TimG

Hmm, this is odd.

On my Mac or on a PC running Windows 11 Enterprise, I get the usual Reply box which produces the standard option, in the grey box at the bottom of the Reply, to "Drag files to attach, or choose files..."

However Carollla is getting a box with no attach files option (see below).

The Waterpixels system isn't showing any errors. Anyone else come across this?

I suspect you’d need an extremely powerful focussing light to overcome the output of 1 or 2 strobes and show a hotspot.

I’m no scientist but general observation leads me to think, no they don’t. I use reduction rings with Retra strobes and can’t recall ever thinking I need to turn them down.

My own experience, when using a snoot which is not dissimilar, is that more light is needed because of the way the light is blocked by the constrictions of the funnel. The same could be true even of reduction rings.

But like I say, I’m no scientist and perhaps my subjective view is wrong 😜

1 hour ago, CCRphoto said:

A new lens starts shipping in a couple of weeks for Nikon FF Z mount - Tamron's new 12-20 F2.8 AF rectlinier lens - the reviews so far have suggested that it is very very good. I'm not really a fisheye fan as I like straight lines on a wreck to be straight lines (or very nearly straight lines) in an image as well, and the reviews have shown that there is very little distortion of straight lines when shooting at 12mm. It is certainly going on my spreadsheet of lenses to consider.

The reviews suggest it’s good? Underwater? Too many WA lenses are great topside. Underwater? Not so much. Housing them can be a disappointing experience. If only someone would build the Tokina 10-17 for FF and APS-C. And M43.

Hi Odyssea!

A warm welcome to Waterpixels. Great to have you with us. We hope you enjoy the forum.

Best wishes

Tim

3 hours ago, Grantmac said:

Hard to beat a 8-15 behind the 140mm dome like Dave Hicks uses.

If there is a lens combo that works for Nikon FF he's probably tried it.

Both those use cases want an AF lens.

The only thing, for me, to bear in mind with the 8-15 is that it hardly merits being considered as a zoom. It’s really two lenses: a 15mm FE; and an 8mm lens that produces a circular image. The later is interesting but has very limited use. There’s precious little useable zoom between the two.

If you add a 1.4 TC it becomes much more interesting as a lens on FF. Used on an APS-C body it’s a great with or without a TC.

There’s been discussion in the past about using these lenses and it’s worth doing a search. I do remember reading about issues with the 14-24. I’m sure you’re right that all three need probably 230-sized domes.

Hi Joakim

A warm welcome to Waterpixels. Good to have you with us.

Marketplace is a service to members who can buy and sell items. Before you can post on Marketplace , you need to make a total of three posts on other threads. This is part of our system to try and deter spammers.

Marketplace is free, essentially a deal reached between buyer and seller. There are no commissions involved as far as Waterpixels are concerned. We always advise caution. Is the seller a long-established member of Waterpixel; does the deal sound reliable; is the payment method something standard or weird? I’ve bought and sold lots of times and always found it easy and. hassle-free. We are fortunate that the vast majority of members are thoroughly decent people.

I hope that helps.

Best wishes

Tim

Hey James!

Great to have you with us. A warm welcome to Waterpixels. You’ve come to the right place to help you kit out that Sony. And spend a ton of cash.

Very best wishes

Tim

12 hours ago, Nemrod said:

There is a single screw through the middle of the ball mount that goes into a sturdy thread in the strobe case. There is a plastic gasket to isolate (for corrosion) and an anti-rotation pin. Very solid mounting.

The mount is very solid. Oskar told me once you cannot over-tighten them either. Not that I’ve tried!

Hi Alessio!

A warm welcome to Waterpixels. Great to have you with us. I hope you get the info you need. Lots of experts here who I’m sure will be helpful.

Best wishes

Tim

This is what ChatGPT says:

they are quite different accessories for the TG-series cameras such as the TG-7.

FD-1 Flash Diffuser LG-1 LED Light Guide

Light source Built-in flash Built-in LED

Light Short, powerful flash Continuous light

Macro stills Better Good, but less powerful

Video Not useful as continuous light Excellent

Underwater Yes Not useful underwater

Working distance About 2–30 cm About 1–10 cm

Light control Two flash levels No separate control

Best for Underwater/macro photography Macro/video and very close subjects

OM System specifically describes the FD-1 as a flash diffuser that gives softer, more even illumination and lists it as compatible with the TG-7, TG-6, TG-5 and TG-4.

For your underwater photography

I’d choose the FD-1 without hesitation.

The important advantage is that it uses the TG’s flash, rather than the relatively weak LED. That gives you enough light for faster shutter speeds and lower ISO, which is particularly useful for underwater macro where you want to freeze subject movement. OM System also specifically confirms that the FD-1 can be used underwater.

The LG-1 is really more of a macro/video light guide. It takes the camera’s LED and distributes it around the lens. It’s particularly useful when you need to see the lighting continuously while composing video.

So, if you’re using a TG-7 for underwater stills, get the FD-1.

Hey Tim!

Welcome to Waterpixels. Very good to have you with us. We hope you enjoy the forum

Best wishes from another Tim

Tim

4 hours ago, Nir Friedman said:

In any event I will go with a stripped down housing (no arms or strobes). I am used to shooting with 45deg view finder, my worry it might be a bit heavy, but easier than composing on back LCD in a sunny environment.

