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UnderWater Camera Stuff releases 5” dome ports
UnderWater Camera Stuff has announced the release of two 5” dome ports compatible with Ikelite housings. One of the domes is tuned for use with the Tokina 10-17mm or Nikon 16mm fisheye, the other is suitable for the Canon or Sigma 15mm lenses. It is claimed that as the domes are fitted to a specific lens, this will give true edge-to-edge sharpness. the small physical sizes of the domes allows for close focus wide-angle and wide-angle macro techniques, as well as easing the burden for travel.
Both domes are available now for $350 with a deluxe dome shade, or $300 with a standard one.
To the depths with Virgin Oceanic
cnet news reports that Richard Branson, owner of Virgin, has announced plans to visit the deepest places in the oceans. In a press conference in Newport Beach, CA. Branson announced his Virgin Oceanic and Five Dives initiatives, which could send a Virgin-branded DeepFlight Challenger, a submersible built by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, to the deepest spots in each of the planet’s five oceans. The dives are: The Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench, the Atlantic Ocean’s Puerto Rico Trench, the Indian Ocean’s Diamantina Trench, the Southern Ocean’s South Sandwich Trench and the Arctic Ocean’s Molloy Deep.
Explorer Chris Welch will be behind the controls of the DeepFlight Challenger for the dive to the Mariana Trench, while Branson himself will pilot the submersible to the Puerto Rico Trench.
World premiere of This is Your Ocean: Sharks announced
The documentary featuring Emma the tiger shark, along with Wyland, Jim Abernethy and Guy Harvey will premiere at the Newport Beach Film festival on Friday 29 April at 6.30pm. This is Your Ocean: Sharks, produced by George C Schellenger, was shot in the Bahamas last summer, and sets out to break down public misconceptions about sharks.
Tickets for the event are now available online.
Study reports increased damage to Antarctic ecosystem
In a paper entitled Anthropogenic impacts on marine ecosystems in Antarctica, the authors have cataloged the human effects on a broad sample of Antarctic ecosystems. The team of US and UK scientists has drawn conclusions based on an extensive review of the impacts of a wide range of human activities. The Antarctic Treaty system, which includes environmental and fisheries management, provides an effective framework for the management and protection of the continent, but some of the threats are not currently being fully addressed.
Some of the impacts they list, such as pollution, can be relatively localized. However, global climate change caused by human emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has the potential to affect the entire Antarctic region for decades to come. The researchers point out that rising sea temperatures are already affecting marine creatures adapted to living within a particular temperature range.
A second major consequence of carbon dioxide emission from human activities, ocean acidification, is also likely to take its toll.
“The Southern Ocean is the canary in the coal mine with respect to ocean acidification. This vulnerability is caused by a combination of ocean mixing patterns and low temperature enhancing the solubility of carbon dioxide,” noted co-author Dr. James McClintock of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
Nikon releases D5100 SLR
Nikon has announced the release of the D5100 SLR. This camera replaces the D5000, has 1920 X 1080p HD video ability at 30p and the same 16.2 million pixel sensor as that of the D7000. This, combined with the EXPEED 2 image-processing engine, allows for ISOs of up to 6400 as standard and up to 25600 in Hi 2 mode. It is equipped with a 3” vari-angle LCD screen.
It will be available from late April at a (UK) price of £699.99 ($1,135.00).
Go Pro releases 3D expansion kit
Go Pro has released an expansion kit that allows two GoPro HERO HD POV camcorders to be mounted together to form a single 1080p 3D camera. The kit includes a waterproof housing, rated to 180 feet (60 meters) and a cable that synchronizes the controls for both cameras. In combination with the new product, Go Pro has also added a 3D resource center and each 3D kit will include a downloadable copy of GoPro Cineform 3D editing software.
The 3D HERO system is available now for $99.99.
Gates releases housing for Canon HF-S30 and HF-S20 / S21 / S200
Gates Underwater Products has announced the release of a housing for the Canon HF-S30 and HF-S20 / S21 / S200 camcorders. It features a large 5.5in/14cm diagonal window for a wide viewing angles of the 3.5” diagonal camera LCD, which doubles as a viewfinder. Full camera functions are accessible on the HF-S30 via the Canon IR remote, which fits into the housing to provide white balance, teleconverter and all embedded menu functions.
The Gates HF-S30 housing is available now.
African Diver issue 16 available
The April/May issue of African Diver is now available for download. In issue 16, there is a moving tribute to Witold Smilowski, Georgina Jones writes on South African Fur Seals, Doctor Simon Pierce on Chasing Giants, and the featured photographer is Geoff Spilby.
African Diver is available as a free download in a pdf format.