Davide DB

More than just sea. I know someone will appreciate 😉 Yesterday I happened to come across a beautiful documentary about the largest freshwater reservoir in Europe, in the Upper Rhine River Valley. Simply stunning and another shot scored by a French documentary filmmaker 😉 The Invisible River - Under Water between the Black Forest and the Vosges (2019) Director: Serge Dumont Writers: Serge Dumont, Frank Nischk Narrator: Paul Bendelow Genre: Documentary Language: English Synopsis: Between the Black Forest and the Vosges it’s not only the Rhine that flows slowly northwards but also another waterway, hidden from view. The largest groundwater reservoir in Europe forms an underground river in the Upper Rhine Valley, which gives rise to wetlands of unique beauty – home to rare animals and plants. Underwater cameraman Serge Dumont, whose work has won numerous awards, has captured this unknown world in breathtaking sequences. He gets closer to the inhabitants of this biotope than any other documentary maker before him. Pike and great crested grebe pursue their prey right in front of his lens. This wildlife filmmaker, who is a professor of biology at Strasbourg University, has managed to record behaviour patterns of fish and birds never seen before. The film also reveals the fascinating world of insects, amphibians and microorganisms in these biotopes. For the first time, Serge Dumont was able to film dragonflies laying their eggs in plant stems up to two metres below the surface of the water. It’s their way of ensuring that the eggs don’t dry out when the water level drops. The film transports us into an alien world filled with bizarre creatures we would never suspect lived right on our doorstep. The wetlands in the Upper Rhine Valley owe their existence to the constant flow of clean, unpolluted groundwater. This is increasingly affected, though, by the excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture, which poses a real threat to the small paradise habitats. “The Invisible River” shows uniquely the great biodiversity dependent on pure groundwater – and just how important it is to protect it.

Good News. I'll look forward to see some simple clips

Yes of course you can. I've been using this combo for 5 years without any problems. But since I was coming from another 5 years of the classic dome solution, I had noticed that the stability of my shooting had deteriorated. My friends used to tease me that I was getting old and my hand was shaking. Then I had the counter proof by reusing the 12-35mm and the dome. It depends on the focal length used. The defect is much less noticeable at maximum wide but zooming in is more pronounced. With the 12-35mm I can be stable at 35mm (70 equiv.) In free water. With the 14-42mm zoomed to maximum behind WWL absolutely not. So it also depends on what kind of shooting you do. For narration you use narrower focal lengths usually. I'm splitting hairs of course 😉

This was the thread I opened while ago. It's strange I was the only one to notice it but we are few guys to shoot video with wet lens.

While the used market is full of camera bodies, housings are like unicorns 🦄

How does it work tracking AF for video on your A6400? Did you make any test on moving UW critters?

Well let's say vertical video is only good for social networks, for reels or stories or shorts. If you decide this in advance then you have to pay special attention to framing with the final crop in mind. The full 8:7 sensor format of the latest Gopro generations helps a lot in this but I think the AOI lens vignettes in this mode. Maybe even if it vignettes you have more room to reframe the image. I don't know, I've never played with it. Again, I don't know if you have, starting at 5.3K you have the option to reframe the shot slightly. the clown fish are too high. You should remove some of the stones. You can also help by slightly enlarging the image. Resolve works wonders.

It is a pity that marelux does not have a housing for Panasonic GH6/7. it happens once in blue moon that two models have the same bodies. I see that they supposedly have a housing for OM1 but it looks like just a rendering and there is no port chart for M43 either. As I have already written in another thread, the GH7 does not seem to follow the glory of the GH5 despite being impressive in the video features it has. On the other hand, Nauticam's policy of pricing the housing like that of a flagship FF does not help, and the GH6 housing while being absolutely out of the market for its price, does not even have a joystick like Nauticam's flagship housings. What a shame.

15cm Nauticam HDMI cables are outrageously priced

Out of curiosity, What's wrong of this native lens? No stabilization, huge MFD? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1277527-REG/sony_sel50m28_fe_50mm_f_2_8_macro.html

Yes Surrender, you're surrounded!!!

Yes the typical footage is like the last clip. 3/4 from behind. I usually lose my patience right away. This one was particularly quiet. It happens once in a blue moon.

Wow, tough decision!

Good to know! Were you using an original Nauticam cable? No problem on my GH5 housing but I couldn't find a third part cable compatible because the space is really tight! BTW I was referring about the external bulkhead position. The combination of its position and straight monitor connector gives me just one option to mount it and not the best one. I had to completely change my arms configuration and i'm not satisfied.

Even if I encounter them for the thousandth time, I still find these fish fascinating. They move almost magically, like ghosts, with an unexpected swiftness. In the depths of this dive spot, there’s a resident colony of about ten individuals. Speaking of rebreathers, thanks to the fact that we were diving in closed circuit, some individuals allowed us to get very close—a rare occurrence here. In the end, we were the ones who left, not them 👋🏼 Technical note: With the WWL-1B, I can't get this quality while zooming (perhaps also due to the flimsy 14-42mm kit lens), and the footage always has a slight wobble. I believe the camera’s OIS is thrown off by the focal length change caused by the wet lens. This dive confirmed my impressions. I was using the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 with the 6" acrylic dome. It had been a long time since I used it, and this dive brought me back in sync with my camera. The footage is finally rock steady, with stabilization working perfectly, and the lens is incredibly tack sharp, especially when zoomed in. All the shots are at F4-5.6. Put on your headphones and turn up the volume!!! 🔊🔊🔊

Is it very heavy? How about cable routing? My Nauticam GH5 has the worst hdmi input position.

