Ikelite and Aquatica have announced that the former’s internal TTL strobe circuitry will be available on certain Aquatica housings going forward. This will allow TTL control of Ikelite’s DS series strobes with Aquatica housing, with the latter’s housing for the Canon EOS 7D Mark II being the first to offer this option. Ikelite’s DS series strobes have warm color temperatures that many photographers find pleasing for wide-angle photography.
Inventor, manufacturer and filmmaker Pawel Achtel shares his tests of the performance of cinema lenses behind flat and dome ports as well as the use of the Nikonos 15mm wide-angle lens. They were tested using a RED Epic camera in 5K mode, shooting Spatial Frequency Response charts underwater with the camera held in a rigid frame to ensure repeatable results.
As I write, super Typhoon Hagupit is finding landfall on the eastern coast of the Philippines. It is expected that the accompanying 120mph winds and storm surge are likely to wreak destruction to areas that are still recovering from the devastation wrought by Typhoon Haiyan a year ago. The authorities seem much better prepared this time, and it is hoped that the terrible loss of life that occurred last year will be avoided. Nevertheless, it is inevitable that there will be significant disruption and damage to properties. The Wetpixel community fervently hopes that if you are in the path of the storm, you and your loved ones are in a place of safety and that the the damage to your property and businesses is as limited as possible. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
In an unusual twist of fate, the famed Charles Darwin Research Station of the Galapagos Islands may close by the end of the year due to failure to adapt with the times. The legacy of the research station may rest in the hands of donors as the lab is asking for nearly one million dollars in donations prior to the end of the year. Scientists claim the closure of the gift shop left them in this dire predicament.
Howard Hall commented here on Wetpixel about the proliferation of tags that are festooning some marine animals and the potential negative effects that these may have on the animals that the studiers seek to understand. A paper published recently in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B entitled Grey Seals use anthropogenic signals from acoustic tags to locate fish shows how grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) have learnt to use the signals emitted by fish tags as an aid to hunting more efficiently.
Keldan is now shipping their Video 8X light. Featuring a 10,000 lumen output and a new dome and lens unit, the light will burn for 42 minutes at full power. It has a 90° beam angle (in water) and a CRI of 82 at 5,000°K.
The battle to save the Vaquita of the Gulf of California involves an interesting cast of characters: a Mexican drug cartel, Chinese wildlife traffickers, and an endangered fish’s swim bladder. Scientists believe the critically endangered porpoises, down to a population of 100, could become extinct within three years if drastic action is not taken.
The Shedd Aquarium’s rescued California sea otter pup 681 needs a name, and Good Morning America is helping the aquarium to raise awareness and choose a name between five options. You can vote for a winning name in the poll here.
Ikelite has launched their MIL system for mirrorless cameras. The first two housings are for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 and PEN E-PL7 cameras. The housings feature Ikelite’s TTL strobe triggering system and a new interchangeable lens system. This offers support for Olympus and Panasonic zoom, wide-angle and macro lenses.
Ikelite has announced their housing for the Panasonic LUMIX LX100 compact camera. As the camera features a hot shoe, Ikelite can offer their TTL strobe connection. In addition, it is compatible with wet color filter, wide-angle, and macro lenses suitable for 3.9-inch diameter ports.