ChipBPhoto

The 180 is a very fine dome made with high-quality glass. It does very well with a rectilinear lens such as the Fuji 10-24 or similar. The Canon fisheye lens is a different design due to the 180 degree FoV. Like @RomiK shared, it has to do with the curvature of the dome glass and how light passes through. That is why you do not see it as a recommended dome for fisheye lenses. When a TC is added to a fisheye, it removes some of the native fisheye effect and starts to approach what a wide rectilinear lens will produce. Again, the 180 dome is high quality. It just doesn’t have the correct curvature for a true fisheye lens.

Hi @chemsdiving , I use the Canon 8-15 and Kenko 1.4x TC with a FF body. The 140 works very well as it is both small for travel and hemispherical. The 30mm extension is needed for the lens with an additional 20mm needed for the TC. Unfortunately, different zoom gears are required for the lens alone vs the added TC. I tried the lens with the 180 dome. Like others have said, it’s not the best choice due to the curvature. The 230 dome has traditionally been the go-to larger option. It also allows the best chance of clean split frames if that’s an interest. Yes, Zen does make a 100 mini dome for the 8-15, but take note it is not the same dome as that for the Tokina 10-17. The 8-15 model is specifically designed for the 8-15. As a bonus, it also has a shade that is removable and replaceable underwater when you may decide to make a circular frame. One big note, the Zen 100 is not at all a good choice for use with a TC. The edges smear badly which often ruins the image. Hope this help! Chip

HI, @Kristin , First, terrific frame you shared! Clearly you have skills. As a long time Canon user I can share some of my experiences based on what you shared. Your 7DII is a terrific camera! I know why you used it so long. It was marketed as an affordable sports camera with great quality. The R7 would be a similarly targeted model with a higher resolution. A big enhancement is the focus accuracy and speed. The "Canon colors" we all love remain the same. It also remains APS-C so basically everything you have, even EF-S lenses, should work by simply adding the Canon RF-EF adapter. There is absolutely no lag in focus speed or accuracy with this adapter as it is designed by Canon for their proprietary communications. Definitely a cost savings! Lastly, as it remains an APS-C, it has a noticeably smaller housing which equates to a smaller housing cost. The R50 is nice and very affordable. David Hass has produced some terrific images with it! The R7 does provide a greater degree of functionality, if you want that. (Side note - the RFS 18-150 lens is a nice do-all travel lens for land) I've been using Nauticam for my last several rigs, and yes, their prices have ballooned, to say the least! And that was before any tariff talk. But they are extremely solid!! I've actually had a deck hand "throw" my Nauticam rig to me from the boat into the water. Fortunately, there was no seal issue after it hit the water. It has to do with their main port locking system and overall durable built. (And yes, we did have a very firm one-way conversation when I got back on the boat!) Your current ports/domes are N120 and the R7 housing is an N100. Never fear, the N100-N120 adapter is the same length as the needed RF-EF adapter. Again, a potential cost savings. The famed Tokina 10-17 works well with the R7 as does the EF-S 60. (no longer made so don't give it up unless you're sure you won't use it again) The new RF 100 is definitely an upgrade over the EF 100, when you're ready. You would just need to add a flash trigger and you are set. While there will be a sizable investment, this could be the easiest, most cost effective, and familiar upgrade path. The R6II is a great body, but does lack in resolution. (although fantastic for astro photography due to low res, low noise.) I only say this as you mention you are not afraid to crop. The R5II is their latest do-everything-really-well camera. I have an R5 and love it! I'm not sure the R5II offers much over the R5 underwater, other than better heat dissipation if you want to a good amount of 4K-8K video work. In FF, the new Canon 24-50 works well and pairs nicely with the Nauticam WWL-C if you ever want to explore their wet optic options. (Dave Hicks has great experience with this setup). Similarly, the RFS 18-45 works well on the APS-C models and also works with the water contact options. Both options provide ~130 degree FOV on the wide end down to ~70 degree FOV when zoomed. This is not as wide as a true 180 degree fisheye, but I primarily use these for their versatility while remaining acceptably sharp throughout. If you move to FF, the Canon EF 8-15 is the fisheye high-water mark. (also uses the RF-EF adapter) The quality is beyond sharp. If you use the Zen 100 dome with the Tokina 10-17, unfortunately there is a different model designed to work with the Canon lens. I would suggest the Nauticam 140 or Zen 230 for the 8-15. (140 is great for travel while the 230 allow easier split shots). Keep in mind the 8-15 is basically either a circular fisheye (kinda cool for a few pics) OR 15 fisheye. Unlike the Tokina, there is no real zoom ability in between unless you add a 1.4x Teleconverter. One super important fact to keep in mind if you upgrade from an APS-C to any high res FF camera is Focus! The high res image details are incredible! Noticeably, if focus is even slightly off, that miss will be magnified. When I made the leap from APS-C to high res FF it was like I was learning all over again. It was all because APS-C, especially an older, lower res APS-C is quite forgiving. I share this so you can be prepared on your first dive with whichever new system you get. Lastly, there is no "Best" or "One Right" system for all. You will hear many try to let there personal biases push you to their beliefs. Do your research and find the best fit for you, your budget, and your comfort level. I have used every brand of system (except Nikon) and sensor (m43, APS-C, FF) commonly out there. I found what I like, just as others found what they like. Make sure you get what best fits you. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Enjoy, and let us know what you end up getting! chip

