It is no exaggeration to call the Nikon Z8 “long awaited” among existing Nikon enthusiasts. For many still photographers, the Nikon D850 has represented the nicest all-around DSLR for underwater photography ever made. And while the Nikon Z6 and Z7 (and their mark II brethren) are certainly nice mirrorless cameras, they were not really nice enough to inspire an upgrade from a D850 for most shooters. But the D850 appeared on the scene in mid 2017. A full six years ago is like light years by today’s digital camera standards. That said, there just hasn’t been a viable upgrade that wasn’t a full pro body like the well regarded Z9. Enter the Nikon Z8 – at last.
When rumors started circling that the Z8 would deliver most, if not all, of the Z9s impressive performance spec, it was easy to be a bit incredulous. But Nikon did not hold back and most of what makes the Z9 special has somehow been stuffed into camera body that is smaller and lighter than a D850. That is especially good news for us underwater photographers who have been waiting for a reason to move to a mirrorless interchangeable lens format that is clearly the future of cameras in general.
A quick specs review:
Nikon Z8
46MP – Just about perfect for underwater resolution and a subjectively beautiful file
30 FPS – More than any of us really need
8K 60P & 4K 120P Recorded internally in N-RAW or ProRes RAW. Nikon finally takes video seriously!
CF Express B for enough speed to handle the serious video capability. UHSII for the second slot
Max sync speed 1/200 unless shooting HSS
EVF 3,686,400 pixels
Same EN-EL15C battery as in D850/D500
No mechanical shutter
Much expanded AF menu of capabilities
Image above: Even in tricky constantly moving environments, rapid adjustments with the Nauticam housings come naturally. Even when holding one's breath.
Getting use to the camera
Many D850 (and other DSLR) shooters wonder out loud if they will “like” moving to the Z8. Like many things in life, that depends. When Nikon introduced the modern Micro-Nikkor VR 105mm 2.8G series lens to replace the decades old 105 “D” series macro lens, it was a significant improvement in sharpness, bokeh, and focus speed. But not everyone loved it. Why? It focused so fast some were intimidated by it – they liked the old slow focus. But for everyone else, it was a dream come true. Similarly, there are some things on a mirrorless camera that will be different and might take a few dives to get comfortable with, but once you learn to take advantage of what only a mirrorless camera can do, it is hard to imagine shooting any other way. A lot of the initial learning curve is easily overcome by setting up the camera properly for the type of underwater imaging we do, preferably well before you ever put it in a housing or go on a trip. Yes, this will mean getting used to a new and very extensive menu, but it is well worth it.
Image above: Z-24-50 with WWL-C. Even with only 1/200 sync, you can still get nice sun rays.
The Z8 EVF is not the highest resolution EVF of any camera available – is it good enough?
One of the biggest learning curves for many people switching to mirrorless is going from an optical VF to Electronic VF. In the past, EVFs have not been overly inspiring, they could lag, blackout during a shot, or just look a little too “TV-like”. That is largely irrelevant now. In most circumstances, the best EVFs will perform remarkably well. There is also a subtle software component that can make EVFs seem more optical-like and that is where the Z8 VF shines. The Z9 was one of the first EVFs that really felt like (to me) you were using an optical VF for the most part. The Z8 VF is identical and really pleasant to use. Is it perfect? Not quite. If you do not use a good strong focus light on a night dive, certain focus modes seem to cause some crunchiness in the EVF display and the option of shooting in red light mode is largely off the table with any of the current electronic viewfinders on any camera. On the plus side, Nikon’s popularity in stellar photography inspired them to offer a “Starlight View”. This is a very useful tool for night dives and especially for Blackwater dives. This lowers the AF sensitivity to about -8.5EV which is an amazing accomplishment and makes it easier to view tough subjects. The data displays also turns red to help preserve your night vision. There is already talk that the Z8 will be “THE” blackwater camera and feedback from the field looks good.
Once you get comfortable with reviewing your images through the EVF display, you will never want to go back. I find turning off auto playback and utilizing the playback lever perfectly placed by my left thumb on the Nauticam housing to be intuitive and a game changer for confirming focus when needed. All while never missing the action by taking my eye away from the viewfinder.
Considering all the benefits of utilizing the viewfinder, I think every Z8 owner shooting primarily stills should consider one of Nauticam’s new Full Frame Enhanced Viewfinders. These new viewfinders were designed in response to the ever-increasing size of the EVFs coming out that demanded a whole new optic design. Even on traditional DSLRs, using the new FF viewfinders show just how much sharper and defined the optics are.
AF designed to fit every style of shooting
I have always found Nikon cameras to generally be better auto focusing still cameras than most, if not all, of their contemporaries when they release a properly developed camera. This is particularly true when it comes to low light and challenging macro fish portrait photography. The Z8 lives up to that tradition and then some. But getting the most out of the camera does require some experimenting to find what works best for each individual’s style. There are a LOT of AF options including different shapes and sizes of AF area and various tracking and animal recognition features. It pays not to just pick the same old focus size you have always used in the past, but rather take advantage of the new menu of tools at your disposal. For instance, I found that a wide, short, rectangular shaped focus area worked great for shark photography and reef scenics, thus eliminating the need to move a simple group focus around for composition. Wide angle focusing is essentially instant and consistent.
Macro focusing with the NIKKOR Z MC 105MM F/2.8 VR S lens on a small moving fish like a Royal Gramma was an absolute pleasure with a small group focus that was rarely prone to jumping to a closer or further subject as some other mirrorless cameras have been prone to do. After taking 70+ shots of small fish subjects I found my in-focus percentage was over 80% which is all I could ask for considering the challenge.
Image above: Focusing head-on to a low contrast subject, in vertical, with a busy background will baffle many modern mirrorless cameras. Z8 nails it.
Image above: Shooting the Z 105 with an off-center subject with Isopod and a strong background is still easy - I took a dozen photos of this unfortunate fish and all were sharp. I love the soft Bokeh of the Z 105.
Autofocusing with Nauticam’s wonderful SMC-1 on the 105 was easy and accurate and I found the EVF to offer at least as detailed and easy to compose a scene as with a D850 optical viewfinder.
Image above: On a night dive, Z 105 with SMC-1. At F16 I wanted to see how easily I could autofocus on one blue eye. It was easy and the other little crustacean was a bonus.
Image above: Fish portraits like this young hamlet with the Z8 are probably the most fun I have ever had doing it.
Image Above: The Z8 and Z 105 make a wonderfully versatile portrait combination, and it is a lot of fun to experiment with. Here providing a very detailed reef shark face portrait.
A special note on “Live” autofocus for video. If Nikon’s have had a particular AF weak spot in the past, it has been continuous focus in live view for video. The Z8 offers a huge and needed improvement to the point it comes within spitting distance of Canon’s best-in-class dual pixel AF. Even in less than perfect water conditions, I was shocked at how well it performed.
Battery Life
The good news is that the Z8 uses the tried-and-true EN-EL15 battery (in updated form) that many Nikon shooters already have in their kit from many previous camera iterations. The downside is the Z8 is a much more power-hungry camera than traditional Nikon DSLRs. The real world results are that if you are shooting a modest amount of still photos (100-125) per dive, you can likely get through two dives without issue. If you are shooting a lot of stills or shooting video, you may want to change batteries for each dive. Since I was shooting a lot of stills and some video, I preferred to change batteries on every dive most of the time. With the Nauticam housing, the whole process only takes a couple of minutes including pulling a vacuum, so I would rather err on the side of more run time.
There are settings that can mitigate a bit of energy drain, but as Alex Mustard recently pointed out in a discussion, do you really want to buy a high performance camera and then handicap its abilities to save battery life?
The whole battery run time issue will soon be a moot point as future developments by Nauticam should offer the option of an external USB charging bulkhead to top off battery charges between dives without releasing the vacuum seal. An inexpensive external battery pack can offer fast charging on the camera table.
Image: Z 24-50 with WACP. One of the perks of Cuba is silky sharks near the surface. The Beauty of shooting with the WACP and WWL-C is minimal distortion of the ocean surface when this close. Check out the detail of eye and sensory pores.
Hands on with the NA-Z8 Housing
Nauticam housings are now the accepted leader in both innovation and refinement of underwater camera housings for a reason, and the NA-Z8 offers everything we have come to expect along with some nice new tweaks that are very useful. When looking at the back of the Z8 camera, it is easy to see that all the controls the DSLR shooters have grown used to finding on the rear left side of the camera are no longer there. But thanks to some beautiful internal engineering, our left hands have still been given plenty to do when operating the housing. Our left thumb now controls switching the EVF and LCD monitor displays, operating the Playback and the Display function which I find of great use in both the EVF and LCD, rather than my right hand having to find the button. Also on the left-hand side is the very useful Focus Mode lever and a dual lever for Function Buttons 1 & 2 which are physically located on the front right-hand side of the camera. Of course, the Zoom/Focus knob is also on the left. I really appreciated being able to spread the workload out a bit between left and right hands, an idea long overdue.
Whether using Z-lenses or the FTZ adapter, loading the camera, changing lenses and swapping batteries and media all was pretty effortless in typical Nauticam tradition. As with the Z7 housings, the lens release functions with F and Z lenses and all existing port and gear configurations for F-Mount lenses will function on the NA-Z8 exactly as they worked on the Nauticam DSLR housings. For those wanting to load up their housing with extra lights, monitors and GoPros, the top of the housing is now capable of supporting a total of six ball mounts without any extensive modifications – another nice improvement for gear intensive folks.
NIKKOR Z 24-50MM F/4-6.3
Part of what makes the current Nikon Z cameras awesome for underwater is the unfolding new lens line-up. In particular, the Nikkor Z 24-50MM F/4-6.3. This little walk around lens should be in all Z8 owner’s quiver for wide angle and blue water pelagic shooting thanks to what a powerful small package it creates when mated with Nauticam’s WWL-C water contact optic on an extremely tiny flat port. It can also be used in the WACP-1 with some vignetting at 24-25mm.
Image above: The small form factor of the Z 24-50 and the WWL-C makes it a blast to use.
I shot the 24-50 with both options and after trying both, I opted for the WWL-C most of the time. If in a hurry, it is easy to zoom too wide on the WACP-1 getting the shade in the shot, and the WWL-C is just such a nice compact form factor. The WWL-C does exhibit a little shading in the corners at 24mm (you can’t even tell until loaded on a decent monitor), but a quick toggle of the vignette correction in Lightroom makes it disappear. This is just such a fun and versatile option, it will be tough choice to decide which wide angle option suits your needs on this camera.
Image above: If you use the Z24-50 with the WACP and accidently zoom to 24mm, this is what you will get. But it stays pretty sharp into the corners.
Image above: 24-50 with WWL-C at 24mm showing slight vignette shadowing.
Image above: The same shot with vignette removed in Lightroom.
Image above: Part of the fun of working with the WWL-C is the range of fish behavior you can capture on a dive. Here a grouper hides behind a fan - all the groupers here seem to know this trick.
Image Above: Zooming to about 35mm with the WWL-C is perfect for a grouper getting cleaned. Image quality only gets sharper as you zoom in.
Image above: Zoom all the way to 50mm and the framing is perfect for an immature queen angel.
Image above: Another example of framing for effect with the WWL-C. The detail is amazing.
For those that own the WACP-1, the Sony E-Mount 28-70 works surprisingly well on the various adapters for E-Mount to Z-Mount. It will offer the maximum zoom range of any option. It is important to use some form of group focus and not spot focus when using the adapters.
Image above: WACP-1 at about 28mm
Shutter Sync Speed
Some may find the 1/200 synch speed a little disappointing – but so far it has not seemed too limiting. The camera will let you shoot higher shutter, but you will not get a fully strobe lit frame in spite of the camera having no physical shutter. For those wanting a higher sync speed, there are HSS compatible TTL converters and strobes available to make that possible.
Image above: WACP at about 28mm
CF Express B Cards and Video
For shooting stills, most name brand card will function fine. When it comes to video, the Z8 is capable of generating very data intensive high bit-rate files. It has become pretty clear that certain manufacturer’s cards will overheat quite quickly. Sandisk and Lexar seem especially prone to this. Delkin cards seem to perform much better and some other brands seem to be surfacing that also work well. This will no doubt be a moving target and needs to be assessed at the time of purchase based on the latest findings. Nikon’s “approved media” list does NOT mean it will successfully record all video formats.
Final Thoughts on shooting the Z8
As most photographers realize, there is no perfect camera made today, but they are getting closer all the time. As a long time DSLR shooter, the Z8 joins just one or two other mirrorless cameras that I find really fun to shoot the way I like to use a camera underwater. And as a long time Nikon shooter, I was pleased with how much seemed familiar, but also how much better this camera performed in several categories than its DSLR predecessors. It's few weak spots (like battery life and sync speed) are really not deal breakers and both issues have solutions now or in the works soon. If you are a Nikon shooter who enjoys shooting video or wants to learn video, it is a no-brainer. This camera will blow away any Nikon you have ever shot video on and is worth taking advantage of.
