Chris Ross

That should be about the right spot then assuming the entrance pupil is about 10-20mm below the tip of the front element.

Looking at the port chart you use a 24mm extension with the FLP-04 or a 34 mm extension with the FLP-06 for the 60mm macro lens meaning the FLP-06 port is around 10mm shorter than the FLP-04 port. The chart also suggests the FLP-04 port for the 30mm macro and this implies the FLP-06 port alone won't fit the 30mm macro lens as it would be too short. You could use the port combination for the 60mm macro but the 30mm macro is shorter by 25mm which means the minimum focusing distance for the 30mm would fall inside the port, which means that 1:1 is not possible at ll and the max magnification you can easily use is lower. The FLP-06 alone would house the 14-42 EZ lens which might be a cheaper possibility, it's probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer but should be acceptable. You can zoom out to 14mm but the image quality will suffer in the corners due to the flat port at the wider end. Zooming in you can achieve about 0.23x magnification maximum meaning it will cover an area 74mm wide. You can add a wet lens diopter - the Nauticam CMC-2 focuses between 63 and 130mm and can get up to 0.6x - usable but not anywhere near as convenient as dedicated 1:1 macro lens. The MFO-3 of course allows you to get the 35mm macro and 60mm macro on the same dive, both with very good optical quality.

The specs say this lens is 76mm long and it appears that the entrance pupil is about 15-20mm below the front element. Using the housing flange to camera flange distance of 39mm and 120mm radius for the 230 mm dome I would say something like a 30-35mm extension. To judge this the tip of the dome should be about level the dome's aluminium base and that should get you close. If that setup doesn't vignette then shoot a split shot of a straight object sitting on your pool step to see if the width remains the same above and below, like is done in the first sequence in this post:

This is a difficult question to answer exactly as manufacturers use all sorts of different methods to describe their lenses coupled with the fact that most macro lenses reduce in focal length as they focus closer by varying amounts. the closeup lenses then magnify less with the shorter focal length of the lens. If you still had your +5 lens you could measure the magnification achieved to compare with the published magnification data for the MFO-1 which is found in the port charts. The reported magnification is 1.1 to 1.2x for 90/100mm 1:1 macro lenses and the RF-100 increases magnification from 1.4x to 1.6x. I would expect a +5 to give you 1.3 - 1.5x magnification with a 90/100mm depending on which particular macro lens you use.

I have the 30mm macro, the Panasonic version, nice lens but I find the practical limit for it is about 0.5x, theoretically it does 1:1 but this is achieved about 10-15mm or so from the front port glass, hard to get that close and also light your subject. It does indeed work well for medium size subjects and I've taken some nice shots with it. But for me if you also want to shoot smaller stuff in the 0.5 - 1.0x range it doesn't cut it. I couldn't imagine using a diopter with it as it focuses so close already. The MFO-3 allows you to have the 60mm 1:1 capable lens and a 35mm approx lens on the same dive, much greater flexibility. In Australia at least the required port plus the lens purchased new for Nauticam would be more expensive than the MFO-3.

The newly released Nauticam MFO-3 does just this, it increases the field of view of macro lenses. In your case it would be the equivalent of about a 35mm macro lens. It is not available just yet, but due very soon. Attaches either with a bayonet of flip adapter or M67 thread. I've ordered one as I have the same issue as you with seahorses, larger fish, weedy sea dragons etc. You would need to check compatibility with your AOI port. Your other alternative might be either a 12-40 or 12-45 lens in a small dome. The 12-40 achieves 0.3x at max zoom, which is about 55-60mm across the frame, but it gets significantly wider field than the MFO-3. These lenses won't work well with a wet lens as they extend when they zoom. A third alternative is the WWL type setup using one of the 14-42 lenses, but this doesn't get as much magnification as you can get with 12-40 lens

I think they are saying both o-rings are small. This strobe has a third "sand" ring designed to keep particles from getting into the o-rings and they are very effective, I have one on my INON torch and it's also usually dry inside, so no water droplets on the o-ring, but I don't think it is a completely reliable seal. It may work for the first few dives but eventually water gets through to the under sized o-rings. This could explain the strobe working for a short while then flooding. Has the issue of the different sized o-rings been presented to Backscatter, has anyone measured to the cross section with calipers? If you look at their website this photo shows an apparent difference in the size of the two o-rings installed on the strobe. It may be an optical trick, but it is worth raising with them.

