Alex_Mustard

Really nice video of Edward talking about the FCP at the Boot show:

There’s a Matty Smith dome and Nikonos 15mm in the bag as well!

The prototype FCP is actually already there in my dive bag!

Isaac, one question I have is what would you expect to happen if I used the inner lens of the Sony RS-13 behind a large dome port for shooting split levels? At present I have to travel with the Nikon 8-15mm for shooting splits. I’ll try it on my next trip, but that is in March.

I'd stand by this statement, but caveat it by saying that while I shot a lot of pictures with the FCP in Raja Ampat, I didn't do detailed testing on image quality. The diving was too exciting! Alex

I am amazed as many as 2000 were produced. I'd guess they are about 100, maybe 200ish, in active UW service for stills and video (plenty on RED cameras). I'd imagine there are some IP laws that would stop people copying and selling Nikon's design. Not sure what the rules would be for doing it for yourself. I don't know but I suspect Isaac's solution requires more than just individual glass elements. Seacam have a process for polishing out scratches from the front element. Not making new ones, AFAIK. The Nauticam design is a ground up one. Isaac's conversion benefits from a serendipitous similarity between the Nikonos 13mm and the donor lens - which is unlikely to be the case with other lenses. I have a friend who said he was able to commission the new front element from an optical glass company. I tried to find a scratched Nikonos 13mm about 5 years ago to test it. But could not find one for sale. Suspect most have been thrown away when in that condition. Alex

I think that the hard part for these small lens producers is making the lens AF and adjust the aperture electronically. Most of these specialist lenses are mechanical. Further up this thread you can see the mechanical 13mm fisheye made by Nauticam. But it is manual focus and mechanical aperture, for the same reason. Alex

I had the chance to shoot the Sony converted RS-13mm (by @Isaac Szabo) on my recent trip to Raja Ampat and it definitely delivers the goods. I’ll share some underwater photos when I get the chance to process some out. Alex

Thanks guys. The new episode on shooting the FCP is up right this second:

I took the production FCP-1 to Raja Ampat in the secoind half of January and did over 20 dives with it (shooting about 3000 pictures with it). Mainly because once it is on the camera - you realise that there is little reason to take it off. I also took the prototype FCP (left, below) on the trip too and that was used on pretty much every single dive too - as it was shared around my group. Raja Ampat wide angle is a mix of scenery, big animals (sharks, turtles, mantas) and schools of fish, with the occasionally mid-sized reef critter. All of which the FCP is perfect for. I shot the FCP with the Sony 28-60mm - which works perfectly. But I am definitely a bit jealous of Nikon Z and Canon R users who in addition to using 24-50mm lenses can also use 14-30 and 14-35mm zooms with it. This makes the FCP a totally different tool - at 14mm it is a circular fisheye (the shade is super easy to take on and off) then at 28mm a normal fisheye, which you can then zoom in a useful amount at 30 or 35mm. I will share some photos when I get time to look at them. Busy with the UPY contest at the moment, which announces in less than two weeks! Alex

Are there instructions anywhere for removing it?

I wrote a new book on underwater photography last summer. I am hoping it might be out in the spring - although I have not heard anything from the publishers for ages - and I've been too busy to chase them up (as it is also unlikely to make any difference). Will reveal more when it is coming. Alex

Regarding the FoV, I got a message from Nauticam to say that they calculated FoVs in the software that they used in the lens design. These +/- 3 degrees according to Nauticam: 28mm ~ 170º 35mm ~ 122º 50mm ~ 87º 60mm ~ 74º 70mm ~ 62º Alex

I know that there is a global limit on the amount of large optical glass elements that can be made. When the WACP-1 was released 6-7 years ago Nauticam had significant waiting lists because of the lack of supply of quality glass elements. The FCP is a no-brainer optic. But the price will probably mean supply can keep reasonable pace with demand. Just my speculation.

The Nauticam mechanical fisheye is actually very easy to shoot. Optically it is fantastic. But I am much more excited by their FCP. If you go back to DX Nikon SLRs where people had the choice between the best optics (10.5mm fisheye) and a flexible lens (10-17mm fisheye), almost everyone chose the Tokina. And for most it was their only wide angle lens. The FCP delivers a wider zoom range than the Tokina and water corrected optics approaching the 13mm. That is seriously attractive. I don't see the FCP quite matching the Nikonos or Nauticam 13mm fisheyes optically. And is also larger. What I love about Isaac's conversion is how small it is - beneficial for close focus work, how small a subject we can shoot, and also easy of taking it on trips. I am very excited to be able to try them both and fully expect to love both. Fingers crossed for a good trip. Alex

I think what is doubly exciting is that Isaac has not only got the lens to work, but increased our understanding of how it works and exploited that to make it even better optically, through an additional distance control. I will have plenty to add when I shoot it in Raja, and will also commit my thoughts to YouTube! I know that we will also have at least one other 13mm on my trip, on a D850, so it will be interesting to compare results with that as well as other options on my Sony. I don't think I have the baggage allowance to also take the Nauticam mechanical 13mm fisheye, that was never publicly released. But I do have files from that shot last year to compare as well. So should have a pretty clear idea. Nikonos 13mm and Nauticam 13mm comparison shot from last summer.

And this is the first episode - about us and why we are doing it. Plus more interesting episodes on the channel:

I am excited to announce today the launch of a new YouTube channel - The Underwater Photography Show, with me and Matthew Sullivan. Hopefully it is an enjoyable and accessible source of information. Please subscribe if you are interested in such things! https://www.youtube.com/@UWPhotoShow Waterpixels.net even gets a mention on our first episode!

You are welcome to use my snap shot at the top of the page - this is also quite a useful image: L-R: FCP (prototype), WACP-C, WACP-2, WACP-1 Alex

Share some pictures of the new gear!

Actually realising it is Phoebe’s shot, she shoots the Canon mainly, so I am pretty sure that will be with 14-35mm, which she already told me was her personal favourite lens with the FCP ‘as an amateur’. I guess because of the ability to shoot circular fisheye, normal fisheye and zoom in a bit more too.

I am pretty sure the picture behind Phoebe and Edward was taken with the Sony 14mm and FCP (by Phoebe? during testing): - hope link to Facebook works https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159990773428348&set=pcb.10159990775473348

https://www.sony.co.uk/lenses/products/sel14f18gm

In a different conversation, I heard that in a Marelux housing the camera is 13mm further inside from the port, than in a Nauticam housing. So a 17mm port extension on a Marelux housing would be the same as 30mm on a Nauticam. Despite diving with so many photographers each year, I am still yet to see a Marelux housing with my own eyes to verify this - so I could be wrong - but I was told this number. For this reason, the prototype of the FCP would not have been useable with a Marelux Z8 housing (as it required no port extension on the Nauticam Z8 - so 13mm too far away on Marelux). And probably other brands too. I do not know if this is why the production version of the FCP is shorter to allow it to be used on more types of housing.