So yes, if you want the best Nikon has to offer, the Z8 is worth it. But if you still love your old Micro Nikkor 105 2.8D lens with its slow focus and funky bokeh, this may not be the best camera for you. That 105 D lens will not work on the Nikon FTZ adapter. For everyone else, embrace the learning curve and go for it.
Image above: A 24-50 with WWL-C is a near perfect shark photography set up.
Image above: 24-50 with WWL-C. The silversides in the upper left corner are a little soft as the point of focus was a bit further away. But this is a nice example of the Z8's great dynamic range and a lot more detail could be pulled out of the shadows if desired.
Image above: 24-50 with WWL-C. I only had a split second to try and catch the grunt yawning and the Z8 nailed it. Unfortunately, some of the fish were closer than the yawning grunt and are a bit soft. This is an example of when a short, wide focus box would have really helped get everything in focus, rather then a center group. It is worth remembering even the best camera can't fix the mistakes of the photographer. But when you get it all right, the camera can make you look good.
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SmallHD's Ultra 5 camera monitor is an ultra-bright 3000nit 10-bit HD display that supports both HDMI and SDI input as well as cross conversion (HDMI in/SDI out). In addition to monitoring, the Ultra 5 also offers camera control for ARRI, RED and Sony cinema cameras. Powered by their PageOS 5 operating system, the Ultra 5 features exposure tools such as the new EL Zone false-color overlay that uses sensor data to display parts of the image that are above or below 18% grey. Focus assist, peaking and waveforms are also still available as with previous SmallHD monitors.
Nauticam has supported a variety of SmallHD monitors with underwater housings including support for both HDMI (1.4 and 2.0), SDI, cross-conversion even surface monitoring. The NA-Ultra5 builds on this strong platform with the addition of supporting the camera control functions of the Ultra5 through the use of the dedicated control bundles below.
On todays ”Hands on” episode we will cover all of those features and demonstrate some of the benefits for shooting with this equipment underwater.
Nauticam NA-Ultra 5 Underwater Housing:
https://reefphoto.com/products/nauticam-na-ultra5-housing-for-smallhd-ultra-5-camera-monitor
HDMI to SDI Cross Conversion and How to Route an SDI Signal to the Surface:
https://reefphoto.com/blogs/video/filming-underwater-with-a-surface-monitor-what-equipment-do-i-need
If you have questions, need further support, or for a customized quote, please contact us at the link below:
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This camera and housing combo is an absolute powerhouse for underwater imaging that's loaded with a whole variety of features to enhance any underwater shooters experience. This comprehensive first look will cover all of those features and demonstrate some of the benefits for shooting with this equipment underwater.
Don't have time to read the full review? Watch instead!
Well, it's not. Today, we're going to be checking out the all-new Nauticam NA-R5C underwater housing and the Canon R5C cinema camera. We're going to break this down into two main categories for you: the NA-R5C underwater housing features and the Canon R5C features. We'll discuss all the important features that really stand out, additional gear you should consider adding, and more importantly, what kind of benefits all this equipment offers for underwater filmmaking.Let's kick this off by first taking a look at the all-new Nauticam NA-R5C underwater housing.
One of the first things you'll notice out of the box is the excellent ergonomic design and control placement. Thanks to the ingenious engineering from the folks over at Nauticam, many of the camera controls are rerouted out to the left or right side of the housing, placing essential controls for focus, exposure, and shooting right at your fingertips.
Attaching ports is also made easy thanks to Nauticam's patented port locking lever. Simply move the port locking lever into the release position, align the dot on the port to the dot on the housing, push the port into place, and then move the port locking lever back into the lock position. There's also a lens release button integrated into the housing to swap lenses directly from the front without having to remove the camera, making lens changes in the field quick and painless.
BUT WHAT LENSES ARE SUPPORTED WITH THE NA-R5C?
As for lens choices, the housing is built around Nauticam's N120 port mount, so you have the entire line of Canon EF and RF lenses to choose from, with solid choices on everything from wide angle to macro. Full zoom and focus support for all of these lenses are provided by Nauticam cinema gearing, with dedicated knobs located on the left side of the housing for precise adjustments to both zoom and focus underwater.
The NA-R5C underwater housing is also compatible with a wide range of Nauticam's water contact optics. The SMC-1 and SMC-2 make excellent choices for all of you super macro imaging fans and are among our top recommendations, thanks to the superb image quality, contrast, and color that they provide.
The EMWL-1 is a unique addition as well, allowing you to shoot dedicated macro and wide angle all in the same dive and is compatible with the popular Canon EF and RF 100 millimeter macro lens. Image quality is superb, and you have lots of options with the 60, 100, and 130-degree objective lenses.
Nauticam's WACP and WACP2 are also great additions as they provide incredible image quality and sharpness and when paired with the right lens can provide a very versatile option for capturing wide, medium, and close-up shots all during the same dive Nauticam's moisture alarm electronics are included along with the vacuum electronics system. You do however have to purchase the vacuum separately to utilize this but we highly recommend it as it provides some peace of mind that you've assembled the entire kit properly and it's safe to dive before you even enter the water.
The housing features five millimeter and ten millimeter threaded mounting points for attaching ball mounts for a variety of additional accessories. There is a quarter twenty cheese plate located on the top and this can be used for things like the Nauticam”s top handle or even a top handle that you already own. There's also a tripod ball mount set available that's perfect for attaching ball mount arms to be used as tripod legs. An optional control kit for the NA-R5C is available to use the canon RF to EF drop-in filter mount adapter. You can access the drop-in filter mount adapter from the top left side knob and this provides a variable neutral density filter option and control underwater. Which is a huge benefit for underwater filmmakers to support the 8k 60p internal raw recording from the camera an external power source is required.
Nauticam engineered a special battery compartment along the bottom of the housing for this exact reason that supports usb c power banks. This ANKER powercore elite 3 battery pack we tested, provided over six hours of runtime to the Canon R5C meaning you can literally shoot all day with multiple dives and without having to open up the housing for battery changes. In addition the battery pack is accessible directly from the bottom of the housing without having to remove the camera making battery swaps when needed in the field fast and easy.
Nauticam includes an M24 bulkhead opening for routing an HDMI connection to external monitors such as the Small HD and Atomos lines of monitors. These monitors make a great addition for any underwater filmmakers as they provide a larger brighter five-inch screen for viewing and are absolutely loaded with all kinds of assist tools such as focus peaking, false color, waveforms and many more that make your job underwater so much easier.
As you can see the housing itself is incredibly versatile it can easily be configured into a compact lightweight form factor perfect for things like operation on a pull cam specific camera rigging or for freediving applications where you want less drag in the water or for a more built out rig complete with things like an external monitor tripods and video lighting
As for the r5c camera we think this is an excellent choice for any underwater filmmaker to consider and it's perhaps one of the best hybrid cameras currently in the market. We have big improvements on features such as recording resolution, frame rates, fast and reliable auto focus, better battery life and more importantly none of the recording limits or overheating issues of the original canon R5.
For starters the camera is built around the same 45 megapixel full frame CMOS sensor. We have 8k recording at up to 60 frames per second, 6k 60p recording in super 35 millimeter mode, 4k recording at up to 120 frames per second and all of which is internally captured in 12-bit canon raw light. in addition we have canon log 3 available for increased dynamic range, canon's famous dual pixel autofocus system with advanced subject tracking and dual card slots now stack all of those features up and then consider the cost of this compared to other cinema camera housing combos in the market and not only do you have an incredible value for filmmakers but it's a fully functioning stills camera as well. Now I realize all of this looks really great on paper.
So, how does the Canon R5C actually measure up in terms of underwater imaging?In truth, really well, the ability to record in canon raw light internally is perhaps one of the most interesting new features as it allows for a significant amount of flexibility for changes to both color and exposure in post-production. Canon raw light is an excellent codec to work with and is supporting a large variety of video editing software such as final cut pro x and adobe premiere. With the variable frame rate recording options you have lots of creative flexibility for capturing slow motion playback of cool behavior shots and an excellent tool to help with stabilization and camera shake. Steady smooth handheld footage is easily achievable. The 8k resolution offers an incredible amount of detail. Additional options in post-production in terms of cropping or keyframing especially if you're planning to render out your final edit in either 4k or full hd.
Perhaps one of the coolest new features of this camera is its dedicated video and photo modes each with their own independent operating system features. As soon as the Canon R5C's main switch is moved to the video mode you have access to the same Cinema EOS menu system and interface found on the rest of the Canon Cinema line. Here, you'll have access to dedicated video features such as waveform monitors, video codec options, framing guides and many more. All of this greatly expands the camera's video potential for the experienced camera operator. During photo operation, menus are nearly the same as they were on the EOS R5 camera.
While in the video mode nearly all the buttons in the camera can be custom key mapped to a wide variety of camera controls for things like autofocus, one touch white balance, iso and many more. This is a great feature in the sense that you can reroute specific camera controls exactly to where you want on the housing and camera. Now a camera's ability to easily capture a manual white balance is a crucial feature for many underwater filmmakers in order to capture accurate color. Historically Canon has always excelled at this and has built a reputation among underwater camera operators for its excellent color. The R5C does not disappoint in this department at all. The water color appears natural and vibrant straight out of the camera and the R5C can perform a manual white balance at depth with ease and without the need for any underwater color correction filters. This camera can be set up to perform a manual white balance in just one simple step, simply assign any of the custom function keys to the set white balance control, place your white balance card into the frame, press the custom function key and boom you're all done!
Canon's dual pixel autofocus technology utilizes both contrast and phase detection to provide smooth accurate high performance continuous autofocus for filming a variety of subjects, frankly, it's just spectacular and is hands down one of the most reliable autofocus systems we've used when compared to many other camera brands currently in the market. It also works really well underwater too, even with non-human subjects. You can also fine-tune many of these autofocus settings through the menu.
The camera features a dual card slot design that accepts UHSD cards and the new CFxpress type B media cards for extended storage and record times. You have options for dual recording to both cards simultaneously so that you always have a backup of your footage in the event one media card fails.
This equipment is perhaps one of the best hybrid camera and housing combos we've used to date with a size factor and price tag that offers incredible value.
]]>Armed with a 32MP APS-C Sensor, IBIS, 4K 60P recording, 10 bit Clog, excellent AF, and a price tag that offers an incredible value, the Canon R7 & Nauticam R7 housing is a compelling option for any underwater image maker to consider.
Like the full frame Canon EOS R5, R5 C and R3, the NA-R7 present shooters with the ability to use both the available legacy EF lenses via an adapter in addition to their native RF optics. To support both the legacy and native lenses, Nauticam has designed a N100 to N120 adapter which integrates into the N120 Canon EF port system. The Nauticam NA-R7 housing only supports the the standard EF to EOS R adaptor and does not give access to the control ring or drop in filter adaptors. When using the EOS R7 inside the housing with the adapter and a supported EF lens, the port and extension ring arrangement will be identical to the same setup on a Nauticam Canon N120 DSLR. As the RF-S lens lineup emerges, dedicated port and extension ring combinations will be listed on the new N100 RF-S Port Chart.
This camera and housing combo is an absolute powerhouse for underwater imaging that's loaded with a whole variety of features to enhance any underwater shooters experience. This comprehensive video will cover all of those features and demonstrate some of the benefits for shooting with this equipment underwater.
]]>The Alexa Mini is ideal for use on drones, gimbals, and integrates perfectly into the Nauticam Cinema System. The 4:3 Alexa sensor, complete with anamorphic de-squeeze, ARRIRAW, and ProRes recording in camera to CFast 2.0 cards in an underwater system captures footage that cuts seamlessly with other Alexa cameras on set, with the same workflow.
On today episode of Hands on with Reef we discuss all of the features of the Nauticam Alexa Mini & Min LF housing, available accessories, and the ease of the installation process.
]]>This camera is an absolute powerhouse for underwater filmmaking that's loaded with a whole variety of features to enhance any underwater shooters experience. This comprehensive first look will cover all of those features and demonstrate some of the benefits for shooting with this equipment underwater.
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By Tony Land November 2021
I've been shooting underwater photographs as a hobby for the better part of 15 years. In all of that time, I've had the luxury of living in a diving hotspot - either South Florida, or Grand Cayman. In both locations, world-class diving was just minutes from my home year round.
One of the photographs that had eluded me for all of these years though, was that of a male Yellow-Headed Jawfish incubating eggs in his mouth. When I finally managed to get a shot of one, it was July 2021. In the months since then however, I've seemed to run into these little expectant fathers everywhere, and I realized that they had probably been around me all along - I just didn't know what to look for or how to capture the moment.
