ChipBPhoto

Hi @Terri - congrats on your new Canon 8-15 and Metabones V. This will work perfectly with your Sony a7rV. I own an a1 in a Nauticam housing with this exact lens / adapter combo. Which specific Zen dome do you have? It does make a difference. The Zen 100 is not the best choice for a high res FF body due to the ultra small dome size. There is also a version made specifically for the Tokina 10-17 which is different than the one made for the Canon 8-15, again neither are recommended for the high res systems. The N100-N120 adapter with the zoom knob and Nauticam c815-z gear is how you will zoom the lens. Add an N120 30mm Extension for the 8-15 and Metabones for proper mounting. If you later add a 1.4x TC an additional N120 20mm is needed either as a 20mm added to the 30mm or using a separate 50mm Extension. I use the Nauticam 140 dome port with my Canon 8-15. It is a full hemispherical dome which is what is best for the fisheye lenses and the smallest size that will provide good corners for high res FF systems. Teleconverters also work with this dome whereas they cause a horrible "smearing" in the corners when attempting to use it with the Zen 100 designed for the 8-15.

Hi @Adventurer - The lens correction referenced is done in LR during post. It can be disabled there. The best solutions are to either frame a little wider to crop the outer edges or not use the LR profile and manually update the image as needed. LR had the same issue with the original RF 24-240 profile. Not an uw lens, but a fantastic travel lens I frequently use.

Hi @HamsteRfury , Very exciting to get a new rig! Check out Kate Jonker (https://www.instagram.com/katejonkerphotography/) She does quite a lot of discussions and instruction around the TG series and how to maximize the results. She also just did a post on this very question regarding what is needed to build a new TG or other system. I think you will find this and her other posts quite informative and engaging. She stresses how it's not how much you spend on your rig, but rather how to use it and the strengths that camera model possesses. Regarding strobe vs video light, definitely a strobe. For photography, video lights do not provide the same amount of light as when a strobe fires. That sudden burst of light is what helps freeze motion. A video light does not offer the same. Also keep in mind that more affordable ( i.e. cheaper) video lights will shift their color and intensity as the battery drains during use. This can introduce color challenges in your photos, even when capturing in RAW. And yes, starting with 1 strobe is a great idea. There is so much that can be done with a single strobe. Most importantly, having a single strobe will allow you to master that strobe and learn the best positioning before it becomes more complicated trying to balance two. Think of learning to fly a plane with a single engine before the new pilot is allowed to fly a multiengine aircraft. While the TG has some exceptional macro capabilities, as @TimG said an add-on wide angle that will allow Close Focus Wide Angle (CFWA) will be your best friend in murky waters for those wider views. @Dave_Hicks also does some terrific CFWA in lower vis waters. In both CFWA and macro, the benefit in low viz is minimizing the the water between the lens and your subject, which also allows the best lighting on your subject. Best of luck! Cheers, chip

Hi @vkalia - Sounds like a fun trip. Curious, which Canon body?

To satisfy my curiosity regarding the CFWA abilities with 50mm total extension rings + N100-N120 35.5 adapter, I set up this very basic test scenario. (Sony a1, Sony 2x TC, Metabones V, Canon 8-15) (NA-a1, N100 30 Extension, N100-N120 35.5, N120 20 Extension, Nauticam 140 done) The figure is sitting with basically the nose to the glass dome with fast, solid focus. Lens was zoomed out to wide 8mm. In short, excellent close focus capability and no vignette with the shade installed.

@Chris Ross Here are the non-scientific, “try-it-and-see” results. The housing was placed in the same position on all tests. Details are on each image. Note “16mm” is 8mm plus the 2x TC. There is also an image of the actual 50mm extension setup to validate. The dome is the Nauticam 140 dome with the removable shade attached. The zoom gear used is the Nauticam C815-Z+1.4 The knob on the N100-N120 35.5 adapter controls the zoom gear. Note - the tripod mount on the Metabones V needed to be removed as it was blocked by the lock mechanism in the N100 30 Extension. Remember, this was not intended to be a test of a compelling image or focus chart. It was simply to see what works and does not. I am not interested in math equations regarding perceived optimal lens placement. I just wanted to see the trial and error results. Hopefully this is helpful info.

Selling my Ikelite DS160 strobe head. I purchased years back, but never used. Confirmed functions as normal. Simply add a battery. Includes: DS160 head, Diffuser, Manual, and charger **Does not include battery. Price: $250 including shipping to lower 48 Shipping to US only, please. Payment: PayPal F&F (no fee method) or Zelle (add 3.5% for PayPal Goods and Services) Please reach out with any questions. Reasonable offers considered. Thanks for looking!

