ChipBPhoto

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Hi @Hiloboy - congrats, it looks like you do a good job of caring for your housing! As for me, I only remove the handles maybe once a year for cleaning or if I need to remove them for travel. Question, how do you like the R7? And what port/lens do you use for wide angle images?

@Radioactive_rhino Matt was a terrific buyer! Very friendly, paid quickly, and had great communication. Highly recommend!

Thanks for the update. Seems I made the right choice. I had the online order form filled out up to entering the credit card info. After thinking about it, I decided the small initial savings did not offset my concern of a company requiring up front payments in full to pre-fund their production costs. I'm also not a fan of not know exactly how much I will need to pay in import duties/taxes once it is shipped. I'm sure it will be a terrific system, but I personally decided to reconsider them once local dealers have them and the field testing has been done.

CHRISTMAS PRICE DROP!!!! Perfect gift for someone wanting a small, very capable rig at a great deal! List of items: Price New Selling Price Sony a6600 Body.....................................$999.................$599 Sony 16-50 f/3.5-5.6 PZ Lens..................$299.................$100 Nauticam NA-a6600 Housing................$2513................$1400 Nauticam Vacuum....................................$220.................$100 Nauticam Zoom Gear NA-36172..............$242.................$150 Nauticam N85 Port 45 w/ Knob...............$619.................$400 Nauticam Manual Flash Trigger...............$308................$200 Totals: $5200 $2949 AMAZING Package Price for all Above: $1,895, OBO!!! - Reasonable offers accepted. - Payment via PayPal F&F; please add 3% for PayPal Goods & Services for those with positive activity. USPS Priority shipping to US lower 48 states included. Prefer US sales only to members with activity in community. Please DM me with any questions. NOTE: CMC-2 / bayonet adapter sold

My apologies if I am misunderstanding your comment, but the MFO, CMC, etc. are each stand alone lenses. They do not stack.

I have heard of someone using a 3-way clamp on one side at the middle joint. (i.e. middle joint of either the left or right arm) He mounted the 3rd strobe to a small arm at the 3-way clamp that positioned it more towards the middle on that side. This would also give a bit more power if it is moved closer to the main strobe on that same side. You could also use the 3-way clamp at the end of the arm and mount 2 strobes side by side, angling them slightly away from each other increase power on that side overall. With that said, he reported the 3rd strobe is also more cumbersome to maneuver both on the boat and in-water. I tend to favor Tim's suggestion of leveraging more natural light, even if I have to use a higher ISO, and then use the strobe(s) to highlight a subject or area. Most strobes with a diffuser will give up to a 160 degree of coverage, which can be overlapped in the middle if a large shadow area appears. Let us know how it turns out chip

This is a great perspective. Thanks Davide!

Hi @Proteus, You’re asking the question we all ask. I frequently photo my local beach area at sunrise. I have both an iPhone and my normal camera with me. There are some pretty spectacular mornings with bold morning colors. I’ll post a quick image from my phone after a little LR mobile editing. Yes, it looks great! I later download the images made with my camera during the same session and am blown away! The detail, dynamic range, and ability to really dial in the scene delivers an image at a completely different level. To me, the phone pics are fun, easy, and super convenient, but just don’t hold up against the high quality potential and results of a current camera. Like Tim and Chris said, then you factor in lighting and overall image control uw and a phone just does not match, especially at the depths and macro detail you’re talking about. It really comes down to the right tool for the right output and user experience. I made some very nice images with my old Canon G11 and a pair of Inon S2000 strobes. (Similar to G7X / S220 today) It was small, easy to pack, and allowed me to get places my now much larger rig simply will not fit. It did not, however, have the same exposure control your current system allows. I learned the limits of my G11 and concentrated on those types of pics. It was a trade off, but a good one for me at that time. An APS-C like the a6700/a6600 or Canon R7 could also be a slightly smaller choice while maintaining some decent manual control and image quality. Today I too grumble about the size of my now much larger rig, but I love the images I can make once I see them after the dive. The big question is are you willing to give up your ability to dial in the settings to make a great image for a much smaller and lighter phone with much less detail and ability?

BLACK FRIDAY PRICE DROP!!!! Perfect gift for someone wanting a small, very capable rig at a great deal! List of items: Price New Selling Price Sony a6600 Body.....................................$999.................$599 Sony 16-50 f/3.5-5.6 PZ Lens..................$299.................$100 Nauticam NA-a6600 Housing................$2513................$1400 Nauticam Vacuum....................................$220.................$100 Nauticam Zoom Gear NA-36172..............$242.................$150 Nauticam N85 Port 45 w/ Knob...............$619.................$400 Nauticam Manual Flash Trigger...............$308................$200 Totals: $5200 $2949 NEW LOWER Package Price for all Above: $1,995!!! Other items: Price New Selling Price Nauticam CMC-2....................................$387...............$295 Nauticam Bayonet Mount Adapter...........$62................$40 Payment via PayPal F&F; please add 3% for PayPal Goods & Services for those with positive activity. USPS Priority shipping to US lower 48 states included. Prefer US sales only to members with activity in community. Please DM me with any questions.

Getting a bit concerning in that area....