Soon after posting my first one on social media, I received a lot of messages asking for tips on how I was able to get this shot. I guess this is an elusive photo for lots of underwater shooters as well. So rather than explain it over and over, I decided to write this article. I'm not sure if this process will work well for everyone, but this is what works for me.
This was the biggest issue for me. Like some others, I incorrectly assumed that male Jawfish swam around with their eggs hanging half out of their mouths, so this is what I would look for. This was after all, every photo I had seen of them with eggs. Although I have observed this behavior once before, it's very rare for these little critters to swim around with eggs displayed prominently. Mostly, they keep them in what looks to be the back of their throats, and their mouths are mostly shut. At a glance, it's hard to discern if they have eggs or not.
For me the trick to spotting one is by looking for their 'incubating behavior.' Jawfish who do not have eggs will tend to be feeding or gardening during the daytime. When feeding, you can often find them swimming about 12-18 inches above and near their den just sort of hovering about. You'll see them occasionally swim off and take a nip of some particle floating by in the water column. When gardening, they are cleaning debris out of their den. During this, they will cart out mouthfuls of sand and shells and spit them out nearby. They will be in a constant state of motion when doing this. While this can be interesting behavior, they generally do not have eggs when they clean their dens. Ignore these.
What you're looking for is males who are in their den to some degree, and don't move much. If they do come out, it's not very far, and they will not be feeding. These are the ones to examine. When you find one like this - look at his mouth. It will be open slightly, and he may be opening and closing both his mouth and gill plates. At the correct angle, you may be able to see the eggs in their partially opened mouths, but depending on the Jawfish itself, and the age of the eggs he is incubating, it might not be obvious. Particularly when the eggs are brand-new, they lack color, and the distinctive reflective eyeballs, that make them easy to spot.
Females lay their eggs deep insider the den of a male Jawfish. Once this occurs, the male will dutifully pick them up and incubate them for a period of 3 to 5 days. When incubating eggs, periodically the male will expel them very quickly in an effort to aerate them and shuffle them around. Snapshots of the eggs in mid-aeration are mostly the classic photographs that you see. From my observations, they tend to aerate them every 2-5 minutes or so, sometimes more often. This aeration is what you need to look for, and try to photograph.
This is where it gets tricky. A male Jawfish incubating eggs will be far more skittish than normal. If they see what they think is a predator, they will dart back into their den and stash the eggs. When they come back out of the den they will not have the eggs with them, and act normally in a "nothing to see here," behavior. It's really important to get down low, and approach slowly with no quick movement, so you don't startle them. When really spooked, they will disappear into their dens for hours.
Now that you've found your little friend, prepare to spend a long time with him. Jawfish get accustom to divers fairly quickly, and they are quite curious, but some fish are more confident than others. It will take at least 10-15 minutes for them to grow comfortable enough with you to come back out of their den enough to get a decent photo. However if you think this is going to be a quick shot, think again. For every Jawfish / eggs photos I have, I've spent between 60 and 90 minutes with the fish.
I'm using a Canon R6 with a 100mm macro lens. I do have a Nauticam EMWL, but I find close focus wide angle not useful for jawfish, and the 100 macro works better. You'll want some form of a macro lens, and a 60mm would probably work as well. You might be able to get these shots with a point and shoot camera, but it would be very tough due to shutter lag issues. The 'money shot' if you will, is to capture them aerating the eggs. This is a lighting quick movement the fish makes, so I always shoot at 1/250th of a second shutter speed. If your camera and strobes allow for high-speed sync, consider using a quicker shutter speed. I have had motion blur in many of the shots due to the incredible speed at which they move the eggs in and out. My aperture depends on the background. I'm trying to really isolate the eggs from whatever reef structure is behind the eggs, so I try to keep my depth of field shallow enough to blur the background, but not so shallow that only part of the fish and eggs are in focus. I've had good luck between f7 and f13. For my ISO, I set this to whatever the ambient light conditions dictate.
Since the aeration is so fast, I shoot in continuous high mode, which increases my likelihood of getting a good frame. The Canon R6 will shoot up to 12 frames per second in this mode, but remember your strobes will likely not keep up with this. In most cases, even the best of strobes will not support more than a few frames at 12 FPS. It really depends on a number of factors, including the strobe type, battery type and most importantly - the power setting of the strobe. For this reason I use my Sea & Sea YS-250's. They are powerhouses that can keep up with high frame rates fairly easily. I find my Inon Z330's do not. For either strobe, I turn my power down low, and push them forward quite a bit. I want the lowest power possible so the strobe can recycle quick enough to keep up with the camera.
If you're not shooting 'thumb focus' you will absolutely want to do this. This is where you disable the half-press focus activation on your shutter release. Instead, you focus using the AF-ON button on the rear of the camera. Having the focus activate on the half-press of the shutter release will cause enough lag to miss the action. You want to prefocus on his face and then refocus only when the fish changes relative to the focal plane.
As I've said before, their aeration of the eggs is super fast. It's pushing the limits of a human's reaction time, (or at least mine anyway,) so watch the fish carefully though the viewfinder. Different fish have slightly different behavior patterns, but eventually you'll begin to identify little 'tells' they display just before aeration. One fish I observed would dart into his den. He'd drop his eggs, come back up and peek around, then disappear for another minute. When he popped back up again, he was likely to aerate right away. Another fish would do a little yawning motion just before. When I would see these little indicators, I'd make sure he was in focus, and do a half press of the shutter release and get ready to fire.
Now, even though I got pretty good at learning their little nuances, I still had plenty of times where I would miss the shot. I would fire the burst too soon, or too late, or he would fake me out and just yawn. On a typical jawfish photograhy dive, I will take as many as 300 exposures, 99% of which will be unusable.
But even when I think I got the good shot, I keep at it. Looking though a small viewfinder or LCD isn't the same as looking at a computer screen. On the computer you'll see little nuances like focus issues, or motion blur that you didn't observe underwater.
Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." So underwater with your little fish photo session, be sure to mix it up a bit. Try different exposure combinations, different angles, different f-stops, ISO and strobe settings. You may find something that works unexpectedly. and makes the shot come out better.
Photo taken at 1/250th, f13, ISO 1000, and low strobe power gives a light background with bokeh.
Remember that increasing your strobe power to get the dark backgrounds is going to reduce the number of useable frames you'll get in your burst sequence. So my recommendation is to start with low strobe power and get the light background shots first. Once you learn the nuances of the fish, and can predict his aeration behavior, then try the dark background shots.
The best photos tend to be simple, so watch what's behind the fish. Ideally you want blue water, but sometimes this won't be possible. You want to get down as low as you can, and shoot at an upward angle. A 45 degree viewfinder will be worth its weight in gold here. What you aim to do here is have as much space as possible between the fish and whatever is behind the fish. Low shooting positions and upward angles work the best.
For variety in composition, I try to get an angle where I am 90 degrees to the fish on his left or right side for a few shots, then I try to get a few from a 45 degree angle from the front. They will move around a bit, but tend to aerate into the current if there is any. Getting the shot from straight ahead of the fish is challenging - they tend to turn away from you, and it's hard to get all of the elements in focus.
An electronic viewfinder is immensely helpful for any macro situation. This allows me to take the shot, and then review it without moving the camera or my eye from the viewfinder. When you're trying to shoot a skittish little fish who has no idea what you, or your massive camera system is, you want to minimize any unnecessary movement. Without the EVF, unless you're shooting with an LCD, you'll need to break your composition and focal plane to review the shot. You don't need to review every shot, but periodically it's helpful to do. Particularly when you change exposure settings, or strobe placement. Even in ambient light changes like when the sun goes behind clouds, you'll want to check to make sure it's still a good image.
My other big advantage is using a rebreather. You'll likely roll your eyes at this one, thinking a rebreather as too complex, too expensive or too much hassle. My KISS Sprit rebreather takes me the same amount of time to set up as an open-circuit setup, and weighs the same. That said, I won't try to persuade you in this article. I can tell you however, that the behavior of marine life underwater is most certainly different when you are not making bubbles. Exhaled diver bubbles are loud. Divers don't often understand just how loud they are, but when I'm on a rebreather I can hear open circuit divers from hundreds of yards away. I always hear bubble blowers long before I see them. If I can hear you, the fish damn well can as well. And their behavior most certainly will change. Many times I've been patiently waiting for a Jawfish to get comfortable with me, when I hear bubbles getting louder somewhere near me. It's always a pair of divers coming over to see what I am looking so intently at. The behavior of the Jawfish will absolutely change, usually getting more skittish and ducking back into its den. Bubbles do matter. So unless you can hold your breath for 30 minutes at time, consider getting a CCR to keep the little subjects from darting away.
The other massive advantage for the rebreather is increased no-decompression time, and far more breathing gas. If your Jawfish is in the shallow confines of a site like Blue Heron Bridge, this is irrelevant. But if you're at Lighthouse Point in Grand Cayman - many of these guys are in the sand around 70-80 feet. Depending on your dive computer conservatism and your personal air consumption, you might not have enough of either to do long dives and capture the shot.
I hope this helps! Good luck on capturing your photo. It's very satisfying when you do finally get the shot.
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Guide Numbers, Angle of Coverage, Watts, Kelvin Temperature - OH MY!
Yes, strobe manufactures love throwing out all these impressive numbers that sound essential to choosing a strobe that will do exactly what you want. But are they really helpful? Well... sort of. Unfortunately there is no official standard way of measuring much of this and it is almost guaranteed that no two manufacturers are doing things the same way. And to whatever extent there is fudging taking place, the consumer can rest assured it will usually be to make things sound more impressive.
So we are going to do a quick skim of the complicated part and then get on with the simple and interesting comparison
Guide Numbers (GN) are supposed to represent how much light a strobe puts out at a set distance at full power - usually measured without a diffuser in the center of the light beam. But there is not a standard distance. Some strobes are also almost unusable without a diffuser and when measured in water, the guide number will always be much less than in air.
Angle of coverage is also measured by wildly different standards and Watts refers to the power available, but not necessarily to the light output.
So what are we to do as consumers and underwater photography enthusiast? Do we need to break out the slide rules and calculators? Hardly - the idea of it makes our brain hurt already. Perhaps the simplest approach is to set up a tripod and just see how all the strobes compare in the "real world" - or at least a facsimile of it. Not perfect perhaps (yes, shooting in water will tweak the results a bit), but a lot better than just running with the jargon from the manufacturers as gospel. So call this a seat of the pants estimate for what you can expect from most of the popular current strobes.
As you scroll through some of the images below, the biggest take-away might not be how big the difference in light intensity and coverage is, but rather how small some of the differences are in the leading strobes and how misleading some of the specifications can be.
Along those lines, here is a quick note about the color temperature of strobes. The light emitted by a strobe underwater will be a different temperature (color) for every inch of distance the subject is from the the strobe. At 6" from the subject, the light from the strobe will be fairly close to its manufactured origin. At 4-6 feet from the subject, the light will have gotten much cooler because of losing red, orange and some yellow spectrums. Some manufacturers will choose a warmer Kelvin temperature to make up for this loss. One UW, Retra and Ikelite are examples of manufacturers that do this. The down side is close up macro shooting might be a bit too warm for some, while wide angle can benefit. Inon makes their strobes closer to daylight spectrum output, so very natural for close up, and a bit cooler for distance work. Inon also makes warming filters for wide angle work and thus perhaps offering an option for both types of shooters. Sea & Sea generally threads between these two philosophies of light temperature.
So lets take a look how this plays out in our seat-of-the-pants test. All these images were shot with DSLR and fisheye lens at f22, 1/200 and ISO 100 at the same distance for the strobe and camera. No processing at all of the image.
This exposure, above, was made with one of the most high-end and highest quality strobes available: the OneUW 160X. Of all the strobes tested, it was clearly the most powerful and best coverage - but it lists a Guide Number of only 20 which is the lowest GN of any of the tested strobes. You would expect it to have the highest GN - clearly One UW does not test the way other strobe manufacturers might. So take all these numbers with a bucket of salt when doing your strobe research.
The above exposure was taken with an Inon Z-330 V2 with a new better diffusion pattern to the dome that allows it to be used without a diffuser for maximum intensity. This is the least expensive strobe in the group, but the power output is still impressive and so it proves to be a great value. The light fall off is a bit more noticeable at the edges than the One UW and the color is closer to daylight. For maximum coverage a diffuser can be added to the Z-330 and the color temperature can be selected when doing this. Coverage and intensity with a diffused Z-330 is below.
Retra is a boutique strobe manufacturer that has gained popularity and they have taken the approach of soft warm light without a diffuser and their coverage and intensity can be seen below.
The Retra Pro-X (their newest) is not quite as powerful as a OneUW or an Inon Z-330 V2, but they have a pleasing smooth coverage with very little light fall off that many photographers like.
