The April/May 2012 issue of African Diver features an article about nudibranchs and, closely related, macro photography. In addition there are stories about Port St Johns and gannets, both key players in the sardine run. Activism by “The Black Fish” talks about illegal drift netting in the Mediterranean and the featured photographer is Ivan van Heerden.
Issue 22 of African Diver is available as a free download in pdf format.
A German site, Photoscala (via Google translate), has announced that Kenko has released an Extension Tube Set consisting of two extension rings for use with EVIL cameras. The 10 and 16mm rings give close-focusing macro capabilities, can be used singly or stacked and are compatible with Micro 4/3s or Sony E-mount cameras and lenses. Crucially, they give electronic control of both focus and exposure, making them a feasible alternative for use inside underwater housings.
The set will be available in April at €216 ($290).
Adobe has released a release candidate of Lightroom version 4.1 onto Adobe Labs. This adds camera support for the Canon 5D Mark III, and deals with several issues in the original 4.0 release. Crucially, it corrects a bug that prevented Lightroom 4 from properly opening external applications when using the “Edit In” functionality, restores point curve adjustments made in Lightroom 3, addresses performance issues in Lightroom 4, particularly when loading GPS track logs, using a secondary monitor, and the controls within the Develop module, restores the ability to update DNG previews and metadata for more than 100 photos and improves the viewing of subfolders and stacks in folders with a large number of photos.
Lightroom 4.1 release candidate is available now as a free download, and will expire on 30 June. Release candidate status means that the version needs additional user testing before being issued as release.
Retra Underwater Technology has announced that their Light Shaping Device (LSD) is now available for purchase. The LSD can be used to focus the output from strobes into patterns or simply to be “shaped”. The device is constructed of aluminum and has a specially coated lens within it. It is supplied with 8 aperture plates to allow for different effects, and model are available to fit Seacam 150 and 250, Ikelite 125ds, Sea&Sea YS110 and YS250 Pro, Subtronic Pro 270 and Inon Z-240 strobes.
The LSD is available now via the Retra website at a cost of €599 ($797). Wetpixel has a test unit and will be reviewing it soon.
The thirty-sixth annual Beneath the Sea Show was held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey from 23 to 25 March 2012. The event is billed as the largest consumer scuba and travel show in America, and draws exhibitors from all over the globe. Underwater imaging is usually well represented at the event, with an annual imaging contest and support from manufacturers and retailers.
Wetpixel moderator Drew Wohl provides a review of the goings on at the show for those who weren’t able to make it.
Wetpixel member EunJae Im has added another amazing super macro video to the forum. He added some footage of green hairy shrimps previously, and this new film incorporates some of this footage as well as lots of new material. It is entitled “Ocean Essay Episode #03: Lembeh Strait March 2012” and was shot at Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, between 4 and 8 March 2012.
Canon’s EOS C300, the first from a proposed range of new Cinema EOS cameras, met the standards the BBC requires from cameras by being tested to the EBU recommendation R118. The full test results are available for download as a pdf on the EBU site. It joins the Canon XF305 and XF300 cameras in achieving this.
The March issue of DIVE is available to view online. This edition features an article about manta rays and the threats they face from the Chinese medicine industry by Douglas Seifert, Christian Skauge writes about the diving at Gulen, Norway, and Wetpixel Associate editor, Alex Mustard’s column is about over-under “split” images. In addition, the magazine has a review of compact cameras and housings.
DIVE online is available as a free download after completing a registration process. There are versions available for PC/Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android device or Kindle Fire.
Rick Morris has posted a short film entitled “Doubilet and Hayes Conservation Conversations” onto Vimeo. It consists of excerpts of an interview with underwater image makers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes. The pair respond to questions about a variety of issues currently affecting the aquatic world and the state of the oceans. Amongst these are Japan and whales, climate change, over fishing and the challenges facing us in the future of the planet
Hollywood director James Cameron has made a solo descent to the Mariana Trench. Cameron descended nearly 11km (seven miles) in a submarine called Deepsea Challenger and took over two hours to reach the bottom. His bottom time was over four hours exploring the ocean floor, before a 70 minute ascent. The submersible was equipped with with a Red Epic 5K 3D camera with a wide-angle lens which ran for almost the entire duration of the dive. The Red Epic was supported by four, custom-built, high-definition cameras, plus two boom-mounted cameras, one of which also captured 3D images.
Cameron believes that not only will his film be visually impressive for theater audiences, but the use of the stereoscopic imagery will help scientists “determine the scale and distance” of the objects and creatures he encountered. The on-board systems on the Deepsea Challenger provided Mr. Cameron with enough control over the cameras and the sub’s 2.5-meter LED light tower to “direct” as he went along. A “cruise control” mode made shooting smooth tracking shots along the ocean floor far easier too. It is expected that there will be at least one documentary film based on the dive, although no release date has been stated, and there is also a rumor some of the footage shot in the Mariana Trench will make it into the sequel to Avatar, currently set for a 2016 release.