bghazzal

I currently use an AOI double flip holder for my diopters (CMC-1, AOI +6 mostly), and plan to use it with MFO3 when I make the jump to a rig with the Sony 100mm macro. The other flip holder will holder either a MFO1 or the AOI 12.5 (which is similar to the SMC1) The dual flip is bulky but really convenient. And if you ever get into blackwater divin, bayonet or not you don't really want to be handling lenses in the dark over deep water if possible. As a caveat, if you ever consider the cheaper AOI flip, make sure you get the small spacer adapter for Nauticam lenses (not the one which comes with the lenses, it's too large and doesn't fit), as these diopters cannot be used as is because of the protruding lens design, which is too long for the AOI holder and means the lens rear hits the port glass.

I worked there a few years back (left in 2023), so this is a little dated, but I can help to some extent. I would definitely second doing land-based diving there. The liveaboards are not true liveaboards covering a wide area. They usually end up moored near German Channel for most of the trip and dive from there as a fixed platform. On the plus side, you do get to dive Peleliu on liveaboards, which is less commonly dived from land as it is further away and uses more gas. Land-based operators are also generally less familiar with it for that reason, and it has the most complex currents in the area, which adds to the difficulty. You also get sunrises and sunsets on liveaboards, but that's pretty much it... Early diving is not really a thing, as diving in Palau is tide-dependent. Most sites are best dived on incoming (rising) tide. A liveaboard’s fixed schedule and location can actually be a disadvantage, whereas good land-based operators will plan dive times around the tides, including early departures when it makes sense. Night dives are rather average. Look into the following operators: Sam’s Tours (very experienced in the area) Neco Marine (smaller operation, owner is a photographer, staff should be able to customise dives) Blue Marlin (Japanese operation, very experienced and pioneers of many spawning dives along with Daydream. Just check if there's English support) Fish and Fins is probably still the busiest, so flexibility may be limited Another operator to look into is Palau Dive Adventures. I am not sure how they are doing currently, but their approach used to focus on smaller groups and more personalised diving. There is also a small operator based on Peleliu itself, if they are still operating (Peleliu Divers IIRC). The owner and guide was Godwin. Very remote and isolated, but excellent for diving Peleliu, and you can also access Ngemelis area sites like Blue Corner from there. Resort-wise, it really depends on your budget. All operators leave from Malakal (small island connected to Koror) in the morning and will pick you up from anywhere. None of the resorts have a real beach except the most expensive and luxurious one, Palau Pacific Resort. It also has or had a Japanese-run dive centre, but other operators do pick up from their jetty. It also has sunset views, which are rare in the area. On Malakal itself, Cove Resort is nice and convenient. For a more budget-friendly option with access to restaurants, definitely look into Palau Central Hotel. It is in downtown Koror, which is not particularly pretty, but it gives you access to actual restaurants, bars and supermarkets, unlike most resorts which are in more remote locations. If you want something less all-inclusive, this is a good choice. The drive from Koror to Malakal is about 15 minutes, so it makes no difference for dive pickups. One thing to keep in mind is that all of the scenery and diving are in the Rock Islands national park. Koror itself is not especially attractive, and aside from a few public parks there is very limited access to the water nearby. You generally need to drive some distance. Nice to do a land tour on Babeldaob for instance or drive around for that, but don't expect many nice spots to relax in the afternoon after diving like you would have in SE Asia for instance. For planning, for me the most impressive dives were the spawning dives (bumphead parrot fish and snappers) - bumpheads is the easier one as it's a more protected area, whereas the snappers is more exposed (so condition dependent and challenging with a camera rig). These happen a few days before the new moon or full moon - it's a very early morning dive, and operators will want to have seen you in the water first so don't arrive straight for this, but plan ahead with the operator (and for this land-based operators often have the edge). It's a dive you will remember. Hope this helps. Feel free to ask here or by PM. cheers Downtown Koror: Malakal from above:

Some software, like DaVinci Resolve, has a function where you can set colours using a colour checker, which helps establish accurate colour values. Here is the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mao2HSKxMkY Underwater, where colours are filtered anyway, it seems a bit overkill to aim for colour accuracy rather than visually pleasing results. For example, the colour grading on BBC Blue Planet is far from technically accurate. That said, some videographers do use colour checkers as a shortcut to establish baseline colour information for grading. Personally, I use a WhiBal grey card to set white balance underwater, then adjust in post based on personal preference rather than strict accuracy.

Selfish enquiry for the nearby future - has anyone worked on focus gear for the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 GM in its Nauticam N100 Macro Port 125 by any chance?