Welcome onboard!

This may be true, however it should not be happening after 6 dives. I think the report of differing cross section o-rings is a concern though.

The problem with wet macro lenses is the very limited range they actually focus in, however the weaker they are the wider this range. This is a problem as it can make getting what you want in focus tricky sometimes. As to what to start with this depends on what size critters you manage to find usually. With the UCL90 assuming equivalency with the CMC-2, you can shoot portraits of critters that are around 35-70mm long (filling 70% of frame in horizontal axis) at a guesstimate based upon the working distance range provided. It seems that the UCL-90 is something like 10% more magnification than the CMC-2 It is also reported that the UCL-90 gives more working distance than the Nauticam CMC-2. It's reported that the the frame at min focus distance for the RX-100 is 100mm across so through a flat port would cover 130mm so it would be usable for 90-100mm long subject without the close up lens. You can check what the bare lens can do for yourself on land, I only found a random internet post with data. Note that land based measurements need to be corrected for flat port magnification, while I believe the Nauticam data already covers this. This leaves a gap for objects 70-90mm long, but you could probably handle that with cropping the bare lens or maybe zooming out a little with the UCL-90, assuming the Nauticam data is for the lens at maximum zoom. It seems like the UCL-90 might provide a reasonable range of subjects sizes without needing to get too close. Also assumes your subjects you find won't try and leave (like fish and other mobile animals). For reference this video shows testing results for the CMC 1 and 2 and the UCL 67 and 90 lenses. IT is tested with a different lens but the relative performance will be similar for your lens, so the relative differences in magnification and working distance will be about the same.

The working distance is relatively short with the RX-100, Nauticam publishes the magnifications and working distances achieved with their close up lenses here: Google DocsN50 & Compact System 2025-06-20.pdfThe CMC-1 is close to the UCL-67 in power, while the CMC-2 is close to the UCL-90 lens. The CMC-2 at max magnification covers 48 x 32 mm, which is about 0.75x, so getting close to what you can achieve with a 1:1 macro lens on full frame, however it only focuses between 80 and 124 mm. The RX-100 alone covers about 100mm across the frame, so the UCL-165 will achieve somewhere between that and what the CMC-2 will achieve. I would guess that the UCL-165 is probably quite usable and could fill the frame with small subjects you could expect to be able to find in the relatively short time you have on the bottom free-diving. The issue I find with closeup photography is that finding the subject is hard part for small subjects, while 30-40mm nudis etc are generally a lot easier to spot. You would be the best judge about your ability to approach and shoot objects at the distances we are talking about.

I've not been, though I know the author of this website and it gives a reasonable rundown of Whale swimming in Tonga and how to get there and what to expect - for example the country is pretty much closed for business on Sundays. I know a few others who have been and they all sing its praises, IndopacificimagesHumpback Whales of Tonga - The Complete Guide | Indopacif...The Complete Guide to the Humpback Whales of Tonga has all the information needed to plan that once in a lifetime trip to this special place

I think the article was quite clear that the filters remove light and this is their limitation. The article also goes into having the right sort of red filter that doesn't just block everything below red but transmits some deep blue as well to help get nice looking water colours. The article's primary focus is on the limitations of the auto correct algorithms that artificially boost red channel which means you can't colour grade them afterwards as it brings on strange casts and fluro colours. This makes sense as the grading in the video software assumes certain things about the light spectrum and all falls apart if the auto correct has done strange things to the colour data. It seems to me that the primary problem in processing video from such cameras without filters is the inbalance between the channels, the red channel has much less information in it than the green and especially the blue and without a filter red needs significant boosting, while trying to control the blues and greens. When you add a filter you end up with a balanced histogram but with a bit more noise in all the channels. You have to stretch each channel a little bit less and this is generally good for not having the image fall apart. Having them all even makes processing such as noise reduction easier as each channel needs the same treatment In stills this basically means the RGB channels when viewed in the histogram are all full, So each of the RGB channels runs all the way from 0 to 256. If the red data is all bunched at one end it breaks apart as it is stretched to fill out the histogram. This is effectively what you are doing when you are trying to colour balance an image. 10 bit vs 8 bit helps a little with this but can only do so much. For all this to work properly the right filter is vital it needs to attenuate each channel by the right amount so you have a good histogram in each channel and it is balanced.