Sea & Sea has two strobes on the market with a similar design. The older YS-D2J and the newer, more expensive, supposedly more powerful, YS-D3 II. While most contemporary strobes have gone to a domed front port in front of the flash tubes to maximize coverage underwater, Sea & Sea still uses a relatively flat port in front of the flash and relies heavily on translucent diffusers to spread the light at the cost of intensity.
Below is a YS-D2J with no diffuser.
Because of the single flash tube design of the Sea & Sea, the light pattern is very ovoid with harsh light fall off when used without a diffuser making it impractical to be used this way. Diffusers should always be in place.
Below, the YS-D2J shows a more pleasing coverage at the cost of intensity by utilizing a diffuser.
The YS-D3 is even more harsh and unlikely to be used without a diffuser, so look below to see how the the YS-D3 with diffuser measures up to the YS-D2 with a diffuser.
If you can't tell much difference, you are not alone - we couldn't either. Interestingly, the color temp moved a little closer to Inon.
Our last test subject is Ikelite's venerable DS-160 strobe. This much loved strobe is now almost a 14 year old design that has had some battery updates along the way. It is still a fast recycling strobe with a soft warm circular flash tube design, but its performance is showing its age to a degree. Without a diffuser, coverage looks like this:
With a translucent diffuser, the results look weaker as seen below.
It is interesting to note that both Ikelite DS-160 and the OneUW 160X are 160 Watt designs - there are just a number of design years between them. Ikelite is expected to be releasing a new strobe in the near future which should be exciting to test.
Strobe images on the grid are as follows:
Retra ProX ----- Inon Z-330 w/o Diffuser ----- Inon Z-330 w/ Diffuser
Sea & Sea YS-D2J w/o Diffuser ----- YS-D2J w/ Diffuser ----- Sea & Sea YS-D3 w/ Diffuser
OneUW 160X ----- Ikelite DS-160 w/o Diffuser ---- Ikelite DS-160 w/ Diffuser
It is safe to say that when it comes to intensity and coverage, any of these strobes can get the job done and make nice images. And with a few exceptions, the lighting performance is not radically different. But this is only one criteria for choosing a strobe. It is important to take the whole picture into account. So consider some of the following.
Recycle Time
This is the amount of time it takes a strobe capacitor to "recycle" after firing and be ready for the next shot. Many things effect this performance including size and power of the capacitor, quality and charge state of the batteries and the strobe circuitry itself.
For some who shoot a lot of action (think shark feeds and blue water pelagics), this feature is critical, so this is an approximate guide to where the strobes land, all things being equal.
OneUW and Ikelite use proprietary NiMh batteries that are more expensive, but will offer generally faster recycle times. Rechargeable AA batteries have improved, but offer a set limitation to the amount of current they can flow to recycle a capacitor.
OneUW 160X has the best recycle speed to power output of any strobe we tested.
Ikelite DS-160 is also fast recycle, but with a lower output ratio.
Inon Z-330 has surprisingly fast recycle times for an AA battery powered strobe aided by extremely short flash duration (about 1/1000 of a second at full power) and the ability to fire before the capacitor is fully charged.
The Sea & Sea YS-D3 is very nearly as fast as the Inon, but at slightly lower effective power due to diffusing.
Retras have consistently been the slowest recycling strobes across their model range and tend to be very battery charge sensitive. The new Retra Pro-X has improved on this a bit, but for anyone interested in high speed work, the Retra Supercharger should be a serious consideration. The Supercharger is a novel approach to add an additional 4 batteries (Total of 8 AA) for each strobe which definitely improves performance, though increasing weight and size.
There are two basic designs of flash tubes. Long circular flash tubes and shorter straight flash tubes. Circular flash tubes are known for there soft even lighting that can sometimes be used without diffusers and still be soft. If there is a downside to this long tube it is that it takes a relatively long time to ignite the entire tube. If you shoot at a shutter speed higher than 1/200, at full power, with an Ikelite strobe, the strobe cannot complete the firing process before the shutter closes and you will not get a full power exposure.
The shorter a flash tube, the shorter the flash duration is at full power. Inon uses the shortest flash tubes and achieves full power in less than 1/1000 of a second. This can be helpful for shooters who use high sync speeds.
One UW, Retra and Ikelite use circular flash tubes.
Sea & Sea uses a single medium length flash tube in YS-D2J while it uses two medium length tubes in the YS-D3.
Inon uses two short flash tubes.
All these options work, they just reflect some of the different characters of each strobe.
Size
The Inon Z-330 and Sea& Sea YS-D2J are the smallest strobes in this group, With the Retra Pro-X and YS-D3 slightly larger (the Supercharger for the Retra adds a good 3" to the length). The OneUW is the largest strobe, though only slightly larger than the Ikelite. All of these strobes are small compared to their equivalents of 10-20 years ago.
Reliability
This can be tricky to confirm as any given photographer could have had terrible experience with one brand and perfect experience with another brand - while others experience the exact opposite.
Smaller manufacturers also have fewer strobes out in the field to judge by. OneUW and Retra are by far the smallest manufacturers in this group. OneUW has been making strobes much longer than Retra and has generally had a very reliable reputation. Retra has only been making strobes about 3 years now and while early models had some issues, they seem to have improved reliability.
Of the larger manufacturers, Ikelite has been making strobes longer than anyone and has evolved a very reliable strobe. Inon and Sea & Sea have also been around more than two decades. Inons having generally proved to be quite reliable and long lived over the years. Sea and Sea has had mixed results with their strobes. Some older strobes were extremely reliable, while the YS-D1/YS-D2/ and YS-D2J have had well documented reliability issues. So far, reports on the YS-D3 seem to suggest improved reliability.
Conclusions
Conclusions are best left to each individual based on their needs. Most of these manufacturers offer lower powered and smaller strobe options that we haven't covered as they are not trying to be the "best" of their category - that doesn't mean they are not worthy of consideration, they may be a perfect fit for you. But these are the popular top-of-the-line strobes that people have questions about. Hopefully this article has provided a little more info to help in your decision making process. But if you have questions about these or any other strobes, we are happy to help, so give us a call or write us a note and we can talk lighting as it applies to your particular rig.
]]>Aimed squarely at professional image makers, the Sony Alpha 1 provides a 50MP sensor capable of 30fps burst shooting and 8K video. It features Sony's latest autofocus system, an incredible 9.44M-dot EVF and a 1/400 sec flash sync speed with the mechanical shutter. Whether you are interested in still photos or video, this camera can do just about anything you need it to.
This camera is an absolute powerhouse for underwater imaging that's loaded with a whole variety of features to enhance any underwater shooters experience. This comprehensive first look will cover all of those features and demonstrate some of the benefits for shooting with this equipment underwater.
More of great thing! The new Panasonic GH5 II is here and on today episode of Hands on with Reef we're discussing what new features this camera has, what it offers for underwater filmmakers, and more importantly it's compatibility with the existing Nauticam NA-GH5 Housing.
]]>On todays episode of Hands on with Reef we’re taking a closer look at the new Atomos AtomX SDI Module, the Ninja V + Monitor, and their compatibility with existing Nauticam products.
The Canon EOS C70 packs a lot of the features we love about cinema cameras into a small mirrorless style body. With a Super35 sensor using Canon's next generation Dual Gain Output, the C70 also includes Dual Pixel CMOS AF autofocus, a built in ND filter and is the first EOS cinema camera to use Canon's new RF lens mount. When you combine that with the "Canon Color" we have come to love underwater, this makes for one of the most compact and capable cinema cameras to date.
This camera is an absolute powerhouse for 4K underwater video that's loaded with a whole variety of features to enhance any underwater filmmakers experience. This comprehensive first look will cover all of those features and demonstrate some of the benefits for shooting with this equipment underwater.
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Anyone keeping an occasional eye on digital camera progress knows that Sony has been on a tear for the last year or two. New cameras keep coming fast and furious. While the new top-of-the-line Sony a1 and the low light video king; a7SIII, have grabbed most of the headlines, the equally new a7C is almost as ground breaking in a different fashion.
The a7C is not the best Sony offers in any particular department. At 24MP, it has plenty of resolution for most of us, but is not in the same League as the a7RIV or the a1. It is also not Sony's fastest camera, but at 10fps, it is more than enough for most of as well. Video spec is good, but not in the same league as the a7SIII. So what does it provide? The Sony a7C offers very good all around performance in just about every category and does it in a surprisingly small package and at a very reasonable price. The camera is barely bigger than Sony's excellent a6600 APS-C sensor camera body which means the housings are barely bigger than the APS-C camera housings as well.
An equally exciting introduction for underwater shooters is the new Sony FE 28-60 f4-5.6 "kit lens" that is offered with the a7C. This super compact "walk around" full frame lens just happens to be a perfect companion to using a number of Nauticam's superb water-contact optics which we will get further into in a bit.
The main reason to buy an a7C is because you want a high quality compact set up. A lot of people assume that as soon as you switch to a mirrorless format, that your underwater housing will get much smaller. But anyone who has looked at Nikon or Canon's excellent full frame mirrorless cameras, has had to realize that the underwater housings are close to the same size as a DSLR housing. Not so with Sony's a7C. Sony wanted to keep it small, and in the case of the Nauticam housing, they also have strived to make the desire to "go small" a reality. The NA-A7C housing is almost shockingly petite at fist glance. One's brain says "there can't be a full frame Sony in there". But in fact it is and all the controls are accessible.
Other housings will surly be coming and we will have to see how those deal with this new compact entry.
The short answer is not much. When you get down to the nitty gritty, there are some concessions to size. The a7C has no front command dial, so that means both aperture and shutter speed are controlled with rear dials with the left thumb when holding the housing. Different than we may be used to, but it works. The electronic viewfinder is lower resolution than the newest Sonys like a7IV and a1, but in practice it seems to work great with an enhanced Nauticam viewfinder which is not always the case with the largest and highest resolution EVFs. Another minor adjustment might be the position of the playback button to the right of the LCD. Those used to Nauticam placing the Playback lever conveniently by the shooters left thumb will have to adjust to a bit of a thumb reach with the right hand. Again, it is just some practice to get it right. Once mastered, being able to review images on command through the EVF was very helpful.
In this case; yes. Using Sony's new 28-60mm lens in a compact flat port allows fantastic use of Nauticam's legendary WWL-1B optic (now with built in float collar) that provides fantastic 130 degree coverage, full zoom through and focusing down to the glass for amazing close ups. See something tiny you want to shoot? Pop off the WWL-1 and add a CMC-1 macro converter wet lens for tack sharp macro. See something really small? Try stacking TWO CMCs. Wow, pretty crazy stuff, but all doable on a single dive.
We test a lot of gear here at Reef Photo & Video, but I will admit to being a little incredulous when first hearing of all these possibilities with a Sony full frame so I couldn't wait to take it on a test run. A lot people looking at this camera possibility will be DSLR shooters wanting to go smaller and crop sensor mirrorless shooters wanting to go full frame without bulking up too much. Both types of shooters will have some adjustments to make and I wanted to see how easy a transition it would be.
Other than checking some basic settings in the a7C menu, I had no experience with the a7C, the NA-A7C housing, or the new 28-60 lens at all. I was starting from scratch, so I wanted to see what kind of range of images I could shoot with zero familiarity on a single dive. I was also diving a new site with no guide or buddy helping - just me puttering around getting familiar with the camera. Here is what I found.
At 28mm, the WWL-1 delivers all the crispy 130 degree coverage I love, but have never been able to get with a full frame zoom
I shot this at 28mm at f6.2 - more open then recommended so the close lower left corner is a little soft, but far better than any rectilinear lens behind a dome and a slight zoom in cleans that up.
Zooming through the WWL-1 works well and offers smaller group portrait capability.
Popping the WWL-1 off and just shooting the 28-60 as a portrait lens worked quite well. Approximately 35mm focal length.
Zooming to about 50mm without any wet lens offers a nice tight portrait option.
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Being such a small rig allows access to tight spaces for spur-of-the-moment close focus wide angle like under this small piece of wreckage. Room for the strobes proved the bigger challenge than the housing.
Shooting macro with a Nauticam CMC-1 and the lens zoomed to 60mm proved surprisingly easy, even shooting AF. Here I was focused on keeping the edges of the Christmas tree worm near the border of the frame to see how details held up - they did really well!
Here was the real test. 60mm with two CMC-1 optics stacked atop each other. Pretty amazing detail right to the edges. Not as easy as a single, but good to know the potential is there.
I think most people will be really happy with what you can accomplish with the the 28-60mm and a single CMC-1 - perfect for a smaller frogfish like this. Check out the detail on the frogfish and the sponge on the edge of the frame in the same plane of focus. The CMC-1 with the 60 offers very reasonable working distance.
