Wetpixel/Under The Jungle Cenote Workshop 2021
Articles
Eric Cheng on LIFE through the Lens
Wetpixel Publisher, Eric Cheng, has been the subject of an episode of “LIFE through the Lens”. This is a Google + Hangout that is put out as a bi-weekly vidcast. Eric talks about his “early musical background, the role cello plays in his life today, his stunning underwater photography and the groundbreaking Lytro camera.”
The complete Hangout session can now be viewed on YouTube.
Sony unveils the NEX-5R EVIL camera
Widely leaked around the web, Sony has released the specifications of its NEX-5R EVIL camera. Its form factor and controls are very similar to the NEX-5N, and the camera appears to feature the same 16.1 megapixel 23.5-by-15.6mm APS-C CMOS sensor and BIONZ image processing engine. New specifications include a combination phase and contrast detection AF system, which increase focus speed and accuracy and in-built Wi-Fi capabilities.
The NEX-5R, in silver, black, or white will be available in mid-October at $650 for the camera body only.
Canon announces two new EOS digital cinema cameras
Canon has added two new cameras to its EOS digital cinema range. The EOS C500 captures 4K, 2K or HD image quality and can output 4K as a 10-bit uncompressed raw data stream or 2K as a 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 signal to an external recorder. Whilst doing so, it can simultaneously record a 50 Mbps HD file onto two in-camera CF cards. There will be two versions, one for for PL mount lenses and another for EF/EF-S and EF Cinema. The camera will be available from October at $30,000.
The EOS C100 is a smaller camera, outputting individual R, G, and B channels for each full HD 1920 x 1080 frame. It records in an AVCHD format featuring a maximum recording bit rate of 24Mbps in a 4:2:0 color space. It records to two SD cards or can output uncompressed HD via an HDMI connection. This output includes superimposed time code and 2:3 pull-down marker information. The EOS C100 will also be released in October and retails at $7,999.
Wetpixel D800 camera review
Nikon announced the D800 SLR on 6 February 2012, with a shipping date of 20 March. Long-term speculation gave way to disbelief as the specifications of the camera were announced. It features the highest resolution of any current “35mm” camera, and this immediately gave rise to much discussion as to whether this would be useful for underwater use. With this in mind, Wetpixel purchased a camera body, and sought out the earliest possible opportunity to get the camera underwater.
This review is not intended to be exhaustive, and will focus primarily on camera performance underwater. The D800 shares many features with the D4 for which Wetpixel Associate Editor Alex Mustard has already written an excellent review which this review will frequently refer to. In addition, we plan to add updates to it in the future as we dive the camera in differing conditions so please keep checking back regularly for updates. Links to topics covered in this review so far: Introduction; The Nikon D800 body, controls and overview, Resolution, ISO and tonal range,Image size and “shooting to crop.”, Autofocus, teleconverters and built-in processing and Conclusion.
Winners of 2012 Cairns Underwater Film Festival announced
The winners of the 2012 Cairns Underwater Film Festival (CUFF) have been announced. The event, now in its sixth year, was held on 25 August at the Cairns Civic Theatre, Cairns, Australia and hosted a sellout crowd. The film category was won by Briony Benjamin with “The truth about minke whales” and the overall winner of the associated photography contest was Enrico Zanzareli with his image of a wrasse in a sunburst. Many congratulations to all the winners and runners-up.
For full details of the contest and to view the winning entries, please check out the CUFF website.
SDUFEX publishes its program
The San Diego UnderSea Film Exhibition (SDUFEX) has announced its program for the 2012 event. 32 films have been selected to be shown using the state of the art digital projection system at the Qualcomm Hall, Sorrento Valley Area, San Diego. Somewhat uniquely, there are no prizes on offer for the films, the reward for entering is the prestige of having your film selected and shown at the event. Congratulations are therefore due to all those selected, and especially to the many Wetpixel members represented in the selections.
The exhibition is being run over the evenings of 5 and 6 October and tickets are available now.
How to be a pro
Cameron Nilsson-Linne (kmo_underwater) has posted a thread on the Wetpixel forum called “Underwater photography - The professionals” in which he poses an apparently simple question:
“I can only assume that at least a few of the photographers on here must make a living from underwater photography. My question, put simply, is how?”
The responses are a fascinating insight into the business of underwater photography, and it is interesting to note that a key response seems to be that the really important ingredients in making underwater imaging work financially is how well an individual markets themselves and hard work!
Nikon receives EISA awards
Nikon Hong Kong has announced that, in the EISA awards for 2012-2013, the D4 is the European Professional Camera of the Year and the D800 the European Camera of the Year. EISA is an association of 50 major photo, video, audio, home theater, and mobile device magazines published in Europe. The D800 has also received accolades from the Technical Image Press Association and received the Camera of the Year award in the Camera Grand Prix 2012 held by the Camera Journal Press Club of Japan.