Sony Alpha A6000

I have been using Nex5r in a 10Bar housing for one year. Well, this housing does not support 10-18 OSS F4 or I need very tricky way to attach the lens. Obviously Nauticam builds much better housing. I also has an A7r but the AF speed is too slow. It is very logical to wait for the newer macro Zeiss lens and for the housing...

Current A7 housing from Nauticam does support A7s

I'm sure the A6000 housing will be quite popular, as the camera is an affordable 24MP high IQ body. The Zeiss 12mm WA has been declared the sharpest and highest IQ WA for UW work. I'm sure the Z50 will be right up there in IQ, maybe a bit short in length, but at least a 1:1 macro. I've suggested to Zeiss to make a sharp 1.4 E-mount TC, but I doubt that will ever happen, even though the engineer thought it was a great idea, as they do make TC's for other platforms.

Too bad Nauticam decided not to support the Z16-70 zoom that Stuart uses in his FS700. I played around with it when it first came out and wanted to use it as a versatile single dive lens to replace the 18-55 kit. It would fit into a Port 72 with a 30mm mini extension, but because it's not an internal focus lens, the port design just wouldn't cover it's AOV range. Nauticam would have had to build a fairly huge and wide custom port to do what Port 72 does for the S18-55. I finally accepted it just wasn't going to happen. Now that the NEX system is maturing for UW use, perhaps someday Nauticam willl build a semi-dome port with a swing diopter mount to work with this lens, but I doubt it.

The NEX 7 housing is fantastic with it's Tri-Nav controls. It's been a long wait, but lens are finally starting to appear for us loyal NEX users. I'm hoping to use the Z50 macro in my Port 72 with some modifications because I still love the 18-55 single dive versatility, just not it's IQ, even though it's not terrible and I've gotten by with it.

Support for SEL1670Z Vario Tessar T E 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS is available.

The latest update I have from Zeiss here is that 50mm should start shipping next week, but in limited quantities.

Ryan,

Hey, it pays to read these forums. Wow, a port for the Z16-70. Way to go Nauticam. I'll check it out :-)

Thanks for the update!

Marsh

I'm seriously thinking of getting the Z50 Touit. Given it and the S16-50 kit use the same Macro 45 port (+the 30mm extension) I'm wondering if the IQ on the S16-50 is any better than the S18-55? I've read articles in both directions, all stating neither lens are really very good, both being quite soft in the corners with loads of CA.

I don't do much extreme WA (as much as the Z12 wets my dreams :-). It's been suggested to try the Z24 in my 4.33 dome (rarely used for video w/ S16 & WE/FE converters) or the more versatile Z16-70, both giving me better IQ and similar AOV as the short end of the kit in a flat port. However, after checking out the new Zeiss 16-70 set-up Ryan showed me above, it won't replace the kit's single dive versatility since it uses the 7" dome. I was hoping it was a bigger version of Port 72 when I first saw the drawing. LOL.

Any other creative ideas on lens and port use perhaps with other manufacturers? It's hard to stay up on all this stuff as much as I try.

Trying to keep a lightweight travel system from growing and not have to plan another bank job :-) LOL

Anyone have any photo shots of the Z24 and S16-50 kit lens or any opinions on them. I won't be diving for another 9 months or so, so there's time to sort things out and see the lens tests and UW results from the Z50 Touit.

Thanks,

Marsh

great

Seriously, there's an $800 or 46% discount on the Zeiss Touit 12mm F2.8 + Touit 32mm F1.8 two-lens kit right now. Just ordered mine - can't wait!

Zeiss Touit 12mm is one sharp lens underwater according to Reef photo review: http://www.reefphoto.com/kb.php?id=63

You forgot to mention there is a $50 off A6000 body discount going on. Too bad I have my heart set for the Panasonic GH4 since I'm more of a video person. Enjoy your A6000!

Thanks

Placed an order for twin Touit lens offer from B&H but too late to tried them out this afternoon. These two lenses do not have in lens SSM motors so focusing is very noising and much less smoother than the Sony 35 f1.8 and Sony 10-18 UWA zoom.

Thanks for the information about the two lens deal.

Did a side-by-side comparison between the Zeiss 12mm and the Sony 10-18mm above water. Not surprisingly the Zeiss 12mm F2.8 being a prime has sharper corners than the 10-18mm @ 12mm F4. For pixel peepers who don't mind noisy AF, the Zeiss 12mm is a great choice. Since the Sony 10-18mm has silent autofocus, smoother video AF performance, noticeably wider FOV, and Optical SteadyShot, it's a more useful lens overall and definitely a better video lens IMO.

The Zeiss 32mm F1.8 is also very good optically just like the 12mm, and its AF is also noisy just like the 12mm - perfect for photography or shooting video without AF. For video overall, the Sony E 35mm F1.8 OSS is a better choise IMO.

Seriously, there's an $800 or 46% discount on the Zeiss Touit 12mm F2.8 + Touit 32mm F1.8 two-lens kit right now. Just ordered mine - can't wait!

 

Zeiss Touit 12mm is one sharp lens underwater according to Reef photo review: http://www.reefphoto.com/kb.php?id=63

Just bought these lenses. Onland they are great working primes but underwater I have doubt

Has anyone shot video with an a6000? I read there is a dedicated underwater white balance setting on the a6000 and was curious if anyone has used that setting to shoot video and can point me to results.

I currently have NEX-5N in Nauticam and hate the NEX-5N white balance problem. I don't want start from ground zero, so I am looking at this camera body (and it corresponding Nauticam).

I think the nex white balance problem is the same of the rx100 white balance problem and probably the same of the alpha problem? I would be curious to know if any sony can white balance properly underwater!!!

They have in the past. I had a Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 that had an UW setting. It took pretty good color balanced video, but sadly only 720p.

See video http://youtu.be/jFsR-oonTyQ

They have in the past. I had a Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 that had an UW setting. It took pretty good color balanced video, but sadly only 720p.

 

See video

Custom white balance is different and would be helpful to eliminate the need of a filter and gain 1 stop

NEX-5R CWB underwater!

Thanks A.Y. I saw that one and have yet to try it. I wondered if a brown colored slate would work as well. I have heard some say a grey slate works too.

I am still curious though if anyone has tried the A6000 UW setting.

 

NEX-5R CWB underwater!

Balancing like that doesn't give an error but doesn't give correct colours either