I was very impressed with the flexibility of this system and the quality of the results. Was it perfect? Not quite. Was I perfect? Definitely not. But I think it worked amazingly well all things considered. On my next dive, I would add more flotation and improve the location of my lens holders to make it easier to switch things out. I definitely need to practice my playback through the viewfinder technique as I didn't have my muscle memory tuned to the new playback button position yet (I had to keep looking to find it which meant pulling my eye from the viewfinder). I was really happy with the Nauticam Enhanced Viewfinder performance with this camera and would consider it a must for still shooters. I also experienced zero blackout effect when shooting with the EVF. I think the brightness of the EVF needs to be tweaked a bit as well, as my exposures weren't always as bright as they appeared in the water.
Would I recommend this set up for the Full Frame shooter wanting to "get small"? Absolutely - when it comes to those priorities, the a7C is the only game in town.
]]>We know many of you have been anxiously waiting to see this...and we've certainly been excited to review it... so on today episode of Hands on with Reef we’re taking a look at the all new Nauticam NA-A7SIII underwater housing and Sony A7S III camera.
This camera is an absolute powerhouse for 4K underwater RAW video that's loaded with a whole variety of features to enhance any underwater filmmakers experience. This comprehensive first look will cover all of those features in detail and demonstrate some of the benefits for shooting with this equipment underwater.
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Try to imagine being able to shoot with a 130, 100, and 60 degree field of view, all while underwater, focusing within an inch of a subject....Ohh and did we mention you can still shoot a Macro lens too?
Sounds way too good to be true right? Well it's not, on todays episode of Hands on with Reef, Lee Burghard discusses the all new Nauticam EMWL and what kind of benefits this new water contact lens offer for underwater imaging. Check out our Youtube video below for all the details on everything you need to know!
]]>Combine that with relatively compact and lightweight design of the Z-Cam cameras and Nauticam NA-E2F housing and you have a perfect raw cinema capable combo for remote underwater work that can be used in a whole variety of different shooting scenarios whether off of a polecam or for studio work.
On today’s Episode of Hands on with Reef we demonstrate how this equipment works on the Z Cam camera and Nauticam NA-E2F underwater housing, discuss the gear needed to set this up, and how to put it all together!
]]>Fix Neo 1500 DXII SWR Premium: A favorite among photographers.
The reasons to use a focus light are many. It is always nice to have a light on a dive of course for dark overhangs and such, and an obvious essential on a night dive, but it is in assisting AF where these lights earn their value. It is hard to over emphasize what a difficult environment the underwater world is when it comes to using autofocus. In even the clearest Caribbean water, there are thousands of suspended particles in every foot of water the Camera has to look through that rob contrast and filter light. All this works against even the best autofocus as the the camera struggles to identify our subject. A light can help bring back some of that contrast and definition which in turn helps the autofocus lock on its subject properly.
This will vary a bit from one person to the next, but here are the "typical" considerations.
There are many other potential features, but these are the basics.
Sure - but if you want to take advantage of this, than it helps to have this a consideration from the start of your selection process. A 1000 lumen focus light is not likely to be very effective for video. We would probably suggest going to at least 3500 lumen if you intend to take video from more than about 10" away. But with more power, you also want to make sure you can adjust the power low enough for decent focus work (usually 500-800 lumens).
Light & Motion
This venerable light manufacturer has been in the game of lighting a long time and arguably introduced the first truly compact underwater LED rechargeable light for shooters years ago. The SOLA line was an immediate hit with divers.
Today the evolution of those lights are still popular and represent a lot of value for the money.
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Fix Fisheye
Another brand that has been in the industry for a long time is Fix. Moving from halogen to LEDs years ago, Fix has always generated feature rich lighting of high quality. All Fix Neo lights are rated on the FL-1 Standard.
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Fix Neo Premium 1500 DX SWR II
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Kraken
A fairly new brand in the underwater imaging field, they quickly earned a reputation for designing well made products at a reasonable price point.
(The Hydra 1200 is being replaced by the 1500 lumen version - otherwise they are identical)
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There is clearly no one perfect light to suit everyone's needs. But these lights all shine (pun intended) in one or many areas. Equally important, these lights deliver what they claim and adhere to the international standards for measuring the quality and coverage of light without a noticeable loss in performance with battery charge decline. Are there other dive lights that could be used as a focus light? Sure. But they probably won't check all the boxes we are looking for and the price point some of these purpose designed lights are at, there is really no need to compromise.
Still unsure? Give us a call and we will be happy to talk through your needs and find a best case solution.
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So for those just getting started; what is Blackwater diving?
People often think that the only place to do BW diving is in some far off exotic locale. But nothing could be further from the truth. Blackwater diving can be in any ocean in the world in water that may be as little as 20 feet deep or as much as thousands of feet deep. it can be near shore or far offshore. The only requirement is that it is night time and it is generally going to be in some suspended depth of water, never on the bottom. The goal is to locate the unusual creatures, often in larval form, that inhabit the open waters, rather than the seafloor or reef.
How does Blackwater differ from other types of underwater critter photography?
Macro is macro right? Well, not always. The size range of subjects is similar. On the small end are subjects in the 7-13mm range (1/4-1/2") and can sometimes be several inches or larger on the other extreme. The behavior of the subjects can often be quite different though. On a reef, many of us are used to using longer focal length macro lenses to reach shy subjects that are easily spooked. Blackwater subjects are much less likely to be at a distance or swimming away from you. Ironically the problem is often their getting too close to your port to focus on. Why would this be? What is unique in Blackwater is that you and the subject are always floating in the same direction at the same speed. So everything appears motionless. This means the only movement is made by the subject - if at all - or more likely, by us the photographer. Since we are massively larger than the subject, our movement creates the only current which often draws the animal in our direction as we attempt to back up.
Our lights also attract species and the food those species eat, again, often bringing things closer. All this should be considered when selecting your blackwater lens.
The other characteristic that stands out with blackwater subjects is that a large percentage of the critters we are shooting are fully transparent or semi-transparent. This often demands a lot of light with the smaller apertures we are likely shooting. The techniques we use to light these subjects will often be different than what we typically use for shooting macro as well.
Equipmeent basics for blackwater photography
Camera considerations
This is not intended as a pitch to sell new cameras, but there are some Blackwater "facts of life". Blackwater subjects are notoriously challenging to focus on. First they are often semitransparent - so low contrast by definition. The background is black which doesn't help. Some of the subjects like larval fish can tend to dart around rapidly. If your current camera is a six year old mirrorless set up, you may be sorely challenged to get these BW subjects in focus. A good test is how you are able to focus on a single swimming damselfish on the reef or if you can easily shoot a coral goby . If you have difficulty with this on a dive during the day, you will likely have an uphill battle with your rig on a blackwater dive.
Modern autofocus DSLR and mirrorless cameras have made big strides in the AF department and this really gives image makers the edge in Blackwater.
The newer Nikons, with their excellent low-light AF have been popular for blackwater
Lenses for Blackwater Imaging
One note in particular: For traditional macro it is popular to use macro wet lenses on a zoom or macro lens. This is not recommended for blackwater, as it can be extremely difficult to keep the floating subject in the narrow focus capable zone. It is of great help to have a lens that can focus on your subject at some distance and then "ease in on it" gradually. On the other hand, some folks have had success with wide angle wet lenses that focus down to the glass and zooming to a long focal length behind them. This won't get the smallest subjects, but does allow you to get close.
As mentioned, longer focal length macro lenses are generally not a great choice for Blackwater as they often don't focus close enough. Examples of these would the Nikkor 105mm, Nikkor 85mm, Canon 100mm, Sony 90mm and Olympus 60mm. All very good and popular macro lenses, but not ideal for blackwater.
Also, avoid old macro lens designs where possible. Nikon 60mm f2.8D is a good example - still a popular lens, but focus is too slow compared to the newer 60mm f2.8G
For DSLR crop sensor cameras you might consider the following
For DSLR full fame cameras consider:
Micro 4/3 Cameras (Panasonic and Olympus)
Panasonic Lumix G Macro 30mm f/2.8 ASPH (excellent)
Mirorrless Crop Sensor Cameras (Sony, Canon, Nikon)
Mirrorless Full Frame Cameras
At this time, the recommendations for FF Canon and Nikon are the same lenses suggested for DSLRs
Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro Lens is excellent for the A7/A9 cameras.
Some photographers have become accustomed to shooting while using the rear LCD on the Camera to frame and focus. This may work with typically easy subjects, but it can be challenging and almost impossible with blackwater. Viewfinders, whether electronic (EVF) or optical, offer much better opportunities for success. Many housing manufacturers also offer enhanced viewfinders as an option that can significantly enlarge your subject. These are highly recommended as well.
Constant lighting is critical for Blackwater and needs to fulfill several requirements. The lights should be compact, lightweight, cover a wide angle, be easy to operate and powerful. We consider 1000 lumens to be a minimum with more being preferable. Why the extra power? All constant lighting runs for 50-60min at full power. But BW dives run 90-120min, so this means you need to run lights at about half power for the dive. So a 1000 lumens will provide 500 lumens on a dive, 2000 lumens will provide 1000 functional lumens at half power. Planning here is key and redundancy (at least two lights) is important. Some lights such as Fix Neo and Keldan offer a live remaining run-time display - this gives users a great sense of security and flexibility during the dive.
Other lights such as Light & Motion and Kraken us LED colors to give a rough idea of charge status.
Fix Neo 1500DXII SWR
Although the idea of floating in a thousand feet of water at night sounds like a high risk proposition for losing your gear, in reality, the risks are minimal and can be reduced further with a few considerations.
The most important task is to get your rig balanced to the point that, in water, it exhibits a minimum negative amount of weight. Include all your lights and accessories and add floats or float arms until you can easily control your photo rig with one hand. If you let go of your rig completely, it should only sink very slowly in salt water. This not only increases your comfort, it makes the idea of accidently losing your rig almost impossible. For those that wish a greater physical connection to their housing, Reef also carries a number lanyards, elastic safety lines and hand straps.
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It's finally here!
We just recently got our hands on the all new Nauticam Komodo underwater housing for the Red Digital Cinema Komodo 6K Camera and needless to say we were thoroughly impressed with the new housings design.
Have a look at our latest First Look episode as Lee Burghard discusses all the new features of this housing and what kinds of benefits it offers for underwater filmmaking.
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We're often asked " what do I need to shoot macro video underwater?". On our latest episode of Hands on with Reef, Lee Burghard will discuss a whole variety of equipment used to help with capturing underwater macro footage. From lenses, tripods, focus gears, monitors, and lighting, we will cover it all!
We've been excited about reviewing this camera for months and so far all we have to say is....WOW. With 5.5K 60P 12bit internal RAW recording, Dual Pixel AF, and a great lens selection, this camera it totally loaded with features for underwater video and filmmakers. Have a look at our latest Hands on with Reef episode as Lee Burghard covers all of the new features of this camera and demonstrates some of the benefits for filming with this camera underwater.
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The Nauticam WACP-2 is the latest water contact optic designed for full frame, super 35mm, and crop sensor cameras. The lens when combined with a 14mm full frame equivalent lens provides an exceptionally wide 130 degree field of view underwater. With superb image quality, close focusing abilities, and full zoom through capabilities its a strong choice for any type of underwater imaging.
Have a look at our latest Hands on with Reef Episode as Lee Burghard discusses the features of this new water contact optic and what kinds of benefits this lens provides for underwater filmmaking and photography.
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By Kevin Palmer
Soft snoot light can make a subject more dream-like. Image by Shen Collazo
First a little history: Snoots have not been around that long. About 10-12 years ago, it was Keri Wilks of Reefnet working with Home Depot parts right here in the Reef Photo & Video Service Department who did a lot of the initial development for what would become the first experimental snoots. The early snoots were pretty much PVC funnels to channel light, but evolved quickly into utilizing fiber optic as a more efficient light focusing method and these designs are still frequently used today. Once snoots showed up at a few macro photo competitions, it didn't take long for them to catch on and a number of different manufacturers have evolved different styles over the years.
So what defines a snoot? Technically, all a snoot does is take a wide light source; generally a strobe, and limit its coverage to a small defined area. This small area may be round or other shape of outline with either a hard defined edge or a soft one. Almost all snoots require getting fairly close to your subject with the snoot and will put out considerably less intense light than the strobe would normally generate.
So what are people snooting with in 2020?
Here are some of the most popular snoots and some of their features.
Reefnet Micro Snoot
Based on Keri Wilk's original Fiber Optic Snoot design, this snoot is still one of the most popular with some features not found on other snoots. This snoot is ordered in two components: A Micro Snoot Mount that would come specific to the strobe you are shooting with and a Micro Snoot Fiber Optic Arm that is universal to all the mounts and just screws in place.
Pros and Cons of the Reefnet Micro Snoot
Inon makes simple snoots for their S-2000/Z-240/Z-330/D-200 strobes. These are very well made and adhere to the simple "funnel" design concept: larger at the strobe mounting location and narrow at the aiming end with two diameter tips included. With these, you will move and aim the entire strobe at the subject and adjust the strobe forward and back to get the desired circle.
