ChipBPhoto

@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

Exactly what @Nemrod said, and this is the main reason I invested in the WACP-C. The dry port eliminates the chance of any tiny bubbles between the port and WWL, especially in a rapid entry situation. I also have the 140 dome I use for a variety of lens. For me personally, I prefer the extra zoom range the Sony 28-60 with the sharpness and more open aperture options the WACP-C or WWL provides.

That is exactly how I feel, and I have been a dedicated Inon user for more years than I am willing to admit. I always had a great experience with all the various Inon models I used and never a complaint regarding performance or durability. With that said, I, like many of us, have moved on to something else due to their lack of product introductions over the past few years. Newer models from Backscatter, Retra, and others have a feel of advancement rather than recycling previous models and technology. It's a big ocean and I am sure they will have happy buyers of their new 360s. From a product and manufacturer stand point, Inon disappeared and allowed others to take their sales with newer successful products. Rarely do manafacturers recover.

The multi-use housing and trigger-power bank makes an interesting solution. Given other housing prices, $3,400 is reasonable as well. Thanks for sharing, @Phil Rudin

SOLD!

I normally use Advanced mode due to occasional video. With that said, I have not seen a focus difference between Green and Advanced for photos with newer bodies. The Metabones adaptor has both a White and Red mark for the mounting the lens. As the 60 is an APS-C lens it matches the White mark. The Red mark is for EF full frame lenses. (i.e. Canon EF 8-15 or EF 100 macro)