda Scuba Diving club. Resort at the top of our possibilities with the "real" rates and not the promotional ones we had in 2022. FYI, if you are a "returning guest" there is a small discount... but also by making a "long stay" from 7 or 8 nights. This helped us a lot, without these discounts, we would not have gone back for so long. So if you go, stay at least a week. I tried to minimize the trips but we will have done close to 600 km by car and boat. The route, once again it will be with Singapore Air that we will fly, still departing from Zurich. ZRH -> SIN 12 hours (return more than 13 hours) and a little less than 4 hours from SIN to CEBU. I always enjoy this long night on the plane where you can land, especially since on the way there and back you arrive in the early morning. Some go through Turkey when I look at the schedules, no thanks, especially if it's to earn only a few euros on the flight and then it's a hassle when arriving in Cebu at 2 a.m. For us, it was an arrival in Cebu around 3 p.m., everything went quickly and without the slightest problem. Provided that you have thought carefully before leaving to fill in the online form on the Philippine website in order to obtain a QR code that will be requested on arrival. This form, on the other hand... uh... A real hassle to fill, I had to start over a good dozen times... bugs galore. So avoid doing this at the last minute, you risk having surprises. It's a long journey, especially if you still count the journey to Zurich the day before the flight. 44 hours door-to-door on the outward journey and 56 hours from the departure of Anda for the return. Here we are at the exit of the airport and our driver is waiting to take us to Moalboal at the Cebu Seaview Resort. This will be the most difficult part of the journey. Almost 3 hours of winding roads with part of the night. But we arrive without any problem at the first stage of our journey where we will dive for 4 days. A quick dinner, before assembling the photo and video equipment... tomorrow the dive starts at 8 o'clock. With the 7-hour difference in winter between France and the Philippines, we will have to set the alarm clock... But it will not be useful, only too happy to be back in the warm waters of the Golden Triangle. In the morning, a little check of the papers (certifications and insurance) and of course the small form with liability waiver, in short, classic. Everything is very well organized, the tank are rigged on land by the divers but transported on the bankas by the many crew members and guides/instructors. Once everything is installed on the banka, the signal is given to join the boat. A small staircase to go down and then, depending on the tide, a small walk in the water to reach the access staircase to the banka. I strongly advise to wear booties, if possible with good thick soles, your feet will thank you. Here as in the other places where we dived, pebbles, corals and especially sea urchins can be formidable when accessing the boat. The first dive will be in Pescador, a small island in front of Moalboal, renowned for being surrounded by a teeming life. A few years ago there was a large sardine bar that had taken up residence there... We won't see the slightest of them, just a lot of fish. Nice dive to start our stay. After the dive, it's back to the center, everyone disembarks, there's something to make coffee or tea... but nothing to nibble on while waiting for the 2nd departure. Cebu Seaview being located more or less in the middle of the Moalboal coast we will do the dives less than 15 minutes away from sailing and just a little more for Pescador which we will do 3 times in 4 days. The conditions were not great so we only did the west side but nature is well done, it was different each time. In the afternoon there is a 3rd dive and it is possible to do night dives. We will not do it. On the second day we change guides that we will keep for the remaining 3 days. Not bad... I would say better than the first one who was an employee of the center while Cino was a freelancer. A guide with a bottle... A pleasure to dive with him. We will always leave first and will often, if not always, avoid "traffic jams" and "jacuzzis". It is therefore with him that we will make "the Sardines". Sardines... They migrated for an unknown reason a few dozen meters from the coast. This is where they are visible to divers but also to snorkelers. The number of boats on the surface made me fear the "worst", I could already see myself having to elbow my way underwater, a bit like Hanifaru Bay in the Maldives. Cino jumped us into the water first and "traced" directly to the north... small shock... "But where is he going?" and then magic sardines... sardines everywhere... thousands, sorry millions, impressive. We were the only ones for the first few minutes. Then a few divers joined us but at no time was there a crowd, really great. An experiment to be done at least once... We did it again 2 days later without any regrets. It's not easy to convey the atmosphere in photos, I did the best I could. It's up to you to judge. The dive center is not the "family" type, it's closer to the factory... but very well organized, where it is good to dive. We did 11 dives in 4 days and were happy to go to see something else. The hotel is comfortable, nothing to say, nickel, quiet and the a la carte restaurant is very good. It's not on the level of the next ones but excellent for the price. Very good mention for the bar. The cocktails are very well dosed... (I suspect the bartender reversed the dose of rum with that of orange juice... ) It was really not worth having 2 drinks to sleep well. As is often the case with great encounters during these few days, there are no regrets about having passed through Moalboal... Sardines undoubtedly deserve the destination to be bet on a "ToDo", even if bubble factories are numerous here. After 5 nights it is the departure for the Negros Oriental. The transfer is arranged at my request by the Thalatta Dive Resort. A taxi picks us up at 8 am and after about 2 hours 30 minutes we arrive at a small port where small fast shuttles go back and forth between the islands of Cebu and Negros. The crossing is done in less than 30 minutes. Remember to have Pesos (PHP) in order to pay porters and luggage tax on arrival. The whole thing cost us a few hundred PHP (1 € = +/- 60 PHP). Upon arrival, a driver is waiting for us to take us in less than an hour to the Thalatta. We will arrive in the early afternoon and will be able to sit quietly and enjoy the pool before the return of the divers who spent the day with 3 dives at Apo Island. When we arrived, we met "our" guide Nadi with whom we had dived 2 years ago. He no longer dives. Alex, the new owner of Thalatta Resort, asked Nadi to take over the reins of the diving club. He now manages the entire small team and the maintenance of the diving center. We will dive with Oien during the 7 days. He is now the most experienced guide. He was trained by Nadi. We had already dived with him during Nadi's "day off" in August 2022. He is very good and has gone out of his way to show us as much as possible.... Ouch that's where it starts to get stuck. The season is really not ideal, not too much life, few nudibranchs, shrimps and others. It's nature and you have to accept it. We are "just" a few weeks, even days before the gradual return of the little beasts. Nature... hmmm that includes the weather. Not really at the top of the wind coming from the north-east and some clouds. But overall it was very nice. A little frustrated at having been able to fly very little with the drone. Big frustration on the day of departure with flat seas.... And to think that 2 days before, on the way back from the last dive, my wife, while jumping from the Banka "at the wrong" time, sprained her ankle... It is therefore with a crutch that she will leave the Thalatta. Thanks to the carpenter, who quickly made him something to move around without putting too much strain on his foot. Thanks also to the masseuse who worked a miracle. Our physiotherapists should learn from this... More than an hour of massage to relieve pain and try to unravel problems and restore mobility. Back to diving. After the first day where we did a double dive trip to the south (Basak) and then in the afternoon a House Reef for the two of us, we left for Apo and three dives on the second. The crossing is slightly hectic but it goes well with the very comfortable banka. First dive on the bow of Apo.. hmmm but where have the fish gone? The place is still beautiful with soft corals everywhere, a few turtles but very few fish. The next 2 dives will be the same. Frustration, disappointment and sadness. After a little discussion, it seems that the locals are fishing in the "marine park"... Two days later the 2 bankas are scheduled for Apo... we will have a short day of rest. That's how much we were marked by this first outing in Apo. On the way back from the banka (yes there was only one that went out, the group that had booked the second one cancelled at the last minute ) those who dived there were delighted... obviously there was life... But it was the first time... or we had fallen on a very bad day. We will have to go back to find out for sure. A day doing nothing feels good but it's so long . We will continue by diving on the coast of Dauin to the north and south and for me a little "night dive" on the "House Reef"... and on the last day a single dive on the HR with a very sporty but then very sporty launch and return. The photographic harvest was less, as was the quality and variety of the subjects. It's nature, you have to know how to accept it. A small overview of the result. More here The Thalatta Resort, for those who know it, it's always the same. You feel good there, you should say: always so good. The restaurant is always good, as is the staff of the whole hotel who are very attentive, helpful and smiling. No regrets about coming back. The changes now: Alex, the new owner, obviously has plans not to change anything... i.e. to keep this family atmosphere. Keeping the same concept of what Patrick has built. But there is an important point, he intends to do better... To improve the Thalata little by little, in small steps and I don't doubt for a moment that he will succeed. He started by redoing the inflation installation New compressors, and nitrox per membrane... The best of the best, a very good start. On the hotel side, renovation work is being carried out everywhere. Small things like the restaurant toilets, the new fresco and different layouts tested. Everywhere, gardeners are replanting new plants to further embellish the setting. I like it. At the bar, installation of shade sails so that you can sit there during the day. I'm curious to see how it will evolve in a few months. Anyway, you can go quietly, you won't be disappointed, the Thalatta Resort is a place made for divers. If you stop by the Paris Dive Show, there should be a booth with the Thalatta. Alex should be there with the former owner Patrick. We will go there to say hello to them. There is a difference between Patrick and Alex.... Patrick didn't dive, Alex, yes and he's not a beginner.... I believe that there will be positive surprises in the future on the diving side. Small downside... As a child, the prices of the dives have increased slightly. After 2 stays of 10 and 8 nights I will not hesitate for a moment to go back but at another time when there is more life... why not spend Christmas 2025 there... the whole team is well on its way to make the atmosphere there, with the decoration and a nice "Christmas menu"... I almost placed an order . Let's move on to the 3rd part of our stay. Once again we made the choice to go back where we would be sure not to be disappointed. Yes, yes I know maybe we should go elsewhere to be more adventurous... Of course not. I totally assume this choice to return in order to enjoy even more and a little differently. We appreciate finding what we loved, in order to savor the place once again. If possible, we do a small combination of safe bets with "experimentation". The next trip will again be in this style 2/3 of novelty and to finish 1/3 back... But let's get back to this trip which ends in an hour with our landing in Zurich. Anda in the south-east of the island of Bohol is a remote place, it is the price to pay to find the calm... almost 3 hours drive from Tagbilaran without counting the 2 hour crossing by speedboat from Dumaguete. We will arrive at nightfall... very tired but happy to find the Island View Beachfront Resort that we had found magical the first time. Peter the owner has made small improvements such as terraces on the front of the cabanas bungalows. Sorry for posting all this pictures but it is such a lovely place. The restaurant, the "Old Plantation" is always at the top, the reference in Anda, and guests from other hotels come there to treat themselves. We had a great time... Too much maybe the scale won't like it, I'm afraid. After a visit to the room, we meet at the bar, Hubert the boss of Anda Scuba Diving whom we did not know yet since he was in France during our 1st visit. There is also Olivier who is in his third season here. Zack, with whom we had dived in 2022, has returned to France. Nice contact and appointment for the next day before 8 am for the paperwork and our first dive. After a restful night, we are at the club with "Captain Thomas" still in place, but now there is still Jason, a young Filipino, who takes care of the inflation and supports Thomas in all the preparations on the boat. He looks serious and during our stay he passed his Open Water. Hubert intends to train him to become a guide, and thus expand the team. The boat... It was replaced by a larger one but kept the same flat bottom philosophy in order to be able to sail in a few centimeters of water and be able to approach the beach at low tide. I find it really very good, comfortable, the edge is very wide, you are well seated and equipped with the block, it can be placed stable on it while waiting for the launch. The service is top-notch, and the security system is at the forefront. Only downside, yes I know I'm a born complainer there are only S80s.... But Hubert is well aware that it will be necessary to invest in some S100 in order to make heavy consumers feel comfortable and safe. I managed but I admit that I was a bit frustrated to often stay a little higher, just to keep the hour of diving... on the other hand I never used my reserve on fins which came out regularly with 100 bar... I let her enjoy her dives without playing parasite, attached to the rescue. Underwater, the same as elsewhere, less life and always the same reasons given. Not really the season, and in addition the water being particularly hot it seems to accentuate the phenomenon. In the end, the water lost 1 to 2 °C, going from 30 to sometimes 28 on the last day. There were quite a few turtles 2 years ago... But this year we have moved to a whole new level. There are many more of them and they are less shy. I think we are slowly approaching the "level" of Bunaken. Awesome. Unlike Dauin, we had a very calm sea being protected from the wind by the big island of Bohol. Very well. We enjoyed ourselves even if, as already said, I regret a little lack of life. But the last 2 days, there was starting to be a little more to see. According to Hubert, the high season is fast approaching, More to watch here On the diving side, as well as on the hotel and restaurant side, no regrets about having gone back to dive in Anda and as for the Thalatta I can only recommend the address. If the opportunity arises, we will return without the slightest hesitation. It's a good way to end a stay, with a little more upscale services. Depending on the return flight, it is necessary to leave a day earlier and spend a night not too far from the airport. This was our case. We made it simple by going to the Waterfront right next to the airport. Decent room, big and beautiful pool but on the restaurant side there is better. I regretted not having dinner while having a simple meal in the domestic flight airport lobby right in front of the hotel. In Singapore, the work is now complete. There weren't too many people I found, at least that's my impression. Singapore Air nothing to say, the economy class is not bad and when you see the comfort that those who fly in business class can have... I understand why this company is always so well ranked. Here we are back in Europe and tomorrow work resumes. The 7-hour time difference is really complicated on the way back, on the way there it goes very well. Who knows why Nice little trip of more than 3 weeks including the trips. But small frustrations due to a lack of life, yes, yes I'm jaded, there's no need to remind myself of that. Just like the weather which was not at the top of the best and which could have led to even more serious consequences for my partner's ankle. We were hot on this one. In the end, I dived a little less than expected with only 47 dives distributed like this: Maolboal: 11, Dauin: 16 and Anda: 20 On average, they had 1 hour, a maximum depth of 34m and only 3 dives of more than 30. A hiccup with a 38-minute dive because a member of the group was at 40 bar after 35 minutes of diving Now I'm going to get ready for the next trip which will be soon and to a mythical destination for divers, Raja Ampat with a short week in Lembeh on the way back, a destination just as famous for its Muck Dive. Thanks for reading. I publish the report in french and used the automatic translate module of Microsoft Word. I hope this stay comprehensible and you enjoy my report. Feel free to ask if you have question. Comment are also welcome. Hugues

