Rich W

Id rather use the R6 (full frame) purely as i already own one. The Nauticam website lists the R6 Mk2 housing as being compatible with the Mk1 with a "supplied kit". https://www.nauticam.com/products/na-r6ii-housing-for-canon-eos-r6-ii-camera "*A conversion kit is required for use with the original Canon ROS R6" That at least means i could get an R6 mk2 (which is still made) and likely available second hand for several years longer even though the Mk1 no longer exists. Splashing money on an R7 body and new housing just to use a lens not made since 2022 doesnt seem a great idea. Ultimately i use my 10-17 currenly about 90% of shots at the 10mm end, rarely going to 17mm. FWIW i do very little macro at all. Typically 1 day on a week long trip if its somewhere nice but thats about it so WA is my main interest here. WACPs and so on as well as being costly are heavy and luggage weight is another huge issue. Not ideal getting an entirely new system and then the luggage weight issues as id still be taking my R6 and the surface lenses on trips as well. Im already paying through the nose for excess fees sadly. If the 8-15 goes full frame above 14mm or so it might be tolerable as thats roughly the same as my existing 10mm now provided i remember ot to zoom out. I might be able to live with losing the zoom as im not sure id go wider than that anyway. Hard to say really.

My current ancient setup of a Canon 70D in a Nauticam housing/DS161 strobes and Tokina 10-17 with mini dome is basically EOL. The Tokina is sticking on aperture blades a lot and seems to be discontinued with no way of obtaining a new one. Going on that im looking at upgrade options. I have a Canon R6 (mk1) for land use so the obvious route is to house that. Nauticam housings for the R6mk2 according to their site can also take the Mk1 with a kit they sell. Has anyone tried/done this or knows much about it? That would seem sensible to me as i could use my Mk1 and a potential future Mk2 so extend the lifespan rather than have a disontinued housing for a discontinued body. Further to that, lens options. Primarily i do wide angle. The crop 10-17 isnt an option so looking for equivalents. What WA lenses are people currently using commonly underwater? Full frame fisheye, rectilinears and so on? Id want roughly the same field of view as i got previously. Im not a fan of full frame fisheye with large circles that need cropping though. Canon 16-35 or similar or is that too narrow given its not fisheye? Sigma 15mm f/2.8 ? Canon EF 8–15 mm ? Im happy to adapt EF lenses and not need just RF. I already have a RF-16 f2.8 FWIW. Its been so long since i looked at options can anyone suggest common lens WA setups and ports to go with the nauticam (or other options, WACP or whatever) ? Strobes i guess ill have to keep for cost reasons but im currently utterly unable to find a new battery for my DS161 which is another issue. Ideally i want to stick with Nauticam although i know i cant actually use the port or anything from the old setup sadly. Id look at buying likely here in Japan as with tax free etc its over £1,000 cheaper than the UK cost. Or happy to consider second hand - they never seem to come up though.

Interesting video. I still want to do it. I was in Japan for 9 months last year with my gear and at one point from Izu could literally see the lighthouse. I couldnt persuade my partner to go dive it (used to work there) and English speaking centres which id need on my own didn't have the best reputation so it never happened. As above, Japan is big enough in terms of population it doesn't have to rely much on external tourism and cultural differences so deals with its main market only. That said, some places, in particular main island ski resorts do now seem to be advertising, changing and trying to get foreigners in. Large group diving is common, arguably even popular in Asia and yes as a photographer and as a guide i hate it. 35 min dive times i could cope with i guess if its that or nothing. The "full service" style diving is very popular in the Caribbean as well with the American audience. Personally i dont like it - as a guide the best indication you have of a diver you've never met competence is watching them set their gear up. If its all done for them the chances are they cant recognise problems and other things. In the Caribbean we literally had people with 200+ dives who had set their gear up on the OW course and never since. THAT said, from a business point of view its much slicker in the mornings getting everything setup and ready. No talking, delaying, wandering, faffing. Even more so if its rental. Its still on my list for sure, maybe this year. Although i really want my R6 housed for better video...

Only just discovered this forum as another one i used appeared totally disused... New name here (formerly gnirtS) but same thing. From Wales, often based in Asia. PADI/BSAC instructor, various OC/CCR quals, photographer since about 2006 and dabble, very badly, in video.