adamhanlon

@Alex_Mustard and @adamhanlon discuss a selection of the winning images from the 2020 Ocean Art Underwater Photography contest. The winning images represent a stunning body of work but, as always, the duo attempt to provide a constructive critique of them.

This was shot with the strobes pointing almost directly back at me and the housing. The foreground was lit by the edge of the strobe. It was evening, so the ambient light was quite low. Adam

We plan to review it once we can go somewhere that we can use it properly! Adam

Thank you! Yes I agree, the new models could be very interesting! I am hoping for a D500 with slightly more pixels, the D6's focus systems and will fit into my D500 housing! Adam

I am excited to see how well new AF on the Z7 II performs underwater too! As they only shipped in December, and many people are unable to dive due to COVID restrictions, I think it is probably a tad early for reviews! Currently, the other "problem" with the Z series is the lack of lenses suitable for underwater use. Nikon have announced that they will be shipping a Z 105mm macro at some point, but there is no fisheye option and until there is, you are forced to use F mount lenses and the adaptor. Given this, I can see no advantage over a D850... You can use water contact lenses with the Z7 of course, which will maximize your optical quality for wide angle. Adam

How are you triggering the strobes with the 5D Mark IV? What settings are you using (on camera and strobe?) Adam

It is inevitable that all the major camera manufacturers will be offering a range of new models in 2021. @Alex_Mustard and @adamhanlon discuss which improvements they would like to see in these to enhance their performance as underwater imaging tools.

It's working for me...but I would be interested in hearing from others...

Thank you Kylie, I must confess that making them is a huge highlight too! Adam

Responding to this thread, @Alex_Mustard and @adamhanlon chat through small dome ports' pros and cons. These offer some unique creative possibilities, reduced cost, and portability advantages, and have limitations that should also be considered.

@adamhanlon and @Alex_Mustard chat about what may be one of the most effective upgrades for an underwater photography system: Magnified viewfinders. They discuss how they are used and what they do, along with the ongoing debate about the pros and cons of 45° versus straight versions.

I'm not sure, but it is nice to have a big dome to hide behind! It is a glass dome and did not scratch. More pertinently, the tiger was not biting the dome (look at the position of its teeth), but just mouthing it to try and figure out what it is... It was a challenging shot to light as you can see

So, There is no issue with shooting subjects on the dome with an 9" dome! While I understand that small domes can fit into smaller spaces, you still need to get the lighting in too! Intended as somewhat of a joke, but it was also shot with a 9"dome... Mini domes offer more magnification so can make smaller subjects seem larger in the frame, which can of course be a creative advantage. However, unless all you are shooting is this type of image, I am unconvinced that the optical disadvantages outweigh the creative advantages!

The judging for the 2021 UPY contest is about to commence, so Alex and Adam discuss how the judging process. Alex talks about UPY, while Adam joins from the Wetpixel Masters and DEEP Indonesia contests perspective.

Thank you for your responses. I get that lots of people like them. My question is why? With the possible exception of Alex's grouper shot, all the above images could have been shot with larger domes. Of course it is impossible to be absolute without knowing all the variables, but some of the optical problems in the images may have been alleviated by using a bigger dome? I think the key advantage is lighting with a small dome, rather than the physical distance of the subject in front of it. Intermediate sized domes like 140mm or 6" do not offer this advantage, so I really wanted to limit this discussion to 100-125mm sized domes only. I also understand the cost, weight and travel advantages of small domes. However, the weight difference is not relevant in the water, and the cost/travel advantages are "relatively" small compared to the overall costs of equipment and travel. This is, of course, subjective!