Nemrod

I bought a Nauticam WWL-1 way back like around 2019, oh, so long ago ;). I first used it and still do with a Sony A6400 in a Nauticam NA-6400 housing on the Macro Port 45. I use the WWL-1 with both the Sigma 19 Art lens and the PZ kit zoom. Most of my shots are around f8 to f11 but I am not afraid to go to f5.6 and I have done some available light with the faster Sigma lens that opens to f2.8 with the WWL-1 (wrecks and things like that). People, other divers, ask me what I am taking pictures of. They want to hear me say frog fish or seahorses or dolphins or sharks, something that is a clear subject. Then I show them my photos and they wander around the image with their eyes trying to find the frog fish. There is not one. I take pictures of the light. It is the light, the way it streams through the water, the reflections and texture of the reef. As such, I just do not care a flip about extreme corner sharpness if even any of my equipment can produce extreme corner sharpness and I do not care. I take photos to please myself for fun. And because I find the expression of light in the underwater world fascinating. So I am possibly an "isolationist" also. Now I have come to own the Nauticam NA-R50 Pro kit. At first I thought, such an odd idea and then it dawned on me that I already had the WWL, the CMC lens duo and want a MWL and then realized just how much stuff I could leave at home with my Sony rig. Domes, additional ports and lenses I obligingly carried just because and instead just concentrate on getting the pictures that I enjoy with the water contact optics I was carrying and mostly using anyways but now with the R50 only. Well, as soon as I take the camera on a trip in a few weeks. And pool tests show the IQ overall and even in the corners to be more than adequate to my purposes. The R50, at least my incomplete practice shooting, is cleaner at higher ISOs than I might normally use with the Sony. I think I gained almost a stop. So what I did at f11 and ISO200 I might now can do nearer to f16 and ISO400, maybe.

Epoxy or super glue might work, in particular the super glue, but I would probably still use a dab of E6000 instead. The super glue or epoxy will leave glue residue on the housing if the bumper is removed again or needs replacing. The E6000, with some effort, can be picked off leaving the housing clean. Not specific to this but I always try to consider that (what) if Plan A does not work, how does the remains of Plan A impact an opportunity for a Plan B. This methodology keeps my options open and prevents me from becoming stuck between a rock and a hard place.

There really is not enough information to go on here. But I will suggest E6000. It is a strong and flexible adhesive that sets up clear and might work here.

With Nauticam now offering both a Nikon and a Canon mirrorless in fixed port housings with the bayonet also fixed they really do need to add a few things to their catalog. A minimal 1.2X or 2X converter and a bayonet flip holder. And not specific to the fixed port housings, a quality air dome corrective lens to restore FOV to the lens and improve corners of the naked flat port. The concept of a teleconverter UW for this purpose is flawed, placing more water and particles and whatever else between you and the subject. I think you will just need to get closer or failing that to zoom in processing by cropping. What you are describing is a minimal crop so you will not loose much IQ and in some ways may improve it by cropping out the corners of the flat port images. As much as I have come to dislike DH regulators of recent, I do notice that I can get closer to some critters using them than with a SH. This due to the exhaust bubbles being less noisy and more hidden from the sensitive critters view. YRMV.

The Sigma 19 does not require me to zoom out the vignetting present on the kit lens at 16mm-19mm range. The Sony does not keep the zoom sticky so when the camera goes to sleep each time it awakens I have to reset the zoom to or beyond 19mm. The Sigma lens is also sharper and better IQ being a fixed focal length. It focus quickly and just works very well with the WWL-1. As well, the kit lens really needs to be at 20mm to clear the corners and the Sigma has clear corners at 19mm so the FOV is very slightly wider and seems a little cleaner perhaps in the corners. Is the Sigma 19mm worth getting, I cannot answer that for you. I enjoy using it but just as often grab the kit lens, deal with the annoying non sticky zoom for the ability to zoom and frame on the fly. With the Sigma, well, I zoom with my fins.

I have the older Kraken 1500 and I like it still. I like that it has a mode that momentarily shuts off the focus light when the strobes fire. But, it from time to time requires me to beat on it for it to work. I found that the little battery spring was flat. I fixed that. Then, oddly, after many dives and despite a good rinse down, I found severe corrosion, as in pieces missing, under the saddle clamp where it abuts the forward light section, happened in one day of diving. I used emory paper and black paint to repair and so far, so good. But it is evident that I will need a new one sooner than latter. L&M may have thrown in the towel too soon :(.

Mine will flash red blue at start up sometimes and then sometimes not, on the same battery or even a new battery. When I sent my housing in for service after five years (more or less) I mentioned this phenomena, and they could not replicate and all checked out normal. So, I go on a dive trip, and guess what ------. I just ignore it now and change my batteries on a regular basis. Thus avoiding the scary steady red!