Shooting around or up towards the surface with a 45-degree finder can be a little tricky (it's what I had on my system) as aiming at the right place is a little deceiving. But, like many things, it's just practice.

20 minutes ago, Dave_Hicks said:

Says a UK diver. Are you missing out on all the great local diving in your neck of the woods? :)

Ha! Been there, done it, sold the dry suit. It’s diving the tropics for me!

1 hour ago, Troporobo said:

I don’t think I could feel a half press with gloves.

Ooooh, gloves!!! That's what it's all about! Yeah, well, good luck guys. If you need gloves, the water is too cold 😜

I had to look up what back button focus meant! 😝

15 minutes ago, Architeuthis said:

In my view (from someone who was owning Olympus MFT and is now using Sony FF), the difference in size and weight exists, but depends to a great extend on the type of lenses

Sure. I can only compare what I'm seeing now on M43 (essentially the OM 60mm and the Panasonic 8mm FE) with what I have used on Nikon APS-C or FF: the Nikkor 60mm, 105mm, 16-35mm, DX 12-24mm, DX 10-24mm, DX 10.5, Sigma 15mm and Tokina 10-17mm Other than arguably the Sigma, Tokina and Nikkor DX 10.5 are all hugely bigger. I couldn't believe the size of the Panasonic 8mm when I opened the box. I've seen bigger cotton reels. The OM 60mm is minuscule compared to the Nikkor 105mm.

But totally accept your point that it depends on which and whose lenses. I was assuming (yeah, dangerous I know) that if you're thinking of a Nikon Z5 chances are you're going to use (some) Nikkor lenses. I thought it worth bearing those lens sizes in mind. On pre-M43 travel I could not fit Nikkor lenses with the housing, strobes etc into my Pelican 1510 roller box. It now looks as though everything will fit in: housing, strobes, ports, lenses.....

31 minutes ago, CCRphoto said:

The lugging around aspect appears to come down to port sizes

Not entirely. Lens sizes are significantly different. M43 lenses are tiny. Nikkor FF lenses are not. Compare the OM 60mm with the rough Nikkor equivalent, a 105mm…….. Moving to M43 the size and weight of the lenses is, for me, the biggest difference.

55 minutes ago, CCRphoto said:

A question about the Retra Maxis - what are the options for offcamera/remote firing? (doesn't need to be TTL)

I believe all the current generation Retras have the same off-housing remote possibilities: you can run a long fibre optic cable (the most reliable and inexpensive); or you can set it up so that the Retra sensor can "see" a light trigger fired by the camera (more tricky); or use a light sensitive wireless sensor such as the Anglerfish plugged into a Retra which is very sensitive to a strobe being fired nearby and would trigger the Retra.

1 hour ago, CCRphoto said:

That is the other side of what I need to look at - I don't think that anyone ever said that deciding on a system was easy unfortunately!

Very true! It'a huge investment in both cash and emotional energy.

4 minutes ago, Chris Ross said:

it'll be more expensive for the housing, plus the N120 ports and extension rings will be pricey and your are back to needing big ports for rectilinear wide angle shooting. Price out all the components to see what you are up for.

Totally agree with Chris. A Z5ii, nice though it is, is taking you back to an FF system with all that means for port and lens sizes, costs and moving the gear.

I mulled over housing a Z6iii but it came down to the same thing. Taking FF underwater is a much more expensive and travel-unfriendly proposition for any potential gain.

On 7/12/2026 at 7:00 AM, Sokrates said:

im sure you cant go wrong with them either.

Late to this party, but as Sokrates says, I too don't think you can wrong with either. I used a UWT for donkeys' years with Subal/D500 and it was completely reliable. Both are well supported by very helpful people (UWT - Pavel; Turtle - Balazs) who are contributors on Waterpixels.

7 hours ago, CCRphoto said:

The need for the monitor is mainly due to my neck - I can only tilt my head back about 25 degrees, and so doing things like shooting macro on the bottom just isn't possible as I just wouldn't be able to

Would a 45-degree finder not work for you? They are brilliant for macro and much smaller than a monitor. Although that said, the Nauticam one is surprisingly large!

I've not dived in Tonga but have dived a couple of times with whale sharks. As @akarnani wisely points out, you are going to be either swimming flat out or hovering close to where they might stop to feed. In either case, keep the gear as minimal as possible. I'd suggest not taking strobes. If it's a flat out fast swim, they are a nuisance and a drag; if the whales are feeding that implies very turbid water, and the backscatter from strobes would spoil the image.

As @Dave_Hicks suggests, I too would go with an FE. FE zoom if doable. Definitely a small dome. Whales are big (!) and if you do get the chance to get reasonably close, possible when feeding, you definitely want the FE. Even if you can't get close, being able to get a diver in the image as well as the whale gives a sense of scale.

Just keep it simple. I get rid of the strobes but maybe keep a Stix-loaded arm or two for reasonably neutral buoyancy. I usually set up for Manual exposure, 400 ISO, reasonable depth of field, as fast a shutter as I can get away with, then take a few test shots once in the water to tweak the settings. Maybe use burst mode - say 3-5 shots a second; then get ready to swim like you're being chased by a great white...... Great fun. And exhausting. Enjoy!!!!