Afterhours Magic: An Ambient Light Video Workflow for Action Cams (and Other WB-Challenged Cameras) INTRODUCTION Getting good colours in underwater footage, especially when shooting in ambient light, has been a challenge since the early days of underwater cinematography, and action cameras are no exception. As divers learn in their certification course, water absorbs light unevenly, with longer wavelengths like reds and oranges fading quickly as depth increases, leaving underwater scenes dominated by blues and greens unless corrected (here's a little video illustrating water's filtration effect at depth). With action cam manufacturers releasing new models every six months, and online talking heads pitching each one as the miracle solution for underwater video, it might seem like the issue has long been solved by 2025. Apps, mods, and camera software all promise one-button perfection: minimal effort, high reward, and content ready for instant sharing. On recent action cameras, the most common approach is to leave white balance and colour corrections to the camera's software, to tweak settings and hope for the best... Examples of typical results for ambient light footage shot at depth with auto-settings on recent action cameras and an iPhone16 : (source) But step off the marketing carousel for a moment and take a look at recent underwater clips, do the colours actually look... Good? Natural? Pleasing? Those are very subjective words, of course, and the devil is in the details. And yet some of us are not entirely convinced by what we’re seeing, despite all the technological advances, and started to question this in-camera, software-driven approach to the underwater colour problem, especially on action cameras, paradoxically the crown jewels of the one-button, auto-settings, shoot-and-forget philosophy. Compare the above to Nick Hope's 2007 (!) almost "prehistoric" tests of underwater manual white-balance with a filter : (note the cast on the auto WB test) (source) This is where this tutorial comes in. It offers a user-based, more manual alternative to letting the camera try to solve the colour issue through automation, which we believe is really beneficial for action cams. What follows is a simple, experience-based workflow for shooting underwater video in ambient light on action cameras – or any camera that struggles with manual white balance at depth. The core idea is to take back control of white balance and colour processing by setting the white balance point manually in post-production, just as you would, at depth, with a camera that allows manual WB adjustment. We believe that this manual approach, when done correctly, usually yields better, more flexible results than current in-camera software solutions, and helps you get the most out of your gear—especially older or less advanced models. Capture from personal footage shot at roughly 10m on the GoPro 4 in a flat profile with a UR-Pro Cyan filter (Richelieu Rock, 2018) Early personal raw clip shot at roughly 15m on a GoPro 4, in flat with a UR-Pro filter, rebalanced in post (2016, Mike's Point, Raja Ampat) Other selected video clip examples shot in flat with a filter on various action cameras are visible here WHO IS THIS WORKFLOW TUTORIAL FOR Let’s be clear: this approach probably isn’t for everyone. That’s not elitism, just practicality, especially given the phone-and-app-based social-media sharing ecosystem underwater video has evolved into. This workflow is best suited for videographers who: Work on their clips in post-production, including colour grading and editing Use video editing software that allows manual white balance adjustment (some phone-based apps may not support this) Shoot with cameras where in-camera processing can be limited or turned off, especially auto white-balance handling and colour corrections THE IDEA BEHIND THIS UNDERWATER SHOOTING WORKFLOW This approach is designed to help you get the best out of your footage by regaining some manual control over colour and white balance, which are set during post-production rather than left to in-camera software. To be clear, this is not a method for getting the best results straight out of camera (SOOC). It is not a software-driven workflow that delivers instantly shareable clips, which is often the focus of many action cam discussions today. However, we believe that when used correctly and in the right conditions, this approach to ambient light video can produce better, more flexible results than in-camera correction, and help you get the most out of your gear. It is especially effective on action cameras, and with older camera models that lack advanced colour correction or built-in underwater modes. WHAT SHOOTING SITUATIONS DOES THIS WORKFLOW APPLY TO This workflow applies to the following underwater video scenarios: Full ambient light video, where you're shooting at depth using sunlight as the only light source. It also applies to mixed lighting setups, where natural sunlight is combined with artificial light that has been filtered to match the colour spectrum of sunlight at depth. This is often referred to as ambient-filtered mixed lighting. Shooting in the ambient light "Goldilocks zone" – not too shallow and not too deep. This is the depth range where there is enough natural light to work with, while the colour loss from seawater remains manageable. The exact range depends on local conditions, but in areas with strong sunlight it generally falls between 5 and 20 metres, with a sweet spot around 8 to 15 metres depth. In some cases it can extend a bit deeper, or be quite shallower. Using a filter on the camera lens also affects this workable range, as you lose 1 to 2.5 stops of light, and compensating with higher ISO has limited effectiveness on action cameras, as it quickly degrades the image and introduces noise. Capture from GoPro7 footage, ambient light at 10m, flat profile with a filter, rebalanced and quickly graded in post (Okinawa, 2025) AMBIENT LIGHT VIDEO SHOOTING WORKFLOW CAMERA SETUP 1. Set your camera to shoot in a “flat” or flat-ish profileThe goal here is actually to limit what the camera does in terms of in-camera white balance and software colour correction. This is an essential step for effectively rebalancing and grading your video footage later. Shooting flat avoids the unnatural hues often introduced by "underwater modes" or automatic white balance settings, which typically boost the red channel in ways that degrade image quality and make post-production white point and colour balancing more difficult. Another common issue is inconsistency in colour treatment within a sequence, especially when the camera is making adjustments on the fly. This isn't a problem for still images, but it is a major issue for video. This will vary with camera brand (GoPro, DJI, Ace360, etc.), but the logic remains the same: limit what your camera does in terms of automatic white balance, colour, contrast and exposure adjustment at depth, and aim for a more neutral - yet information-rich - profile. In our camera settings, rather than trusting the camera, we're aiming to record footage in a neutral, information-rich way, so we have the maximum flexibility for correcting white balance and colours. Flat profiles, log, and similar settings all serve the same purpose: capturing the necessary information in a neutral form, with a wider dynamic range and more information, so you can work efficiently on the footage in post. The idea is similar to shooting RAW in still photography. Be careful with ISO settings - using a filter on the camera lens means losing 1 to 2.5 stops of light - however, it's best to clock the max ISO on action cameras, as image quality typically degrades above 800 to 1600 ISO, depending on models, camera capacities and local conditions. Example of basic GoPro camera settings: Enable Protune Set colour to Flat Set white balance to Native Set max ISO to 800 (or a little higher if your camera can handle it without too much noise) Leave shutter speed on Auto (seems to work better than the 180° rule of shutter on action cams) Typical GoPro 7 "flat" profile settings 2. Use a well-designed filter on the camera lens (if possible) If you can, use a well-designed filter on your camera lens. In blue water, a good filter helps correct the seawater’s colour distortion by cutting excessive cyans and greens while allowing deeper blues through. This warms up the image hitting the sensor, helping the camera handle white balance more effectively -whether manually at depth or during post-production. The goal is to restore a more natural colour balance by compensating for the way sunlight is filtered by the water column. In green water, a different filter is needed, usually with more magenta tones, to account for the different spectral loss. Keldan 7m compensation Spectrum Filter transmission data, blue water filter (left) and green water filter (right) (source) Well-designed filters typically have a fluorofilter-like spectral curve. Examples include the now-discontinued UR-Pro, Keldan Spectrum filters, and Magic Filters, or fluorofilter profiles (see the section below and this thread here for more detailed discussion on filters) Be aware that many so-called "red" filters on the market are poorly engineered. Slapping red plastic on a lens doesn’t magically fix underwater colours. The filter must target specific wavelengths, not just “warm up” the image. LEE 008 Dark Salmon filter gel, next to the UR-Pro Cyan filter on a GoPro SRP adapter If you're using a filter (and you should if possible), make sure to: Compensate for the light loss by adjusting your exposure or EV settings Stay within the filter’s optimal depth range Avoid pushing ISO too high - action cams often get noisy above ISO 800 or 1600 underwater When shooting in a mixed-lighting setup that combines ambient sunlight with artificial lights, make sure to use ambient filters on your lights, not just on your lens. These filters adjust the colour temperature of your artificial light to match the filtered sunlight at depth, helping maintain consistent colour balance in your footage. And let's not forget the most important point of this workflow: shoot in flat, and set your white-balance point manually. Don't let the camera decide! Captures from footage shot on a GoPro12 with a filter, but in auto settings. This illustrates the importance of taking control and rebalancing the footage in post. While it's difficult to predict the exact outcome, the colour palette would likely appear more natural, with fewer “day-glo” hues and a milder cast if shot in flat and WB set in post (source) IN WATER Shoot Within the Ambient Light “Goldilocks Zone” When shooting in ambient light, make sure to stay within the optimal depth range where ambient light still works and colour can be recovered in post. This "Goldilocks zone" is deep enough for water to filter sunlight and create colour loss, but not so deep that the camera struggles to capture usable information. The exact range depends on location and conditions, but in strong sunlight areas like the tropics, it typically begins below 5 metres (shallower than that, there's not enough filtration for the technique to matter) and extends to around 20 metres. In very clear, well-lit water, it may stretch to 25 or even 30 metres. The sweet spot is usually between 8 and 15 metres. Keep in mind that filters reduce light reaching the camera sensor by 1 to 2.5 stops. This is a significant tradeoff, but one that pays off if you stay within the right depth and lighting conditions. Beyond 20 metres, results often begin to deteriorate due to reduced light (causing noise and loss of contrast) and stronger water filtration (reducing the colour information the sensor can capture). Always adjust your shooting depth based on the day’s local light and visibility conditions. (source) IN POST-PRODUCTION 1. Start by resetting the white balance point in your footage The first step with action-cam footage is to reset the white balance during post-production. This mimics what you would do at depth when using a camera that supports manual white balance, and is the most important step in this workflow. If using a filter (you should...) your footage will have a warm cast from the filter, which is actually desirable because it will help rebalance the image. Since you shot with a flat profile and minimal in-camera adjustments, the footage will have little to no colour correction or white balance applied. Which means using a filter and shooting flat on cameras without manual white balance is not a good way to get great results straight out of camera (SOOC). You will need to rebalance the footage (set the white balance point) in post at the very minimum. This differs from cameras that allow manual white balance at depth, where the SOOC result is already balanced and ready to use. With action cams, rebalancing in post is a crucial part of the workflow. The good news is that your footage contains all the colour information needed, usually with a higher dynamic range, and will be far easier to grade than footage with in-camera software corrections baked in. This is where the magic happens—you turn what looks like lead into gold. Most video good editing software lets you set the white balance point either manually or automatically, which sometimes works fine. Some reliable targets for white balance include sand, bleached or dead coral, divers’ tanks, exhaled bubbles, and marine life with clear white or grey areas. Experiment with different targets and methods to see what works best for each clip. Setting the white-balance in Final Cut Pro X (source) 2. Grade and edit your footage to taste You now have a well-balanced base to work with, offering good dynamic range and colour data since you shot with a flat(ish) profile. Play with curves and saturation levels to see how much colour information has actually made it to your sensor. This process will vary based on your editing software and personal preferences, but most major platforms (DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut ProX, Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas...) can handle it very well. I’ve only worked with older-model action cams, and I’d love to see what data the new 10-bit colour models are capable of capturing! 3. Example of my action-cam post-production workflow, in Final Cut Pro X (FCPX)The following clips were shot in a flat profiles on a GoPro 7 with a filter gel on the lens, in Okinawa (blue water, average visibility, the center-left blur is caused by a water droplet on the wide angle lens) Unbalanced footage shot at 10m depth in flat on the GoPro7, with a cast from the filter (in this case, a Lee fluorofilter gel), as imported The same footage, rebalanced after manually setting the white-balance point with the dropper tool Same footage, after a little colour grading Unbalanced footage shot at 10m depth in flat on the GoPro7, with a cast from the filter (in this case, a Lee fluorofilter gel), as imported The same footage, rebalanced after manually setting the white-balance point with the dropper tool Same footage, after a little colour grading A more saturated grading option (what some would call taking it to 11, to show what we have to work with ˆˆ) Exported video clip example (first grade option) CONCLUSIONTo conclude, letting camera software handle underwater ambient light colour correction is like trying to shoot on land with coloured lighting and expecting the camera to fix everything digitally. On land, beyond setting the colour temperature to match your light source, if your light has a strong colour cast, you’d typically add a lighting gel or change the light itself rather than relying on the camera’s software to correct the cast. This is exactly what a physical filter does underwater in ambient light. Our primary light source - the sun - is filtered by water and has a colour cast. Most modern cameras can handle mild casts near the surface. But when dealing with strong blue, green, or cyan casts, such as at around 10 metres depth, it is still best - even in 2025 - to physically correct the light with a filter and to manually set the white balance point rather than relying on the camera to try do this automatically. In a complex environment like underwater ambient light, it’s still better to manually set the white balance at depth - or, if that’s not possible, shoot in a flat profile and reset it in post-production - rather than relying on camera software to handle it. In both cases, using a well-designed filter on the lens helps rebalance colours by compensating for the colour cast caused by water's filtering effect on ambient light. This approach delivers more workable footage in post and generally better results overall. It can also help you get the most out of your camera, especially if you’re using an older model with limited software capabilities (see for yourself in the examples above what a GoPro 7 is still capable of…) Voilà. Thanks for making it to the end. I hope others find this approach useful, even if it is seen as outdated or old-fashioned. Just try it yourself and do it right. Understand filters, and trust manual white-balance. It works. Cheers, happy bubbles, and most of lovely colours to you all! Ben GOING DEEPER (further discussion) WHY DOES THIS APPROACH WORK When used within the right parameters, this workflow of shooting flat ambient light footage with a filter delivers excellent, workable results. It often outperforms unfiltered, in-camera corrected footage, especially on action cams that cannot manually set white balance at depth. Let’s dig into the reasons why this is the case. 1. The problem with in-camera software-based white-balance and colour correctionWe live in a time when cameras have powerful software corrections capable of amazing things. So why – despite claims that software will solve everything and that filters are a thing of the past – does filtered footage shot in flat profile give end results which generally still look better than in-camera software-corrected footage, especially when it comes to colour balance? And why is filter-use still common in blue-chip professional productions (mostly shot on cinecams) but seen as outdated in amateur and semi-pro circles? Putting aside cameras like those from Canon, which can produce very pleasing (though not always the most accurate) results when performing manual white balance at depth, automatic in-camera white balance and colour correction generally do not work well at typical ambient-light diving depths. And it's important to note that if yo work with in-camera software-corrected footage and attempt to fine-tune