Ido

Laowa just updated its 12mm F2.8 Zero-D lens with autofocus . I wonder if this new lens can replace my good old 8-15 mm Nikon lens. I use the nikon lens only in 15 mm and I use an adapter for it. (I use Nokon Z7 2)

https://www.dpreview.com/news/5867780953/laowa-updates-its-12mm-f2-8-zero-d-lens-with-autofocus-for-some-mounts

There is a very popular area for sharks around the Rabin power station (Hadera - Israel) where they enjoy the warm water. During the winter, this area becomes very crowded with sharks, swimmers, and divers. I have dived there twice and it was not a pleasant experience. Visibility is poor, the current is extremely strong, and the atmosphere is chaotic, especially during the weekend.

It is today that the first victim has paid the price.

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/environment/artc-shark-attack-reported-in-hadera-rescue-workers-searching-for-diver

Here is a pic I took during a dive there

Hi all

I plan to go to Biminy for Hammerhead dives.  I heard that it is better to shoot without strobes in these specific dives . (static dives about 10-15 m depth) 

any expeience or tips ?

Thanks

Ok. I could'nt  wait - So I took an old random pic with backscatter. Here are the results. 

Bare in mind that this is an automated process, So I could not control any parameter. I didnt not perform any editing work on the pic - besides the backscatter removal.  

As I was optimistic, I asked our friends at Sea&Sea if there had been any updates. Here is the response.

 Hello Ido,

Our parts supplier has been closed since covid-19 pandemic.
We had been searching for another supplier in Japan.
When upgraded version is launched, we will inform you an official web site, FB and Instagram.

We are terribly sorry for your inconvenience.

We will keep you updated.

sincerely

Kaz Okada
International Sales
Sea & Sea Co., Ltd.
2F,4-8-11 Nagasaki, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0051 Japan
Tel: 81-3-5926-9320
Mob:81-80-3276-7203

At the Red Sea. Nikon Z72 Nikon 8-15 

Great shots as usual.. What a magical creature 

Great shots. 

Nikon Z7 2 . lens: 8-15 fisheye Isotta housing 2 Sea&Sea YS-D3.

Location: Eilat - Red Sea .

Thanks

On 3/6/2024 at 8:43 AM, Interceptor121 said:

Dome is small-> lens focuses at 28cm lens entrance pupil 11 cm from focal plane. Minimum ideal dome radius 17cm. Isotta radius 10cm. Delta 7cm large number-> blurry edges
Position of the dome I said possibly but at the end this lens just focusses too far and is not really a good candidate for underwater use

Look for lenses that focus at 20cm

Thanks for sharing this useful information.  I have the Nikon 8-15 fisheye. I use it only as a 15mm fisheye. I have

the convenient 4.5 inch dome and the 6.5 and 8 dome. The bigger is the batter for this lens....?

On 3/4/2024 at 5:51 PM, Interceptor121 said:

Your dome is small and possibly not in the right position

 

How do you know that my dome is small and not in the right position ?

I take shots with 6.5 and 8 inch domes with the appropriate extensions rings. I believe that  larger domes it will give me results, However the setup that I use is the recommended one by Isotta for this lens. 

When I am using my Nikon 14-30 f4 at f11 - f16 with the recommended setup (Dome and extension ring) I still get an anoying blur edges.  I have not yet figured out what will happen when I focus slightly before the subject and not directly on it. 

In contrast, if I am following a moving object, I will always focus on the subject. 
I have read good reviews about the Sea&Sea lens for improving this issue. 

Now there are several options (like https://lefeet.com) that allow us to mount the scoote on the air tank. This can be quite practical with underwater camera rig. 

7 hours ago, fruehaufsteher2 said:

Just came back from Grand Bahama. Booked 10 dives, only 3 happened because of bad conditions and one of the guides had been bitten by a tiger a week before. But got credited the missing dives so have to go back to Grand Bahama somehow in the future.

 

Some impressions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one is great.. and what do you mean by "one of the guides had been bitten by a tiger a week before" ?????

Nikon Z72 lens: Nikon 14-30 f4. 

Hi all - this is the reply that I got from Sea&Sea about the correction lens:

Hello Ido,

Thank you for your contact.

About M82 internal correction lens:

Both M77 and M82 internal correction lens have been discontinued. Because our actual supplier has been closed during covid-19 pandemic.

We have a plan to reproduce them but it is not so soon. Let's say in July or August..

We will keep you updated. Once they are ready, we will announce to public.

We are so sorry for your inconvenience.

Best regards,

Kaz Okada
International Sales
Sea & Sea Co., Ltd.
2F,4-8-11 Nagasaki, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0051 Japan
Tel: 81-3-5926-9320
Mob:81-80-3276-7203
 

17 hours ago, Chris Ross said:

If you want to use a WWL you get the nauticam port and lens combination and change the lug ring over.

 

Regarding your shots, what are you focusing on?  Depth of field is 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind your focus point.  If you focus on a closer point you may get a little more in focus.  Also try shooting at f13/14/16 and compare corner performance.

 

A further option is using a fisheye, you would need the Nikon 8-15 as the the most straight forward option and you could use your existing dome and only buy a different extension ring.

 

 

Thanks. I do have the Nikon 8-15. I'll try it as well and I will compare results. 

2 hours ago, Architeuthis said:

Were the photos made at 14mm? If yes, I believe the edges are, more or less, normal (what does "null" mean? When I look at the photos both have slightly blurred edges, pretty much the same)...

Not all of the "blurriness" I see there is due to domeport optics. To some extend it is just a depth of field issue, as the substrate in the edges is closer as the central object is. There is also some kind of "rectilinear" distortion in the edges, that can be observed even without a domeport, when you make comparable photos over the water...

WWL/WACP will improve "domeport blurriness" and "rectilinear distortion", but cannot help with out of focus issues. It will also introduce some kind of "fisheye distortion", that is, however, regarded as pleasant by many...

 

Wolfgang

Thank you. the "null" was just a typo. sorry.. For the WWL/WACP - I am using Isotta housing - So unfortunately - I can't use these.  

1 minute ago, TimG said:

Hi Ido

 

I suspect it’s the usual issue of housing a full-frame wide-angle lens.
 

Even though a manufacturer recommends a lens/port combination, you can’t be certain that it will work perfectly to give edge sharpness 

 

Id try stopping down more - to f16. If that doesn’t work you might need a bigger dome; or one of the Sea&Sea correction lenses. I know others who have had to do that. 

Thanks. Unfortunaly the Sea&Sea correction lens is out of stock every where ..

Here is another example. 

Hi

I  shot this image with Nikon Z7 2 (Isotta housing and 2 Sea&Sea strobes) lens: 14-30 iso 250 1/125 f11 

I love the image however I always get these blurry edges (the lower part of the frame). The dome is suitable for this lens and it was with f11. 

Any ideas ? Or the only way is using wet lenses ? 

Thanks guys.