Wetpixel/Under The Jungle Cenote Workshop 2021
Articles
_tn-75x150.png)
iGills announces iPhone dive computer app and housing
iGills has announced a housing and app that allows the use of the iPhone as a dive computer, dive logger, underwater still and video camera, digital compass and back-up flashlight. The iGills SE-35 is an underwater iPhone case and electronic system developed for the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, and iPhone 3GS and features on-board electronics including precision depth and temperature sensors that communicate with the iPhone. A six button diver interface provides navigation within the iGills app while diving. It is made of polycarbonate and stainless steel construction and depth rated to 130ft/40m.
The SE-35 is currently available to pre-order at $329.99.
Aquatica announces the AD800 housing for the Nikon D800/D800e
Aquatica has announced the release of the AD000 housing for the Nikon D800/D800e SLRs. The housing features access to the Fn and DOF buttons situated around the lens bayonet. These can be programmed to provide a variety of additional functions. ISO, AF Lock and AF on all get their own levers, the latter two with a rotating collar that prevents ambient pressure from pushing them. It features three ports for additional bulkheads, and there are three standard versions, one with Nikonos, one with Ikelite and the third with Nikonos and fiber optic bulkheads.
Aquatica have not specified a release date for the AD800, but the retail price will be $3,359.00.
Zacuto publishes the results of the Great Camera Shootout 2012
Zacuto has published the results of its [Great Camera Shootout 2012]9http://www.zacuto.com/shootout-revenge-2012/revenge-the-great-camera-shootout-part-two). This “blind” testing compared footage from the Apple iPhone 4S, Panasonic GH2 (hacked), Canon 7D, Canon C300, Sony FS100, Sony F3, Sony F65, RED Epic and Arri Alexa by offering it to invited audiences of filmmakers and asking them to vote for their favorite. Th result was a massive first place for “no favorite” followed by the hacked Panasonic GH2 and then the Arri Alexa. The verdict is:
“While it’s an oft-repeated mantra in these shootouts, the fact is that cameras don’t make good movies, people do — and the results of our poll shows that most people don’t care what something was shot on.”
Full details of the Shootout are presented in a multi-part film entitled “Revenge of the Great Camera Shootout 2012” on the Zacuto website.
Wetpixel D7000 housing review
When Nikon released the D7000 in September 2010, it was immediately apparent that they had produced a camera that was going to be significant for underwater use. By increasing the megapixel count and adding high ISO performance, a new EXPEED 2 image processing engine, new metering and AF systems, HD movies and 14 bit RAW processing, Nikon has produced a camera that competes with the Canon equivalents.
Since it’s introduction, it has been our aim to provide a comprehensive review of housings for it. Our original schedule was to do this by mid-March, but this has proved to be unachievable. What follows are the housings that have been supplied for review thus far, in the chronological order in which they were supplied. As new housings become available, they will be added to the review, so please check back frequently for updates.
Reviewed thus far: Nauticam NA-D7000, Ikelite SLR-DC for Nikon D7000, Aquatica AD7000, Sea & Sea MDX-D7000, Subal ND7000, Nauticam NA-D7000V and Hugyfot D7000
Panasonic releases the LUMIX G5 EVIL camera
Panasonic has announced the release of its LUMIX DMC-G5 EVIL camera. The successor to the popular G3, it features a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor and a new Venus Engine VII FHD image processor. Native ISO extends to 12800, and the camera boasts a new “Lite Speed” contrast AF system. Lastly, the G5 will record video in 1,920 x 1,080 60p (NTSC) / 50p (PAL) in AVCHD Progressive (MPEG-4 / H.264) format.
The Lumix G5 will be available from mid-August for £600 (body only).
Fossil record of pygmy pipefish found in Slovenia
A paper published in the journal Annales de Paléontologie announces the discovery of the earliest fossil record of pygmy pipefish (Hippotropiscis frenki,) from the Miocene Coprolitic Horizon, Tunjice Hills, Slovenia. The pipefish lived among seagrasses and macroalgae and probably also on a mud and silt bottom in the temperate shallow coastal waters of the western part of the Central Paratethys Sea. It is likely that they were closely related to modern seahorses. The fossil fish probably died during a bout of severe oxygen depletion in the lagoon, which also prevented the animals from decaying before being fossilized.
Sensor comparison site launches
A site called Sensor Image Sensor has launched which offers a graphical comparison between the sensors of most cameras. CameraImageSensor.com also lists full specifications for the sensors being compared to. The site’s creator Idan Shechter has launched the site as he found that:
“Sensor sensor sizes like 1/2.33” or 1” didn’t really give me a good idea how small the sensor of the camera really is, so I’ve decided to create a new web app that will allow me and others to really understand how large / small a specific sensor is in relative to other sensors.”
Amphibico unveils Rouge housing for RED Scarlet X and Epic
Amphibico has announced the release and produced renderings of its Rouge housing from RED Scarlet X and Epic digital cinema cameras. Uniquely, access to all controls is via the grips, rather than via REDMOTE. The manual focus, zoom and Iris controls are all servo driven, and the RED TOUCH display can be viewed via top and rear windows. The housing has 4 bulkheads for I/O and is compatible with most popular lenses including most from Nikon, Canon E and PL mount.
Amphibico Rouge will be available from mid-September at a retail price of $12,999.