Architeuthis

Looks good to me. Color temp is maybe a bit cold... 👍 Just out of curiosity, I checked the price: very well priced in Europe (899 Euro) vs. almost twice in US (1699$): https://www.backscatter.com/AOI-Ultra-InTeLi-Underwater-Strobe-UIS-P1 Onderwaterhuis BasisAOI UIS-P1 Ultra InTeLi StrobeThis compact innovative new underwater strobe from AOI features a ring flash tube, COB light and supports both Sony TTL and OM System RC and manual exposure. .. => US customers probably better wait, I have the impression that the tax regulations are changing daily (hopefully tax will return to normal soon)...

Here correct strobe positioning is discussed in detail: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Underwater-Photography-Masterclass-Alex-Mustard/dp/1781452229 Also here: https://www.lehmanns.de/shop/sachbuch-ratgeber/50180970-9781138123588-the-underwater-photographer Wolfgang

What is the reason for replacing the battery cap? Corrosion or a leaking overpressure valve?

P.S.: when diving in the ocean, you can easily discriminate between condensation and leak by tasting the few droplets inside the housing...

I have encountered similar problems with all my Nauticam housings/moisture-detector over the years (EM5II, EM1II and A7R5): The housings for EM5II and EM1II were purchased second hand. Very reproducible the moisture alarm went on just after pumping "in" the vacuum 😄, when the housing was assembled in conditions of high humidity (e.g. in a ship's belly or in the tropics at 100% humidity). This was really annoying and I solved this by clipping off one wire that leads to the moisture detector (= two open contacts that are connected upon becoming wet) and making the "detector" thereby less sensitive. There is a tread about this in the old forum, but I just cannot find it right now... I did not encounter the same problem (= moisture alarm without water drops in the housing, just caused by high humidity) so far with my A7R5 housing, which I bought new. There was a similar problem, when the 140mm domeport became foggy in a cold mountain lake during two dives on the same day, the alarm stood green and did not indicate water or even moiusture. I found about 2 tea spoons of water inside the housing afterwards (the water was inbetween extension and domeport, not directly in the housing). Since the housing was assembled in a heated room and temperatures outside and in the lake were very low, the condensation formed from the water that entered the housing via the leak. The water ingression was probably formed via an old-style N120 extension, were Nauticam had fixed an essential mechanical part with just one screw (instead of four) and this single screw had become loose, but I did not notice (also tread in old forum: https://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?/topic/71358-dimensions-of-screws-for-nauticam-n120-extensions/&tab=comments#comment-453113)... => In principle all of the scenarios you mention are possible. When moisture alarm goes on, just after applying the vacuum and assembly in high humidity, it is likely 4). But then there is probably no water inside detectable, it is just moisture... When there is a miniscule leak (as was the case with my A7R5), there is little water inside (but the neither moisture alarm nor vacuum alarm reacted in my case, because the water was far away from the detector)... Wolfgang

Here you can compare test photos made with both lenses and judge by yourself: https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=1525&Camera=1175&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=1012&CameraComp=1175&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=1