Pros and Cons of the Inon Snoot Set
With a difficult subject, sometimes it is easier to pull the snoot back a bit to widen the throw, while still getting some isolation benefit from using the snoot
Retra LSD Ultimate Snoot Light Shaping Device
Yes, that is a mouthful, but Retra really put themselves on the map with this sophisticated and elegantly machined aluminum snoot. Retra chose to snoot by using light focusing lenses instead of funneling or fiber optics. The theoretical advantage of using lenses is that you should be able to harness more of the light and discharge it in a compact powerful fashion. It is definitely brighter than the Inon snoot on the same strobe and about the equivalent to the Reefnet fiber optic snoot in our testing. Retra calls this a light shaping device and it is hard to argue when they provide interchangeable shape templates providing numerous shapes and sizes of light patterns to work with.
Pros and Cons:
Retra LSD in action
Backscatter Optical Snoot OS-1
This newcomer to the scene has made quite a splash in the snooting world with a compact optical snoot for under $150. The caveat here is that it only works with the Backscatter Mini-Flash 1 Underwater Strobe. That is not exactly a bad thing as the compact strobe can be added as an extra strobe on your rig without being too encumbered. The snoot is very much like mini version of the Retra design with optical concentration of the light.
Pros and cons:
Not every image needs a black background - there are no formal rules in snooting. Image: Shen Collazo
Snoot-Like Alternatives
The other option that is gaining in popularity is the use of a constant light that has a spot mode. This technique has the advantage of the shooter seeing exactly what you are going to get while making the ability to aim and hit your subject much easier. Not all lights with a spot mode throw a good snoot-like light, but some of the good ones are here. All these lights tend to pack smaller than a strobe snoot.
Inon LF800-N 5 Degree Dive Light
This Inon has one of the tightest beams available for snooting and as long as you are working close to your subject it provides strong enough lighting for good exposures. The Inon lights are very well made and quite rugged and reliable.
Light and Motion Sola Video 2500 S/F
The spot mode on the this Sola is not quite as tight as the Inon at about 12 degrees, but it is quite powerful and offers a lot of latitude with your exposures. Sola has been around a long time and these are some of the smallest and easiest lights to use.
This is an inexpensive light with an 800 Lumen spot mode. It is not quite as crispy as the other two lights, but as a light with multiple modes for a focus light and snoot, it is a lot of value.
Close focus wide angle is very snoot worthy. Image: Shen Collazo
The obvious challenge of snooting is trying to line up a little critter with a pencil beam of light - while you are trying to compose and focus on the shot. This can be especially difficult with the nature of diffraction in water that effects our ability to judge distance and alignment. So it goes without saying that some practice will be in order!
Make things easy on yourself; select a subject that is not going to move or disappear on you like a christmas tree worm. If you have an aiming light that works on your snoot - use it. This is where constant lighting has an advantage as you can see the spot of light on your subject. Make sure you have your light or strobe mounted on an arm that is easily articulated, but doesn't jiggle or droop.
You may prefer the snoot mounted directly on the camera housing with just one long clamp to adjust with. This makes for a solid, no jiggle mount, but again, if you move the camera, you have to readjust the snoot. It can take a little while, but you will find a system that suits your style of shooting.
If you are serious about snooting, you might consider a small portable underwater tripod for your snoot strobe or light. That way it is completely independent of your camera rig. This can be extremely helpful in fixing your snoot-light exactly on your subject while allowing you some freedom to adjust your composition and position of your camera. Good options for a small tripod set up can be made with the ULCS Tripod Clamp . There are many ways to configure this, so if you would like some help, write or call us.
Remember when snooting, if you want a black background, to use the highest shutter speed possible. This will help darken the area not hit by the light. For more on blue and black backgrounds, go here. Don't expect your first shots to come out with your lighting right on-target. This is a process of getting familiar with your gear: shoot, adjust, shoot, adjust and shoot some more. Did I mention this takes some patience and practice? But the results can be rewarding if you keep at it.
If you want to get hands on with the different snoots in the shop; set up an appointment, and we will be happy to help!
Image: Shen Collazo
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By Kevin Palmer
As an imaging enthusiast, there is a very good chance your dive/camera closet has at least one, if not several, video lights of various ages and quality. Perhaps you had a focus light you hoped would also pass as a video light, but discovered that one light on a close up subject threw some really harsh shadows. Maybe you were excited about shooting video with your camera, but those lights that seemed so bright at the dive show, just did not bring out the colors you had hoped they would. Or perhaps you have two video lights but struggled with the "headlight" effect of two sharp edged circles of light that just didn't look very natural.
We have all been there and video light specs have long been misunderstood and misrepresented to varying degrees. The good news is that there have been few segments of the underwater imaging equipment industry that have made such consistent progress and improvements as underwater lighting. Today's video lights offer power and quality that was hard to imagine a few years ago and at a better price as well. So what difference do these lights make to the average shooter? A well-chosen video light makes us look like we are a better videographer than we are, or put another way; elevates our imagery to what we are capable of.
It is worth reviewing some basics before diving into the models available as things are not always as they appear in the promotional lighting specifications.
Lumens: The most widely promoted rating of a light's power capability is presented as lumens. It is worth noting this is not independently verified. The manufacturer is basically saying "Trust Me" in many cases. The most reliable numbers are going to come from manufacturers who have agreed to the ANSI FL1 standard for compact lighting. The lights we will review here all adhere to these standards, but it is worth mentioning there are some popular manufacturers who don't and their specifications have proven, well... "creative" at best.
What these numbers don't show (even when correct) is whether these lumen ratings are maintained throughout the duration of the run time. Less expensive lights tend to have falling output as the battery charge runs down.
CRI: Color Rendering Index is a measure of how accurate color is rendered against a standard color scale. Higher is generally more accurate, but anything in the neighborhood of 82 or higher is considered "good". But we are underwater shooters. Every foot of water we shoot through (going toward the subject and bouncing back to our camera - light has to travel both ways) reduces our CRI considerably. High CRI is great for macro and perhaps working in fashion with models up close, but not so critical for someone filming sharks 6-10 feet away.
Color Temperature: This is an aggregate of the color spectrum in the light and rated in degrees Kelvin, IE: 5000K. A lower number is "warmer" light. A higher number is "cooler" light. Extremes in either direction are not pleasing to most viewers and again, every foot of water changes the Kelvin ratings as water filters the light spectrum.
Angle of Coverage: This is a very important rating that is sometimes grossly inflated by some manufacturers. Especially when you see "180 Degrees" in the specs. Yeah right. Some manufacturers use "in air" ratings and quote where the last glimmer of light is - how useful is that? The widest angle of coverage is achieved by a domed port over the front of the LED. Flat glass in front of the LED will narrow the angle of coverage by over 25% underwater - just like the glass on your mask or a flat port on the front of your camera housing, A dome on the light allows it to spread wider and softer underwater making for more pleasing coverage.
Battery Run Time: It is a consequence of engineering and battery capacity that almost all lights run somewhere in the 50-60 minute range at full power and longer at lower power settings. That means if you need longer run time, buying a more powerful light will give you that ability as you adjust the light to lower power to meet your needs. In general, it is a safer bet to buy more power than you think you need - you will almost always end up using it.
What follows are our picks for high quality lights categorized by relative power, size and price.
Best lights for compact rigs and moderate price point
This is a great compact light with lots of advanced features: 100 power settings for precise control, optional remote control capability, interchangeable light heads, user changeable LI-Ion batteries and live runtime remaining display regardless of your power setting. Most importantly, it delivers it delivers its 4000 lumens through a removable dome port. 120 Degree coverage (in water). CRI of 90. 5000K
Light & Motion Sola Video Pro 3800
This light is great for those who want a quality light with super simple features while offering a heck of a value at its current pricing. For most people, 3800 lumens will be the minimum they will want to work with for video that has a subject more than a foot away and since the light only has three power settings, adjustments and runtime will be a bit more limited. But Light & Motion has been making reliable Solas for a long time and with the included domed LED port, this light is a lot of bang for the buck. 110 degree angle of coverage in water.
The Hydra 5000 is a bit more of a "do-everything" light than the other video lights in the is category, so it makes some compromises. The light features plenty of power, though it is a bit bigger and heavier than the Fix or Sola. With its built in spot and red light mode (even blue mode), this light would suit someone looking for a focus/video crossover light. This is a light that has a flat glass plate in front of the LED, so the coverage is not going to be as wide or forgiving as a video light with a domed lens on the front, but the price point and versatility can make it an appealing choice. 100 degree beam in wide mode. CRI 90 5000K
Mid Size Lights with Excellent Output and Performance
Keldan has long been the class leader in this category though the competition is improving all the time. The lights are simple to operate with many power settings and have live run-time display regardless of power chosen. Keldan was one of the first lights to incorporate a dome to the LED port and the wide, soft, even light has won accolades throughout the imaging industry. The other admirable feature of these lights is they are by far the smallest and lightest 10,000 lumen light on the market. They are only about 3oz negative in the water and less than that with the optional float mount. With this much power in a small light, the 4X runtime at full power is a bit shorter than some at around 35 minutes, but the user changeable batteries are small and easily changed between dives. These are great lights for almost any size rig and small enough for the person who wants to carry both strobes and video on the same dive. 110 degree beam in water. CRI 85. 5600K
Kraken Solar Flare Mini 12000
This is a new light on the market from a respected brand at an extremely reasonable price. The Solar Flare Mini strives to replicate some of the Keldans specs with similar output and angle of coverage. From a design perspective, Kraken has set different priorities than Keldan. The light is larger than the 4X and considerably heavier in and out of the water (it is about one pound negative in water). In exchange for the extra size and weight, the 12,000 lumens run for about 60 minutes - longer the the Keldan 4X. There are also only five power settings vs nine on the Keldan, but the light does offer a lot of performance for the price. 120 degree beam. CRI 90. 5000K
Professional Quality Lights for the Demanding Image Maker
If you watch much underwater Discovery Channel (Shark Week, etc.), you will undoubtedly see numerous underwater filmmakers pushing there underwater camera rigs around with a set of bright fuchsia Keldan 8X video lights prominently mounted. There is a reason for that: The quality of light is about as good as it gets. The 8X lights come in two primary versions. The high output version has 18,000 lumens and a CRI of 85. The High CRI version has 15,000 lumens and a CRI of 92. These lights look identical to the Keldan 4X lights with about 2.5" of length added for the larger batteries. Like the 4X models, the 8X are remarkably light weight in the water for there relative power output. All Keldans are rated to 200 meters which is twice the depth of most other lights and makes them very popular with tech divers. 110 degree beam angle in water. CRI 85/92. 5600K
Light & Motion Sola Video Pro 12000 & 15000
The top of the line Sola video lights have a lot to like. These high output lights come with either a dome port or flat port at the same price, but most shooters will prefer the the dome port for wider, smoother lighting. Like the Sola Pro 9600 they evolved from, these lights sport a bright OLED data display and easy power controls in micro steps. These are sealed battery lights, but the bodies and heads are interchangeable, so you can carry extra charged bodies. There are also land use light heads available. These lights are very well made, but somewhat larger and heavier than the Keldan lights.
Need Even More Powerful Lighting?
With outputs in the 30,000-35,000 lumen range, these lights occupy pretty rarefied territory and are generally special order. If you need help with lighting for a special project, we are happy to assist with recommendations that might best suit your needs.
Reef Photo also stocks a number of rental Keldan lighting options and offers a "try before you buy" rental program for those who want to test drive some options first. Please contact us for more information about rentals.
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Written by: Meg Griffin
Photography by: Meg Griffin
December 2019
The Sony DSC-RX100 VII is the newest iteration of the popular compact RX100 series. Marketed as a Pocket A9, it has a new stacked CMOS sensor created with the idea of faster, more accurate autofocus and high speed photographing without any blackout that, before now, was only offered on their high-end mirrorless cameras.
One of the main reasons this camera is so impressive for travel is the truly compact form factor mixed with best-in-class image quality. The 1” sensor and 24-200mm zoom lens give this camera a competitive edge over your smartphone during your land adventures and the articulating screen paired with the addition of a microphone jack make this a great camera for vlogging. If you do enjoy partaking in the occasional safari, the 24-200mm (35mm equivalent) lens impresses for both landscapes and for animals at some distance. The Sony RX100 VII fits the bill as a very versatile camera that’s easy to slip in your pocket or backpack.
For underwater use, a 200mm focal length may not be used frequently, but add a macro wet lens like Nauticam’s SMC-1 in combination with this long zoom and the macro results can be excellent. The 24mm wide-angle end of the zoom works well for wide portrait use underwater, and there are wide-angle wet lens options for many of the housings that support this camera to expand that field of view considerably.