I remove my main housing O-ring with each opening and lube it and clean the sealing surfaces. Early on with my then new Nauticam housing I had the steady red light and got confused thinking it meant water inside. I quickly dumped vacuum and opened the housing. Of course, some drops of water went inside just as you describe. I was near Reef Photo so took it there straight away and they cleaned and checked everything over for free. Then I refreshed my read of the OM ;). I sometimes get the alternating lights when I turn the system on. Usually after a number of dives in a very humid place. Beats me but once pumped the green light stays steady. I flooded my FIX/S90 and found a tiny piece of black hair wrapped on the case O-ring. Since my wife has short brown hair and mine is some sort of not black hair it was not mine or hers. Where it came from who knows, perhaps the room service ladies. My fault for changing batteries in a hurry and in a dimly lit area. DAN sponsored insurance covered.

I got to use David's NA-R50 camera rigged with my old single D2000 and my Nauticam WWL-1 (not B). Any question that the WWL-1 with the foam collar will not fit, it does perfectly. I am mightily impressed with this little rig. For a nearly compact camera size outfit using water contact optics, it is very capable and svelte in the water and should be travel friendly. Sorry for not being more photogenic myself but the NA-R50 is quite cumly. (photo by DHaas)

I keep a couple of microfiber cloths in a baggie or dry pocket in the bag. I will pat the water compact optic down after a dunk in the rinse tank. I try to keep my camera in a Sam's Club bag between dives. I usually bring a bag of microfiber cloths with me on each trip and use them up over the duration. I have not really had any problems with permeant water spots but what peeves me is a Nauticam housing getting all of the white spots. I try to pat it dry after rinsing. But I am there to dive, not maintain photo equipment so to some extent my water contact optics, ports and cameras must be capable of living in the real world of hard knocks. But still, I like my stuff to look new. The above pertains to between dives when transported by boat, Jeep, camel or Isuzu or flip flops. Rinse tanks for between dive dunks are not even available at some or many locations. Once back to base, I soak the camera and run water over all of the controls exercising them and the optics. Then wipe it down with micro cloths and gently blow dry with an electric rechargeable blow gun.

Sorry, I should have included the board is set to 0 position.

I am sorry I have caused an argument. The sTTL mode when selected overrides the "bastard" switch /ACC cancel switch. The switch does nothing in sTTL (ACC) mode. When the strobe mode is selected to Manual mode the now active ACC switch must be properly selected for pre-flash or no pre-flash expected. The ACC switch does not select between two types of sTTL, one ACC and one not, but both utilizing the pre-flash for exposure control when the strobe is in sTTL mode.

Thank you for that explanation. I never could see that with several compacts I have tried with my Inon strobes. I had a film SLR that had off the film real time flash exposure, or at least I was thinking it did. But digital as you say, I cannot think of any. All digital use a pre-flash approach to TTL strobe exposure. I think, as you suggest, that the two positions on the mode dial are possibly then ACC-sTTL/sTTL and thus no longer a need for the switch and again explains why there are a correspondingly two Manual modes?

I agree, I do not think I said any different. I was discussing the sTTL mode of the strobe. Of course, yes, if the strobe is selected to Manual mode then the pre-flash/no pre-flash switch becomes effectively active.

An Inon strobe defaults to pre-flash regardless of the magnet or the switch. That switch does nothing as long as sTTL is selected on the mode dial. I suppose there are cameras that have real time TTL strobe exposure with no pre-flash. That is interesting that there are two TTL and two M modes?

True. The Retra are bigger, heavier and likely more $$. I am not sure how useful HSS is but I would like that option if only to play with but perhaps not a requirement. And I am an APS-C, M4:3, 1 inch type picture taker. No way I will ever go FF. Not UW or surface shooting. And I have 20 plus years old Inon strobes that still work. I was looking at the Weefine but reports are that some are flooding on first use. I figure Inon is good to go for reliability, the Retra, well, I have no idea but it seems they are a responsive company and would be able to support the strobes with service if and when needed. Which is a problem with Inon, service if needed in North America. Regarding the pre-flash button/knob, I would prefer that to a confusing learning mode that needs to be learned again every time the strobe is powered up or switching modes.

There is hope then. It looks good with some useful improvements. I do not see HSS so I guess that was too much to wish for. I am probably in for a set since I am a long time Inon user and speak Inon. However, I may just have to go take out a loan or a second mortgage or something and get some Retras though they are way overkill for my skill level. I like the extended knobs, the multiple selections for the modeling light and it appears the case has been extended to the rear in that tapered area. I wonder if there will also be a new full size D model, perhaps a D240? Maybe not looking in the right place but I do not see an e-sync available, optical only?

