ChipBPhoto

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)

I use the Metabones. There a catch on the lens that does not work with the MC-11.

Hey @TimG Definitely a time of mixed emotions. Mourning the loss of your extremely dependable companion is tough, but this is also a time of excitement for some new features and a fresh new body. I just hooked a buddy up with a pre-owned Oly E-M1 vII, the Oly 12-50, Nauticam housing, and WWL-C. Due to the unique macro locking capabilities, this lens does full zoom with a true macro option at 42mm. It's not the sharpness of the 60mm, but it's a pretty slick overall system. Compared to my years of both APS-C and FF, I was pleasantly surprised at the image quality from such a small rig. I owned the E-M1 and loved it as a land camera due to the size and much cheaper lens prices. As you mentioned, the Pan or Oly 8mm is a solid fisheye option. So far he is using the mini-flash as a trigger and it works great. The Nauticam trigger would be the go-to for faster action series. As a bonus, you would make Chris a happy-camper. If you want to enjoy the rich "Canon colours" (and I even spelled it correctly for you 😁) the Canon R7 APS-C is an incredibly solid choice. The Canon 8-15 would be your fisheye option with the ability to use the WWL-1B for a very versatile wide option with zoom. If you find a Tokina 10-17 it works perfectly as well. The Canon RF 100 macro is exceptional. It is also a great land camera at about the same size as your D500. Lastly, the Sony a6700 rounds out the APS-C line-up. I have used this as well and enjoy the overall size both uw and as a land option. It contains many of the great focus technology of the larger Sony a7V in a much more compact body. Focus tracking is one area in which the Sony line excels. Your Nikon 8-15 can work using the correct Monster adapter, but the Canon is potentially a better choice due to the Metabones V and Sigma MC-11 models having a more dependable connection. The new Sony 100 is razor sharp and a fast focus. In total this ends up slightly smaller than the Canon R7 rig and a bit larger than the OM option. Sorry, Nikon is the only brand I have not personally owned so I defer to others to speak in that realm. Rather than "telling" you which to buy, I'm just sharing my experiences with the various brands and models. From there it's up to you as to what best fits your needs, budget, and overall feel. In the end, thank you for contributing to the local economy and welcome to the Nauticam global alliance. 😎 Cheers! chip

I have a Canon 60 as well that I often use on black water dives with my a1. I find it focuses as well or better than the 90. The find the lens length is a good option just like the Nikon 60. As I use it for blackwater any vignette is not an issue. Ironically I use the Nauticam 90 port for it as well.

Hi, @Terri , As a Sony FF (a1) owner I can confirm the Canon 8-15 with either the Metabones IV or V or the Sigma MC-11 is a great option. I personally use the MC-11, but also own / use the Metabones V. For a TC I use the Kenko 1.4x attached to the 8-15 followed by the MC-11 connected to the body. In Nauticam world, this works well with the zoom gear designed for the TC. For most dives I prefer a water optic system such as the WACP-C (dry mount) or WWL-1B (wet mount) with the inexpensive Sony 28-60 lens. This gives up to a 130 degree FoV with a nice zoom range. The Canon 8-15 is what I use for those scenes that are a bit wider such as a massive wall, large view of a wreck, or inside a wreck when I do not mind a bit of the fisheye effect altering the vertical lines. Hope this helps! chip

How did it “feel” in water (balance, etc.) vs no collar and more traditional arm floatation?

Very interesting, @Dave_Hicks ! I like the streamlined design. Let us know how it goes.

Hey all, Looking for a Nauticam N120 Extension Ring 25. Prefer a US based seller. Please DM me if you or a friend has one to sell. Thanks! Chip

Correct and good strategy. Just remember a TC + an SMC is next level of difficulty. Also keep in mind the further you are away from the subject, the more chance of particles in the water column between the lens and subject. Your lighting output will also need to be increased. Sounds like you already understand that part. Let us know how it goes!

Hi @hellhole , You nailed it! Yes, the SMC and CMC significantly reduces both the working distance and depth of the actual focus window. In short, they allow you to fill the frame with a tiny nudibranch or similar by requiring the user to be incredibly close to the subject. Hence the term “Super Macro.” With that said, because the depth of the focal plane is so narrow, the slightest micro movement is the difference between an incredibly sharp awe-inspiring image and an out-of-focus miss. This is especially true with the SMC-2 on the 100 or 90, as an example. Add a TC and its an exponential level of difficulty. I know someone that has truly mastered macro and now uses the new 100, TC, and SMC-2. His work is outstanding! He also devoted countless dives over many years honing his skills to use such a precise setup. His suggestion is to master the macro lens. Then add a TC or SMC and master that. Lastly, experiment with them combined. Incremental steps reduces frustration, builds on experience, and delivers positive results. Hope this helps! Chip

Excellent overview and summary, @Davide DB . If Laowa is able to make quality native Sony FE mount and Nikon Z mount fisheye lenses with AF, that will be a true game changer in the underwater market. Sony is the most popular underwater brand and the Z8 seems to be the most popular single body today. They would basically match the total dominance the Tokina 10-17 held for APS-C bodies.