white balance or simply grade the footage by setting the white balance point in post on an easy white or grey target (like sand, a diver’s tank, bubbles, or bleached coral), you’ll often end up with odd reds or magenta peaks and strange colour balance. I’ve done this many times. Editing unfiltered, non-flat GoPro footage from colleagues in various locations simply does not work well, or has a very limited reach. Rebalancing white balance causes colour balance to break down, leaving you stuck with limited adjustment options. This happens mainly because the camera software boosts the red channels to compensate for the underwater blue cast on ambient light. This creates two main problems: • The camera artificially boosts red channels, which degrades image quality. • A strong colour cast often remains - usually cyan, green, or blue - and if it doesn’t (for example, in “underwater mode”), the resulting palette tends to look unnatural and unbalanced. When you set white balance at depth or in post, you are telling the software “this area should be gray or white,” which should cancel out the blue and cyan cast. But if the reds have already been over-boosted by the in-camera software, the result becomes unnatural, producing all kinds of strange magenta tones and other colour distortions. A typical example of footage shot with auto-settings on recent action cameras, and colour-corrected in post, showing a residual cast (source) 2. Why shooting flat and using a filter generally works better than auto in ambient light Just to be clear, the most important point in this workflow is to set the white balance manually. This is standard procedure when shooting underwater ambient light video, and shooting in a flat colour profile while adjusting white balance in post is simply a workaround for action cameras that lack crucial manual white balance control at depth. If footage is shot in a flat colour profile, as opposed to in-camera auto-colour correction, the reds are not artificially boosted. This allows for cleaner white balance correction and colour grading without magenta distortions, and also captures a greater dynamic range. These advantages are well understood in still photography, where shooting in RAW mode is standard. A flat or flat-ish profile lets you manually adjust recorded reds and magentas in post without dealing with baked-in colour corrections that vary across frames. Even better, using a well-designed physical warming filter on the camera - such as the UR-Pro or equivalent - acts on ambient light before it reaches the sensor. This means: • The sensor records a warmer image, reducing the need for software correction. • A good filter that lets deep blues pass through (for example, one with a fluorofilter-like spectral profile) results, after white balance reset, in a warmer, more neutral, and more accurately balanced image. Deep blues in the background remain intact while the foreground gains accurate tones, producing a more natural and balanced look. GoPro7 footage shot in flat with a good filter, before and after setting the white-balance point in post Setting underwater white balance is essentially about how much you need to "stretch" colour channels to counter seawater’s filtering of ambient light The more stretching required, the greater the image degradation. Using a physical filter on the lens reduces the amount of stretching needed to rebalance the image. In short, filters physically warm the ambient light before it reaches the sensor, helping to reduce the green/cyan cast. This: • Enables better manual white balance control at depth or in post • Avoids baked-in in-camera software corrections that are difficult to work with in post • Preserves depth in colour by extending the filter’s effect deeper into the scene, resulting in less drastic background colour loss than software correction The main downside is the inevitable loss of stops of light caused by the filter, which can be a dealbreaker in some shooting conditions. In contrast, in-camera software colour correction: • Manipulates individual colour channels, with results that can vary widely • Often produces baked-in artefacts and uneven colour palettes, and does not fully correct the colour cast • Degrades footage, making it difficult to grade in post • Can be unstable and vary within a sequence, which is problematic for consistent grading Understanding action cam limitations: AWB/ Kelvin vs. MWB
 For action cameras, it’s important to understand a key limitation: current models typically offer only two approaches to white balance underwater. They either rely on Auto White Balance (sometimes with a dedicated underwater profile) or allow the user to lock white balance a fixed Kelvin value. Neither of these option is equivalent to a true Manual White Balance performed at depth.
 Auto White Balance constantly shifts based on exposure and scene changes, which leads to inconsistencies and boosts the red channels, which typically leads to unbalanced colour palette, with uncorrected colour casts at depth. 
 Meanwhile, locking a Kelvin value only adjusts colour temperature along the blue–orange axis. It does not meaningfully correct the green–magenta tint, and generates a strong blue-green / cyan colour cast.
 A true Manual White Balance, on the other hand applies a full three-channel (RGB) correction based on a sampled reference target, and corrects tint (magenta/green). This type of correction is essential for balanced colour rendering of underwater footage
Ideally, cameras would allow locking the result of an auto WB calculation at a certain depth (effectively turning it into a manual balance…), but most action cams do not. This limitation also explains why mixed-lighting approaches such as ambient filters on video lights often produce rather poor results with action cameras shooting in AWB, as the process relies on setting and locking an accurate manual white balance to ambient light at depth. And this is also why the workflow described in this article works: locking the white balance at depth and later applying a proper manual white balance correction in post-production typically yields better and more balanced colours than relying on an action cam’s Auto WB (underwater-mode included) or worse, a fixed Kelvin value alone. GoPro7 Supersuit housing with AOI wide lens adapter and a fluorofilter gel 3. Limits of manual white-balance setting (at depth or in post-production) and of filter use As mentioned earlier, the following limitations will happen, even when using a good filter: • In clear, well-lit waters like the tropics, a filter’s effect typically breaks down beyond 20 to 30 metres depth in good conditions. • You can still set white balance, but the colour cast becomes too strong and the image balance collapses. You would need a stronger filter, but then you lose too much ambient light, which itself becomes scarce with depth - a true catch-22 situation. • After a certain point, ambient light is insufficient and seawater’s filtering effect becomes too strong. Setting white balance in these conditions, whether at depth or in post, stretches colour channels too much, causing distortion similar to shooting without a filter. In these situations, it’s best to accept the colour cast or rely on artificial light. • In shallow water, such as snorkeling depths, the filtering effect on sunlight is mild. Working on filtered footage here means you are actually cancelling out the filter’s effects to set white balance. It’s possible, but there is little reason to use a filter in shallows since the required hue corrections degrade image quality. • Available ambient light is crucial. Using a filter means losing stops of light. In some sea conditions, there simply isn’t enough ambient light to use a filter effectively. Like at depth, it’s best to accept the colour cast or use artificial lighting. As previously mentioned, boosting ISOs can only go so far on action cameras. • Filter design versus seawater qualities / conditions. Most filters are made for blue or cyan water - which is ideal for ambient light shooting - but not for greener waters. Cyan-cutting filters reduce green tones, which can result in unnatural colours and poor balance compared to filters designed specifically for green water. The UR-Pro and Keldan brands, for example, offer, or offered, green water filters (which are typically magenta) These require experimentation, but since greener waters are usually darker, the light-related limits mentioned above often apply. Depth limits: ribbontail ray swimming at 25m (seafloor is + 40m plus), GoPro7 footage capture, flat profile with a filter A WORD ON FILTERSAs previously mentioned, not all lens / camera filters are well designed or adequate for our purposes. Unfortunately, many commercially available filters are really not designed by people having looked into filtering characteristics and are just very bad (<cough> PolarPro...</cough> ), and also used by people not shooting in flat and rebalancing the footage in post, but using auto-settings instead, which tended to give filters a bad-name because of strange hues this generated... Yet as explained above, to get good consistent results when using a filter, it is always best to shoot in a flat profile and set the white balance point manually, either at depth if the camera allows it, or in post, on cameras like action cams. A filter like the beloved, proven UR-Pro, or others with a similar profile and a good warming effect really works best for this approach, especially on action cams, which are still quite limited in their handling of underwater white balance issues, despite all the marketing hype. Historically, the UR-Pro company developped, in the 1980s, a very efficient filter for shooting at depth in blue water. This filter works very well on cameras ranging from cinecams (Gates sold UR-Pro filters for their housings...) to DSLRs, mirroless and, until a few years back, action cameras. Unfortunately, the company no longer exists, and UR-Pro filters are now very difficult to find. The UR-Pro hold a special place for me as I've started using them on GoPro4 action cams, and kept at it because it just works really well. And recent gear addition such as wide angle conversion lenses for action cameras (by AOI / Backscatter / Inon) sent me on a quest to retro-engineer my beloved UR-Pro filter, which you can read about here: https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1414-ur-pro-filters-info I came up with the following recreation of the UR-Pro Cyan's spectrum transmission curve: Recreation of the UR-Pro Cyan spectrum transmission curve For other cameras, high quality alternatives exist, primarily Dr. Mustard's Magic Filters (primarily designed for ambient still photography, first marketed in 2006) and especially Keldan's Spectrum Filters. It's best for you to experiment with what works best for you with your camera setup. On my Lumix LX10 compact, I actually prefer the Keldan Spectrum -1.5 filter gel (ambient light test reel here), which is not as strong as the UR-Pro Cyan and more accurate, but got good results with UR-Pro, Magic Filters and Keldan. On the GoPro however, the Keldan and Magic don't work as well, as this type of camera seems to require a slightly stronger filter to get good results in post. Warming isn't everything, but based on tests, the UR-Pro Cyan offers the strongest warming effect (around 3000–3100 K at –1.6 EV), more than the Original Magic (≈ 2400 K) and the Keldan SF-1.5 (≈ 2350 K) As an example, here is a side-by-side, flat and unbalanced, then lightly graded comparison of UR-Pro and Magic filters on Gopro7 action cameras, highlighting the marked differences between the two filters on action cameras. This quick test was done on breath-hold in east Bali (Jemeluk), with the AOI wide lens on one camera. GoPro7, Magic Filter and UR-Pro Cy filter, unbalanced, flat footage GoPro7, Magic Filter and UR-Pro Cy filter, rebalanced in post and lightly graded But as this test example show, even a weaker filter like the Magic Filter gel is still workeable on action cameras, but the spectrum is slightly different. When rebalancing, only the Magic filter requires boosting magenta in white balance, while UR-Pro and Keldan require reducing it, which is a significant difference. The main idea to take home from research on the UR-Pro cyan filter spectrum profile is that is basically that of a fluorofilter (aka fluorescent filter). Fluorofilters were a type of filter designed to "Convert U.S. Cool White or Daylight type fluorescent lamps to 3200K photographic tungsten and remove the excess green." to quote filter maker Rosco, ie. to convert a light source that is overly green and cool, such as fluorescent lighting. A fluorofilter profile like the Rosco 3310's is very close to the UR-Pro's original profile, in fact almost identical. UR-Pro spectral transmission curve, vs. Rosco 3310 Fluorofilter gel curve The issue these days is that fluorescent lights have been phased out by LED lights, rendering fluorofilters obsolete in the lighting world, and thus also very hard to find! Despite the difficulties, there are interesting commercially available alternatives in lighting gels—it is mostly a matter of matching similar spectrum transmission curves. The Lee 166 Pale Red and the Lee 08 Dark Salmon (LDS) are both good practical alternatives for example. Unfortunately, the Lee Pale Red has also been discontinued, and also had a general light transmission that was a little too low for action cams, resulting in an ISO boost. Which leaves us with the Lee Dark Salmon (LDS). The LDS was actually already tested in water and works fine, but with some caveats: As I wrote in the UR-Pro thread after the side by side comparison, it is stronger / darker (and a bit warmer) than the UR-Pro - meaning a little more loss of light / ev, and also a slightly deeper tint in the reds - this is visible when looking at the camera's ISO sensor data, with a higher ISO on the LDS, and also the resulting SOOC footage: GoPro7, UR-Pro Cy filter and LDS, unbalanced, flat footage GoPro7, UR-Pro Cy filter and LDS, results rebalanced in post and lightly graded Yet what this also means is that, as expected, the Lee gel actually works somewhat better than the UR-Pro when going deeper, but this is really give and take, as it means a greater loss of light - which could be fine in the tropics, less so elsewhere. Handling of the blues is also a little different, as seen in the curves. There are probably other fluorofilter-type gels still available somewhere, as well as others with similar profiles. The key is to find one with a curve as close as possible to that of the UR-Pro cyan filter's fluorofilter style curve. The logic is straightforward: seawater filters sunlight and creates a cooling effect, adding green/cyan. A fluorofilter is specifically designed to counter this. But as you can also see on the UR-Pro spectrum graph - and this is where a fluorofilter differs from a simple green-cutting filter - it still lets deeper blues through (resulting in a pleasing seawater blue). This characteristic is harder to find in standard lighting gels. Possible UR-Pro cyan alternatives in the Lee range It would also be interesting to test Keldan's stronger spectrum filter gel on action cameras, as I only tested the SF-1.5 gel. The hunt is on! MIXED LIGHTING SCENARIOSRegarding the complex but fascinating issue of mixed-lighting scenarios, which combine ambient light with filtered artificial light, Swiss manufacturer and concept pioneer has published and collaborated on good introductory videos on the subject: The Keldan Ambient Filter Concept Understanding the Ambient Filter BTM - Filters for Underwater Videography (Red Filter, Magenta Filter, Ambient Light Filter) Recent Keldan light models include integrated LED-based ambient filtering, eliminating the need for an actual physical filter on the lights. When it comes to empirical research on ambient filter creation and filter matching, I'd strongly recommend looking into the following thread by fellow Waterpixeler Dreifish https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1413-red-filters-and-blue-ambient-light-filters-for-mixed-light-shooting/ as well as Interceptor121's similar but more ancient research here: https://interceptor121.com/2019/11/25/matching-filters-techniques/ Mixed lighting shooting scenario, filter on the cameras lens and on the video lights (source) FURTHER READING / LINKS Related threads https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1380-shooting-action-cams-with-a-red-filter-in-flat-profile-and-manually-white-balancing-in-post-production/ https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1414-ur-pro-filters-info https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1413-red-filters-and-blue-ambient-light-filters-for-mixed-light-shooting/ Camera lens filters and white balance https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1414-ur-pro-filters-info https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn4NRQgl2tw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COxalutbD38 https://wetpixel.com/articles/ur-pro-shallow-water-filter-review https://www.bubblevision.com/underwater-video/white-balance.htm https://interceptor121.com/2013/01/13/underwater-video-tips-polar-pro-red-filter-for-gopro/ https://xray-mag.com/pdfs/articles/Photography_UsingFilters_15.pdf https://wetpixel.com/articles/filters-and-ambient-light-photography/ http://www.magic-filters.com/download/UWP26a.pdf https://wetpixel.com/articles/complementary-filters-and-wide-angle-underwater-photography http://web.archive.org/web/20191209011451/http://www.urprofilters.com/content.do?region=FilterInstructions#tips https://wetpixel.com/articles/ur-pro-shallow-water-filter-review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mMb-FcWQz8 https://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16970-expodisc-white-balance-filter/ https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/white-balance.htm Mixed-lighting / ambient filters https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1413-red-filters-and-blue-ambient-light-filters-for-mixed-light-shooting/ https://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?/topic/69260-solving-the-mixed-light-problem/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKk9VBponz0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COxalutbD38 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn4NRQgl2tw https://interceptor121.com/2019/11/25/matching-filters-techniques/ https://interceptor121.com/2019/08/03/getting-the-best-colors-in-your-underwater-video-with-the-panasonic-gh5/