I know they only list their strobes, however if it can run their strobe in manual it should work for any strobe and likewise should work with any RC mode capable strobe and there's a few of them out now. Not sure how that works with a SOny camera though.

I saw a Giant frogfish in a discarded washing machine when I was there last and seems there's no shortage of rubbish around the place. I'm tossing up whether to bring a wide lens when I go, ( also in September (19-26) as it happens) I'm tacking it on prior to a work trip so luggage space might be a little tight. I've ordered an MFO-3 so hopefully it might arrive before I head out. The dive guides should certainly know.

The flash trigger is interesting, it's a new concept the Hotshoe module has 5 electronic contacts that connect to corresponding contacts built into the housing. The battery to run the trigger and also the vacuum system is built into the housing as are the trigger LEDs. The hotshoe module includes an old style screw down ring to secure it, presumably to ensure pressing the contacts together doesn't force the trigger back and lose contact. Hopefully it will give a reliable connection, particularly as the camera just sits in the housing without any lock in tray. As for service, I think in theory they are serviceable and some retailers will do service on them. Maybe ask your dealer before you commit? For example Olympus housings are made by AOI, but Olympus doesn't sell parts. Some retailers however will service them, mostly limited to o-rings, circlips and springs.

The solution I think is to trial it in a systematic way. Take some water shots in maybe auto ISO and check your results. Take shots with the sun behind and in front and see what they are like. The camera will try to make the water middle grey in tone and you may need some exposure compensation. Hopefully the exposure comp will be the same for the two extremes. You will probably also need to try different apertures and shutter speeds to get the exposure right at the extremes of lighting, no good for example being at ISO200 with the sun behind you and only being able to go as low as ISO100 into the sun if you go the auto ISO route.

Try emailing Nauticam directly, they should know this and reply to you.

2mm radius is a pretty tight curve. I think they'd fit in the INON adapters which are pretty cheap all things considered.

These port adapters were designed for specific camera systems to place the zoom control on the adapter in the right position to work with the N120 zoom gears and it used to be that the applicable zoom gear was the Canon EF zoom gear with the lens on the standard lens adapter - either Metabones or Sigma. There used to be a line item on the port chart at the end confirming this. Now there is just a cryptic statement on the website that says: "Compatible with all E mount port systems." The Nauticam 19529 zoom gear is listed for the Tokina 10-17mm on the Canon N120 EF port chart, so this appears correct As far as I know the only change with the type II adapters is they have upgraded the port locking system (at least on type II extension tubes) and upgraded the price. If the adapters are the same length it should be fine. I suggest you confirm with the dealer that this is the way it works still or email Nauticam to confirm.

You could get to 1/250 sync speed in manual flash assuming your trigger co-operates. If you are using a fully manual trigger I know the more advanced bodies like the EM-1 MKII can get to about 1/400 sync speed. I don't know if the AOI trigger will allow that, the Nauticam trigger achieves it by not reporting as a flash to the camera, just using the sync contacts. HSS is a possible solution but you lose flash power with it, the YS-D3 strobes have plenty of power so should cope OK up to 1/250 - 1/320 range. Another thing you could try is using the extended low ISO of 100 if you haven't tried already, the strobes should have enough power to deal with that and it's equivalent of going from 1/160 to 1/320 for background water colour at the same aperture. You lose a small amount of dynamic range from this but you should not notice in most circumstances.

