Brandon Cole

Thanks @d2b ! I appreciate your kind words and am glad the diopter arrived safely and on time. Best to you and your super macro photo journey!

Thanks for the tests, and the interesting conversation and observations. In my experience, having shot WWL, WACPC, FCP, and WACP (I still own the last two) both in pool tests and in the real world, depth of field with the FCP is different: lower/less. I'm not smart enough to understand why, but the FCP disappoints in the depth of field department, at least for me, in the f5.6 to f11 range. f13 satisfactory, usually. f14 better. f16 no longer bothers me, other than for the higher ISO required.... However, the zoom range of the FCP (with the 28-60) is fantastic! At least three lenses in one. I've been mostly pleasantly surprised with Canon 8-15 + Kenko 1.4x with 140, 170, and 230mm ports on Canon 5d4. Acceptably sharp, fast and accurate enough focus, and some appreciated zoom range. But still limited compared to FCP and 28-60 on Sony.

SOLD

Camera scam/tax still alive at SJD. A couple weeks ago a friend was charged ~$400 USA for a Z8 Nauticam rig. I avoided any fees by using a carnet once again. I paid about $560 upfront to cover ~$20k of mostly older gear, including two housings (Canon 5d4 and Nikon d850), 4 flashes, 4 DLSR bodies, lots of lenses, etc.. The carnet is a bit of a hassle (takes extra time for customs inspections leaving US, entering Mexico, and the same in reverse). And it's obviously a considerable upfront expense, but if done properly it removes the uncertainty and anxiety of potentially being nailed upon arrival. For Mexico, I can use the same carnet multiple times in the same 12 month period (2 trips are included for my $560, a little bit more for 3 trips, etc.) provided you list and travel with exactly the same gear. I used Boomerang carnet, again, and will do so again in the future. So for people traveling with a lot of gear, especially new/newish big DSLR/mirrorless rigs, the carnet process remains an option.

Hi d2b. Thanks. Sure, should be fine. Please email me (brandoncoleATmsnDOTcom) or DM me and we can discuss details. Brandon

FOR SALE: Inon Z330 Type 2 strobe. NEW. Never wet. Only turned on today to test and take the photos below for this sale. This was a backup to my other Z330s and therefor it was was never used in the wild. Asking $450 via Paypal, shipping included in the USA. Thank you, Brandon

FOR SALE: Nauticam CMC-1 accessory wet lens for sharp, high-magnification, super-macro images Glass is excellent front and back. Used only a few times. $225 via PayPal, includes shipping in USA Thank you, Brandon

I use an unsightly DIY neoprene hack-and-sew-job from an old wetsuit...

Yes, that would help lower the water's freezing temp a few degrees. But I never risked this again on this trip during the cold snap. Went back to shooting a dedicated dome attached directly to housing.

You're welcome. And humidity/condensation is also a problem in a place like Norway. Keeping the housing in the warm boat cabin and then rushing out onto the cold deck and jumping in the cold ocean can sometimes create additional problems...

Be careful with this strategy if you are working in very cold conditions, such as Norway in winter. I tried this workaround last year in Norway, assembling WWL-1 onto flat port in my hotel in the morning, in a tub, filling the gap with freshwater. Well, a few hours later on the boat when I went to jump into the ocean to photograph orcas, I noticed that the water trapped between flat port and back of WWL had frozen solid. Yes. Ocean water temp was above freezing, but the air temp was below. Housing had cooled down sufficiently on the boat deck, and water trapped within the space froze into an ice cube. And it wasn't perfectly clear- it had veins, etc. So, I could not photograph the whales, as the lens was focused on the ice layer. The strategy Glasshouse mentioned works in warmer places if you do it correctly.

I too will caution against reliance on the WWL for orcas in Norway due the "bubbles" issue, needing to burp the lens. And I speak from experience. I have been to Norway for orcas many times, including last year when I shot the Sony A7RV and the WWL1. I will not do that again. Next time I will go either "dedicated water contract lens" mounted straight onto the housing, or back to old fashioned dome, or a combination of both. HCLdiver- as you know, sometimes you slip into the water and have time to organize yourself before you need to shoot. In this case, you have time to remove the WWL and reattach to make sure no air is trapped between flat port and back of WWL. But, sometimes you do not have time to do that, as you need to start swimming and or shooting immediately upon getting into the water. And, even when you have time, because of the cold water, cold air, cold fingers, thick gloves etc. the delicate operation of removing and reattaching WWL in the water is risky. I am clumsy, and dropping it (obviously, attach it to housing with a lanyard) is very real... I have used many combinations in Norway. With Canon, 16-35 f2.8 Canon behind a 230mm dome at f2.8 and f4. Same lens behind smaller 170mm dome. Also the 16-35 f4 lens. Canon 8-15 f4 fisheye behind 140 and 170 domes. Canon 15mm 2.8 fisheye behind 140 and 170 and 230 domes. Nikon D850 with fisheye, rect zoom, etc.. Nikon D500. And Sony A7RV with 28-60 and WWL1. And I have never been fortunate to have ASA 800 light at 70 degrees north in NOvember. Most of my shooting is ASA 3200 to 6400, trying to keep 1/100 shutter speed or so. (ASA 1600 is lucky, in my experience.) So lots of wide open and near wide open. I did not like the noise generated by the Sony A7RV at ASA 6400 and 10,000 with the 28-60/WWL when on a baitball with orcas feeding late in the day while it was snowing... Super dark conditions, yes, definitely not ideal. But that is a summary of this exercise. Visibility, light, time, action, distance, shooting angle etc are very, very rarely ideal, so you have to take what you get. The noise was more objectionable (at least to me) with the Sony setup than with either Canon 5D4 and Nikon D850. I personally feel that 60mp is just too demanding. Remember, the moment you zoom in from 28mm the lens stops down. So, you are rarely shooting at f4 unless you leave the lens at 28mm and shoot 130 degrees. In summary, I would take both, and see what you think about the 28-60 and WWL and A7RV at wide open and high ISO... butd also have that 16-35 2.8 (and dome) with you... Being able to-- when necessary-- shoot at f2.8 or 4, rather than 4/4.5 or 5.6, keeps your ASA a stop or two lower for cleaner files- or gives you faster shutter shutter speed. Both can be (IMO) very important. Sometimes you have whales stretching to the corners/edges of the frame, and sometimes you are super close to the baitball and whales... but usually, most of the time you are shooting from at least a few meters away, sometimes farther. I wish you best of luck this year. Sadly, I will not be there this year. But hoping to return to Skjervoy in 2026. Sincerely, Brandon

Thank you, Isaac. Sorry to hear that you've had a rough go of it lately. Hope you power through the Covid soon-

Thank you very much for your message, Isaac. As always, your detailed information is very helpful to all of us. (And your stunning freshwater photography shames me for never having seriously pursued such... You've shown us absolutely beautiful fish and critters right here in the USA!) I first noticed that particular RS 13 lens on eBay a while back, and saw the water spots, and that has given me pause. But it is good to know that you have the wizardry necessary to remove them. I think I will most likely wait for a better one to materialize. (I know I have let a few slip through my fingers over the last year...) And then I will certainly be in touch. Approximately how much of a backlog/waiting list do you have for conversions? Thanks again! Brandon

WTB: old Nikonos RS 13mm lens with great glass, or better yet a newly converted RS/Sony lens by Isaac Szabo Thank you, Brandon Cole brandoncole(at)msn.com