Managing underwater photography collections can be overwhelming, but with Adobe Lightroom's robust metadata features, organization becomes seamless. On his blog, Mike Jones outlines a systematic approach to metadata management, emphasizing the importance of consistent practices to enhance searchability and gain deeper insights into marine environments. Key steps include: Rating: Assigning ratings to evaluate image quality. Keywords: Applying terms to describe the environment and subjects. Title: Using a consistent format for easy grouping. Species: Recording both common and scientific names. Category: Grouping similar species under broader classifications. GPS: Adding precise coordinates to document the exact location of each shot. Implementing these practices transforms your photo library into a valuable dataset, capturing snapshots of time, place, biodiversity, and behavior. For a comprehensive guide, visit Mike Jones's blog: https://mikejonesdive.com/lightroom-metadata

Underwater Photography conjures up a vast array of subjects to capture, from the tiniest animals on the planet measuring just the size of a grain of rice to the largest creatures which have ever lived in our incredible blue planet. But starting out as a complete beginner with such a huge choice of different compact camera systems to choose from and accessories, where on earth do you start to ensure that you come back from your trip of a lifetime with fabulous eye-catching images. Compact cameras have evolved hugely from when I pioneered the first ever dedicated courses for them back in 2005, but the essentials I always ask on the forums I participate in are: What are your dream images to photograph? Where are you going? How much do you want to change your settings? What is your budget? It’s honestly that simple to make sure that you choose the right equipment. I remember seeing on one forum that a lady going to Fiji was recommended an Olympus TG6 for it’s macro capabilities. Being the passionate shark stalker and wide-angle reef scene passionate that I am, I just had to butt on in and suggest that a wide-angle lens was an absolute must to capture those jaw dropping reef scenes that Fiji is so famous for, as well as those sharks. Yes the macro life is absolutely incredible too, but it’s so important to KNOW your destination, RESEARCH the subjects which you are going to have the opportunity to capture and have a budget in mind to start with. How can you go to such an incredible, jaw-dropping, life changing destination and NOT come home with all of the incredible images that both you and your camera deserve? Then there’s the question, do you need a camera with full manual controls or not? Again, it all depends on what you want to achieve, but I’ll never forget my course guest Daniel Norwood, now Editor of DivePhotoGuide winning the British Society of Underwater Photographer’s Best Beginner Competition with a compact camera which had NO manual controls. The Runner-Up (27 points behind) was the then Chairman with a d-SLR system. It just goes to prove that it honestly is all about how YOU drive the camera, how YOU create an image, and that you CAN still create award-winning, breathtaking imagery with older compact cameras too. I have a huge variety of all kinds of images taken during my 20 year career gracing the walls of my gallery here in the UK. And guess what, no-one can tell the difference as to which one was taken with a d-SLR, Mirrorless, Compact, Go Pro or my Phone. So let’s dive on in and look at some answers to common questions I often see to get you started on your own journey. Do You Need the Latest Model of Compact Camera? Absolutely not, I loved shooting with my Olympus TG4 before upgrading to a TG6 model. If an older model will give you more “bang for your buck” and enable you to purchase additional lights or lenses so that you can achieve your dream images, then it’s totally cool to go down this route. Which is the Best Compact Camera for a Beginner? All of them! Yes honestly! It all depends what you are looking for and how much effort you want to put into changing different settings when you are underwater. I even absolutely loved using my Sealife DC-2000 camera and in the right scenarios would deliver incredibly sharp, punchy images even here in the UK with minimum effort and fuss. So do you need full manual controls to take incredible images when starting out? Absolutely not! Yes, full manual controls allow you to get more creative, but they are not the be all to creating fabulous images that you will fall in love with. I love the Olympus TG range for simplicity and for the jaw-dropping close-up images which it creates from the tiniest creatures by just using it’s “Microscope Mode.” It doesn’t have full manual mode, but you can still achieve black backgrounds to your close-up subjects by adjusting some in-camera settings. You can add-on wide-angle lenses, lights or even use a torch to start your creative journey. Can I Really Capture Great Stills Using a Go Pro? Holy moly, yes, yes, yes! I’ve fallen in love with my Go Pro this summer and all the additional lenses and accessories which you can add to it. From Backscatter’s MacroMate Mini which neatly fits on the front of a Go Pro housing to achieve razor sharp macro images to their incredible (how much am I in love with this lens) Action Cam Sharp Wide Lens Pro which gives a whopping 140 degree field-of-view. It also allows the Go Pro to focus much closer to your subject to give you real nice close-focus wide-angle images. Simply add on some small video lights to bring extra lushness, colour and depth to your imagery, I love my MARES EOS 10LRW Video Light Set-Up for lightness, compactness and brilliant results, and you are set to go. What About Using My Phone Underwater? Can you guess what I’m going to say? Yep I absolutely ADORE using my phone underwater as well. It also will give you excellent results, and it really is all about what you want to achieve our of your underwater imagery. For me, what sets it apart from the rest is that your images are there as soon as you finish your dive, ready to upload to the world without the need to download them first. I have been using a Sealife Housing and I love being able to change different settings via the Sealife App such as ISOs, Exposure Values and I can even shoot in RAW. Being able to change my exposure value was crucial to achieve these reflections at Ginnie Springs in Florida. Finally what about Insta 360? Insta 360 is definitely all the rage at the moment, and definitely so for a very good reason. You will not have seen anything quite like it anywhere and the results will leave you spellbound. That is as long as you are using it in settings which actually suit it’s capabilities, such as huge wrecks, large reef scenes and giant cave systems. Oh and make sure you have heaps of ambient light around you to get the best results. Trust me it really is awesome, but you will need to take extra care with the lens as it scratches easily. Sadly you can’t add any extra lights onto it due to the way that it has been designed, but trust me, it is jawsome. I could honestly write about all of them forever, but thought it best to stop here so that you can go grab a coffee. At the end of the day, they all take superb images, but you need to make sure that you are in the best possible conditions to make the most out of each device. I’ll write more to explain each set-up individually very soon. Until then, feel free to reach out and ask me any questions. Helping is my middle name so just reach out if you’d like some help. Look forward to seeing you all very soon. Maria

The team at Waterpixels are delighted to announce that our 1000th member, @Grega joined the Waterpixels community on 15 March. An especially warm welcome to Grega! Thanks to all those who have signed up since we started in Dec 2023. We reached our 500th member in February 2024 and have seen a continuous stream of people signing up since then. We'd like to thank members for continuing to engage so positively and in a great spirit of willingness to share and be helpful. We're especially delighted that unpleasant exchanges continue to be few and far between, sadly a rarity on an online forum. It's the contributions to the forum from members and their willingness to share experiences, ideas and advice that has allowed the site to continue growing so positively. We look forward to everyone's ongoing contributions and to many new members coming onboard. Great to have you all with us!