The Ikelite housing is a lightweight, polycarbonate housing that utilizes the full zoom range of the Sony’s 24-200mm lens. With the use of the press-fit Macro Adapter # 9306.82 you can utilize any macro wet lens with a 67mm thread. For wide-angle photography, you can simply slide on the optional WD-4 Wide Angle Dome # 6430.4 for a .75x conversion or swap out the port completely with the DC3 6” dome port #6403 to achieve your full 24mm field of view you are used to seeing in air. This would be the ticket if you enjoy split shots. It is important to note that if you intend to use an Ikelite rx100 VI housing that was created before the release of the RX100vii you might need to make some minor adjustments to the housing before it functions properly with the rx100vii camera.
The Fantasea housing is a polycarbonate housing that features a compact, ergonomic design. The housing is manufactured to use the lens within the 24-66mm focal range, making it ideal to use with external wet wide-angle lenses such as the Fantasea UWL-09F Wide Angle Wet Mate Lens or other large sensor wide angle optics that fit a 67mm thread. There is also the opportunity to use a macro wet lens on the 67mm threaded port at the 66mm focal length, making this rx100VII housing ready to “do everything”; assuming the photographer is up for the task.
The NA-Rx100VII housing is machined aluminum with an anodized finish. A rigid aluminum housing allows for more compact dimensions and greater freedom to position controls ergonomically. With their interchangeable m50 port system, it provides the ability to utilize the RX100VII’s full zoom range with the standard port and additional m67 accessories with the N50 short port. If you want to keep the Standard port and retain your zoom range you can use the Nauticam m67 flip diopter holder with the Super Macro Converter-1 (SMC-1) to reduce your minimum focal distance by about 10x at 200mm, making it an excellent macro combination. The N50 short port with bayonet mount allows for the use of Nauticam’s bayonet mounting system for the ultimate versatile system. Nauticam’s Wet Wide Lens-1 can be used for super-wide-angle and then get swapped out for the Compact Macro Converter-2 (CMC-2) for a great macro solution all on the same dive. The optional pro package comes with a tray, two handles with ball mounts and a vacuum valve to ensure your housing is properly sealed.
I recently took the RX100 VII in the NA-RX100VII to the Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach Florida to see how this exciting new camera performs underwater. I took the system on two dives, each with a different configuration; the first was the standard port with the M67 flip adaptor and the SMC-1 and the second was the short port with the bayonet mount adaptor, the WWL-1, and the CMC-2.
During the first dive, I enjoyed the ease of the flip adaptor paired with the SMC-1. You cannot use the SMC-1 with the RX100 VII’s widest focal length of 24mm, therefore you’ll need to zoom in to around 50mm to get rid of any vignetting. Each focal length after that provided a different depth of field and minimum focus distance. This allowed me to cater my minimum focal distance to the individual critter; whether or not they would allow me to get close and how large or small they were. I enjoyed this freedom that I don’t typically get when working with a prime lens combined with a wet macro lens and it was a nice change of pace.
The WWL-1 created a beautiful 130-degree field of view and sharpened my wide-angle imagery, especially in the corners. The CMC-2 with the limited zoom range to 65mm did not give me as much versatility with my macro photography as the previous configuration had, but it was easier to use than the SMC-1 and of course, I was able to switch from Wide-angle, to portrait, to macro. For this configuration to work best I would recommend setting the Memory Recalls on the Sony to 28mm and 65mm so you can quickly jump between these two focal lengths. This eliminates any vignetting on the wide end and prevents the lens from running into the glass while zooming with the short port.
During my time with this camera, I had very few issues with the autofocus, even when photographing on a day with a lot of particulates in the water. I mainly used single-point autofocus for my macro photography but I did test out the new and improved continuous tracking autofocus and was pleasantly surprised with how well it works. It does struggle in areas of low contrast so a focus light certainly helps keep it working properly and I wouldn’t recommend using this mode for macro photography due to the short working distances that the wet macro lenses provide. This setting would probably work best with wide-angle photography in blue water though: you might be pleasantly surprised!
Overall this little camera has a lot going for it. If I was going to take this camera for macro photography, I would probably reach for the standard port with the SMC-1, but for any other type of dive I would probably end up using the short port with the WWL-1 and either CMC-1 or CMC-2 (or both!). I like the versatility that you get in such a compact package with either option and as far as compacts go- this is about as advanced as it gets right now.
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Join us for a week of fun and learning in one of the most productive underwater imaging locations in the world!
Anilao, Philippines is justifiably one of the most famous marine critter and fish species locations anywhere on earth. Few locations can serve up the diversity of coastal environments and types of marine habitat within an easy boat ride of shore. And perhaps no other destination of its caliber is as easy to get to - no matter where you might be traveling from. All this comes together to provide what is probably the best underwater imaging workshop location to be found anywhere.
The pros at Reef Photo and Video have come back often to Anilao and it never fails to impress with new sightings and discoveries. We love sharing these opportunities and helping people to capture images that they will be proud of, all while expanding their photographic possibilities. When we do these week long events, we are there to offer hands-on support throughout the event – above and below the water. So please take advantage of it!
Our host in Anilao is the beautiful and quiet Aiyanar resort. Unlike most resorts in Anilao, you enjoy a peaceful hillside on the water with minimal influence from the outside world. The staff will cater to your every need and you need barely lift a finger for the week. On the other hand, your cheeks may tire from returning all the smiles of the staff.
If you have never been to Anilao, you don’t know what you are missing. If you have, you know why you have to do it more than once. Join us. Let Reef Photo show you the best of the region and how to get the most out of it. The images will last a lifetime.
What’s Included:
A reservation in a deluxe double occupancy room with beautiful ocean view
All Meals excluding soft drinks and alcohol
Daily instructional presentations and all the personal assistance you are willing to ask for
3 Boat Dives a day in small groups with a high guide/diver ratio
Unlimited shore diving on the house reef (and helicopter wreck if desired)
1 Boat Night Dive included. The option of a black water dive can be arranged for a nominal extra cost depending on number of participants
Nitrox and compact tanks available.100cuft tanks if requested in advance
Full-service assistance with carrying and handling all of your gear
Dedicated camera station with plenty of charging
Transfer to and from Manila during the scheduled window
* Please note guests will be responsible for the Anilao park fees which are about $35 for the week.
Some helpful logistical information for potential Anilao Workshop attendees.
Manila Marriott Hotel
No. 10 Newport Boulevard
Newport City Complex
Pasay City | Newport Complex
Pasay, Luzon
1309, Philippines
1-866-576-5456
rwmanila.com +63 2 908 8888
One of the most budget friendly hotels in the complex is the Belmont:
Please note that if you stay at the Maxim or elsewhere, you will still need to get to the lobby of the Marriot before 10:00 with your luggage
These are just some of the early questions that often get asked. We are here to help with anything that may come up. As we get a little closer to the trip, you will get an additional email with greater details on our logistics.
Again, thanks for joining us on what is sure to be a wonderful week of learning and diving!
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2019 Reef Photo Lembeh Workshop
October 04-14 2019
Lembeh is world renowned for its amazing density of wild and wonderful marine life – particularly on the macro end of the scale.
Where is it?
Lembeh is an island off of the east coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The diving is mainly concentrated in the waters between Sulawesi and Lembeh known as the Lembeh Strait.
Where are we staying?
The NAD Lembeh Resort is perched on a quiet section of the shore bordering the Lembeh Strait. Boat rides are generally a short run to most of the dive sites.
NAD is owned and operated by underwater photographers and the planning shows. The Camera room is huge and extremely well equiped for handling all the photo and video gear. All the staff are well experienced with handling cameras and housings on and off the boats.
What is the difference between the between the Beachfront Room and the Deluxe Seaview Bungalow?
The Beachfront Rooms are adjoining rooms right at the shore level and just a few steps from the beach and the docks. The rooms are simple and comfortable and excellent for anyone looking to avoid stairs.
The Seaview Bungalows are just that – elevated bungalows perched at the edge of the rainforest just above the Beachfront rooms. There are a few stairs to access them, but they are larger and crafted of local tropical woods and bamboo and enjoy a spectacular view.
What is the food like?
Food is quite plentiful and meals are usually a hearty mix of local Indonesian cuisine and a few Western Faves. Local veggies are often incorporated. Special diets can be accommodated if notice is given in advance.
What is the easiest way to get there?
We have scheduled the trip to run for 10 days timed to start with a Silk Air flight arrival into Manado (Sulawesi) from Singapore. This is by far the best connection and most forgiving of luggage allowance. The final day is also timed to match a Silk Air flight back to Singapore. There are countless flights going to Singapore from North America every day, so if looking at schedules, you want the easiest flight into Singapore to arrive in time to catch the Silk Air flight to Manado on October 4th and likewise when returning, you will need to make the Silk Air to homeward flight connect in Singapore on the 14th.
There are also options flying through Jakarta and Bali.
10 days of diving is a great value at NAD, but if you want more time, it is easy to extend your stay.
What’s the diving like?
A lot of the diving is “Muck” – not bad muck – great muck! That just means there are a lot of dark sand and light sand areas without a lot of reef structure, but with lots of exotic inhabitants. That doesn’t mean there is no reef – there are areas of beautiful reef and often a dive will cross a reef or end near a shallow reef, but that is not always the focal point. Generally there is very little current and the diving is easy. Some dives have special star subjects and the guides will be sure point them out.
Will I have help finding these crazy critters?
Yes! Amazingly, NAD provides a guide for every two divers. That means you will never be lacking for something to shoot. If something is on your “wish list” of subjects, just ask if they have seen it – the answer is usually yes!
How many dives will we have per day?
We will do at least three dives a day, but there is opportunity to do night dives, dusk mandarin dives or even Black Water night dives.
Is Nitrox Available?
Yes! Nitrox is included in the price. If you are not certified to dive Nitrox we strongly suggest you get certified before the workshop – you and your dive buddies will be glad you did.
What if I am just a “beginner”?
No problem! We would suggest at least getting familiar with your camera and equipment ahead of the trip, so you can focus on improving technique and understanding of the underwater specific challenges. A big part of what we can offer is one on one assistance, so be sure to let us know where you would like help.
More Questions?
Just let us know - we are here to help! Call us six days a week or email any time. Support.team@reefphoto.com
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Hands on with the Retra Flash, ONEUW 160X, Inon Z-330 & D-200 and Announcing the Sea & Sea YS-D3
Those who have been taking underwater photos for a long while may have noticed how rarely new strobes are introduced to the underwater imaging arena. As a whole, we (underwater photographers) are a relatively small market and the cost of developing a new strobe model is significant. It is therefore no wonder models tend to be around for many years with small upgrades at best.
So it has been particularly exciting to witness the introduction of new strobes with big performance to our market in 2019 and 2020. These new strobes are at the top of their categories and deserve consideration by anyone who feels their existing strobes fall a bit short of their current needs. We have had some time to evaluate these new contenders to see how they perform beyond the specs, so let’s look at what sets the newcomers apart.
Retra Flash – A Modern Take on a Traditional Concept
This might have been the biggest surprise of 2018 as Retra is relatively small company traditionally known only as an accessory manufacture for the underwater imaging market and is perhaps best known for their excellent Light Shaping Device which is a sophisticated type of macro snoot. All new for 2020 is the The Retra Flash Pro and Retra Flash Prime: This evolutionary design is clean and simple with a number of clever details, and it is very much focused on ease of use. The machined aluminum housing for the strobe sets it apart at this price point and helps to dissipate heat generated by this powerful strobe. The original Retra Flash was discontinued almost as soon as it started becoming popular, but the design carries over with numerous features and some notable changes to the new Retra models.
The Specs:
The first thing you notice on the new Retra (aside from the brushed aluminum finish) is that the flash tube cover is domed to help distribute the light as wide and evenly as possible. Likewise the diffusers are similarly domed. Most of the controls are clearly marked and easy to use. The size is certainly within the travel friendly category and those who have used Inon’s larger strobes will find the size and shape to be very familiar.
Specifications on any strobe are generally provided by the manufacturer and rarely independently verified. More important is how they perform in the real world. So here is our take:
Power
Power is great: Noticeably better (given the angle of coverage) than all previous AA powered strobes with the prime most closely matched (and slightly surpassed) by the Inon Z-330. The Retra Pro is equal or better to the output of some earlier and existing proprietary battery powered UW strobes. This is great for wide angle and small aperture applications - like shooting sun-balls.
Coverage
Coverage is extremely smooth and even with and without a diffuser. 110 degrees without a diffuser might be the new normal for strobes going forward which the Retra provides.