I was also considering upgrading to a 7” but I saw one in person and it is really huge. I don't know. IIRC the Weefine 7” has a brightness of about 500 NIT. Classic value of the older generation of monitors. I would look for a last generation 5" monitor with at least 1000 NIT brightness. Especially for you, diving in tropical waters. Lately I bought a new 1000 NITS monitor to use for land shooting and I am delighted. It is priceless to shoot in bright light and not need the sunshade.

Hi Toby, Did you have the opportunity to test it?

I don’t want to hijack Dave’s thread and spoil the next article, but I’d like to add my thoughts here, since I’ve been diving exclusively with a rebreather and camera since 2012. I’ve used three different rebreathers and logged over 1,000 hours of dive time. I can’t even remember my last open-circuit dive. I’ve heard that rebreathers are the future for over twenty-five years now. I have a 1999 issue of Aquacorps Magazine where PADI’s president at the time was convinced we’d all be switching to rebreathers within five years. PADI and SSI have tried several times to make rebreathers more accessible for recreational diving but haven’t really succeeded, at least according to their commercial plans. Nowadays, though, it seems like the time is mature for a partial switch and these machines are becoming increasingly popular among advanced divers. The cost of helium has skyrocketed, and if you want to do technical diving (even without going to extremes), a rebreather is a must—unless you’re a billionaire. But for recreational diving, there are important factors to consider: cost, logistics, and mindset. Cost To generalize and keep with the theme of our forum, the entry cost is about the same as a complete underwater photography kit. This cost raises the same issues we’ve discussed countless times about young people and underwater photography: only those with a high income can afford it, which often translates to an older average age. Mindset Even though today’s rebreathers are much more reliable than in the past, they still require attention and a certain mindset for care and maintenance, which not everyone has. Open-circuit gear is infinitely more resistant to rough handling and neglect. A rebreather requires the same care and upkeep as your very expensive photography equipment. Let’s be clear: it’s nothing out of the ordinary, or all that different from what many of us are already used to doing. Logistics There’s nothing to add for so-called "home" dives. If you’re used to bringing your gear to the dive center and mounting it on a tank right before your dive, with a rebreather, you’ll need to prepare it the night before (just like your camera gear) and bring it ready to go to the dive center. Before the dive, you’ll need to do some routine checks that I’ll skip for simplicity. As for travel, it’s a bit more complex. It mainly depends on the unit you have. Some are lighter and more compact and can even fit in a backpack, while others require a dedicated suitcase, with all the associated hassles and additional transport costs. Naturally, you’ll need to find facilities that can provide the necessary logistical support. Anything not available on-site must be brought with you. Without going into too much detail: dedicated tanks (if necessary, depending on the unit), oxygen, and filter material. Think back to whether you’ve seen rebreather divers at the dive centers you frequent, or if they offer oxygen refills, dedicated tanks, and (scrubber) filter material (like Sofnolime or equivalents). I’ve personally been diving exclusively in locations I can reach by car for years, so I’m probably not the best person to offer advice on travel. My current unit it's the side-mount version fo Dave's unit. It fits in a backpack but then I need tanks on the dive site. The most popular destinations are Indonesia and the Philippines. How many "rebreather-friendly" dive centers are there? Exercise I’d like to add a point I think is important—you can choose where to place it in your own considerations. IMHO, diving with a rebreather requires constant practice. Personally, I find it hard to imagine only using one on two or three trips a year. If I haven’t been diving for a couple of months, I need a few hours to feel comfortable with the unit again. Unlike open-circuit diving, experience in closed-circuit diving is measured by hours, not the number of dives. Bonus Point I hope I haven’t scared anyone. As Dave rightly pointed out, the benefits for a wildlife photographer/filmmaker are huge. Marine creatures generally let you get much closer without the noise and visual disturbance from bubbles. Bottom time is longer, and the diving comfort is unparalleled. Two weeks ago I made a multilevel dive for 180' with max depth 32m. I spent nearly one hour at 30m. The maximum deco time was 26'. About dive comfort, one thing Dave didn’t mention: in open circuit, we breathe compressed gas. Compressing the gas to fill the tanks nearly removes all the moisture. Plus, due to a known physical principle, when the gas returns to ambient pressure, its temperature drops. As a result, while diving, we’re breathing air that’s as dry as a desert and ice-cold. This leads to dehydration. Without getting into too much detail, in a rebreather, the chemical reaction that filters out the carbon dioxide our body produces, creates water and heat. So, in a rebreather, you breathe warm, humid air. This is why diving comfort is at its peak—even in tropical waters. Ciaoooo

Sad news form the Red Sea: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AeGDfRMna/

A ballpark estimate is around 10K euro. It depends on the specific unit. latest, more advanced rebreather are in the 12K euros. Some simpler units can be bought for less than 10K. On top of this you have to add specific training. Each step costs about 1K.

Welcome aboard! I am an old subscriber to your channel. Congratulations on your videos. Ciao

Guys, after countless tests, comparisons and heated discussions, you can't tell me it was all a bad dream 🤣 Edit: I will split these messages in a new discussion.

Beautiful animals. I had no idea wild creatures interacted with divers like that.

Yes, great footage. It's easy to find incredible photos but few good video. Looking for a Davinci AI plugin to remove swarm and Backscatter from video 😉