Architeuthis

I post here some photos that allow to estimate the CFWA capabilities of the Canon 8-15mm/2x Sony TC setup (Sony A7R5 and Nauticam 140mm domeport) and compare to the Sony 100mm GM macro & MFO-3. Maybe the photos are of interest for someone: In late spring 2026 I was able to photograph a Tompot Blenny (Parablennius gattorugine) in its "wedding suit", first with the Canon 8-15mm/2xTC setup and on the next day the same fish at the same location with the Sony 100mm macro GM +/- MFO-3. Canon 8-15mm @29,9mm; f/11; 1/160s; ISO 100; 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Canon 8-15mm @29,9mm; f/11; 1/160s; ISO 100; 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Sony 100mm&MFO-3; f/13; 1/20s; ISO 100; 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): Sony 100mm; f/14; 1/250s; ISO 100; 2* HF-1 (4500K diffusers): And here 100% crops of the photos above: Canon 8-15/2xTC: Canon 8-15/2xTC(b): Sony 100mm: Sony 100mm&MFO-3: I think the performance of the fisheye lens plus TC is not bad, when compared to the dedicated macro lens (As expected, there is some softening produced by the 2x TC, but I think I can tolerate it). => It turns out that for my needs two setups (Canon 8-15mm/2xTC and Sony 100mm+/-MFO-3+/-SMC-1 (I am considering now to acquire a double flip holder 😄)) cover the range, with substantial overlap in the fish portrait/moderate macro range. Curious to hear what you think... Wolfgang

An update of PS became available (v27.11). I updated PS from v27.9 to v27.11 and the problem is solved now...🙂

A pure 8-15mm fisheye means either 180° diagonal or circular. The application range is limited to the very wide picture. CFWA is still possible, but often critters are too shy at this very small working distance. This means it would often not be possible to make a photo, since the animal is scared away @15mm, while @30mm I can take the photo (similar to WACP-C). On the positive side is excellent sharpness (at least with Canon fisheye and in comparison to WACP-C). I did not co a comparison by myself yet, nor did I see such a comparison: an high resolution sensors like A7R5, cropping MAY give reasonable IQ, MAYBE not far away from using the TC. With 2x TC one gets flexibility at the cost of the circular fisheye option (that I seldom use). The flexibility is great, e.g. the application range is considerably overlapping with a true macro lens (e.g. Sony 100mm GM) +/- MFO-3 , of course at the opposite ends...

I use Canon 8-15mm f/4 fisheye on A7R5 (Nauticam 140mm domeport). Most of the time with 2x Sony TC. I also tested Sony 1,4x TC and Kenko Pro HD 1,4x TCs, but the images are not sharper with the 1,4x TCs compared to the Sony 2x TC. IQ of the pure fisheye w/o TC is tack sharp and better (also better compared to WACP-C). I will not switch to one of the new fisheye lenses in case they are incompatible with TCs. I have WACP-C/Sony 28-60mm (similar to WWL-1, but no water in the optics), but use it very seldom. IQ is comparable to Canon 8-15/2x TC, but the widest diagonal angle possible is only 130°. Otherwise (e.g. close focus minimum object distance) very similar to Canon 8-15mm/2x TC. Regarding fisheye distortion, WACP-C and Canon 8-15mm/2xTC are pretty comparable at the same AOVs (e.g. 130°). The more narrow the AOV, the less pronounced the fisheye effect gets. Therefore distortion at 180° is stronger compared to 130°, but not much difference between systems at identical AOVs.

Please do not harass the nudies... Otherwise as Grantmac says: highest shutter speed, base ISO and high aperture value. In case even higher shutter speed does not bring the desired result, try HSS flash sync (e.g. when wider aperure desired). Even better results by using a snoot (in combination with above)... Wolfgang

I read the page linked above more carefully: AF is for infinity to 0,5m. Everything in macro distance (< 0,5m) needs MF... => This lens is pretty useless for most UW scenarios... ☹️

Here are specs. of this new lens: https://www.dpreview.com/news/laowa-35mm-2p8-macro-lens-announcement-autofocus/ It is indeed a FF lens. AF (for mount variants where AF is available) works only up to 0,5m. Since this lens will probably be used behind a dome, this may be o.k. ...

I do not have it by myself (too much bulk as well as too expensive), but I imagine that the Nauticam EMWL with Angled relay lens may be perfect for this issue (CFWA and perspective from the bottom). (different "objective lenses" from 60° to 160° are available)

In the AF/MF submenue (A7R5), I have set "Aperture Drive" to the option "Focus priority". As far as I understand, the AF works then at the widest aperture possible and just closes down to the selected value immediately when the photo is taken... AF most times is o.k. with Canon 8-15mm/2xTC (f/8 widest possible), but when light becomes dim it can struggles sometimes... Concerning the brightness of the EVF during review, I have set "Setup>Finder/Monitor>Viewfinder Brightness" to "Manual" and set Brightness value there to "0" (=neutral)...