I came across the following article by By David Clapp, published on 31 July 2025 in Digital Camera World. Worth a read, I thought! "It’s getting near that time again - as September means a new iPhone. Then there’s a new Android. Then it’s the turn Fujifilm / Canon / Nikon / Sony / Panasonic etc - all of them use tried and tested strategies stretching back as far as the 1930s to make you, the consumer, feel dissatisfied with the equipment you own. Let’s be frank, you are a subliminal and anonymous target for consumer capitalism and those at the top do this for one simple reason - they stay in business by selling you new products. Simple. Most media-based products like cameras, computers, musical equipment and many others, have a central strategy, to put you into a constant state of dissatisfaction. The subject-focused camera you yearn for will never be released, so they include firmware / software / shiny updates to keep you on board. You learn and adapt your championed model, but it only gives around 75% of what you need it to do. Slowly, we become desensitized, used to dissatisfaction and slowly the wheel turns. The industry fuel is acquisition and consumption. The beauty of this strategy is that we the consumer believe it is a direct path to creative happiness and that in monetary terms it is. The areas where this is most prevalent is in two places in our modern age — advertising in all its forms (YouTube / influencers / social media) and text-based discussion forums - which cultivates and accelerates our desire to purchase. We consume, reflect, and then complete the financial circle of moving our money back into the machine. What creates the anxiety to purchase can be covered in a number of fundamentals. Does the item look attractive to us? Look at any high-end digital cameras and the form factor is enough to pull us into their tractor beam. Then there is functionality. People are obsessed with technical specs, the online media in particular thriving with clickbait controversy. Then there is photo-social class - does the product elevate us to a level of satisfactory peer acceptance? Do we then feel connected to a new economic group, or a sense that we could finally achieve creative altitude like never before? It’s all a grand illusion. After the initial wonder, hard research, handling, contemplation, and purchase phases subside, the brain returns to a base level (look up Look at any high-end digital cameras and the form factor is enough to pull us into their tractor beam. Then there is functionality. People are obsessed with technical specs, the online media in particular thriving with clickbait controversy. Then there is photo-social class - does the product elevate us to a level of satisfactory peer acceptance? Do we then feel connected to a new economic group, or a sense that we could finally achieve creative altitude like never before? It’s all a grand illusion. After the initial wonder, hard research, handling, contemplation, and purchase phases subside, the brain returns to a base level (look up ‘hedonic adaptation’) and it is here where the forums like Canon Rumors start the cycle once more. The idle mind starts to speculate about imaginary cameras, features and from here the tribalism leads to threads full of conflict and antagonism, that could potentially be extinguished with a gear purchase. My rule is simple - upgrade when features arrive you cannot live without. In the last 20 years this has been Live View, weather sealing, GPS, WiFi, and recently (for me) 4K video. "

Sea Frogs has officially released its new Z6-III aluminum alloy housing, designed specifically for Nikon’s latest Z6 III full-frame mirrorless camera. Continuing Sea Frogs’ tradition of precision craftsmanship and technological innovation, this new housing offers reliable underwater photography support for both professional photographers and diving enthusiasts—further pushing the boundaries of creative exploration. Key Features: Professional Protection and User-Friendly Design Aviation-Grade Aluminum Alloy Construction The Z6-III housing is built from high-strength aluminum alloy, striking a balance between lightweight design and exceptional compressive strength. It performs reliably in demanding environments, supporting underwater use at depths of up to 100 meters. Its excellent corrosion resistance makes it ideal for use in seawater, freshwater, and extreme outdoor conditions. Optimized Button Layout Tailored to match the Nikon Z6 III’s control logic, all buttons and dials are engineered with specialized technology to ensure seamless operation underwater—just like on land. Modular Expansion Interface Includes a top-mounted M28 interface reserved for external monitor connectivity. Optical-Grade Glass Ports and Safety Design Equipped with ultra-clear, optical-grade dome and flat ports designed to minimize distortion and chromatic aberration, ensuring maximum image sharpness and color fidelity underwater. The O-ring sealing system and pressure balance valve effectively prevent deformation due to leakage or pressure differentials, ensuring long-term durability and performance.

Retra have announced the launch of the new Retra Flash Pro Max II, which they describe as their most advanced professional strobe to date. "Built on five generations of innovation and field-proven performance, the Pro Max II redefines what’s possible in underwater lighting—delivering Li-ion-level performance using safe and widely available NiMh batteries." "With an impressive 190Ws of flash power, the Pro Max II produces 65% more actual light output compared to its predecessor—all while maintaining the same compact size and weight. This significant leap in brightness is achieved through a redesigned reflector, optimized power handling, and an improved triggering system that channels more energy into light rather than heat. Whether you're shooting fast-paced action or intricate macro scenes, you’ll appreciate the 25% faster recycle times and the ability to shoot up to 2000 flashes at 25% power using the 8×AA configuration. It even supports continuous shooting up to 60 frames per second on low power settings." Full details can be found here: Retra UWTRetra Flash Pro Max IIThe Retra Flash Pro Max II is our fifth-generation professional underwater strobe, engineered to push the boundaries of lighting performance. Delivering 65% more light output, 25% faster recycle ti...

Waterpixels is delighted to report that Emperor Divers have joined our growing lists of industry supporters. Since 1992 Emperor Divers have shared their experience of scuba diving in the Red Sea, Maldives and Indonesia and have looked after thousands of happy divers – a great many of whom keeping coming back to us year after year. Emperor's focus has always been on providing safe and sustainable diving holidays for everyone. Liveaboards, Resort Diving and PADI Courses are what they do. They cite ‘Must-do’ dive itineraries to include ‘Best of Maldives’ , ‘Red Sea Reefs & Wrecks’ and Indonesia’s ‘Komodo’, ‘Banda Sea’ and ‘Raja Ampat’. Having dived with Emperor many times over several decades, I can heartily recommend them.

The annual German "Boot" show took place on 18-26 January. I visited on 25 January to see what might be new in the dive and underwater photography world and met up with other Waterpixelers. I was also tasked with tracking down the new unicorn of the underwater photography world, the Inon Z-xxx Boot is a massive show spread over 13 exhibition halls. It wouldn't be hard to spend a few million euros there - assuming you had them in the first place. Diving was maybe one and a half a halls with displays of wetsuits (lots of weird camouflage suits - what is that all about?) and posters showing muscled combat scuba divers, fast-roping from helicopters carrying waterproofed weapons. I'm yet to see one of one of my dive trips but who knows. Quite a few rebreather stands around as well plus the usual suspects, Scubapro, Cressi, SSI, PADI. Lots of resorts: Raja Ampat, Lembeh, Egypt etc etc. And, as always, a few sellers of the critical doo-dads that we all need: clips, hooks, fancy tags etc etc. Slightly disappointingly there wasn't so much to see from an u/w photo perspective: Nauticam, Seacam, Easydive and Divevolk either had a small stand or shared one with a distributor but that was pretty much it. Nauticam had their housing for the Nikon Z6III which, I thought , surprisingly big for such a small camera body. But, no, sorry, not a sniff of an Inon Z-xxx. It was very good though to meet up with three other members, Maria, Hans and Chris. One thing I did notice which might be of interest was the growing number of dive propulsion vehicles (DPVs) including some very cool tiny ones. I'm off to the Dutch dive show next Saturday and will report back from there too.

Without a doubt the Olympus TG Tough range have revolutionised the world of underwater photography for both snorkelers and divers in recent years, making incredible results achievable for the beginner as well as giving a vast variety of options to expand creativity. But with so many options for accessory lenses and makes available, what should you be looking for if you want to start adding a creative wider angle to your images. This festive period I was super busy helping answer some of the popular questions that I see on other forums so I've put this together in the hope that it might help someone else too. So let’s start as a snorkeller. Is a housing really needed? Personally I’d always suggest one, even if it’s just to have that extra security measure and of course remember that you will need one to add on extra wide angle lenses at a later date. Not only have I seen them flood in the water for no apparent reason but it’s all too easy in the excitement of getting in the water to accidentally not close the battery door or overlook a tiny pesky hair trapped in the seal. When you’re travelling to unique, once in a lifetime destinations, it’s always better to be safe. Then there’s the option for snorkelers to add on an Olympus FCON-TO2 (which is also waterproof) directly to the Olympus TG range via an adaptor, CLA-TO1, with just one easy click. This will give you a wider field-of-view than the camera’s own 25 mm one and is great if you are using the camera above water too for wide landscape images. It’s great for small reef scenes, but for larger subjects such as this seal above, a wider field-of-view is needed to fit more of it in. It also struggles with above and below shots. But if you use an Ikelite Housing with a dome port for your Olympus TG, you can simply just pop the camera and the FCON-TO2 lens into the housing, giving it a much wider field of view so you CAN capture much wider scenes, achieve split-level shots too and create a perfect snells window effect when framing a subject above you. The Pros are:- the edges of the image are sharp and there’s no vignetting the system stays light (just over 1 lb for the whole unit) compared to adding on a wide-angle lens directly to the front of a different housing which can make the housing tip forwards and downwards, even with a tray to help balance it. The Drawbacks are: keep an eye out for black corners to your image as the dome shade may interfere with the overall result and if this happens, simply remove it. Did you know that with this set-up you can actually zoom through the lens to achieve sharp close-up images too? Check out Ikelite’s website or direct link here to see how it performs underwater: https://www.ikelite.com/products/dome-port-for-olympus-fcon-t02-lens-and-adapter-kit?pr_prod_strat=pinned&pr_rec_id=ec369bea4&pr_rec_pid=3943133118533&pr_ref_pid=11527790933&pr_seq=uniform So let’s look at other wide-angle lens choices. A super popular choice with many starting out is Backscatter’s M52 Air Lens or AOI’s Underwater 0.75x Wide-Angle Air Lens (weighing 20 grams underwater/160 gms on land) which give an 81 degree angle of coverage, sharp corners, is light and easily screws into a 52 mm threaded mount. It works perfectly to restore the camera’s topside field-of-view underwater and at the same time will restore your image’s colour, sharpness and clarity by reducing the water column, therefore allowing you to get closer to your subject. It has an Anti-Reflection Coating too. You can also zoom through this lens to take full advantage of the TG’s Microscope Mode. An extra super useful touch is that you can attach the lens to your housing via a lanyard (a very thoughtful touch which is included with your purchase) which will keep your lens safe when you are underwater. It’s a great lens for turtles, large fish like groupers, divers and small reefscapes. I loved using this lens when I had the chance to photograph blue sharks off the coast of Cornwall with my Olympus TG-6 It produced detailed results as you can see here, but I really needed a wider field-of-view to be able to capture the whole body of the shark to be able to have a sharp result throughout the image. So do you really need to go any wider and why? For all those cave, wreck and super wide reefscape scenes with or without a modelling diver, this is where a wider angled wet lens really shines to capture both dramatic and creative images. There are a few makes to choose from such as Kraken, Weefine, INON, AOI and of course Backscatter! Let’s look firstly at Backscatter’s M52 120 degree Wide Angle Lens Backscatter have done a sterling job to design and innovate wide-angle lenses especially designed for the Olympus TG series and this lens is fabulous for those dreaming of capturing those captivating wider angled scenes. Like the Air Lens, it delivers sharp corners, there’s no vignetting (where little black areas appear in the corners of your image), has an Anti-Reflection Coating and you can zoom through the lens for those all important close-up shots, making it perfect for capturing Close Focus Wide Angle Images. Want to go Ultra Wide to capture even more of those wreck, pier or scenic cave shots? Weefine has designed a super wide conversion lens (depth rated to 60 ms) which offers an incredible 150 degrees at 24 mm and easily screws into an Olympus TG housing’s 52 mm thread mount. It also comes with an adaptor for 67 mm thread mounts. Just be careful as the weight of the lens is heavier than the others (690 gms in the air/255 gms underwater). It has a multi-layer BBAR coating for anti-reflection and optical clarity. It has an optical grade polycarbonate dome which is easy to repair if needed. Again you can zoom through this lens if needed. A super wide lens is incredible useful for close-focus wide angle images, allowing me to get much closer to my subject and with the use of just one strobe placed over the middle of my housing, I could illuminate the above subject. Kraken has also its own KRL-02 52 mm Wide Wet Lens which offers a 145 degree at 24 mm. It has also been designed with a 52 mm thread, also has a multi-layer BBAR coating for anti-reflection and optical clarity purposes. It also has the capability to zoom through the lens for a tighter frame. Just be aware that vignetting (black edges to the corners of your image) may still occur with different housings and lens combinations. If you notice this, just simply zoom slightly until the effect disappears. So there you have it, an introduction to the wonderful world of wide-angle creativity. Wide-angle has been my calling in the world of underwater photography and there's nothing more that excites me than creating a unique scene which captures guests' attention and creates a conversation to encourage them to explore our underwater world too. Warm Seas, Maria

Maria , our very own Compact Camera Specialist, will be hosting an online “Getting Started in Underwater Photography” event with the Royal Photographic Society on Wednesday 16 July from 1800 hrs to 2000 hrs. Maria will be sharing her experience over the past three years of shooting exclusively with smartphones, compact cameras, Insta 360s and Go Pros and promises to help inspire beginners capture their own vision to create award-winning content. Her presentation will delve into the many different options of accessory lenses and lights from various manufacturers with the aim of helping people choose the best system for their needs. Tickets are £35 for Non-Members or £26 for RPS Members which includes a free copy of Maria’s eBook “Getting Started in Underwater Photography” and free online ongoing support via Zoom or at her studio in Swanage. Details are on the Royal Photographic Society’s website at https://events.rps.org/en/4LrdQ66/rps-getting-started-in-underwater-photography-with-maria-munn-jul-2025-5a2NN29HgnF/overview

It's worth a read of the link to Dive Magazine's article on the UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch report on Red Sea liveaboard incidents. The report makes for sobering reading: 16 boats lost in 5 years. https://divemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025-SB1-RedSeaDiveBoats.pdf

Please note: a further update to the firmware files was released on 31 July. Pro Max firmware is now v2.17 - the version from the previous day was 2.15. Retra have announced updates to firmware on a number of their strobes. Pro Max II to v3.1 Pro Max to v2.17 Prime+ to v2.4 Pure to v2.4 The updates include bug fixes and performance improvements. Full details are set out in the usual App Store update pages.