The final IQ will depend on the combination of lenses and also TCs used (e.g. Nikon/Canon, Kenko DGX/HD/Sony, WACP-2/1/C; WWL-C)... My personal experience (Sony A7R5; WACP-C; Sony 28-60mm; Kenko 1.4x DGX; Kenko 2x HD Pro; Sony 1.4x TC; Sony 2x TC) is that IQ is pretty similar between WACP-C/Sony 28-60mm and Canon 8-15mm/Sony 2x TC/140mm domeport (but not so when I use the 2x Kenko Pro HD or the Kenko 1.4x DGX (the Kenko 1.4x DGX is clearly worse in IQ compared to the Sony 2x TC)). I find that both WACP-C and 8-15mm FE are very well able to do CFWA. I believe that the different AOVs, at comparable diagonal AOV, are similar, if not the same, between WACP and FE unlike the difference between FE and rectilinear... => In any case I would go for the Kenko 1.4x Pro HD TC that has clearly better IQ with Canon 8-15mm compared to the Kenko DGX version (there is somewhere a tread here with example photos made with this lens and both TCs) The Canon 8-15mm/2xTC offers, for me personally, a much better diagonal AOV at the wide end (180°), compared to the 130° of the WACP, what I find often too narrow. At the narrow end the 8-15mm/2x is 85°, what I find more than plenty: when I was e.g. making photos of moderately shy sharks with WACP-C I finally dumped the photos made with the WACP-C/@60mm, since there was just too much water inbetween and the more seldom photos made at wider AOVs were, of course, much better... My personal strategy is as follows: #1.: When I am going for real WA, I take just the Canon 8-15mm/140mm domeport (shade removed) and can switch between 180° and occasional circular fisheye. Smallest rig and excellent IQ. #2.: When I want also to zoom in (AOVs in the range of WACP), I mount the Sony 2x TC and an additional 20mm extension. IQ comparable to WACP but smaller rig. For future travelling, I am already considering to leave the monstrous WACP-C at home (transporting WACP-C vs. Sony 2xTC plus 20mm N120 extension)... Wolfgang

Would a second MF-2, without snoot, also do the job for you?

Great rig... I guess you using the HF-1 as second macro strobe because you need sometimes more light output (e.g. for backlighting)?

I thank you all for the great input...👍 => I just have ordered a second MF-2 (plenty of combinations with up to 4 strobes now possible, also for WA)... 😊 Probably I will go for such a detachable arm also, looks very practical...

Thank you for the valuable answer...👍 What camera are you using? Is also HSS working and if yes, does it have enough light? Can you please give a link to the "quick release"? Thank you, Wolfgang

I am currently using two Backscatter HF-1 flashes with my FF rig (A7R5). I have an additional MF-2 with snoot for occasional snooting, but currently I use the HF-1s as main flashes, also for macro (Sony 90mm macro with and w/o SMC-1). The HF-1 is a great flash but since they are big and heavy, positioning for macro is suboptimal, the small and light MF-2s would be much better in this respect... Is there someone who is using two MF-2 flashes for macro and can write about the experience with a FF rig? Are there macro techniques where the power of two MF-2s is not sufficient? (I am thinking of acquiring a second MF-2 and then use two MF-2 as main flashes for macro and let the HF-1s at the surface then (maybe a single off-camera HF-1 for special occasions)) Thanks, Wolfgang

Maybe it is worth to take the strobe UW, for the first dive after the leak, without batteries and some paper towels inside... (In case the leak is via the pressure relieve valve, it will be almost impossible to detect this by inspection)

I think I remember that there are people that use the Canon 8-15mm via EF-mount to Nikon Z converter on Nikon Z cameras. I am using Canon 8-15mm with Metabones EF-mount to Sony E-mount converter on Sony A7R5. Both Kenko and native Sony 1.4x as well as 2x TCs can be used, since the Metabones adapter provides the space for the extrusion of the native Sony TCs. When using the native Sony TCs instead of Kenko the required extensions are shorter (because of the protrusion). Most important, IQ should be at least as good as with the Kenko HD Pro TCs. Especially with the Sony 2x TC, IQ is clearly better compared to the Kenko 2x HD Pro TC and also better than Kenko 1.4x TC (but I have only the Kenko DGX 1.4x TC, not the better HD version). I cannot see a difference in IQ, when I compare the Sony1.4x... => This is specific for the Canon 8-15mm, the Nikon 8-15mm may well behave different when used with the Sony TCs (I also do not know whether the Sony TCs, Z cameras and EF-mount to SOny E-mount converters are, electronically, compatible; maybe someone checked already out?)... Wolfgang