I totally get it. For me, I do almost all my editing in LR, often on an iPad for portability. Final touches are done on my computer using plugins like Topaz as needed. While I almost never use PS, there have been some images that this new action would be quite helpful in finishing. The good news is we can launch BXT from LR, quickly do the needed clean up in PS, and then immediately save the updated image back in LR. This flow is simple and much smoother than feeling like we have to open PS and work there separately. We need to find the work flow that is best for each of us. The upside is the BXT action is pretty easy to use if one already has access to PS via the Adobe Photographers program and a quick, no PS experience needed option is wanted.

…some day…. Still no release date. It appears they also had a prototype of the snoot for the HF-1 on display, but didn’t talk about it on camera.

The WWL series is designed to take an average kit lens, like the 16-50, and both noticeably sharpen it and correct for water distortion. It also significantly widens the FoV up to 130 degrees, depending on the specific lens used. The corners are also sharp when used at f/8 and above on an APS-C. There could still be a slight fisheye effect and some slight distortion in the extreme corners at the 16 end, but it’s a pretty amazing and versatile solution!

Hi @Whiskeyjack, Yes, it is only for PS. The reason is it is actually a PS “Action” that activates a separate layer. Unfortunately, LR is not able to work in layers which is why both PS and LR still coexist. Have a great weekend! chip

Hi all, I am selling my rarely used Nauticam SMC-1. The images show its excellent condition. Included are all items originally packaged such as both covers and the adapter to allow it to screw on to a 67mm threaded port. It allows macro lenses to focus within millimeters of the subject with a ~2.3x increased magnification. A tiny nudibranch can fill the frame with razor sharp focus! This is the premiere Super Macro addition for popular lenses as the Nikon 105, Canon 100, and Sony 90. Price: $365 via PayPal F&F (Almost a 40% savings off new price!) …Please add 3% for normal PayPal Shipping to the continental US included. Strongly prefer US buyers with some history in this community. Please DM with any question. Thank you for looking!

Hi @Mark H - congrats on your new rig! I agree with the comments listed above. The WWL is a terrific option for a blend of travel size and image quality. It is on my rig about 90+% of the time. One of the best features is it can focus at almost macro level of closeness to your subject. (See Dave Hicks amazing nudibranch). I have basically gently placed the dome on a starfish leg and it nailed the focus! As far as Nauticam in general, you will love it! I’m on my 3rd Nauticam housing and have found them all to be extremely well made and quite durable. Just remember to articulate the buttons/levers in fresh water after the dive to keep them working well. Blow out the excess water after to keep them clean underneath. Also, be sure to dry off the housing with a soft cloth to keep it from showing hazy water spots on the black body finish. And of course use their grease for their gray o-rings. The main body o-ring needs basically no grease as it doesn’t move. I run it through my fingers after I’m done prepping the others to pick up just a hint of the residue. Enjoy!

Nicely done @Wags , thanks for sharing. Definitely shows potential, especially with color correction.

For what it's worth, I have not noticed any issues with the WWL doing video. I also have a good friend that exclusively does video on a m4/3 and has used the WWL for years with no issues. The only exception is a time she didn't burp the lens after entry and missed some footage due to the camera focusing on a small grain between the flat port and WWL. Oops!

...especially current models!

Yes, I've been told by a6700 users that it is a noticeable improvement over previous "a" series models, especially in focus speed, tracking, and overall lens performance. This does boost the Zeiss 50, and other legacy lens performance. White balance is also noticeably improved. If you decide you want a longer macro, perhaps consider the new Tamron 90. It translates to 135mm in FF terms. The min focus distance is less than the Sony. It does not have the OSS found in the Sony 90, but there is onboard stabilization in the a6700 body. Some still prefer to have OSS built in to the lens, while it is not an issue for others. Personal choice and needs.

Hi @bghazzal, For macro, I have been quite impressed with the Zeiss 50 2.8 macro. I use it with my a1 and have found it to be a fast and accurate focus with very sharp details. This translates to an 75mm in FF lingo, which is not much of a difference than 90. I also tried the Canon EF-S 60 with a Metabones V. For a Sony solution, I prefer the Zeiss 50 in all aspects over the Canon 60. For wide, I’m a big fan of the Nauticam WWL-1B, or WWL-C depending on the lens used. It is super sharp to the corners and allows zooming as needed. The view range is 130 degree FoV down to ~60 degree FoV. It also allows super close focus on standard lenses which is great for a near macro closeness or close focus wide angle work. Curious why you’re not interested in the Canon R7? Canon white balance has traditionally been better, but Sony has made significant improvements. chip

Great info, thanks! And yes, looking cool is the top priority! 😆

I see more and more divers on S Florida boats with rebreathers. There are definite benefits, especially for us photographers. I appreciate how Dave also is clear about the prep and cleaning time required. The investment cost and training required is also important to factor in. If the steps are followed, rebreathers are safe and rewarding.

Yes, the 3rd column M3 Max 16/40c is what I am planning to buy, although not with 128GB / 8TB. It seems Thunderbolt 5 is a next gen advancement, but like clock speed between the M3 and M4, not a huge difference in real world application today.