A few months ago in November, Scubalamp showed a new "small strobe". I like small strobes and wanted one, but they have never appeared on the Scubalamp website. However there is a Fotocore GTM (the same ones in the Scubalamp posts that are available. I bought two of them, and last Saturday, I got to try them out here in Los Angeles. The strobe is a bit larger than the AOI RC strobes, and a bit smaller than the YS D3 Duo. The strobe is machined aluminum and appears to be very solidly built if a bit heavy (815 g without the 2 x 18650 batteries). The strobe has 7 power levels that are shown on a nice little LED screen on the back. The key advantage to the GTM is that it has beautiful light since it uses a circular flashtube. One peculiarity of the strobe is that it uses only flattop 18650 batteries that are both hard to find and expensive. I have boxes of 18650 button tops, but no joy in these strobes. To test them out, we went out diving to our local favorite spot off of Palos Verdes not far from LAX. I was shooting an OM-1 camera in an AOI housing with the 2 GTM strobes an a Leica/Panasonic 45 mm macro lens. The AOI has a built in LED trigger that never missed a shot with the strobes, I was using home-made fiber cables using the 613 core fibers. The Balonophyllia is a solitary stony cup coral, its main claim to fame is that in the colder months (it is always cold at PV, typically 50F, 10C) it can in fact sequester dissolved organic carbon from the seawater directly. Hopefully it can teach its warm water cousins the same trick. If California had a state nudibranchs it would likely be the Spanish Shawl These guy are everywhere and are quite beautiful. Interestingly the orange/blue/red and purple colors are all from the same molecule but with different arrangements of some elements. Black eye gobies are always curious, coming by to see what you are doing and smiling at you Two similar nudies are Porters and MacFarland; you tell them apart by the number of stripes. Porters has 2 syllables and 2 stripes, MacFarland has three of each. And finally there are clowns. Overall, I am very pleased with the performance of the GTM strobes. I didn't have a chance to see how they would be for wide angle (mostly the visibility was 2 meters or so) but at least in the studio they seem as powerful as the YSD3. If you are looking for strobes for macro shooting with some occasional wide angle take a look at these. Bill

https://xray-mag.com/magazines/134 https://xray-mag.com/magazines/134

Waterpixels is always happy to help promote the activities of our own members. Husband and wife team, John Warmington (johnvila) and Sandra Kaye, have set up Critter Spotters in Vanuatu which they describe as a "Photographer-Friendly Retreat". Here's what they have to say: "We’re John Warmington and Sandra Kaye, a husband-and-wife team with over 40 years of dive experience between us, and a combined 26 years of living here in Vanuatu. Together, we’ve built Critter Spotter, a dive offering created for underwater photographers and thoughtful divers — and Karma Waters, a private villa just steps from the reef we call home. This isn’t a large scale commercial operation or a packaged tour. It’s a personal invitation to dive the way we dive — slowly, with care, with curiosity, and with space to stay as long as the subject needs. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐮 ---- 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐞? Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific, east of Australia and north of New Zealand — a chain of volcanic islands with rich marine life, warm waters, and minimal dive traffic. If you can get to Australia, New Zealand, or Fiji, you’re just one short flight away. Direct connections from Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland, and Nadi make it surprisingly easy — especially compared to many Indo-Pacific destinations. We’re based on Efate, just 45 minutes from the international airport, in the calm, sheltered waters of Havannah Harbour — a site known for its gentle conditions and exceptional macro biodiversity. 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 – 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞 Karma Waters is a newly constructed private, one-bedroom, self-contained villa set among tropical gardens with ocean views and direct access to the reef. It’s ideal for dive couples or photography buddies who want flexibility and privacy without compromise. The king bed can be split to two singles for travelling buddies and in addition to your own comfy timber deck with water views you will have access to a large covered deck right on the waters edge, a luxurious day bed and lounges overlook the water. Grab a kayak and go exploring for yourself. We also offer on-site massage, yoga, or pilates sessions and can host your own private lifestyle workshop. You’re welcome to self-cater at your own pace, or just relax and let the water set the rhythm. There are dining spots close or private catering ca be arranged. ➡️ If your group is more than two, we can comfortably cater for up to four divers. While the villa remains best suited for couples or pairs, we’re happy to help arrange nearby accommodation for extra guests without compromising the experience. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 – 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡, 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝-𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 Our reef is one of those places that rewards repeat dives and patient eyes. Whether you're looking for frogfish, mantis shrimp, nudibranchs, moray eels — or simply just love long cruisy dives you'll have the space and time you need to make it memorable. We offer dives right from the villa, just go down the steps! It’s your choice --- we will introduce you to the area on arrival with a few guided dives and then it’s up to you – guided or unguided. Lets us know how many tanks you need! Our 5 metre diver friendly boat is surveyed and ready for adventure on request. We limit our numbers for a reason — so that you never feel rushed or overlooked. We don’t do schedules - dive when you're ready, linger as long as you want, your experience is the priority. We don’t teach – we dive and cater to certified divers only. Maximum of 4 divers. We all know the worry about weight limits and travel – we can ease that burden – all dive gear is available for hire plus we can cater to photographers with: GoPro, TG7 or Nikon D500 / Nauticam set ups on site, ready to hire. 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 John has spent the last decade developing his underwater photography through patience, passion, and deep familiarity with local marine life. He’s happy to share insights, offer camera advice, or help you troubleshoot a setup — casually, in-water, or over a post-dive photo chat. If you want more --- Workshops are available on request, whether you're just starting out or want a focused photo session. Sandy, a qualified divemaster and accomplished videographer, is especially intuitive with guests newer to diving, and is always ready to help spot subjects, keep an eye on conditions, or simply ensure your dive feels safe and supported. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 We’ve called Vanuatu home for years — and it shows in how we host. From cultural tips to hidden snorkelling spots, we make it our mission to ensure every guest walks away with more than just good photos — but a truly memorable experience. We share what we love in a way that’s real, relaxed, , no crowds, no rush and tailored to you! Ready to Learn More? 📍 www.critterspotter.com 📩 Email: [email protected] 📷 Follow us: @critterspotter If you're looking for a quieter, slower kind of dive trip — with time to shoot, space to think, genuine rest and relaxation, and a reef that still surprises us after hundreds of dives — we’d love to welcome you to Havannah Harbour. See you underwater, John & Sandy Critter Spotter | Karma Waters | Vanuatu"

If someone mentions the word Action Cam for underwater use, who else would automatically think of either Go Pro or the Osmo dpi range? This week I've been learning about Insta 360’s Ace Pro 2 and I have to say, I’ve been completely blown away by it’s specs. Not only does it boast an incredible Leica Summarit lens to set a completely new and unrivalled benchmark for action camera image quality (a whopping 50 MP), it has an F2.6 aperture to capture more light and reduce noise plus a 2.5” flip touchscreen plus many more incredible options to get super creative with your content. It has an elite 1/1.3” 8K sensor with 13.5 stops of dynamic range plus support for 4K 60 fps Active HDR and 8K 30 fps video. It also has a 5 mm AI chip for further processing and powerful performance. It promises to bring smoother, crisper 8k footage with incredible clarity , even in low light conditions, backed up by it’s renowned Flowstate Image Stabilisation and PureVideo software. It’s precise underwater colour technology ensures vibrant, true-to-life footage. It has outstanding white balance capabilities, boasts an incredible 157 degree field-of-view and is waterproof to 12 ms/39 ft. Leica has a long history of producing some of the best optics in the world, and I'm loving seeing the underwater images captured with this little gem of a camera. Has anyone got one? We’d love to see your images and hear your stories.

As a DIY Fiber Cable article was just posted, this seems like a good time to share this article on 3-D printing connectors for your DIY cables. The Connectors are really the heart of the cable, as the fiber is simply a manufactured item bought from a supplier. One of weak points of most of these DIY's is getting the right connectors. The solutions range from buying connectors (at about $10 a pop or $20 per cable), re-using connectors from old cables (which may require drilling them out and gluing fiber) to using random bits of off the shelf hardware which may have poor fit and finish. I've tried all of these solutions. Early in 2023, I bought my first 3D Printer and have been making a bunch of Scuba/Camera related parts. One of my early projects was a set of custom designed connectors for Optical fiber strobe cables. I think these are at least as good as the OEM cables I've seen from Nauticam, Inon, etc. And it had the added benefit of being really fun to design, print, test, and refine. I've been actively diving these connectors all year as have friends I gave cables to. Collectively we have done a couple of hundred dives with good results. If you have a 3D printer with some TPU and PETG or PLA material, you can print these out at a very low unit cost. You will need some M3x6mm nuts and bolts and 2mm thick fiber optic to complete. I suggest either 1-meter or 1.5-meter cables depending on your strobe arm configuration. I've just uploaded the design and STL print templates to the public sharing site Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6134211 Thingiverse Details: Inon Style Optical Fiber Cable Connectors https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6134211 Make your own optical fiber cables using these connectors paired with 2mm fiber. I used both 613 multi-core fiber cables and cheap TosLink cables. The design assumes 2.2mm OD for the cables. This design contains two styles of connectors: A 90deg elbow and 180deg straight connectors. The elbow part is printed with PETG. PLA will work but may not stand up as well to the elements. The actual connector parts are printed with TPU. These parts must be soft rubber, so no material substitutes are possible. The 90deg Elbow part snaps together and is secured with two M3x6mm nuts/bolts. These nuts & bolts can be purchased from many sources like Amazon and are very low cost. (A set of M3 bolts with ~40 sets in several lengths is $10) The TPU connector and strain relief parts fit in the groves of the elbow. Thread the optical fiber through the TPU parts and align them into the elbow before screwing them together. The TPU parts should be snug enough to hold the cable secure with no adhesive. If it is not secure, you can apply a small amount of silicone-based glue to the cable as you thread it into the TPU parts. Using glue may make it difficult to reuse the connectors should a cable get damaged. Use the connectors in combinations that work for your camera rig. I like a 90deg connector on the top of my Nauticam housing and a 180deg connector on an Inon or Backscatter strobe. With a Retra strobe a 90deg connector will work better. I have found these connectors to work well with a firm connection that is installed or removed with appropriate resistance.

Like most things, some attention to maintenance is usually a good idea. Underwater camera and cinematography accessories are no different, especially with the use and abuse most of it gets in unforgiving environments. Naturally, the better something is taken care of, the longer it will last, and even though Ultralight Camera Solutions products are virtually indestructible, treating them with respect will keep them in good working order. For the underwater photographer, after every dive, the best thing to do is thoroughly rinse everything in freshwater, inspect and service it if needed so it is ready to go when needed. For most of us, it's easy to forget and overlook these things that will bite us in the butt later, especially when we decide at the last minute to go diving. Being proactive is always better than being reactive. To learn more about caring for and maintaining your underwater photography accessories, we have put together some information and videos that you can view at the link.

Retra have announced a firmware update for the Retra Flash Pro Max (to v2.13), Prime+ (to v2.4) and Pure (to v2.4). The update includes bug fixes and a number of performance improvements. The update is available through the usual app download systems.

The Dutch dive show, Duikvaker, was held in Houten on 1-2 February. The German boat show which includes diving, Boot, is massive in comparison, but Duikvaker being purely diving is, as a result, very manageable. Many of the dive companies who exhibited at Boot were at Duikvaker so a large array of equipment was there both from distributors and dealers to poke, prod, try on and lust over. I was very tempted by the heated vests from Venture Heat! PADI ran its annual Member Forum and explained that they had increased their commitment to Duikvaker and intended to continue with that. A good number of photographic equipment manufacturers, distributors and dealers attended including Sea and Sea, Seacam, Anchor Dive Lights, Onderwaterhuis and SeaLife. Sorry, still no sign of that underwater unicorn, the Inon Z-xxx If Houten, which is just south of Utrecht, is easier for you to reach than Dusseldorf, Duikvaker is worth a look for future years. More information about the show is here: https://www.duikvaker.nl/en/

On a recent dive trip I met someone who is writing a dissertation on people who are 50+ and diving. If you are interested in contributing, the following is a link to a simple questionnaire which takes about 5 minutes to complete. I've become paranoid about online scams, phishing etc. But this looks fine and I know the author - and the information gathered is pretty innocuous. https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=e3VPRDDLUkaTvMqNbR74E5Cna1DJ6d1KvM2oRz5_gAdUM0Y3UEpYTkZERDJON09aNENVSEs2V1ZOMS4u

This article in the UK's The Independent newspaper caught my eye...... The IndependentScientists find way to develop shark bite-proof suits for...Researchers hope materials assessed in study can be part of the ‘toolkit’ to reduce shark-bite risk

Nikon have announced a firmware update to the Z8. Version 3.10. Available as usual from the Nikon Download Centre/Center

The latest edition of the excellent online Underwater Photography Magazine (UWP), edition 146, is now available. And it's free of course...... Link is here: https://www.uwpmag.com

The latest edition of the excellent Underwater Photography Magazine (UWP) is now available - edition 145. A link to it is here: https://www.uwpmag.com/

A member who is a physician (thanks @DocTock ) has passed on a warning from the Federal Drug Administration about the effect of Scopolamine motion sickness patches used under certain conditions. If you’re a user, you might like to read this link https://waterpixels.net/index.php?app=core&module=system&controller=redirect&url=https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-adds-warning-about-serious-risk-heat-related-complications-antinausea-patch-transderm-scop&key=a8758139d8c7b733e9cdd78fc4f7f8b7f2f61bcebf7f6faac9903308d718186b&email=1&type=notification_new_private_message

