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Nauticam announces housing for Panasonic Lumix GX1
Nauticam has announced the release of a housing for the Panasonic Lumix GX1 EVIL camera. The NA-GX1 is billed as a compact and lightweight housing, with key GX1 camera controls available from a grip sculpted into the side of the housing. It is supplied with a choice of hand strap or left/right handle, and features the mini locking port release system used in other Nauticam mid-range housings. Nauticam will be supporting the Lumix 14-42mm kit lens, the Lumix G Fisheye 8mm, Lumix 7-14mm, and the Panasonic Leica 45mm macro lens. In addition a new port and zoom mechanism for the Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm is being introduced at the same time.
The NA-GX1 will retail at $1,200 and will be available from the end of March 2012.
EU moves on shark finning and discards
The Daily Mail newspaper has reported that the European Fisheries meeting in Brussels seems to be on its way to effectively ban the removal of shark fins whilst at sea within European Union (EU) waters or on EU registered boats. This will force fishing vessels to land “whole shark” which makes the catching of sharks much less profitable. At the same meeting, EU Fisheries ministers also sought support for a ban on the practice of discarding fish back into sea because they fail to meet qualifications or are commercially undesirable. It is estimated that EU nations combined account for the second-largest share of shark fin entering the trade, with 14 percent of the world’s catches and that half of the whitefish and 70 per cent of the flatfish caught by fisheries are thrown overboard again.
It was feared that French and Spanish fisheries ministers would object to the new policies, but this does not seem to have occurred. The proposals still need to go before the European Parliament before they become law.
Shawn Heinrichs injured in skiing accident
During last weekend, Wetpixel Senior Moderator and well-known environmental campaigner, Shawn Heinrichs, was injured in a serious skiing accident. He has sustained injuries to his back and has had to have a plate inserted to repair a fracture to his left wrist. I should point out that despite this, he was on Skype today giving me much needed guidance for an interview that I had scheduled!
I’m sure all Wetpixel members will join in wishing him a speedy recovery and we hope to see him out diving and filming again very soon.
British Underwater Photography Championship announced
The 2012 British Underwater Photography Championship will take place on Saturday 14 July, 2012 at Mount Batten, Plymouth, UK. It is a “splash-in”/photosub style competition. The annual event is hosted by the British Society of Underwater Photographers and will be run on similar lines to the 2011 contest with similar rules, although the organizers are planning a few changes to the rule structure.
Video shows juvenile jacks mimicking Striped Catfish
Over on the Blennywatcher Blog, Anna DeLoach has posted a video showing juvenile Bluespotted Trevally (Caranx bucculentus) that have adopted the striped coloration of the Striped Catfish (Plotosus lineatus). Jack expert, Dr. William Smith-Vaniz explained that this is likely a case of opportunistic mimicry and the jacks may benefit both from access to prey flushed out by the swarming catfish and protection from predators. This is the first time such behavior has been documented between the two species.
Extraordinary super macro SLR video on forum
On a recent trip to Lembeh, Indonesia, Wetpixel member EunJae Im shot some extraordinary footage of hairy shrimps, including the newly discovered Green Hairy Shrimp (Phycocaris sp. or possibly a completely new species) and posted his video on the forum. The largest of these shrimps is no bigger then a grain of rice. Technically, the video was shot on a Canon 7D, using an XIT404 tripod, SOLA lights, a SubSee +10 wet diopter and a SmallHD monitor in a Nauticam housing. EunJae comments that using the monitor made focusing and framing these subjects much easier.
Canon 5D Mark III into an Aquatica 5D Mark II housing
Wetpixel member Dag Leslie Hansen has posted a series of pictures onto the forum showing an attempt to fit the new Canon 5D Mark III into an Aquatica 5D Mark II housing. The short answer is that it doesn’t quite fit! The new camera’s body is deeper and the buttons on the top of the camera do not align with the housing’s controls. Dag seems to feel that if he removes the aperture control gears, he may get the camera in, but will only be able to shoot the camera without exposure adjustment (or possibly in Automatic mode).
If you do not fancy Dag’s DIY approach, is expected that manufacturers will be producing new housings for the 5D Mark III as well as the new Nikon models very soon.
Apple releases Digital Camera RAW update
Apple has released an update to Digital Camera RAW which adds support for Canon PowerShot G1 X, Nikon D4, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX1, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ35, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ38, Samsung NX200, Sony Alpha NEX-7 and Sony NEX-VG20 cameras.
Update version 3.10 is available via software update or from the Apple support site.