As far as I understand the situation, one can use the Canon EF mount version of Tokina 10-17mm via adapter on Nikon Z (more easy compared to the Nikon version)... Only problem is that Z7 is FF and, even with FF fisheye (e.g. Canon 8-15mm via adapter; I do not know whether the Nikon fisheye is AF compatible) you need TCs to get an overlapping range with 14-30mm rectilinear lens... Wolfgang

Me and my wife have together four Z330s. Happy with these strobes, quality o.k. ... 👍 When one of our Z330s started to exert the, not seldom reported, "loose contact" problem of the ON-switch, I hoped they (or a similar flash) would become available soon. At this time there I knew just about the Sea&Sea YS-D3 beeing available in this class (since we have very bad experience with YS-D2, these were out of discussion). No Z330 sucessor became available and when the Backscatter HF-1 flash appeared, I switched to two of them. The HF-1 are even better than the Z330s in my hands, I never looked back (together we have now 2*HF-1, 2*Z330 and 2*Z330 spares (one of them working, but with loose contacts))... => In the meantime several other strobes in the league of Z330s and even better (including also strobes with circular tubes; none of these strobes appears to have "Bastard Buttons" 😁), became available from different companies at moderate price levels. The offer of available good quality strobes in this class has never been so diverse before. I am not sure that there are really many people out there, who are still awaiting a Z330 sucessor, the need for such a strobe became quite small (maybe Inon has abandoned this project because of low demand)... Wolfgang

I suppose the problem in this photo may be slightly out of focus. Also diffraction at f/20 will contribute to softness... When your photo is not sharp with 24 Mpixel, it will not become sharper with 60 Mpixel. Switching to A7R5 will not better these images... Wolfgang

This is very sad news, thanks for posting ...😢 Is there a scientific study available on the Raja Ampat bleaching event, especially on the role of sewage in coral bleaching and dying? I returned yesterday (March 22nd, 2025) from diving vacations in the Red Sea (Egypt/El Quesier area). Last stay there was in September 2023 and the coral still looked reasonably intact and little influenced by record heat and bleaching at this last stay, suggesting that Red Sea coral is pretty heat resistent... => The diving this time was sobering and really heart breaking (I dive in the Red Sea since the 80ies and have to face now this diving paradise vanishing): substantial amounts of hard coral (but also fire corals (which are not corals but hydrozoans)) dead and covered with algae (similar as in the video above by Dr. Dustan). Fish population greatly decreased, indicating that the entire ecosystem is out of joint ... 😞 Wolfgang

Hi Michi, Did the settings solve the problem with the A1? Unfortunately I do not have a file with the EM1II settings here at hand (we are currently for diving in Egypt, in case such a file still exists it may be still at home on our NAS server)... Here is s link for general settings for EM1II for UW use, maybe you can find something useful there: https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/olympus-omd-em1-markii-best-underwater-settings#Initial Settings In case you want know a specific EM1II setting, I can have a look at my wifes camera in the later afternoon, when we are done with diving. She is currently using the EM1II with Nauticam trigger with Z330s. The cameras are now ready in the housings and we go diving soon... Wolfgang

I did not try with the N85 version of the Zen DP100, since we have the N120 version, without extension, here. Possible that the N85 extension rings are to narrow for the zoomgear, as you figure out... I have a 30mm N85 to N120 extension ring here (without locks) that has been made by my local dealer (https://www.unterwasserkamera.at/shop/catalog/en/). Lisi does not use it any more, as the Nauticam 34.7mm N85/N120 extension works very well instead of the custom made 30mm extension (I have put it into the classified section here, in case someone is interested... When I look into the Nauticam catalogue, I cannot find the N85/N120 34.7mm extension any more. It seems they have discontinued it, this is a pitty if true...☹️ The dealer linked above should be able to produce also N85 extensions (without lock) at any length upon request and the costs are bearable (but I myself would go with the N120 version of the Zen DP100 and is it just to remain compatible with a later N120 system. Also the reselling value is higher, I think)... I also have tested the N120/DP100 with the Canon 8-15mm. It works fine, I could not find a difference in IQ compared to the 140mm domeport, but one has to remove the sunshade from the lens in order to fit into the smaller port (maybe the assembly is more prone to flare then)...