Panasonic has made a significant announcement for hybrid photographers and videographers with the launch of its new full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Lumix S1 II and Lumix S1 IIe. Both models are engineered to cater to the demanding needs of creators who seamlessly switch between capturing high-quality stills and professional-grade video. Lumix S1 II: Pushing Boundaries with a Partially-Stacked Sensor The flagship Lumix S1 II marks a milestone for Panasonic, introducing the company's first partially-stacked CMOS sensor. This 24.1-megapixel full-frame sensor significantly boosts read-out speeds, enabling impressive capabilities. Videographers will appreciate the ability to record 6K30p open-gate video, offering greater flexibility in post-production. For still photographers, the S1 II delivers with a remarkable 70 frames per second continuous, blackout-free shooting experience. Key features of the Lumix S1 II include: 24.1MP Full-Frame Partially Stacked CMOS Sensor Open Gate 6K 30p Video Recording 5.1K 60p Open Gate Recording 8.0-stop 5-Axis Image Stabilization Technology Phase Hybrid Autofocus with AI Detection Lumix S1 IIe: Streamlined Power for Creative Professionals The Lumix S1 IIe offers a more streamlined package while retaining many of the advanced tools found in its sibling. It is built around a 24.2-megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS sensor. This model also supports Open Gate 6K 30p video recording, ensuring high-resolution video capture. Photographers will benefit from features like 96MP high-resolution handheld stills and the inclusion of Photo Styles and Real-Time LUT application. Key features of the Lumix S1 IIE include: 24.2MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor Open Gate 6K 30p Video Recording 96MP High-Resolution Handheld Stills Phase Hybrid Autofocus with AI Detection Photo Styles and Real Time LUT Shared Strengths and Availability Both the Lumix S1 II and S1 IIE share a robust set of features designed for professional use. These include: Dual card slots for versatile media management. A high-resolution tilting/free-angle LCD screen for flexible monitoring. A durable body built to withstand demanding shooting environments. The Panasonic Lumix S1 II is set to retail for $3,197.99 USD, while the Lumix S1 IIe will be available at a price point of $2,497.99 USD. These new additions to the Lumix S-series lineup signal Panasonic's continued commitment to providing powerful and versatile tools for the modern hybrid shooter.

SeaLife have recently released their new S Smartphone Housing which is compatible with all iPhone models and some Android models (the Ultra is compatible with almost all Androids). It is slightly smaller both externally (16%), internally (27%) and is also 16% lighter than it’s popular Ultra model weighing in at 24 oz/680 grams compared to 808 grams. It has the same easy-to-use buttons and large shutter release making it a complete breeze to use when wearing thick gloves. It includes the same visible Moisture and Pressure Change Leak Alerts but these are not audible like the Ultra and it has a maximum depth of 30 metres compared to the Ultra’s 40 metres. A red filter is an optional extra with this starter kit but a light weight travel pouch is included. It has 3 accessory mounts compared to the Ultra’s 7 to connect to any tray with standard tripod threads and is of course compatible with all of SeaLife’s Flex-Connect Trays. The same popular settings are available via the free SportDiver App available on both Apple and Google Play Stores: Adjust Zoom Exposure (EV) Auto/Manual Focus White Balance Tint Lens Selection RAW and JPEG shooting options Video Stabilization Movie Mode SeaLife also offers a 52 mm 0.7 x wide angle lens, plus a wide angle dome lens which increases the shooting angle by 43%, allowing for a closer photography distance and improved edge sharpness. These attach directly to their lens adaptor which can be used with the Sportdiver S Housing, allowing all lenses from their range and other brands with 52 mm or 67 mm threads to be mounted directly to expand both macro and wide-angle creativity. Step-up rings can also be used for other sized lenses. This image is of the SeaLife SportDiver Ultra Version using the Dome Lens It is also offers more bounce for the ounce with a lower price tag of $299.95, making it a more affordable option for starters in underwater photography using their smartphone. I loved using my SportDiver housing when it was first released and this is sure to be another popular addition to the SeaLife family. For more information visit www.sealife-cameras.com

When Nikon acquired a controlling stake in RED Digital Cinema in early 2023, the industry took notice. For photographers and filmmakers alike, this wasn't just another corporate merger—it signaled Nikon's serious commitment to professional cinema production and a strategic evolution beyond still photography. Strategic Integration and Immediate Benefits The integration has moved quickly. RED has already released cinema cameras featuring Nikon's Z-mount, creating a native pathway for Nikon glass to reach professional cinema environments without adapters. This compatibility breakthrough offers significant workflow advantages for creators invested in both ecosystems. The technical advantages of the Z-mount make this integration particularly powerful. With its 55mm diameter and minimal 16mm flange distance, the Z-mount delivers exceptional optical flexibility, supporting everything from ultra-fast apertures to edge-to-edge sharpness across varying sensor sizes. For RED's cinema application, this mount architecture provides future-proofed optical performance while simplifying lens choices for filmmakers. Image credit: Nikon.com Nikon's Video Evolution Z9 vs Z8 - image credits: cined.com Concurrent with the RED acquisition, Nikon has dramatically expanded the video capabilities in its flagship cameras. The Z8 and Z9 now incorporate features previously exclusive to dedicated cinema cameras: Internal 12-bit RAW recording ProRes and N-RAW codec support Advanced log profiles Professional monitoring tools (waveforms, vectors) Timecode synchronization N-RAW and R3D: Complementary Codecs Since the acquisition of Red, Nikon has two Raw codecs in house. Rather than competing internally, Nikon's N-RAW and RED's REDCODE (R3D) formats serve distinct purposes within the expanded ecosystem: N-RAW targets hybrid creators and solo operators with its efficiency-focused design. The 12-bit compressed RAW format balances high-quality acquisition with manageable file sizes, making it ideal for documentary filmmakers and content creators who need cinema-quality results without complex external recording setups. REDCODE RAW (R3D) maintains its position as the industry-standard cinema codec, optimized for controlled production environments and post-heavy workflows. Its established integration with DaVinci Resolve and REDCINE-X makes it the preferred choice for high-end production houses REDCINE-X is a free, professional-grade software application provided by RED Digital Cinema. In addition, Adobe has announced that it will support the N-Raw codec within its video editing software Premiere Pro. The Future Landscape This strategic alliance is redefining Nikon's identity in the visual content creation space. By bridging the gap between hybrid creators and cinema professionals, Nikon is positioning itself as a comprehensive imaging solutions provider. The RED acquisition doesn't represent a casual expansion into video—it's a fundamental repositioning that leverages RED's cinema expertise alongside Nikon's optical and sensor technology. For working professionals, this integration promises future innovations that blend RED's cinema heritage with Nikon's technological prowess, potentially creating entirely new categories of imaging tools designed for modern visual storytelling across all formats.

Nikon announced the Z5 II mirrorless camera last night, but in addition to that announcement was another exciting update for Nikon videographers. The company revealed that Adobe will finally offer support for Nikon's N-Raw video format in Premiere Pro. N-Raw is Nikon's proprietary 12-bit Raw video format. It supports Rec2020 color gamut and allows users to adjust white balance in post-production, much like what's possible with Raw photo files. As a result, it provides more flexibility during the editing process. Despite that extra data for editing purposes, it also produces smaller file sizes compared to Apple ProRes Raw. It's ideal for those who need editing flexibility while saving space on memory cards and hard drives. The only other options for editing N-Raw files are DaVinci Resolve and RedCine-X Pro, so it is great to see Adobe getting on board. While support for N-Raw in Premiere Pro is certainly welcome news, users will have to wait until "the end of 2025." Nikon didn't provide more specifics than that, simply saying it will come with an updated version of Premiere Pro coming later this year. Here the Nikon full press release: https://www.nikon-asia.com/articles/nikon-n-raw-video-format-will-be-supported-in-adobe-video-editing-software-premiere-pro

Negative Space The two main tips on starting underwater photography are Get Close and Shoot Upwards. The idea being that the closer you get, the less the water interferes with the image. By shooting upwards there is a better chance of increasing the impact of subject by separating it from a messy background. Those two elements of guidance, especially the latter, can go a long way to improving image-making. But there comes a point for many underwater photographers where images become all a bit routine - yet another fish portrait? A FRESH APPROACH I hit this plateau some years back whilst running a dive resort in the Lembeh Straits. Just how many xxxxfish/seahorse shots could I take? I wanted fresh ideas. A fresh approach. I wanted to create something that wasn’t a fish portrait. A resort guest, a very talented underwater photographer, pointed me in the direction of using “negative space”. What? Negative space is “a term used in art to describe the space surrounding a subject. Also called white space, it is typically empty and lacks details as to simplify an image. Negative space surrounds positive space in a work of art”. “Typically empty” and “lacks details” are the key elements. A blank canvas. So how do you find or create “negative space”? A very simple example: if you shoot upwards, into the blue, you have lots of negative space - the whole ocean. Lighting can be tricky but is manageable. SEARCHING FOR NEGATIVE SPACE How about searching for a piece of coral that produces effectively a blank canvas? Corals can come in all sorts of interesting colours, shapes and sizes: think, for example, of Elephant Ear corals with their vibrant orange colour. A blank, orange canvas. Then see what lives there, what lies there, what might come on to that canvas and create a visually striking image against the negative space. What about a colourless rock? Or one covered in red algae? With this technique, you think about the dive in a different way and new ideas emerge: graphical images, images of perhaps only one or two strong and contrasting colours or shapes. The fish portrait starts to disappear and the image becomes one of lines, colours and contrasts. The subject might become an accessory to a strong visual impression. Try a dive where, instead of going hunting for a subject, you go hunting for a good negative space, a canvas, and see what might be there or, with patience, what might show up. Take some time to weigh-up the canvas: angles, colours, contrasts…. you might end up spending the whole dive in only one or two spots. CREATING NEGATIVE SPACE Inevitably though some dives sites just don’t offer negative space. So create your own. There are several ways. Using the widest aperture setting, so reducing depth of field, can turn a fussy background into a creamy, indistinguishable canvas. This is using the “bokeh” effect beloved of portrait photographers. This works very well if shooting low and upwards. (I can recommend 45-degree viewfinder for this!) and for subjects that are parallel to the camera sensor rather than being at right angles. Or the opposite: a fast shutter speed will reduce the amount of light the camera sees and turn the background into that classic black canvas. Or maybe not quite so fast and get a mid or dark blue canvas. Rather than shoot at, say 1/100, try 1/250 or the fastest your camera can sync with the strobes. High Speed Synchronisation - HSS - equipped strobes and triggers are a major bonus allowing much higher shutter speeds. Or use a snoot. Snoots are a great way of concentrating light onto a subject. A negative space is then created in the shape of a black or unlight canvas for the areas the snoot does not light. SEE THE DIFFERENCE Hunt for negative spaces, play around with these techniques and you may well find a whole new style of diving and a whole new way of image-making. Images which are strong graphically or in their simple and contrasting colours. And if that doesn’t work, you can always go back to fish portraits. A fast shutter speed creates a black canvas A red canvas of algae A wide aperture creates a blurry background Coral creates a canvas for a graphical image Snoots create negative space and highlight subject

