New RF 14-35 f4L, anyone tried?

32 minutes ago, phxazcraig said:

Best I could do (maybe, it's getting cooler now) would be a quickie pool test.

My next scheduled dive trip is to Truk lagoon where I may get in as many as 20 dives.  I'm unlikely to use that time for testing without the IRC.   I'm also thinking about a short dive trip, perhaps to Cayman Brac, in January where I could get a test in.

I do suspect it is making a big difference.  When I put the 77mm version on my 16-35 behind the same dome port it was like night and day difference.   Before the IRC I simply had to crop all the images at the edges.   After the IRC I didn't really work about the edges anymore.

Which is why I paid the $700+ price tag for the 82mm.

I suspect the pandemic and subsequent massive reduction in diving had Sea & Sea pull back the IRC to special order status.  

I'm a little surprised Nauticam hasn't come up with something like this.

Agreed, the $700+ looks worth it, if you could do a pool test anyday it would be amazing!

7 hours ago, stillviking said:

Agreed, the $700+ looks worth it, if you could do a pool test anyday it would be amazing!

Problems with pool testing:  1) I'm fighting a covid infection this week, and 2) it's now Sept 15, the date on which summer traditionally ends in Phoenix.  (Really!   I've been here 42 years, and mid-September is when the winds shift).   Once 'summer ends', the humidity drops (a lot) and the nighttime temps are also comfortable, which means pools cool off like when you turn on the cold tap in a hot bathtub.

Which means it's just unlikely I'll get in.   When I got my first big Nauticam rig (D810) , I took it in a pool in December and froze my hands within minutes to the point I was having trouble using controls.  And I ran out of air in my tank, so I wasn't much of a test session, though I got some photos.

Still, I may be able to dunk it from the edge and that might be enough to show a difference, which is really all we need.

Send it over here, Craig. Our pool is a delightful 88F. It’s actually too warm. First World problems eh?

After using the lens a bit more, I have to say this is a very nice and solid choice for underwater.  If I look in the corners, there is a bit of not sharpness but do not find it overly distracting.  I have not used it with the S&S adaptor nor do I plan to.  This is my go to lens.  I have been using it behind a 230mm Marelux port on the R5.   Here is a 16mm shot at f/5:

I don't find the ice at the top distracting even if there may be some distortion from shooting so wide open.

Going to 14mm is really nice too.  What is remarkable is also the image stabilization.  I have sharp eye's on other divers at 1/4 of a second exposure.  That is ridiculous. As an example, I cropped this one to get rid of some black on top and bottom but it was F/4 at 14mm with 0.4 second exposure:

My second snorkeling dive!

8'' dome

18 mm f7.1 1/400 ISO1000

Center stills amazing, borders not good at all.. lots of blurry - 2nd manta ray on the left not sharp !

LINK: https://ibb.co/6tzffFx