I'm thinking more along the lines of an emergency spare. I was doing a single day's diving ahead of a work trip one time and left my cables behind. Found a store selling toslink cables and was able to rig them up and they triggered my strobes fine. As for a supplier I found this listed on Alibaba, seems like a cheaper version of the MCQ-1000: www.alibaba.comAsahi Kasei Mcs-1000p Multi Core Fiber Optic Cable For Se...Asahi Kasei Mcs-1000p Multi Core Fiber Optic Cable For Sensor Field - Buy Mcs-500p-10 Mcs-1000p Mcs-1000p-13 Shmcsn-1000p-18-22pf(eb) asahi Kasei Sensors Mcs-500p-10 Mcs-1000p Mcs-1000p-13 Shmcsn-1000 The spec sheets I found for this and the MCQ-1000 are identical apart from The minimum bend radius, it's 1mm for the MCQ1000 and 2mm for this product 613 cores versus 217 cores. They report the same attenuation spec for LED light. Looks like you would need to buy a roll but the price is about equal to two finished cables.

I would also add on the topic of zooms, the 9-18 and Pany 7-14 are not that starp, the 12-40 and 12-45 and the 8-25 are really quite sharp, though you need a 170-180mm dome port. The Zen 170mm dome is quite good and I've used that a bit with the 12-40, the only issue is that 12mm (24mm equiv) is not that wide. The 12-45 and 12-40 work with an N85 dome, but the 8-15 needs an N120 dome and the lens is mounted to the camera through the front port opening an dthe extensions/dome are mounted over it.

The CMC is one way to do macro, but it is a bit limiting 0.6x max magnification at about 60-70mm working distance and it goes out to about 120-130 working distance. AS far as lightweight travel goes an EM-1 MkII plus a 4"zen dome and a macro port is pretty light, I've still got my old EM-1 MkII housing so I put that, the camera, macro port, 4"zen dome , 60mm macro, panasonic 8mm fisheye and two INON Z240s in my backpack I use and the total weight was 8kg. The AOI housing might be a bit lighter, but the wet lens would be heavier.. I took a photo of it here: You might need to add a few bits and pieces but it's basically ready to go as a wide/macro setup. You could add something like a Tokina 10-17 plus metabones speed booster later. That would need the Nauticam 4.33"dome (N120) and an N85-N120 adapter/extension tube to use. As far as fisheye goes, I really liked the 8mm Panasonic fisheye, this gallery on my website was shot with that: https://www.aus-natural.com/Underwater/Rowley%20Shoals/index.html and this: https://www.aus-natural.com/Underwater/Weda%20Resort%20Halmahera/index.html and this was using the Canon 8-15, a few more CFWA type images in this one: https://www.aus-natural.com/Underwater/Walindi%20Resort%20PNG/index.html

Thanks Tim, I have a couple of INON made fibre optic cables that I've been using for while, they have the INON screw mount at the strobe end and the INON made right angle attachment on the housing end. I can't say that I've ever needed to burp them, they get connected up before the dive and removed when I soak the camera post dive, I break the whole rig down to store it away till next dive. When on Liveaboards/dive resorts I do similar but without removing strobe arms. I do use the Olympus mini flash for my trigger which has plenty of light so may be able to get enough light through any bubbles that form? Most of my dives are shore dives in Sydney, rig strapped on and getting in and out over rocks with a bit of swell thrown in for good measure. My INON cables have stood up well so far, I don't attempt to attach them to the arms at all and they seem to survive just fine, the only time I broke one was when I handed my rig to someone else getting in. Occasionally one of the S&S connectors at the housing end pops out but mostly no problems apart from the strobes causing the arms to flop down while walking in/out from site. For cable you may be able to use TOSLink cables, I've found that the square plugs will fit into S&S connectors after shaving them a little on the corners of the square plug. They are commonly used in home entertainment systems so might well be a lot more available. Googling trying to find the MCQ-1000 fibre is frustrating, all the links are for armoured communications cables with lots individual fibres inside and only one or two pop-up for that product and they are in the US.