Wetpixel/Under The Jungle Cenote Workshop 2021
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Ultimate whale sharks thread open on forum
The official thread for the 2012 Wetpixel Ultimate Whale Sharks Expedition is now open in the forums. The group has spent a day on the water and trip leader Alex Mustard reports:
“Unbelievable. I see why people go on and on about this place. First morning. Straight out of port into sharks. Captain reckoned 300-400 whale sharks in flat calm, blue seas. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The trip will be running over the next two weeks, so you can expect lots of whale shark “action.” Please be sure to check back on the forum thread for updates and more stunning images.
August edition of DIVE magazine available
The August edition of DIVE magazine is now available for download. In this issue, Christian Skauge reveals how to photograph nudibranchs like a pro, Douglas Seifert looks at camouflage as used by marine animals, Jo Mattock explores the Azores and Lia Barrett discovers some spooky freshwater diving in Thailand’s Cheow Larn lake. Christina Zenato, “The Shark Whisperer” is interviewed in the Tech Profile, and Simon Enderby, one of the men behind ScubaZoo, is interviewed in the MovieMaker column.
DIVE is available as a free download on a variety of platforms after a mandatory registration.
DaVinci Resolve 9 public beta released
Blackmagic Design has announced the release of a public beta of its Resolve 9 color grading software. The new version features a radically overhauled user interface, automatic 3D eye matching, multi layering timelines and XML support as well as support for additional cameras and file types.
DaVinci Resolve 9 public beta for Mac, Windows and Linux is now available for download from the Blackmagic Design website free of charge for all existing full feature DaVinci Resolve customers. DaVinci Resolve Lite public beta is available for both Mac OS X and Windows and is free to all users.
Recsea announces housing for Sony RX-100
Recsea has announced the release of its WHS-RX100 housing for the Sony DSC-RX100 compact camera. The new camera boasts a 1” Exmor CMOS sensor with 20.9 million effective pixels, making it very much an enthusiasts compact. The new housing is constructed of aluminum, with a fixed lens port and a rotary port control ring. It also has a rear command dial and a “half-press” shutter release.
Prices and availability are still to be announced.
An amazing opportunity to dive and shoot at Palmyra Atoll
Our colleagues at Shark Savers are running a trip to the “fabled” Palmyra Atoll, part of the Northern Line Islands (Kiribati) in the Pacific. The Atoll, a US Fish and Wildlife protected area, is very closely preserved, with a limited number of permits being issued for people to visit. National Geographic has described the area as one of only a handful of reefs worldwide that has not seen some form of degradation due to human impact. It features an inverted pyramid of biomass: Hordes of apex predators; gray and whitetip reef sharks, red snappers and rapid turnover of prey which denotes the healthiest of marine ecosystems.
The trip is being run by Pangaea Exploration and will run from 14 August to 4 September, from Honolulu to Kiritimati. For more details, or to book, please visit the expedition’s webpage, but please do so soon as the number of places available is very limited. This trip represents a true “once in a lifetime” experience as it is so hard to get permits to visit the area. (Image by courtesy of National Geographic)
Aditech unveils MVH-FS100 housing
Aditech has unveiled their new Mangrove housing for the Sony NEX-F100 camcorder. The MVHS-FS100 features a new scontrol system that uses the camera’s LANC control and gives access to 32 camera functions, including manual white balance. The controls are all accessed via 12 external push buttons and give user feedback via the camera’s touch screen.
It also features a 3.5” rear mounted monitor and is available now at a retail price of €2,538.14.
Sony releases the PMW-200 XDCAM
After being widely trailed on social media, Sony has announced the release of the PMW-200 XDCAM. The new camera has three 1/2” CMOS sensors and outputs full HD 4:2:2 50Mbps footage. It features a wide range of recording formats, including MXF 50Mbps/35Mbps, MP4 35Mbps/25Mbps and DVCAM and has a “Slow & Quick” motion function which enables capture at 1 fps to 60 fps in 720p mode, and from 1 fps to 30 fps in 1080p mode, enabling some creative opportunities. Lastly, it records onto Sony’s SxS memory cards as well as other media such as SD, Memory Stick and XQD cards (with an adaptor required).
The PMW-200 will be available from September, prices are still to be confirmed.
Cayman Islands Underwater Photography Competition announced
The Cayman Islands Tourist Authority (CITA) has announced that the Cayman Islands Underwater Photography Competition, held in conjunction with the 8th Annual International Underwater Film Festival, will open for entries from 1 July. It is open to anyone, with the only proviso being that submitted photos must be taken in the Cayman Islands. Entry categories include: Cayman Wrecks, Turtles, Critter/Macro, Scenic (cannot include turtles, stingrays and/or wrecks) and Creative (includes opportunity for advanced photo editing).
Full details, entry information and contest rules are on the CITA website and the deadline for entries is 29 October.