Recycle Time
When a strobe gets more powerful while using the same batteries, something has to compensate, capacitors have to get larger and more efficient and recycle time gets longer. At full power, recycle time on the Pro is going to be a fairly long wait compared to any other contemporary strobe. But in the real world, most people will rarely use this strobe at full power. At lower power settings, they will be snappy enough for general shooting. For those that demand faster performance, Retra's unique Retra Flash Additional Battery Compartment would be recommended. This accessory allows the use of 8 AA batteries as opposed to just 4 and provides improved recycle speed for fast action, though at some expense of size and weight.
A special note here: with higher performance comes a need for better batteries to keep up. The Retra seems particularly sensitive to the quality of batteries. Original Eneloop or Powerex batteries that worked fine in your old strobe, might produce recycle times 2-4 times longer than factory spec. So plan on getting the newest Powerex 2600ma Low Discharge batteries or Panasonic Eneloop Pro batteries. Also, always use freshly charged batteries as the Retra flash performance declines noticeably with battery discharge. We would recommend changing batteries at least every two dives if you are shooting a lot of images - or even more often.
TTL Performance
The New Retras TTL performance appears to be very good with cameras that utilize a pop-up flash. LED optical TTL converters do not appear to work very well at this time from the models currently available. UW Technics is said to release compatible TTL Converters soon. Electrical TTL via sync cables is not available and manual electrical will require an electrical/optical converter made by Retra. Manual LED optical flash triggers do appear to work fine with the strobe set to Manual.
Controls
Controls are excellent and clearly marked. Cold water gloves should not be a problem. The one operation that is not as friendly as it could be is the battery compartment knob. The battery compartment seal is better than the original Retra, but it takes some work with the small knob to close everything up. This may get easier over time.
Color (how strobe lit subjects appear)
The original Retras had a pleasing, slightly warm temperature light that is usually a plus for underwater models and reef scenic wide angle shooting. The New Retras are even warmer than the previous generation – about the same as Ikelite DS-160s.
Inon Z-330 – More of a Good Thing
Inon is one of the oldest and most popular strobe manufacturers in the world with a reputation for reliability and performance in a small size. Underwater shooters have anxiously awaited the upgrade to the venerable Z-240 – one of the bestselling strobes of all time. The wait is finally over and though it took nearly 18 months to catch up with demand, the new Z-330 is now sitting in stock. Users have not been dissapointed.
Specs:
At first glance, the Z-330 appears physically similar to its predecessor the Z-240, but it is easy to start picking up the differences. Like the Retra, there is an obvious dome over the Inon’s twin flash tubes affecting a similar 110 degree angle of coverage. Equally noticeable is the “eyebrow” shade on the front of the strobe. In use we found this to be much more than a gimmick – though it is easy to remove if desired. When shooting macro or close focus wide angle, the shades are perfect to control backscatter and flare from the strobes. This is a tool that requires some experimenting to really get the most out of it.
Power
Power is excellent. On paper the Z-330 is over twice as powerful as a Z-240 while providing 10 degrees more coverage without a diffuser – pretty remarkable. In practice, the difference is really useable – particularly shooting wide angle in bright conditions. You can use camera settings that were impossible with the Z-240 which will put a grin on many shooters’ faces.
The Z-330 and the Retra Prime fill a similar niche in the underwater strobe category, though the price points makes it a particularly nice value.
Coverage
The dome front makes a huge difference and Inon’s new style of included diffuser means maximum coverage with minimal loss of intensity. The Retra has a bit more even coverage, while the Inon has a bit wider overall coverage. You can see this on a wall chart, but in the ocean, in use on a reef, you won’t notice the difference. You will just love being able to get light everywhere you need it. We would probably recommend using the diffuser all the time on the Z-330 as it does smooth the light pattern considerably.
Recycle Time
In our experience, out of the box, with the same batteries, the Inon Z-330 will generally recycle faster than both of the Retras at a similar output, though the difference is not huge. The Inon is also a bit more forgiving with the level of charge on the batteries. We did as many as four dives without changing the batteries on the Z-330s and never noticed a decline in performance. Of course, when using the 8 battery configuration on the Retras, you will get faster performance and longer run time also.
When choosing batteries, the same rules apply as for the Retra for the most part – though not quite as critical. Inon goes so far as to give you the recycle times for different types of batteries. But you wouldn’t put cheap gas in your Ferrari, so get the good stuff mentioned previously.
TTL Performance
TTL accuracy has always been a hallmark of the Inon brand and the Z-330 is no exception. The TTL is excellent with the camera’s flash as the trigger, but also with virtually all of the LED optical flash Trigger/TTL converters. Electrical TTL with the appropriate TTL converter is also fully compatible. Inon also has a super sensitive 360 degree optical pick up for slave fill flash or backlighting purposes. The Z-330 can be triggered by both electrical and fiber optic on the same dive by different devices for specialty applications.
Controls
Current Inon owners will rejoice when they first try the controls on the new Z-330. The new controls are extremely comfortable and easy – even with gloves. The settings, labels and logic of the display will look familiar to Z-240 owners, but actually has been made much more friendly and logical and now includes glow-in-the-dark control labeling and indicators that seem to last for a full night dive.
Color (how strobe lit subjects appear)
The Inons are a very slightly cooler color temperature than the Retras and are closer to daylight. This is generally excellent for macro and very close focus work providing what most would call a “natural” look. Inon offers warming diffusers for wide angle work where a little warmer light can compensate for spectrum loss passing through water.
Another new strobe on the market that is often overlooked is the economy oriented Inon D-200. This strobe appears almost identical to the hugely popular Z-330 – except the color. So what is the difference between these two Inon strobes?
In truth, the D200 shares most of the features found on the Z-330 including the same controls, same angle of coverage, same STTL and the same Inon reliability. What it loses is the electrical sync option (it is an optically triggered strobe only) and some of the Z-330’s potent power output. But for the person who shoots macro, fish portraits, close focus wide angle and other photography not requiring maximum power, the D-200 represents a good value and a viable alternative. All the other comments about the Inon Z-330 will fully apply here.
ONEUW One160X – The New King of the Hill?
A brand new design has arrived from Europe and it brings some exciting design and performance options to the underwater strobe market. It has long been known that there is a physical limit to the amount of energy 4 AA batteries can store and the speed at which they can transfer that energy to the strobe capacitors. While both Retra and Inon have made remarkable strides with efficiency and what is possible to achieve using the AA battery design, there is only so far it can go. This becomes apparent with the Retra 150W Flash that takes at least 3 seconds (often longer) to recycle after full discharge.
So what is a strobe designer to do when in pursuit of ultimate performance? Proprietary battery designs can solve this problem and have an enormous performance envelope that allows great design flexibility and potential evolution as requirements increase. For the serious shooter, this means more power and faster recycle times.
Specs:
· Max energy |
· 157 Ws |
· Manual mode power control range – steps |
· Full -6 f-stop - 1/2 |
· TTL mode EV control range – steps |
· ± 2 f-stop - 1/3 |
· GN Guide number ISO100-1mt |
· 20 |
· GN Guide number ISO100-1mt - detection angle |
· 20-90° | 18-110° | 16-130° |
· Beam angle |
· 130° (circular) |
· Number of full power flashes |
· over 250 |
· Recycle time |
· 0,2-1,8 sec |
· Color temperature |
· 4.600 °K |
· Pilot light |
· Led 200 lm 10° 2 steps |
· Power supply |
· interchangeable battery pack |
· Battery type and capacity |
· NiMH 4,8V 3050mAh |
· Battery charging time |
· 90 min |
· Flash arm connection |
· M6 threaded hole |
· Dimension Diameter x Length (controls included) |
· 99x200 mm |
· Weight in air battery included |
· 1480 g |
· Weight UW battery included (with neoprene cover) |
· ≈-190 g (≈ -70 g) |
· Max operating depth |
· 200 m |
Yep, that is a lot of information and in part it shows how seriously this manufacturer takes its strobe design. This strobe looks like nothing else on the market and the craftsmanship is really obvious. The 160x feels like it is hewn from a solid block and in fact it is just that. Nicely machined from aircraft grade aluminum and finished in a sophisticated matt anodizing, the 160x seems built for serious performance with a really large display and set of controls. The strobe is roughly the size of an Ikelite DS-160, but the battery packs are smaller and lighter than the Ikelite’s. Nice to look at, but let’s get into the details.
Power
There really is nothing on the existing market that can touch the 160X for power at its angle of coverage. It is confusing because ONEUW only claims a guide number of 20. This seems much less than what Inon and Retra are claiming – Right? Most manufacturers throw GN around as gospel, but these are extremely subjective numbers, measured differently by each manufacturer and rarely measured independently. So take them with a big helping of salt. OneUW is very conservative in its rating and has designed the 160x for maximum coverage while offering more power than any other strobe in its class. This includes the brand new Retra 150 Flash, the venerable Ikelite 160 and the discontinued Sea & Sea YS-250.
When shooting pelagics that don’t come close, lighting the interior of a wreck or trying to make things pop in shallow bright conditions – this extra power can make a big difference.
Coverage
The 160x uses a large circular flash tube that produces an extremely soft even coverage over a full 130 degrees without a diffuser and even greater with a diffuser. This is more than most strobes produce with a diffuser. No other form of lighting is as evenly distributed as circular flash tube coverage.
Recycle Time
This is one of the areas the 160x really shines. When the action gets hot and heavy (think shark feed, sail fish, bait balls with tuna), nothing is more frustrating than waiting for your strobe to recycle. This is where extra power and superior battery technology come into play. While a conservative recycle time of 1.8 seconds at full power is suggested, most often you will be shooting at much less than full power and recycling in fractions of a second. You may not always need it, but knowing your strobe can keep up with your shutter finger is huge for certain types of shooters.
TTL Performance
The 160x is again fairly unique in that it offers true internal electronic TTL processing for Nikon and Canon. So what that means is one only need hook up an electrical sync cord to the appropriate bulkhead on the camera housing and you can enjoy full ETTL or ITTL communication and perfect exposures with your Canon or Nikon camera. No need for an additional TTL converter. Since the TTL processor is internal to the strobes, the photographer must choose a strobe made for Canon or a strobe to work with Nikon. The processors in the strobe are able to be firmware updated so as the camera TTL algorithm is updated in the future, the strobe can remain compatible. The strobe includes an electrical sync cord for added value.
For cameras with a pop-up flash, there is also Slave TTL through Fiber Optic available and of course manual operation can be available through electrical or fiber optic connections.
Controls
Controls on the ONEUW are like no other and very easy to use even with bulky gloves (the water is chilly in Europe right?). The functions are clearly displayed on the bright digital display on the back of the strobe. Large lit indicators means no squinting or readers required – even at night – or bright sunlight. Special mention is also deserved for the battery cap design. Anyone who has ever struggled to seal their battery compartment, or watched o-rings squeeze out while tightening a cap, or had a strobe flood through the battery area will marvel at the elegant simplicity and effortless function of this locking battery cap.
Color (how strobe lit subjects appear)
4600K is a generally pleasing color temperature for models and colorful reefs that will give a nice bump to the appearance of the subject. Those familiar with Ikelite’s look will find the color produced by the 160x similar.
Notes
ONEUW is a solid strobe that will be slightly more negative than a Z-330 and more similar to an Ikelite DS-160 or Retra 150W. So among the many available accessories is a Neoprene Body Cover that offers snug finish protection and some buoyancy compensation that would be a wise addition. This insures the 160x is only 2.4oz negative.
The YS-D3 is the newest of the new strobes and clearly Sea & Sea realized it needed to up its game to stay competitive. The strobe is due for release in early summer of 2020.
It is obvious from reviewing the specifications, that the YS-D3 is hoping to match the performance of the Inon Z-330. The strobe follows largely in the design of the YS-D2 and sticks with a single flash tube that throws a fairly narrow oval beam with no diffuser. It includes two additional diffusers to widen the coverage, though the diffusers are translucent plastic and will likely cause a loss of output when in place. A hands on performance review will have to wait until the release of the strobe.
Angle of Coverage | 105° 110° (with Wide-Angle Adapter) |
Color Temperature | 5800K |
Guide Number | 33' / 10.06 m at ISO 100 (on Land) No Diffuser |
Recycle Time | 1.7 Seconds (NiMH) 3.5 Seconds (Alkaline) |
What to Choose?
These strobes are currently the best available in their categories. They each demonstrate a remarkably progressive approach to strobe design compared to the traditional expectations of uw strobe development. You could easily say “you can’t go wrong with any of them” and you would likely be right. But there are differences unique to each and every photographer has their specific priorities. It also should be noted that demand (as of the start of 2019) has far outpaced the production capabilities of Inon Z-330 (though wait times are improving). Retra is estimating May/June 2019, but warns this is only an estimate. ONEUW is just getting product delivered to the US now and is available on a first come, first serve basis. So for those with a timeline or trip in the near future, plan sooner than later – it will be worth it!
For current availability and further details, please contact a Reef Photo & Video Pro for assistance.
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