UPDATE - I was able to remove the mount at the bottom of the Metabones. This allowed the N100 30 Extension to be mounted directly to the housing. Setup in order of assembly: NA-a1, N100 30 Extension, N100-N120 35.5 adapter, N120 20 Extension, Nauticam 140 dome Sony a1, Sony 2x TC, Metabones V, Canon 8-15 Initial image quality looks good. No vignetting with the shade attached. The real test will be in the water soon. BONUS: Based on the setup above, the Nauticam 815+TC Zoom Gear works perfectly!! Collecting all the various bits over the years pays off. 😁 FURTHER UPDATE w/ 60mm: I also setup the following to allow a total of 60mm of extension (30+30): NA-a1, N100 30 Extension, N100-N120 35.5 adapter, N120 30 Extension, 140 dome RESULTS: Shade is very prominent in image until ~12mm. This leaves only 3mm of zoom, which is no zoom at all. In short, the shade must be removed leaving the glass completely unprotected. Image quality does not appear to be noticeably different. Short answer, thank for the useful comments. Fortunately, I have an existing solution and do not need to "invest" any more than already made! WooHoo!!!! Cheers! chip @Architeuthis @Sokrates @Chris Ross @Gudge

Hi, @Architeuthis - I saw the 60 total, but only have 50, so I gave it a try. Even at the full wide end of 8mm, there is zero vignetting with the 140 dome with the shade attached. IQ looks good as well. The results will be from a dive. Thanks, @Sokrates for the gear producer’s name. I’ll reach out to see what he has. I’ll also try the 30 extension to compare as well. I did super basic tests with both the 8-15 + 2x and the WACP to compare. Seems the 8-15 more or less matches the 130 FoV at ~10mm, followed by some similarities. The WACP with the 28-60 obviously has more reach with the 8-15 being a full 180 FoV. In short, the 8-15 with both a 1.4x and now 2x gives wide flexibility, especially once a zoom gear is found. The 28-60 remains strong for medium wide to tight with near macro level close focus. Between them, it should make for a very fulsome solution!

Hi, all, I just picked up a Sony 2x TC to pair with my Canon 8-15. Does anyone have 3D plans or a suggestion for a zoom gear? Here is the exact housing setup: Nauticam housing Sony a1 Nauticam N100 to N120 35.5 Nauticam N120 30mm + 20mm Extensions Nauticam 140 dome Lens assembly order: Body > Sony 2x TC > Metabones > Canon 8-15 The gear teeth would need to line up with the zoom knob on the N100 to N120 adapter. I have the zoom gear for the 1.4x TC, but the Sony is a completely different size and in an entirely different position in the assembly. Thanks! chip

Yes, it is due to the eye sensor. The eye sensor mistakes the housing as your eye and thinks you are using it. The result is it does not sleep.

Hey @akarnani , On my a1 I set the view finder selection to be manual. I then set button C3 to switch between the VF and back panel. This allows me to easily switch as needed and defeats the issue of the auto sensor picking up the housing as your eye. This is the same as what @bghazzal shared. It works great! Cheers Chip

Hey Alex, Another great question. It’s all about the right tool for the right need. If I want to capture an ultra wide scene, it’s the 140 dome and Canon 8-15, with and without a teleconverter. This could be massive reefscapes, wreckscape, or interior room to show an expansive 180 view. If I want to do a typical all around dive or capture big animals where a true zoom is beneficial, it’s a WACP or WWL. If I ever want to get serious about splits or need a rectilinear look, a 230 dome would be best. Thus far it has not been enough of an interest for me to warrant the investment. Which is “better?” None, in my opinion. They are simply tools to maximize the photo opportunity or capture the desired image. Cheers Chip

Hey @AlexUW26 - great questions. Everything has a trade off. Have I experienced flare when aiming at certain angles pointing up towards the sun? On occasion, yes. And with the WWL as well. Is it frequent or did it impact my overall photo session? Not in the least. It’s something you can easily see when making the image, and equally easily slightly modify the angle to eliminate the momentary flare. It actually has nothing to do with depth as I have encountered it at 100’. Its simply the light coming in. As an added bonus, it is incredible if you like CFWA images. It can focus at near macro closeness making it an all around solution. As I said, everything has a trade off. The smaller size, sharpness, and versatility easily offset the minor quirk. I have other lenses and domes I use for specific needs, but for a great all around solution I personally feel it’s a winner. Hope this helps! Chip