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Articles
Ron and Valerie Taylor on CNN
Shark advocates and filmmakers, Ron and Valerie Taylor, have been interviewed as a part of CNN’s Talk Asia Coverage. In the interview, the Taylors espouse the view that the ongoing shark fin trade is endangering many shark species and the hope that their footage may help the anti-finning cause. Ron and Valerie have been filming underwater for nearly fifty years.
“World wide sharks are in serious danger, mainly for shark finning,” Ron Taylor told CNN, “The Asian market just can’t get enough of sharks fin; the price has gone way up. Even Australian fishermen are taking shark fins now in the Great Barrier Reef.”
Nauticam releases housing for PhaseOne 645DF
Nauticam USA has announced the release of a housing for PhaseOne & Mamiya 645DF cameras with PhaseOne P+ digital backs: The NA-645DF. The P 65+ is the first full frame digital back, giving 60.5 megapixels, a 12.5 f stop tonal range and the PhaseOne 645DF is a medium format SLR body. The Nauticam NA-645DF housing incorporates access to all the camera controls, a locking port release lever and extensions, triple locking latches, rubberized handles and an optical viewfinder can be added as an option.
Nauticam expects to be shipping the new housing by 22 October 2010.
IkeIite releases housings for Canon G11 and G12 compact cameras
Ikelite has announced the release of a housing for the new Canon Powershot G12 compact camera. The new housing is made of clear polycarbonate, has a depth rating of 200ft/60m and gives access to all camera controls. It also has built in electronic circuitry to allow TTL exposure with current Ikelite DS strobes and comes supplied with a tray and handle.
As speculated in the forums, the new housing will also accommodate the G12’s predecessor, the Powershot G11, although the front dial control will not function. For those upgrading from G11 to G12 cameras, Ikelite are offering a simple factory conversion for the original G11 housing to the new specification. Please see Ikelite’s website for more details of this process.
The making of a Rip Curl advert
A video posted on YouTube shows the making of a recent advertisement for Rip Curl that involved using 52 Canon DSLRs. Timeslice Films employed a “bullet-time” style technique in Malaysia’s Sunway Lagoon wave pool. The “bullet time” effect owes much to the techniques used in the fight scenes of the famous Matrix movies and this is its first use in a promotional surfing video. The Rip Curl surfers were repeatedly towed into the machine-controlled waves by Jetski and their movements captures sequentially by a gantry of 52 Canon 5DMkII cameras.
SOLO honors Ronald T. Hand and Amphibico
Save Our Leatherbacks Operation (SOLO) founder Dr. Larry McKenna has awarded Ronald T. Hand, President, CEO and owner of Amphibico Group Inc. with a special award in recognition of his and the companies support for the conservation of endangered turtles. Mr. Hand and Amphibico were the first personal and corporate sponsors of the organization at its inception in 2005, and their support has continued ever since. Larry Meckenna highlighted the fact that this support had, until now gone unrecognized, but went on to say that:
” Today, the tables are turned in a surprise recognition ceremony here within the Montreal Amphibico facilities. For all of your positive support to save the turtles of our oceans, we who speak for the sea turtles say thank you. These Leatherback turtles live today because of the firm support you provide”.
SOLO’s stated objectives are to find ways to save the giant Leatherback sea turtle from its path to rapid extinction.
Job opening at ULCS
Terry Schuller and Dave Reid at Ultralight Control Systems (ULCS) are looking to hire a part to full-time, motivated, customer-oriented person to fill orders, answer the phone, and assemble parts. In addition, the applicant must be be willing to learn about the business and be able to talk intelligently to customers on the phone or to answer e-mails. Some travel will be involved to trade shows.
If you are interested, please email for more details.
ULCS releases tripod
Ultralight Control Systems (ULCS) has announced the release of a new tripod designed for underwater use. It has lockable pan and tilt functions, and 11-18” extending legs with sharp ends or “snap-on balls” to stop them sinking into sand/muck. Both the tilt mechanism and leg extension are one-handed operations and other configurations are available on request.
Call for entries: Beneath The Sea 2011
The annual Beneath The Sea Scuba and Dive Travel Show imaging competition is calling for entries. This international event has categories for video, still and creative entries and includes the Stan Waterman Award for Excellence in Underwater Videography, the David Doubilet Award for Excellence in Underwater Photography and the Jim Church Award for Excellence in Underwater Creative Photography. The results will be announced during the show which will be held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, Secaucus, New Jersey from March 25 - 27, 2011.
Deadline for entries is 31 December 2010.