Troporobo

Well, serendipity has answered the question for me. While researching the topic, I came across one of the alternatives for sale nearby at a great price, so I’m going to start out with a Panasonic 8mm FE and the tiny Nauticam 4.33” dome port. I figured it will be an inexpensive way to get started in CFWA and see how I like it - which usually means the upgrade itch will come in the future! Next I’ll need to learn Lightroom processing tips for the fisheye lens, specifically “de-fishing”. Any tips?

Thanks again to all for the useful discussion. There’s a lot of daydream fuel here!

Wolfgang - Thanks for the additional resources. I had seen one of Massimo’s articles based on your work but not the other. That arrangement seems a bit more complicated than I want, notwithstanding the great IQ results. Congrats on working it out! Chris - Would you expect that the 140mm dome is workable for CFWA? My experience with a 150mm dome suggests it would get in the way for targets tucked into the reef. Though admittedly those scenarios rarely yield the best compositions. Cheers to you both, Robert

Wolfgang, would you say that this combination can focus very close to the glass? And display the port need an extension? Thanks all for the ideas!

Close focus wide angle is something I’ve been wanting to gear up for a long time now. With an impending move to a great wide angle locale but an enduring obsession with macro photography, now is the time. Disclaimer: I shoot with the Olympus EM-1 mk II and will keep it until OM Systems comes out with something significantly improved. I’m not interested in moving to another format even if it would guarantee production of regular contest winners. I use the camera on land and travel frequently and so the size and weight are optimal for me. Ideally the new setup will perform well at both CFWA and reef scenic. I do not anticipate using it much for blue water pelagics. I understand my options as follows. (1) I have the excellent Olympus 7-14mm f2.8 Pro lens and could put it behind a 170mm dome. I haven’t been able to find out how close this will focus so unsure of potential for CFWA. That dome might also work for the 12-40mm lens although that’s not a focal range I’d use often. (2) The Panasonic 8mm f3.5 FE or the reportedly excellent Olympus 8mm f1.8 Pro lenses can be housed behind either a 4.33” or 140 mm dome, but I haven’t found info about the advantages of one vs the other. I have read that either will focus right at the glass of the smaller dome for CFWA but don’t know how one or the other fare at traditional WA or behind the larger dome. (3) Adapt the excellent Canon 8-15mm FE behind a 4.33” port as suggested by Alex Mustard in comments to one of his recent videos. Same questions as #2 (4) FWIW I have tried the Panasonic 7-14 behind a 150mm dome and it will neither focus closely nor produce acceptable edges. It’s Ok for scenarios like blue water pelagics where the edges are not critical. Im leaning toward a FE and small port despite my unfounded bias against fisheye distortion. OK, I’m ready for your thoughts! TIA

Thanks Chris. That’s another viable workflow that I think could work for me

Tell us more about the Fiji example. Because the one time I did the Beqa Lagoon shark dive, admittedly a long time ago, it was a feeding frenzy free-for-all. And personally I would much prefer that sharks do not learn that motor + splash = food when I’m usually the one making the splash!

Yes, that’s how I understand it too. Gino only mentioned moving the RAW files after a shorter trip, hence the question. I like the idea of a new catalog on the travel machine. Is it easy enough to switch between new and old catalog while traveling?

Thanks a lot for the advice guys, much appreciated! I think Dave’s workflow makes sense for my case. I worry about relying on only an external SSD for my catalog(s) as being internationally mobile increases the risk of loss. Though the same is true of the MacBook. I’ll need a fail safe hardware backup somewhere as internet access is crap in many of my destinations. Does that mean you did not have access to your home catalog while traveling? What happens to edits you did while traveling?

I use a desktop iMac for editing, and use only one catalog. For work reasons, I’m about to transition to a MacBook Pro for several years of overseas residence and regular long-term travel. I’ll get back to my desktop perhaps twice a year. Both computers will be backed up to external drives daily. What’s the best strategy to take my catalog, photos, and editing workflow on the road, but ensure it can all be re-integrated on the desktop at the end of this adventure? I’m aware there are many resources out there for LR strategies, but this group deals with travel all the time and I feel at home here. Plus, my travels will take me to many great dive destinations so my main photographic venue will remain beneath the waves 😎. TIA

Hey Brett - I hope you have a great time in the Solomons! I lived there many years ago and dived everything that was within no-deco limits. I’d guess that the wrecks close to shore around Bonegi would be severely deteriorated by now as they’re so shallow, but others like the John Penn and the submarine near Tambea are much deeper and should still be good. If you can get out to the western province there are some aircraft in protected lagoons, and the Toa Maru in a deep bay near Gizo was and still should be superb. And if you do get out there, Grand Central Station is a must, it’s a pass through the outer reef that generates big currents and thus attracts tons of big pelagics including sharks and rays. Now I’m starting to miss it all. Hopefully there are good operators to steer you right, when I was there it was hit and miss. Best of luck! Robert

Cool, thanks!

Hello neighbor! I’m just north of you, on one of the islands. Great shot of the GPO, where was it?

Thanks a lot Chris, this is really informative! I’m a macro shooter on m4/3 but missed the boat for CFWA and have recently been thinking about getting into it. What’s the total setup - lens plus adapter plus port plus extension? Does that port have both a focus gear and a zoom gear? Other than zoom and thus main subject image size, are there other advantages of this setup over the 8mm FE behind the 4.33 inch dome?

I do remember the film era! I had a Sea&Sea Motormarine with its lousy attached flash. And to add a difficulty factor, I was living in the Solomon Islands and had to send my exposed rolls by post to Australia for processing, which meant I didn’t see my images for about 4-6 weeks after a dive. It made for slow learning . . .

I would not be an underwater photographer today if I hadn’t found Wetpixel back in 2006. I started in the film era but drifted away. Wetpixel rekindled my interest and got me into the digital era. Thanks Eric!

That brings back fond memories! I dove at the Casino years ago and found the combination of kelp forest and bright orange garibaldis absolutely magical.

Congratulations Alex! I really like the idea of highlighting and critiquing inspirational images, please keep those coming! I also enjoyed the previous channel’s interview format so hope you guys will do those with other photographers and industry pros.

Suzan, those images are spectacular! I love the first one (moray?) as it’s not a composition I’ve seen before. I’m thinking seriously about getting into blackwater. Where were you diving?

Great find, nicely imaged!

Perhaps the most common for UW photographers: GAS: gear acquisition syndrome

I’ve had this lens for years, first on an EM-5 mk I and now on an EM-1 mk II. I use it behind a Nauticam 6” dome port. First to answer your question. The reported purple fringing is similar to chromatic aberration and happens on land when there is bright incident light coming from a sharp angle, for example, shooting closely toward the sun. I’ve not seen it happen underwater, even when trying for a sunball shooting up toward the surface. I suppose it could occur if your strobes were lighting the edge of the dome but that would ruin the shot anyway. I wouldn’t worry about this issue under water. Second, while its a fine lens overall, it’s not pro quality underwater, at least not behind the dome I have. It’s fine in the center but the corners are quite soft. It is fine for sharks in open water though, since the corners are likely to not matter. It may be my dome is suboptimal. I’d try looking for reviews for the dome you want to use.

@dhaas I love the three sharks on the sand! Here's another from me:

Cool idea! If you’re issuing a request / challenge, here’s my favorite

Hi and welcome! Tell me about diving around Oahu please. My daughter has recently moved there (near Waialua, north shore) so I now expect to be a regular visitor. Thinking about just parking my gear at her house . . .