m43 and APS-C tends to be much more forgiving than FF in relation to f-stop. The crop sensors can use wider apertures where as FF, especially high MP sensors FF, are much more finicky. Then again, it is much easier to get DoF separation with a FF. It’s all about learning the strengths and quirks of the tool and adapting to various situations.

While I don't have a graph to share, I do have plenty of experience with the WWL-1 on a FF rig. (WWL-C will be reasonably similar). From what I've seen, f/13 or f/11 delivers edge-to-edge sharpness and high quality DoF. That said, I frequently use f/8 if I need a little more light for an image. For me personally, I find this acceptable with the exception of perhaps a wreck interior where I want high corner sharpness in an easily recognizable scene. I've been successful as wide as f/5.6 and even f/4 where center sharpness is required with now real corner detail in a blue water situation. I find DoF becomes a larger concern than corner sharpness at the wider apertures on a FF body. Remember, mileage will vary based on the specific situation and personal expectations. For me, I find the wet contact lenses offer a quality blend of zoom range and sharp images. Hope this helps.

Too cynical? Nope, I’m just as cynical and agree! In the US we had “Fuel Surcharges” when gas prices went high, but they mysteriously never came off once fuel prices returned to previous levels, or even lower. I fear companies, especially one highly rated brand of housings, will literally price themselves out of business. (Profit per item vs total units sold) On a business level, the current tariff rumors/impacts have uncovered how vulnerable some of these global companies are with only a single manufacturing/distribution strategy. I have been part of companies that had a similar limitation and saw the result. In short, I have put off some accessory purchases, specifically from the referenced housing brand as it’s not a need, and just a want. The “want” has now fallen below my bank account’s interest in saying “yes.” I guess we will see who’s left and what changes beyond price increases they opt to make, if any, to remain a viable option.

I agree with all @Dave_Hicks shared. I too have a WACP and Canon 8-15 behind a 140 dome. I find the WACP is more versatile and my normal go-to for wide, CFWA, and general diving. Its close focus capabilities can make even tiny subjects a possibility. The WACP is also more capable at slightly wider apertures while still maintaining reasonably sharp corners. The 8-15, with or without a TC really shines for ultra wide subjects such as large reefscapes, wrecks, CFWA, etc. I find it to be sharper than the WACP overall, but it does require a smaller aperture for sharpness. Softness at the edges is a possibility, but that really depends on your subject and how critical edge sharpness is in the image desired. In short they are different tools that have some areas of overlap, but they do excel in different areas. It depends on your needs and budget to have both or not. Hope this helps…

I bought a Nauticam 8-15 + 1.4 Zoom Gear from @Drtalks. Good communication and arrived as expected. 5 Stars!

I am frequently in Reef’s store as I live locally to them. Yes, super knowledgeable and patient in solving even unique situations. I would suggest you connect with them prior to give them a heads up on your question/needs so they can get any needed parts if not already in stock.

Wish I had followed my instincts and bought the MFO instead of the SMC-3. I realize they are different tools, but the MFO sounds like it would be more advantages to my personal needs at this time. Thanks for the feedback @Dave_Hicks

@Ar Splujer - Barmaglot explains it above. Pls read the rest of the comments as there is other important info shared.

Fiber is the only way to go! The only reason I used a sync cord was my older Canon required the onboard pop up flash as the trigger. The recycle time was very slow. Now that I have an external trigger with my Sony, fiber is the easiest and most dependable option.

I tried the Retra LSD on the Z-330. While designed for the Inon offset aiming light, it took frequent attempts to get the light correctly positioned. I have not heard of anyone having success snooting with any device other than the Marelux SOFT. The only reason that works is because it is a completely independent design with its own aiming light. Absolutely agree the MF-2 / snoot combo is the best option! Very manageable underwater and small for travel. The aiming design is accurate and easy to use.

I saw the Sony/Nauticam model a few weeks back. NOTE - it uses a rechargeable internal battery. While I personally prefer the individual CR style batteries due to having one less thing to remember to charge, it seems to be well made. The price also seems inline with other smart triggers. If true HSS and/or TTL is desired with the HF-1/MFs and Sony bodies, this will be a needed purchase.

Agreed - the MF-2 is a very solid choice and performs extremely well. Worth the investment.