Disclaimer: Thanks to Pietro Cremone, the Italian distributor of Nauticam, I had the opportunity to try out this interesting lens on a recent trip to Anilao for blackwater dives. Blackwater diving is a form of night diving that involves exploring open waters off oceanic coasts. Unlike traditional night dives, which take place near the shore or in shallow waters, blackwater dives occur in deep waters, typically offshore over deep ocean floors. During these dives, divers immerse themselves in dark waters, often with depths exceeding 100 meters. A bright buoy connected to a variable-length line (20-30 meters) is placed in the water, to which very powerful torches will be attached. The lights are used to attract plankton and marine creatures to the surface, offering divers the opportunity to observe these unique creatures up close and appreciate their beauty in a completely different environment. Additionally, the lights serve as an optical reference for divers as they drift with the currents alongside the buoy and line. Blackwater diving can be an extraordinarily fascinating experience, but it requires adequate preparation and some experience with night diving. Divers must have excellent buoyancy control and perfect self-management skills, including with their photographic equipment. In recent years, these dives have become very popular, especially among underwater photographers, who can capture stunning images of animals that normally inhabit oceanic depths and, thanks to currents and the upwelling phenomenon, ascend towards the surface. Among these creatures, one can find zooplankton, larval stages of many fish species, mollusks, shrimp, etc., and even rare encounters with Paper Nautilus or the Blanket Octopus. Locations for this type of diving are scattered around the world, and the most famous ones with dive centers with greater experience can be found in: Anilao in the Philippines, Hawaii in the USA, Palm Beach in the USA, Lembeh in Indonesia, and Cozumel in Mexico. For photographic equipment, it is recommended to use a macro lens with a 1:1 ratio and a good field of view (ideally 50 or 60 mm equivalent full frame), with good AF speed, two strobes, and a focus torch positioned on the housing to assist the AF system of the camera body, and a narrow-beam torch for searching subjects, which can also be positioned on the housing or held by hand. For photographers using Nikon or Olympus, they are fortunate to have two excellent lenses available: the Nikon AF-S 60mm f/2.8 G ED Micro and the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm f/3.5 Macro, which are perfect for Blackwater photography. However, for Canon and Sony photographers, it is unfortunately more complex because the available optics have very slow AF (Sigma 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro Art and Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro), and in Blackwater, it can be frustrating to try to focus as we really have to seize the moment: subjects are free in the water and besides drifting, they move constantly, making it much more difficult to capture correctly. Using more performing lenses like Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro or Canon 100mm f/2.8 L Macro unfortunately becomes more complex, even though they have a good AF speed, due to the narrow field of view. An interesting solution to solve this problem is provided by Nauticam. In recent years, Nauticam has been investing heavily in "wet" optics, such as the WWL and WACP-C series, to name a few. In 2020, Nauticam launched a new system of wet optics on the international market, the EMWL series (Extended Macro Wide Lens). The EMWL is designed to work with various macro lenses and is optimized for both photos and videos. It is a "wet" mount design so that the lens can be attached and removed underwater. This increases the versatility of the entire system. EMWL is a modular system composed of three main parts: the focusing unit, the relay module, and the lens. Plus, an accessory for quick mounting. On the Nauticam website, you can find a detailed description of its features and the modules that compose it. Being a Canon user, I have strong limitations on the lenses to use in BW, and I thought this lens could help solve them. The setup I used is as follows: Canon R7, Canon EF-S 60 macro, Nauticam NA-R7 housing, N100 flat port 74, Reverse Angled Viewfinder 32º, EMWL Focusing Unit #1, and 60° objective lenses. Pre-Dive Considerations It is important to note that the EMWL is a lens designed for underwater use and must be immersed in water to function properly. When testing the flash before the dive, it is necessary to get very close to the object, about 1 cm, to make the camera's autofocus work. If you photograph in the air, the autofocus will not focus on anything; immersion of the lens in water is essential. However, at a distance of 1 cm from the lens, autofocus works and allows testing the flash dry. The EMWL is composed of heavy optics. On the Nauticam website, you will find tables for each part of the EMWL. In my specific configuration, the Focusing Unit weighs 728g, the Objective Lens 60° 378g, the Reverse Viewfinder 700g, and the M77 to BM II 122g, for a total of 1,928 grams to add to the normal configuration without a 45° Viewfinder. In my case, I use the normal 45° Viewfinder and should subtract the weight of mine, which is about 480g. So, compared to my base configuration, I add a weight, out of the water, of 1448g. I emphasize this point because on my first dive, I didn't worry at all about the additional weight, but using the camera with this extra weight was a bit more complicated in normal BW use. I recommend neutralizing this additional weight as much as possible with floats or floating arms. In-Water Use With a 60° field of view, framing subjects becomes significantly easier, which is definitely the strong point of this system. This allowed me to quickly and better frame the subject through the Viewfinder. Locating and focusing on the subject was significantly simpler with this lens, allowing me to track it and get as close as possible. The autofocus was not affected by the additional lenses of the Nauticam EMWL system. The focusing systems, single-point AF or AF tracking, worked perfectly. I did not notice any differences compared to normal use. I only experienced a worsening when using the red color of the focus lights. With subjects more sensitive to white light, such as Squid or Paper Nautilus, I usually use only the red color of the focus lights. However, with the EMWL, changing the color of just one focus light from red to blue or white, the autofocus work perfectly again. The Objective Lens 60° has the ability to adjust the minimum focusing distance in 3 modes; surely the 55mm-infinity adjustment is preferable for blackwater photography. Searching for the minimum focusing distance, especially for smaller subjects, framing becomes more complicated, but I noticed a greater magnification of the subject. Comparing notes with Pietro, he confirmed that the 60° lens can achieve a magnification of 4x at the CFD, and this is another advantage of this system. Obviously, for smaller subjects, it is always more difficult to get a good shot, but with this lens, we could photograph other subjects that we normally give up on because they are too complex or have obtained poor results due to the 1:1 ratio of the lenses used up to now. Another impression I had is that the lens provides a greater depth of field. Reviewing the shots taken of a male Paper Nautilus attached to a tunicate, I noticed that a good part of the tunicate and the Paper Nautilus were well in focus. However, I did not have many similar shots during this test session. The only "negative" feedback I can provide from my experience using it in blackwater is that occasionally, on slightly overexposed shots and with highly reflective subjects, the lens produces a white halo around the subject. In the shots taken, the number of files with this issue was negligible, but I felt it was important to mention it. Final Thoughts I was thrilled to use this system, and I would like to thank once again the Italian distributor of Nauticam (Fotosub-shop.it - Pietro Cremone) for giving me the opportunity to test it in black water. Certainly, this system requires various trials in the water by the user, but once the right balance is found, it can provide incredible images of both typical subjects in blackwater and smaller subjects. The cost of the complete configuration may not be within everyone's reach, but as we know, our hobby is expensive, and we do enjoy expensive toys. If you have the opportunity to purchase it, you could overcome the limitations we have with the lenses used in blackwater. If I have the chance to try it again, I would like to use the 100° lens for larger subjects, such as a Blanket Octopus (if they are easy to find), a beautiful female Paper Nautilus, or a large jellyfish; it could be very interesting, considering also that changing lenses can be done underwater, being very careful not to let it slip, though... I will keep you updated. Hydrozoan Jellyfish - 1/320 F14 ISO 320 Tube anemone larva - 1/320 F14 ISO 320 Flounder larva - 1/250 F16 ISO 320 Mantis shrimp larva - 1/250 F16 ISO 320 Crab larva - 1/250 F16 ISO 320 Unidentified - 1/250 F16 ISO 320 Juvenile benthic octopod on a salp - 1/250 F20 ISO 320 Juvenile benthic octopod on salp - 1/250 F22 ISO 320 Seahorse, Hippocampus sp. - 1/250 F18 ISO 320 Dotterel Filefish - 1/250 F20 ISO 320 Veliger larva - 1/250 F16 ISO 320 Shrimp larva - 1/250 F16 ISO 320 Mantis shrimp Larva - 1/250 F18 ISO 320 Fish larva - 1/250 F16 ISO 320

In these last months of 2023, underwater photography and video enthusiasts have witnessed a phase of particular excitement in the action cam market with the release of new models of video cameras, cases and other accessories. If in the camera sector GoPro has suffered an attack from the competition with the presentation of models suitable for 360° shooting or equipped with a larger and more high-performance sensor (the very recent INSTA ACE PRO with its 1" sensor), as regards accessories, GoPro, thanks to its market share, remains the brand most paid attention to by producers. Particular attention was attracted by the releases of an aluminum case and two additional lenses produced by the Taiwanese AOI. In recent weeks I have had the opportunity to talk about one of the lenses dedicated to GoPro, namely the wide-angle AOI UWL-03 which follows its "twin" INON UFL-G 140 SD, highlighting its qualities and price. In this article I would like to make some brief considerations on the case of the same brand for the GoPro 9,10,11,12 and the AOI UH GPX. Made of aluminum, it is guaranteed for a maximum depth of 60 m (196 ft). It features a housing for the video camera and a battery that is used to power the cam and the 5" rear monitor. It is also equipped with a vacuum system. In the front part, in front of the lens, the bayonet coupling system is mounted to allow the additional lenses to be applied and removed while underwater. The bayonet connection also allows you to insert colored filters (red, magenta etc...). The price in Italy will be approximately €1,800.00. On the body of the case there are some buttons that should allow you to make choices of the various parameters to change the shooting settings during the dive. Some have expressed doubts about the maximum depth of use of 60 m which, for an aluminum case, seems too limited. I believe that this parameter is indicated according to the use of additional lenses which have their operational limit of 60 m. I believe that, ultimately, the only real advantage of this case consists in the rear screen which expands the limited view allowed by that of the GoPro. In my opinion, however, an adjustable screen would have really made a difference as it would have allowed better management of the panning of the camera system. Of course, should I have the chance to test this product, I will be happy to share my impressions in the field. Puccio Distefano

A few changes to the recently announced v14.5 have just arrived - now v14.5.1 Adobe report the changes as follows: This update includes bug fixes reported by the community, along with new cameras and lenses. P: LrC 14.5 Edit in Photoshop does not work when opening RAW photos P: Unable to relaunch after File>New Catalog/Switching catalogs, or relaunching with certain plugins P: Deleting a photo from a selected group takes you to the first photo, not the next P: Compare mode "Down arrow" destroys selection And here's the link: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/lightroom-classic-14-5-1-is-now-available/td-p/15476347

Yet another update to Lightroom for Classic users - to v14.5 - was released on 12 August . This has all sorts of tweaks especially to the Generative Remove tool. It uploaded and ran on my Mac Studio without a hitch...... Full details are here: https://lightroom.adobe.com/home?promoid=LH4XT66T&locale=en-US&mv=other&mv2=tab

INON INC. releases two new ZD Front Mask on August 5, 2025,: the ZD Front Mask for Ace Pro 2, designed to fit the official Dive Case for Insta360 Ace Pro2, and the ZD Front Mask for Osmo Action 5 Pro, made specifically for the official Osmo Action 60m Waterproof Case. Attaching the INON ZD Front Mask allows the use of the underwater semi-fisheye conversion lens UFL-GR140 ZD (*1) which can deliver wide and quality view with its large-aperture optics across more wide-angle FOV settings on Ace pro 2 and Osmo Action 5 Pro, as well as the compact UFL-G140 ZD.* Also, the wide variety of INON close-up lenses (UCL-G165ll ZD, UCL-G100 ZD, UCL-G55 ZD) (*2) now allows Ace pro 2 and Osmo Action 5 Pro users to enjoy macro imaging that wouldn’t be possible with the camera alone. INON also releases the 4D Light Grip in late September, which can be mounted onto the housings of various action cameras. This highly versatile grip allows users to attach both an action camera and a light at the same time. (*1) Lens hoods included with UFL-GR140 ZD shipped before Augst 5, 2025 may be visible in footage. 　　Please use the updated "Lens Hood II (for UFL-GR140)" which is available for separate purchase. (*2) UCL-G100 and UCL-G55 shipped on or after August 5, 2025 will come with newly designed Focus Stick that helps prevent interference when used with AcePro2 and Osmo Action 5 Pro. For existing UCL-G100/UCL-G55 users, updated Focus Stick II is available for purchase to replace the original Focus Stick. INON_ActionCamera_Compatibility.pdf

A firmware update is available from the Nikon Download Center/Centre for the Nikon Z6III. This is an update to v1.11 from v 1.10. As far as I can see, the update, in keeping with a dot.xx version, is minor and no super-dooper new features are involved. The link is here: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/fw/564.html

https://xray-mag.com/magazines/133

Isotta are an iconic, trusted name in underwater imagery built on experience and excellent customer service who have made beautiful sturdy underwater housings over the years for all kinds of camera models from Go Pros and Insta 360 Ace Pros to Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic and Sony. They offer advanced, high quality products which respond to modern needs, remaining true to the passion and innovation which Egidio Isotta started from his own dream back in 1967 in Italy. They have recently released their RED64 Underwater Strobe in the same Iconic red anodised aluminium body for which Isotta is world-renowned. It features (to name a few) the following: Two connections: 1 fibre optic and an S6 Power 230 Watt Guide Number 22 underwater with ISO 100 300 Flashes per full power charge Colour Temperature: 5400 K 10 stop adjustments for Flash Power HSS for Sony, Canon and Nikon Both Full and Half Power on white plus red focus light Double o-ring seals on all buttons and removable parts It is unique in that even it's flash compartment is completely waterproof even with the battery compartment open and as with all Isotta products, has the option to customise it with your logo or name. Finally it has a: Working Depth at 100 metres Weight in water 230 grams Weight in air 1500 grams It measures 195 mm x 173 mm x 100 mm. Dive on into their website at www.isotecnic.it for more information.

UwP144 · May/Jun 2025 RELEASED - Click here UwP144 · May/Jun 2025 RELEASED - Click here

Firmware Update for Sony A7sIII and Sony A7CII / A7CR https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7sm3/downloads Sony A7III https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7cm2/software/00301105 Sony A7CR and Sony A7CII

DEMA (The Diving Equipment & Marketing Association) show begins on Tuesday November 19th in Las Vegas. Marelux will have a booth in the imaging section where participants can see and handle the latest equipment including the excellent Apollo III & Apollo S strobes. I used the Apollo S strobes for 65 dives and now over 12,000 images on a recent trip to Bali. I will be in the booth along with Stanley and Bella, we will be happy to answer your questions and demo any equipment of interest. If you are at the show please stop by booth #7125 and say hello.