Maria Munn

If someone mentions the word Action Cam for underwater use, who else would automatically think of either Go Pro or the Osmo dpi range? This week I've been learning about Insta 360’s Ace Pro 2 and I have to say, I’ve been completely blown away by it’s specs. Not only does it boast an incredible Leica Summarit lens to set a completely new and unrivalled benchmark for action camera image quality (a whopping 50 MP), it has an F2.6 aperture to capture more light and reduce noise plus a 2.5” flip touchscreen plus many more incredible options to get super creative with your content. It has an elite 1/1.3” 8K sensor with 13.5 stops of dynamic range plus support for 4K 60 fps Active HDR and 8K 30 fps video. It also has a 5 mm AI chip for further processing and powerful performance. It promises to bring smoother, crisper 8k footage with incredible clarity , even in low light conditions, backed up by it’s renowned Flowstate Image Stabilisation and PureVideo software. It’s precise underwater colour technology ensures vibrant, true-to-life footage. It has outstanding white balance capabilities, boasts an incredible 157 degree field-of-view and is waterproof to 12 ms/39 ft. Leica has a long history of producing some of the best optics in the world, and I'm loving seeing the underwater images captured with this little gem of a camera. Has anyone got one? We’d love to see your images and hear your stories.

SeaLife have recently released their new S Smartphone Housing which is compatible with all iPhone models and some Android models (the Ultra is compatible with almost all Androids). It is slightly smaller both externally (16%), internally (27%) and is also 16% lighter than it’s popular Ultra model weighing in at 24 oz/680 grams compared to 808 grams. It has the same easy-to-use buttons and large shutter release making it a complete breeze to use when wearing thick gloves. It includes the same visible Moisture and Pressure Change Leak Alerts but these are not audible like the Ultra and it has a maximum depth of 30 metres compared to the Ultra’s 40 metres. A red filter is an optional extra with this starter kit but a light weight travel pouch is included. It has 3 accessory mounts compared to the Ultra’s 7 to connect to any tray with standard tripod threads and is of course compatible with all of SeaLife’s Flex-Connect Trays. The same popular settings are available via the free SportDiver App available on both Apple and Google Play Stores: Adjust Zoom Exposure (EV) Auto/Manual Focus White Balance Tint Lens Selection RAW and JPEG shooting options Video Stabilization Movie Mode SeaLife also offers a 52 mm 0.7 x wide angle lens, plus a wide angle dome lens which increases the shooting angle by 43%, allowing for a closer photography distance and improved edge sharpness. These attach directly to their lens adaptor which can be used with the Sportdiver S Housing, allowing all lenses from their range and other brands with 52 mm or 67 mm threads to be mounted directly to expand both macro and wide-angle creativity. Step-up rings can also be used for other sized lenses. This image is of the SeaLife SportDiver Ultra Version using the Dome Lens It is also offers more bounce for the ounce with a lower price tag of $299.95, making it a more affordable option for starters in underwater photography using their smartphone. I loved using my SportDiver housing when it was first released and this is sure to be another popular addition to the SeaLife family. For more information visit www.sealife-cameras.com

Weefine have just released a new ring light, the WF101 Ringlight 3000 Version 2 to compliment their existing WF105 Ring Light 3000 CCW but what are the differences between the two and why would you prefer to use one over an external strobe? Ring Lights are particularly useful in macro underwater photography, providing shadow-free illumination when a subject is close to the lens (the WF105 Ring Light provides 1000 lumens of light allowing users to shoot at just a 25 mm distance from their subject), super ideal for lighting tiny subjects, particularly if they are in an area difficult to illuminate evenly with an external strobe. They are a fabulous smaller, lighter (just 470 or 480 grms above water/245 arms underwater), more economical option for those macro lovers starting out in underwater photography who don’t want or need to invest in a larger, heavier strobe. Images @ Pauline Wong and Ken Thongpila Both versions provide a 90 degree beam angle with a continuous 1800 lumens of light for 45 minutes and 3000 lumens for 12 hrs of strobe use. As mentioned above the WF105 is a Super Close Ring Light providing 1000 lumens allowing for softer lighting, making it ideal for super close subjects. Both have a built-in strobe port offering a Strobe Mode with a specialised optical fibre cable. The newer version WF101, also provides extra options of blue and red light aside from white light (5500k), whereas the WF105 offers the possibility of adjusting the colour temperature (3500-8000k) to allow extra colour precision. It also has 19 brightness options via an adjustment knob compared to 4 with the newer WF101 V2 via a push button which also boasts 4 choices of power levels - 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%. Battery wise, the WF105 offers the extra option of USB-C charging, with both offering 3 colours to indicate battery power, making it easy to see if a quick boost is needed between dives. Finally both are depth rated to 100 ms/330ft and offer the ability to be used with lenses of both a 52 mm and 67 mm lens thread. To sum up, Ring Lights are a fabulous way for a beginner to get started capturing their favourite macro subjects as the light will never need repositioning, giving your subject a flattering soft glow and can lessen the risk of backscatter in your images. Visit www.weefine.com for more information.

I've finally recovered from the Go Diving Show which was held at the NAEC Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, Uk last weekend and what an incredible show it was. From showcasing diving equipment, holiday destinations, marine conservation and of course underwater photography over a 10,000 square metre area, there really was something to inspire everyone. Underwater Photographer of the Year is celebrating 60 years and had 30 of it's winning images on display from the entrance and throughout the show to inspire visitors as well as a packed audience to view them on the stage on Saturday afternoon. Here is Saeed Rashid introducing some of the images. Winning Image - Catherine Holme's "Kaleidoscope of Colour" - Brand New Category "Coral Reefs" Runner-Up - Jenny Stock's "Gardens of the Caribbean Reef Shark" There was also a dedicated Photo - Inspiration Stage with a wide variety of underwater photography talks to inspire. The hugely talented Jenny Stock concentrated on the "Creativity and Ethics of Photo Manipulation," Simon Rogerson, Editor of SCUBA Magazine shared secrets with the audience of "Photographing Big Animals" and Ellen Cuylaerts enthralled with tales of her past trips and the important of being a DAN member. There were a wide variety of underwater photography specialists exhibiting, some for the first time. DIVEVOLK were popular and stole the hearts of many visitors, with Louis and Kai from DIVEVOLK HQ in China flying in especially to demonstrate their award-winning innovative touchscreen smartphone underwater housings and accessories. Who else is in love with their new "Dreamy Pink" model? It was great to see Sea & Sea again, who had a variety of strobes on show for both compacts and d-SLRS. Orcatorch were also exhibiting, sharing a stand with Sea & Sea. They were demonstrating their popular D710 Best-Selling Dive Light which delivers 3000 lumens of light in 5 different colour options. Which one is your favourite? The ever popular Dr Alex Tattersall of Underwater Visions/Nauticam UK had his usual stand which he shared with Light Balance who are also retailers for DIVEVOLK. The popular team of Anne & Phil Metcalfe from Alphamarine Photography were there and Nemo Photo had their first stand at the show. Nemo Photo are the main distributors for Ikelite as well as offering Marelux and Go Pro products. I'm still buzzing from the show, with the 8 hour drive there and back, it was totally worth it. A huge well done to Mark and Penney Evans, all the Go Diving Team and of course the Exhibitors for creating such a brilliant atmosphere. I'm sad at having to wait a whole year to go back. Who's joining me?