In Nauticam land, the N100 to N120 adapter is designed to account for the width of the MC-11 or Metabones. Both are the same width. You would then add the appropriate extension ring (30mm in this case), zoom gear, and dome. Isotta would have something similar as this is a very common setup. If you add a TC, you need a new zoom gear that accounts for the longer overall lens length and the additional extension ring. In Nauticam the TC would add an additional 20mm of extension. Hope this helps explain the overall concept. Enjoy! Chip

It will be interesting to see the actual "real-world" underwater performance differences between this new model and the a7rV. As an example, the advances in the a1II over the original a1 were solid, but did not impact the underwater experience. One promising update appears to be a better heat management design for in-camera video recording. This would be a win for both video and hybrid photogs. I look forward to the actual usage comparisons once they make it to the ocean.

I primarily use a Nauticam water contact lens, normally the WACP-C or WWL-1B for a smaller rig. With that said, I find the 8-15 +1.4x behind the 140 dome a perfect solution for specific wider needs. Yes, I do miss the longer zoom capabilities of the water contact options with the Sony 28-60, but image quality is never a concern with either. Great images @Dave_Hicks and nice comparison!

BUMP for Best Offer!

I have the same opinion. The 8-15 + 1.4x TC is a terrific setup for close larger animals in an ultra-wide FoV. It’s my go-to for manatees, for example. I also prefer this combo if I know I’m photoing wrecks, especially for wide exterior or interior frames. I find the water contact optics at 130 degrees are often not quite wide enough for full room captures in a confined space. That’s where the 8-15/TC wins every time. As far as IQ, honestly they both seem about the same to me when viewing without a high zoom on the screen. Great octo-action frame @Dave_Hicks !

As an owner of a WACP-1, WACP-C, WWL-1B, and Canon 8-15, here is my objective, real-world experience with all. I use the inexpensive Sony 28-60 in all cases except the 8-15 for ultra-wide scenes. Note 1 - One of the greatest strengths of all the wet optics is the inclusion of a real zoom option. Note 2 - All water contact optics have a slight degree of barrel distortion at the wide end. Scenes such as pier legs or wreck interiors are best when zoomed in a bit to help compensate, or correct slightly in post. This is not, however, noticeable in normal reef scenes even at the widest FoV. WACP-1: Dry Port - no water layer between the lens and external dome. - Large on the surface with a weight of 10lbs dry - Best image quality of the three, but not overly noticeable unless comparing side by side with others - Very stable in-water due to size; beneficial for slower shutter or video work WACP-C: Dry port - Smaller version of the WACP-1 weighing only 5lbs dry, or half as much - Not quite as sharp, but only noticeable if compared at high zoom in image review side by side with the same from a WACP-1 - Substantially lower price in comparison WWL-1B: Wet Mount Port - layer of water between the flat port and the attached WWL. - By far the smallest and lightest of the 3 - Very similar image quality to the WACP-C. - My go-to choice for travel when size/weight are issues - The lowest overall cost - Must “burp” lens after entry to make sure no air bubbles are trapped between port and wet lens - *WWL-C is same concept except designed for 24mm lenses vs 28mm Canon 8-15 w traditional hemispherical dome - Go-to fisheye option for exceptional quality - Ultra-wide 180 FoV vs 130 degree max - No real zoom ability - Easily used with a 1.4x teleconverter for greater reach with no noticeable image degradation Does the addition of a water-contact optics improve the quality of a standard kit lens? In my actual use and real-world comparisons…yes. I find the corners to be sharper at a wider aperture. This provides great flexibility when lower light becomes an issue Is this better than a traditional lens and dome? That’s really personal taste, very similar to how much salt to add to food. “Better image quality” is open to interpretation. With regards to overall user experience, I personally feel there are greater options to capture a moment, especially in fast-action scenes with the water contact optics. Can I prove any of this with scientific numbers? Nope, that’s not my forte. These are simply my personal finds and my personal preferences. Plenty will have other opinions and/or thoughts, and that’s great too. That’s why there are many options so all preferences can be met. Paraphrasing Ansel Adams, the image is made 12” behind the lens. In other words, it’s not the gear, it’s the photographer that makes the image. Above all, dive and enjoy capturing the moment!

Payment received - Ring sold to @divegypsy Many thanks, Fred!

I would also put the Sony 28-60 in that same group. While I understand the theory that layering additional glass may not improve uw performance, I have not experienced that when using the uw specific optics, especially the WACP-1. I have been shocked at how well the ~$300 lens performs behind it, especially on a high MP camera such as the Sony a1 and a7rV.

Thanks @divegypsy - DM sent

Selling a Nauticam N120 20mm Extension Ring with Lock. (NA #21120) Price New - $390 Sale Price - $225! No marks or scrapes Includes USPS Priority Shipping to lower 48 US buyers only Please reach out with any questions. Thanks for looking!

Weekend Price Drop!!! WACP-1 (NA #85201) N120 version NOW - $2895 (40% off new!!!) N120 Extension Ring 35 (NA #21135) NOW - $295

Hey @Johno1530 - I have the same scenario. I was looking strongly at the Kraken 5.5 v2 but ended up with the Karen 7”. Ironically, it is actually a bit thinner and seems to fit the overall housing a bit better. Besides, with my not-so-great eyes I figure a little bigger screen is better. In full transparency I have not yet taken it for a dive as of yet. With that said, I have a couple good friends that use this model and are very happy with the performance and size.