I’ve been shooting the Nikon D500 over the last few days, and I’ve been very impressed by the results. The camera is ideally suited not just for underwater photography, but also for topside photography, particularly action, low-light, and wildlife behavior photography. There are 3 areas in which the Nikon D500 really stands out.

Nikon D500 High ISO Performance

My entire idea of “High ISO” has changed with the D500. Previously, High ISO to me meant ISO 3200. But now, I have been shooting the D500 at ISO 16000, ISO 25000, and ISO 51000. Results are much better than expected, check out the photo of moon below at ISO 16000, and the night shot of the Great Blue Heron taken at ISO 51000. Yes, ISO 51000 – there is not an extra zero in that number.

Auto-focus capability

I’ve playing around with the single focus point mode, 3D shooting mode, and “Auto” mode using the entire grid of auto-focus points. All work quite well and I was impressed with the 3D tracking capability. You see can see the results of the 3D tracking in the seabird photos below. I generally shoot in AF-C mode which allows me to take a shot at any moment I desire. In very low light after dark, the camera focused nice on the Heron that you’ll see in the photos below. It was quite impressive!

High-speed shooting

The Nikon D500 shoots at 10 frames per second. This is actually quite amazing, you feel like you are shooting a machine-gun with a hair trigger. Once you get used to rattling off 10fps, it is hard to go back to a regular camera. In the photo below, you will see a sequence of 3 shots of a fast-moving seabird that I took while on a moving boat. The high-speed shooting capability means that you have many more compositions to choose from, and it fact those 3 photos were the best of about 12 shots I took of that seabird in a 1.2 second period!

I also used 10fps to capture the heron putting his head in the water to catch a fish. That moment actually happens very quickly, I saw the heron twitch and I pressed the shutter, which rattled off 4 or 5 shots, one of which captured his head in the water.

The Nikon D500 specs boat a RAW buffer of 200 images. I consider that a distortion of the facts, as the camera buffer is only 29 images, in 14-bit RAW mode. If you have a slower memory card, after 29 images, the camera will stop shooting. However, if you use a very high speed XQD memory card, the write speed of the card can keep up with the camera and it can take up to 200 images, which is about 20 seconds of high-speed shooting. The highest speed SD cards will get you about 100 shots in a row at 10fps. In my experience though, you rarely need more than a few seconds of high speed shooting.

Nikon D500 Auto ISO

I really like using Auto ISO on the Nikon D500. I set Auto ISO on, put the camera in manual mode, and fix the aperture and shutter speed. Then I just let the camera compute the correct ISO. It works great! Functionality of the Nikon D810 Auto ISO feature is similar ,with both having a limit of ISO 51,200 as the highest possible ISO value.

Nikon D500 Underwater Housing Reviews

I recorded a video of my review of the Nauticam D500 housing, I hope you enjoy it and please email me with any questions or comments. The Ikelite D500 housing, Aquatica D500 housing, and the Sea & Sea D500 housing will be coming soon.

Sample Nikon D500 images

All images taken with the Nikon 200-400mm F4 lens, shot in RAW. Simple noise reduction was applied to high ISO images in Adobe Lightroom. Click on photos for a larger view.

The post Nikon D500 testing first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Wide angle compositions are often the hardest to nail perfectly. During the SoCal Shootout participants have to do just that. There is very little editing allowed, so getting correct lighting, exposure and above all, that striking composition is key. Ben Hofilena succeeded with his first place image in our open wide angle category. While he claims just a lucky shot, he at least knew the most important part of luck, which is preparation. Proper settings and being ready for the moment allowed this excellent shot to get captured. Here’s the details on our first place winner.

Title: Ocean Bouquet

Location Captured: Eureka Oil Rig (off the coast of Long Beach, CA)

Camera / Housing: Canon 70D with Tokina 10-17mm Lens, Sea & Sea Housing

Strobes / Lights: Dual Sea & Sea YS-D1 Strobes

Camera Settings: F8, 1/125th, ISO 200

The Story: The first time I took a camera underwater was about a year ago. Prior to that, my topside photography was limited to point and shoot cameras in AUTO mode and taking pics on my iPhone. That being said, I’m a newbie to underwater photography and this was a lucky shot. This photo was taken on the Sunday of the SoCal Shootout while aboard the Pacific Star. We were lucky to have good visibility and a bait ball at the Eureka Oil Rig. I was able to get really close to a section of the bait ball and compose my shot. It was awesome to be able to capture what I saw as a solid wall of fish and bouquet-like image in the middle.

The post SoCal Shootout: Story Behind the Shot, Ben Hofilena first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Shooting Portraits underwater can be especially challenging as most subjects like fish are moving constantly. You must nail that perfect composition, eye contact and focus. With that in mind we loved this playful capture of a Bat Ray from Cindy Shaw which took First Place in the Open Portrait Category. Here are the details that went into this winning image.

Title: Wanna Play?