One thing I learned and it may not apply to other Alpha cameras with the UWT board (maybe only to mine?) is how to trick the camera to give me a little faster shutter sync. What I do, when I know I am setting up for a sun ball photo is to turn WL to Off and then set shutter speed to maximum 1/160. Then turn WL to On and the shutter speed will default to 1/200. It is not sticky so as soon as the camera is turned off if WL is On when the camera comes back on the shutter speed will drop to 1/125. With WL to On I cannot choose 1/160, to shoot at 1/160 I must turn WL to Off. And again, once set to 1/160 if I turn WL to On, the shutter will go from 1/160 to 1/200. With WL on the available shutter speeds are 1/125-1/200-1/250 and so on. If I select 1/250 the strobe no longer fires and if I go back down I must go all the way down to 1/125 to get strobe again with 1/125 being maximum sync speed available until I again select WL to Off. Did I mention that as much as I like my camera rig, I also hate it.

That I understand but on the camera that requires going into the menu and pushing buttons and if working two strobes that requires two adjustments rather than using a master controller on the trigger. It was just wishful thinking considering it costs $650 what would be another $100 to have a power dial on the converter. Just looking towards the future day I might jump to another system what I might would want other than not wanting another Sony Alpha.

Here is one thing I noticed in terms of why profiles are needed vs the on board flash (of the 6400 or similar). While trying to figure out why I have random fail to sync over the last five years I tried multiple different strobes and board switch settings. I found that if I use the Z240 setting with my D2000 or S2000 the photos would be under exposed. Same settings, using a Z240 the photos were more correctly exposed. Does the duration of the board LED pulse(s) change with the profile switch selector? When using different strobe optically triggered by the integral flash, we naturally make the adjustments that I found needed to use non-supported strobes or the incorrect profile intentionally selected on the board. Since my board(s) were purchased before the S220 I have found that using the S2000 profile works fine but tends to be slightly over exposed compared to my old D2000 and (borrowed) S2000 strobes. Adjustments need to be made either by ISO or within the camera flash exposure +/- to correct. If the OP were to purchase the new external TTL trigger what does he gain vs the older in housing board type? What is the advantage he would see? For me and my NA6400, when I want to shoot TTL I use the camera integral flash which works perfect, not an option for the A6700. When I want to shoot manual strobe, I use the UWT board and just accept that random photos will not sync, of course those are the ones with the shark or the whale or attack submarine, whatever never again opportunity occurs, but whatever😡. It is what it is. But never again a Sony, just saying. Not even sure I can blame the fail to sync randomly on Sony but I suspect that is where the issue is. What would be cool, for the external TTL trigger, what if it had a +/- dial on it?

Thanks, now I understand, I think. Thanks.

Interesting. The difference between 1/160 and 1/250 is surprising. Is that possibly due to ambient light when you did the test? I would have thought that all of the flash pulses would still be contained within an interval of 1/250 second?

I think I have a basic understanding of how HSS works, maybe not ;). My question, with the same strobe power setting and in manual mode, does the strobe exposure effectively attenuate more and more as the shutter speed is increased or is the attenuation the same. Say we go from 1/200 max X-sync speed to HSS at 1/250 and 1/500 and then to 1/1000?

Which adapter cable did you use please? BTW, the Nauticam aux battery originally would go to sleep. This was revised with a new connector that has some sort of chip (?) in it. Regardless, both of my booster batteries will run continuously charging the onboard battery and allow me to make up to four dives with little restriction. Usually during the fourth dive the booster becomes depleted and the camera goes to the onboard battery still fully charged. I know this because the camera starts to go to sleep rather than run continuous. I have made a third booster using this unit. The cover has to be removed. I have not used in underwater yet but it appears to function: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZCZSH9?ref=cm_sw_r_cso_sms_apin_dp_20AH8208SPJRT07YJC7F&ref_=cm_sw_r_cso_sms_apin_dp_20AH8208SPJRT07YJC7F&social_share=cm_sw_r_cso_sms_apin_dp_20AH8208SPJRT07YJC7F

You have me convinced and the strobe table listed in this forum agrees. But per that chart it has twice the UW weight also of the S220. The reliability is unproven and it is a manual only strobe and for me I shoot TTL a lot. And on the subject of reliability. With my Nikonos II I shot flash bulbs circa 1973. With my Nikonos III I shot Oceanic strobes for a decade or more before finishing with Nikon strobes and used both into the digital era trying to make them work with an Oly 5050 and then buying the set of D2000 strobes circa 2005. So that is 20 years on one set of strobes (and hopefully they have life yet). In other words, reliability is important to me because reliability equates to longevity. I do not have the expendable income to jump cameras, housings and strobes every year. These Weefine strobes could be great but I would like to see a year or two of use in the market before buying a set because they are not inexpensive strobes and they are from China, not Japan. Inon I would buy now if it existed. The video light, phooey, I would rather a modeling/focus light and HSS and/or sTTL. Of course, if I could have all for the same price, sure why not. But I do not even know how to make either of my camera systems do video, not a high priority. If I want video I just shoot it on a GoPro, maybe.