I am in a similar situation: I was first time on Maledives in March 2026 (island of Omadhoo). I had Sony A7R5 with adapted Canon 8-15mm/2x Sony TC/Nauticam 140mm domeport for WA. Similar AOV'S compared to Tokina on APS-C. Really great scenarios with plenty of reefsharks, that are unfeeded/unbaited and hence do not come close. Vis was not great and the particles in the water are too many in most cases and demand heavy postprocessing. Here some sample photos: #1.: 1/160s; f/9; ISO 400; 29,9mm; 2*HF-1 (4500K diffusers). #2.: 1/200s; f/10; ISO500; 29,9mm; 2*HF-1 (4500K diffusers). #3.: 1/200s; f/9; ISO 320; 24mm; 2* HF-1 (4500K). In November we will return to Maledives (Rashdoo and Omadhoo again) and I am thinking now about equipment to take with me. One thing I have learned is that I will take this time the XL "shark arms" for the flashes with me (for better lighting and better avoiding the backscatter; XL&L arms instead of L&M) Which WA setup seems the optimum (I have them all at home, but can take only one with me)? A.: Canon 8-15mm/2x Sony TC/Nauticam 140mm again (my favorite): Already at 30mm (fisheye) the vis plus particles are rate limiting. No benefit from a setup that would provide better zoom in-capabilities (as WACP-C). My only complaint is f/8 as the widest aperture that makes AF sometimes slow (when deeper). B.: Sony 28-60mm/WACP-C: Provides a little more zoom-in capability at similar IQ, but as explained, the more narrow AOV is not a real benefit. Aperture is wider, so AF may work a little better. For non-shark reefscenes I would, however, miss the diagonal 180° (only 130° with WACP-C). C.: Sony 20-70mm (and Tokina 17-28mm)/Zen DP170: Highest IQ and @20mm(@17mm) still good for the sharks/rays. No big scene, however. Wolfgang

An update of LRc became available (15.6). I was curious and updated LRc. I tried with PS v27.10, but the problem still persists... ☹️ => Better still wait for newer PS version...

I use Adobe LRc and PS on Macbook Pro M1, latest OS (26.6.2). After updating PS from v27.9.1 to v27.10 I noticed that, out from LRc, I cannot edit an image in PS. The command is still there and can be activated ("Edit in Adobe Photoshop 2026"), but the image does not become displayed in PS... Google KI says this is a known bug of PS 27.10 and recommends downgrading to v27.9 - I downgraded and now it works again. => better wait with upgrading PS until this bug gets repaired... Wolfgang

I have used the Tokina few times with Zen DP170 with Oly MFT camera. It worked very good, although the DP170 is nit a hemispherical domeport, but a smaller section of a sphere. The example images are in the old forum. See here for the Nauticam recommendations: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1veVw6bFyoFx3JdFk-vo7He2jTde-xaTo/view

Did you follow the recommendations by, e.g., dustpatrol for making the test photos above the water? The dots look indeed like dust, bvery likely the sensor needs cleaning...

Same problem here (Macbook Pro M1)...

Lens is sold now... Macroport 105 N100 still available (220 Euro inkl. shipping within EU)...

See here at the Nauticam port charts: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1caMOa2cyCxucdcAiI8q9UsUu1YEg9ImC/view #1.: Sony 28-60mm & CMC-2: max. magnification: 0,7x Working Distance 83-135mm #2.: Sony 100mm macro & MFO-3: Max. Magnification 0.9X Working Distance 0-1500mm => Sony 28-60mm & CMC-2 is the macro that you can achieve, but you get 28mm WA behind planboard w/o CMC-2. Opposed to this you get a dedicated macro lens with the bare Sony 100mm GM, that you can convert to approx. 60mm focal length by adding the MFO-3 (= similar to Sony 28-60mm @ 60mm). (The announced Marelux wetlens may convert the Sony 100mm into a corrected (= like domeport) 24mm WA lens, but it seems it is not available yet, nor did I see any real tests of IQ yet).

My wife is using the Tokina 10-17mm with Nauticam housing for Olympus EM1II plus Metabones 0,71x speedbooster with Zen DP100 (N120 version). In addition, she uses N85/N120 34,7mm Nauticm adapter plus 20mm N120 extension... => this is indeed a perfect and compact rig for UW WA... Regarding pedal hood: The hood is in the way, when the Tokina is used on FF cameras (not recommended, better use e.g. Canon 8-15mm with 1x glassless adapter then (if required)). FF people used to remove this hood then( not recommended, better use e.g. Canon 8-15mm with 1x glassless adapter then (if adapter is required)). A bigger image circle (compared to APSC) is required for FF sensor, the pedal hood already shows up...

I saw on the Nauticam homepage, that they are selling now MFO-3II: https://www.nauticam.com/products/mid-range-focus-optimizer-3-mfo-3 Does anybody know what the difference to the original MFO-3 is?

Focusgear is sold now... Lens and Macroport are still available (620 Euro together)...

Similar Internet user here...😁

Did you test also the Tamron 17-28mm? How is performabce against the Sony 16-25mm, if yes? Thanks, Wolfgang

Are you sure about the 140mm dome (I cannot find this dome as beeing compatible in the Nauticam charts)? What extension are you using? Would be great, one small domeport for both fisheye and rectilinear WA...

Domeport 180mm and Sony 16-35mm is not the perfect combination, 230mm domport, or, even better, Seacam PPO is the way to go (but this is not what CCRphoto asked for)... (Seacam wrote me that the excellent Sony 26-35mm GMII works very well with their PPO; flange distance in Seacm housing seems to be bigger compared to Nauticam, hence after doing appropriate recherches, Saga could make an adapter for Nauticam) But it may be useful still to state that it depends very much on a particular lens. Tamron 17-28mm works very well behind 180mm, even 170mm, domeport. Same with Sony 20-70mm. I can say this from my own experience, I use both lenses behind Zen DP170 with A7R5/Nauticam..