I am not sure that this is really "very expensive", but I did not count all the positions together for comparison. I, personally, think this is the optimum WA setup for MFT... The think the different solutions would be: #1.: 8mm MFT fisheye with small domeport plus another, additional, solution (e.g. rectilinear WA (8-25mm) with big domeport & extensions (e.g. Zen DP170), maybe better WWL-1B plus flatport/standardzoom). => A lot to carry around for travelling, also the second (WA) rig UW is big&heavy... => One has to decide before the dive whether to go "All In" (180° diagonal, 😃) or less wide... #2.: Canon 8-15mm, 1x Metabones adapter with 140mm domeport (via N85/N120 34.7mm adapter plus 30mm N120 extension) => Probably everything many people, including me, ever want for UW WA #3.: Tokina 10-17mm, 0.71x Metabones speedbooster, 100mm Zen domeport (via N85/N120 34.7mm adapter plus 20mm N120 extension) => extremely smart & small setup UW (also for travelling), I cannot see a difference in IQ compared to Canon 8-15mm (my wife loves this setup and uses it all most on every dive for WA) Wolfgang

The flash is sold now...

I cannot say about the Artisan 4mm fisheye from my own experience, but the lens looks short and it has a 225° circular angle of view. Probably it will be difficult to place in a housing and put a dompeort in front without vignetting. I assume it is manual focus what means you will need a focus gear for focusing on the virtual image of the dome (setting focus just close to infinity will not be enough)... I have used the Sigma 4.5mm circular fisheye (https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/45_28/) with Canon EF mount via Metabones 1x adapter on Olys EM5II and EM1II. Since the lens has substantial length, there were no problems with placing in it Nauticam housing and using domeports with appropriate extensions. It also is a lens with AF. Optical quality is, more or less, what you expect from such a lens, it is reasonably o.k., but not as good e.g. as Canon 8-15mm @8mm on FF (Sony A7R5)... Wolfgang

When I switched from Z330 (1st generation with white dome WA diffusers) to Backscatter HF-1 (with 4500K flat diffusers), I clearly noticed that the HF-1s are less prone to "flare" at the edges of the images. I am not sure, but probably the reason is that the HF-1 standard diffusers may provide a less wide beam angle... The physical factors (see below) are different between between different models. In my case every new strobe required learning during the first dives, also how to avoid "flare" in very wide WA, but there was always an improvement at the end (YS-D2 => Z330 => HF-1 in my case)... In general the factors influencing the "flare" are: flash beam angle, beam softness, in/outward aiming of the strobe, distance how far the strobes are pulled back behind handles, angle of view of the lens (most important factor: almost impossible to get "flare" with 17mm rectilinear behind 170mm domeport, even difficult to produce with WACP-C/@28mm, but very easy to get with fisheye 180° diagonal or circular), light shade on the dome (yes/no) and (maybe; I personally do not have experience with circular flash tubes) shape of the flash tube (circular/linear). ISO, aperture and flash power have same effect on "flare" as on the rest of the flash lightening - therefore I would not use them to control "flare" (maybe "flare" disappers in the EVF when parameters are adjusted, but upon postprocessing the "flare" will reappear without mercy - better eliminate "flare" by other means)... Wolfgang

Definitely there is a reason. You want to take off the cap when you are UW and start to make photos. At the end of the dive, before you start going out, you mount the cap again to protect the precious wetlens (before you hand your rig to stuff on a zodiak). Domeports are mostly vulnerable in the short period when the rig is lying unprotected in crowded places while people enter/leave the water... In my case it is WACP-C, but the cap is very similar, if not identical. Similar to the others here, I have drilled a hole in the cap to mount a boltsnap via an accessory cord (redundantly secured with a cable ties). I mount the cap to a D-ring on my jacket and this is perfectly o.k. ... Wolfgang