Wetpixel/Under The Jungle Cenote Workshop 2021
Articles
Update on housings for Nikon D4 and D800
With both Nikon’s new cameras being “in the wild”, housing manufacturers are working around the clock to provide housings for them. Hugyfot has previously announced support for both cameras, with a priority being placed on preparing the D800 version, which they expect to have ready in May. At the recent London Dive Show, they were showing 3D renderings of the new housings. Pictures have been published on Facebook of a working prototype Nauticam’s new housing for the D4. Interestingly, this features fiber optic ports, so it seems likely that the housing will have some built-in device that will allow the D4 to trigger strobes optically.
Wetpixel are ready to dive the new Nikon cameras (and the Canon 5D Mark III) as soon as there are housing available for them. Please keep checking back for the latest updates. UPDATE Aquatica AD800 housing images added.
Final call: Wetpixel Raja Ampat Entry Tag contest
The 2013 Wetpixel Raja Ampat Entry Tag contest is making a final call for entries. If you have an idea or image that encapsulates the beauty of diving at Raja Ampat, would like that design or image to be worn by every visiting diver to the area in 2013 and win some amazing prizes, this is you last chance. The competition is free to enter with up to two entries per person.
Full details of how to enter are on the contest’s page. Entries will close at 12.00pm PST on Wednesday 15 August. The shortlisted entries will then be put to the public vote until 15 September, with the winning entry being announced on 20 September.
More about the underwater photography from the 2012 Olympics
At the end of the 2012 Olympics, photographer Michael Dalder reflects on the technical aspects of covering the events in the aquatics center from underwater. He writes in a post on the Reuters Photographers Blog that over the past two weeks he has spent almost 8 hours in the pool and carried out over 25 dives “to adjust, replace or rescue the remote-controlled underwater camera.” He also comments on the fact that, as access to the pool was tightly controlled, this resulted in very long work days. However he concludes that:
“Only a very small number of people get to watch such a great sport and swim in the same water as the athletes. I am very happy to be one of the privileged few and look forward to the next tournament.” (Image by Michael Dalder/Reuters)
Sri Lanka protects thresher sharks
Project AWARE has reported that the Sri Lanka Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has enacted a new regulation that “prohibits catch, retention, transshipment, landing, storage, and/or sale of whole bodies or parts ofcommon thresher (Alopias vulpinus), the bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosis), and the pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus), and applies to fishing vessels operating in Sri Lankan waters or the high seas, as well as those using Sri Lankan ports. The measure also mandates the careful release of any thresher sharks caught incidentally in other fisheries, and proper recording of such incidents.”
Sri Lanka ranks number 14 in the world for shark catches.
Call for entries: BSoUP/DIVER Print competition
The British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) is calling for entries for the 2012 BSoUP/DIVER Print competition. The winners will be announced at the Dive Show, which will be held in Birmingham, UK from 27 to 28 October. The categories for entries are: British and Irish (images taken in UK and Irish waters), Overseas (images taken anywhere else), Advanced British and Irish and Advanced Overseas. Advanced entrants are those that have won major contests, or are involved in professional underwater photography.
Full rules, entry details and guidelines are available on the contest’s website. The deadline for entries is 19 September.
Underwater Kinetics releases the Aqualite 90 eLED video light
Sea & Sea UK has announced the release of the Underwater Kinetics Aqualite 90 eLED Video light. It has a 600 lumen output, adjustable in four steps with a color temperature of 5000°K. Burn time is 1.3 hours at full power, and the light is supplied with two Li-ion batteries. Its compact size will make it a possible choice for use with SLR video rigs.
The Aqualite 90 eLED is available now at a UK retail price of £220.95.
3Deep 3D housing for RED EPIC announced
DeepX housing inventor Pawel Achtel has announced the release of the 3Deep housing. This houses two RED EPIC cameras to give a stereoscopic 3D image. Like the DeepX housing, the 3Deep uses (in its case, two) Nikonos underwater lenses in place of lens ports which, its inventor claims, removes the chromatic aberration and distortion that comes from using two flat ports side-by-side.
Availability and pricing for the 3Deep are still to be announced.
Gates announces housing for Sony PMW-200
John Ellerbrock of Gates Underwater Products has provided some further information about the new Sony PMW-200. The new camera will replace the previous model, with the EX1R being discontinued. In addition, the PMW-200 now meets IBU standards for top tier HD image acquisition (1/2” sensors, 50Mbps, 4:2:2) and, from customer reports, this camera now exceeds HD image quality previously achieve only with the larger ENG-type housings (like the F900). Gates will be supporting the PMW 200, with a similar housing to their existing model for the EX1R (pictured). The camera’s optics are still the same Fujinon optics as those of the EX1R, so the Gates SWP44C Super Wide port will work with it.
Prices and availability are still to be announced.