I was just thinking of that this morning as I was struggling to film a hairy shrimp swinging on a leaf at 6m depth... I did get shots when it hopped on a piece of dead coral, but yes, a protector could be very handy in the shallows in certain circumstances. Wonder how functional it is for surge - the dynamics seem complex. Very interesting idea, I'd also love to hear if anyone has something that actually works

One good person to ask regarding Osezaki would be Kenji ICHIMURA. He runs Dive in Japan ( NPO Japan Diving Experience) working to facilitate diving in Japan for non-Japanese speakers. Contact info is here: https://dive-in-japan.com/contact-dive-japan I know Osezaki also happens to be his diving home base, and he recently wrote an article on Osezaki for X-Ray Mag here: https://xray-mag.com/content/osezaki-gateway-deep-heart-suruga-bay I've heard he was at the Salon de la Plongée this year, so you might actually have met him there 😁

As a follow-up, it seems Nauticam makes a small adapter which can be used with the AOI flip: https://www.nauticam.com/products/m67-adaptor-ring-for-smc-1-to-use-on-25104-25105?variant=46258313097 It is designed for the SMC-1, but I think the design is similar to the CMC-1. I have asked for confirmation that it will work with the CMC-1 and MFO-3 on an AOI flip holder.

When I was working there, we called these sudden murky green cold-water upwellings the “Green Monster”. It was particularly strong at Koh Tachai, which is the most exposed site in the area, as well as Koh Bon and, yes, Richelieu Rock. We had a season in 2019–2020 when the water stayed cold and green for weeks, if not months. At times it shifted from green to brown at Richelieu, prompting Japanese divers to joke that it was like diving in miso soup. The cold water did bring out a lot of interesting critters, with plenty of rays of all sorts, including shovelnose rays (guitar sharks). Richelieu, Bon and Tachai are really special sites. I have worked in quite a few excellent places, but I still have dives from there etched in my mind 😃

Yes, I use the dual flip all the time now, with the AOI +6 and the CMC-1 - had to balance it with a buoyancy block, but it's fine. On the LX10 the main issue is that the port is so short the lens can bump into the housing, and do get in the way of the lights for macro, but it's manageable. It shouldn't be an issue with a longer port. Streamlining and macro don't go together 😁 my "compact" LX10 rig in BW neutral buoyancy configuration - some people have nicknamed it the Nostromo... I'm a little torn on the 90 vs. 100mm - I was planning on getting the 90mm because there are good deals now, but after looking into it it looks like tracking / video AF might be really optimised on the new 100mm, which could be interesting... I feel I might regret getting the 90mm as a first (and final, for a while) purchase... grass is always greener, all that 😅

Thanks Craig - yes, I hope it will be ok. Even if I need to change the circuit, the housing remains a good deal. It's just a bit of a letdown. The A7SIII upgrade is really exciting, but still very much a work in progress. The plan is to set up a macro rig first, using the Sony 90mm with the MFO-3 and SMC-1 / AOI UCL-09 on the dual flip for a bit of flexibility. If the stars really align, it might be the new Sony 100mm instead, with the same configuration. The housing was really the biggest hurdle. Now it's the camera body, and I still need to decide whether to go Japanese-model for a very good deal, or international for English menus. I can deal with Japanese menus, but it'll make googling information more complicated and limit resale options (though this isn't super important as I plan on working with this camera for a while) One thing at a time. For now, I have a shiny new housing, albeit a silent and empty one, to cuddle, so I am pretty stoked 😁

Could Nauticam have introduced AI as an R&D aid? That picture gives me cold sweat....

I'm in Japan but haven't been yet so can't offer practical advice. i do know that strobes are not allowed for the hammerhead dives at Yonaguni, not sure if it's the same at Mikomoto, would need to look into footage. There's no mention of it on their Q&A, so probably ok. Speaking of which, watch Kirin's documercial on Mikomoto-hammers if you haven't already to get a feel for it: https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/1881-documentary-on-mikomoto-hammers-mikomoto-japan/ A week sounds on the longuish side given that it's going on a packed boat in often rough seas to do short dives, might be a little intense. I doubt they organize actual macro diving on the peninsula as they're very much focused on drift dives around the islet, but they might have partner operations. Look into transport though, not really sure how access is. Mikomoto Hammers does mention this on their site: If the sea conditions are poor and we cannot make the dive at Mikomoto Island, is it possible to dive at another site? Yes, it is possible to dive at another site if you make a request to do so. However, where we choose to dive will depend on the sea conditions on that day. So, for example, if the west wind is too strong, we will dive on the east side of the peninsula. cheers

Thanks - here are some pics:

Thanks everyone. I'll look into it, thanks Chris - the circuit looks simple enough but I lack experience. I'm not 100% sure the vaccum circuit works as I thought the lens cap had an o-ring but it doesn't, so I can't test it as I don't have a port yet or easy access to one here unfortunately. It turns on fine and moisture does cause the LED to go from blue to red. Yes, I do have my doubts as I always dive with a hood but would rather have it working if I can. I did hear it in Thailand when I had an issue with the LX10, but didn't connect the dots strait away. Otherwise through testing on my LX10 I just realised the buzzer doesn't actually work when the battery is low - I go through batteries fast (I usually dive early morning, so set up the day before and sometimes open the housing the next day only) so was keeping them a bit after getting the alternating red/blue low battery indicator... Basically I was diving without a buzzer for a while on the LX10... 😅

Thanks! I've worked quite a bit in Khao Lak on day trips and liveaboards to Similan and Surin NP - the shop I was working for was run by a photographer, and he event went diving in Thap Lamu pier (for gobies) - this is where most liveaboards leave from and is also a fishing pier, so it was quite extreme 😄