Location Captured: Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island

Camera / Housing: Olympus OM-D E-M5 with 12-50mm Lens in Nauticam Housing

Strobes / Lights: Dual Sea & Sea YS-D1 Strobes

Camera Settings: F8, 1/125th, ISO320

The Story: We arrived at Farnsworth early after crossing over from San Pedro on the Perfect Mistress with Captain Derek.  There were four divers, two of us with cameras set for the shootout.  We weren’t sure we would be able to dive the pinnacle when we saw so many boats there even earlier than our arrival.  Most were fishing boats and we smiled when we saw that the dive boat Vision was anchored at the high spot with divers already in the water.  Our Captains managed a smooth switch so we moved onto the pinnacle as they slipped off, all divers back on board.  Nicely done Captains!  We dropped into the water and could actually see the purple on the top of the pinnacle from the anchor line.  One of our divers had never been able to dive Farnsworth before and I loved knowing his first experience would be an epic dive.  We were able to stay for 2 full dives before the conditions encouraged us to move on.  I absolutely love California diving because you really never know what you will find until you go in and see.  We have incredible diversity and myriad of opportunities here.
At about 80 feet, it was darker, so I bumped my ISO  to try and allow more light in while still keeping blue water.  I shot LOTS of purple hydrocoral shots and loved doing it, but then I swam over a rise and saw this magnificent bat ray in a shallow sandy spot.  Her wingspan was easily 6 feet across I am sure because it was head to booties for me when I approached sideways.  I Quickly went to the most versatile camera settings I could in case she decided to fly.  Then I settled down slowly and moved my lens to 50mm a good distance back.  I took a series of shots as I approached closer ever so slowly and moved my lens to 12 mm.  We spent about 5-10 min together, but it felt much longer making me quietly check my remaining air frequently because of course I found her at the end of my second dive.   I approached from a slightly sideways angle hoping to frame her diagonally and she kept constant eye contact.  She shifted perfectly for me and rose up a little to prepare to fly but stayed as I put the camera down and we just hung out.  As she seemed more comfortable but didn’t settle flat again I picked up the camera and took 2-3 more portraits before she slowly rose, circled and dipped a wing in farewell.

The post SoCal Shootout: Story Behind the Shot, Cindy Shaw first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Took the Canon G7X out for a spin in the new Fantasea housing. It performed great, though I was once again reminded to always take a test shot, especially when borrowing gear, as it may not work 100%. Since I forgot to do my test, I ended up on the first dive with a camera flash that would not pop up fully and was rendered inoperable.

However to make the best of the situation I enjoyed shooting some video with the new Canon G7X to see how the larger sensor would perform over all. We were diving at the Rock Quarry off Catalina Island, California which is home to a very rare (only found at this site), warm water fish, the Scythe Butterflyfish. This fish made its way over here years back during an El Nino season and managed to keep going ever since. Its often very shy and found among the boulders at the Rock Quarry, so seeing it out and about feeding in the open sand was quite a treat.

The Fantasea G7X was a breeze to use, with easy drop in loading for the camera and full camera functionality. It was easily to control my settings, change my modes, white balance, aperture, shutter, etc and overall I enjoyed using the housing. However, it doesn’t provide quick the streamlined use that the higher end aluminum options do and one handed control is nearly impossible. Overall though it’s a great little housing, perfectly priced for those on a budget.

Check out the video I captured from that first dive, since I was planning to shoot photos I had no video lights with me, so the footage below was shot using the Canon UW white balance, which didn’t do too much. Before editing the video I did some color correcting (this can be achieved in your editing software such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut, there is also a neat workout that you can perform in Lightroom by creating a still image from your video, editing that .jpg image in lightroom and syncing the edit settings to the video clip).

Fantasea Canon G7X & Elusive Scythe Butterflyfish

The post Rare Scythe Butterflyfish video with the Canon G7X first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

I had the chance to shoot some underwater video with Bluewater’s Canon 7D Mark II out at Farnsworth Bank the week before last… in some epic visibility.

The highlight of the camera is the hybrid autofocus used during Live View shooting, which along with the Canon 70D, is miles from the nearest DSLR or mirrorless competitor. This new AI Servo autofocus allows the camera to quickly lock focus and track the subject while filming video. This is HUGE for videographers who want to rely on AF for their shots.

The video below was shot while swimming over Farnsworth Bank using AI Servo AF and auto white balance. There was no color correction done in post.

– Brent Durand

Want more info on the 7D Mark II?

Read the Underwater Photography Guide’s Canon 7D Mark II Review for Underwater Photography.

Or learn about settings with UWPG‘s Canon 7D Mark II Best Settings for Underwater.

Canon 7D Mark II Underwater Video

7D Mark II Underwater Housings

–  Ikelite Canon 7D Mark II housing on Bluewater Photo

–  Ikelite Canon 7D Mark II housing review on UWPG

–  Aquatica Canon 7D Mark II housing on Bluewater Photo

–  Nauticam Canon 7D Mark II housing on Bluewater Photo

–  Sea & Sea Canon 7D Mark II housing on Bluewater Photo

The post Testing Video on the Canon 7D Mark II first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Bluewater Photo recently took some underwater video in the Channel Islands, Southern California with the new Nauticam GH4 underwater housing and the Panasonic GH4 camera. Lenses used were the Panasonic 7-14mm F4, Olympus 60mm macro lens and the Olympus 12-50mm lens.

We think the footage looks great, check it out. Bobby Arnold shot the video and he did a great job. We’ll be performing some further tests underwater shooting at different frame rates so you can see the difference, and testing the focus tracking – so stay tuned!

Nauticam GH4 video settings

• Light & Motion dual video lights were used
• GH4 Video was shot in UHD (3840×2160, basically 4x 1080p) – this the future standard for (ultra high def) television
• 4k adds extra pixels on each side to create a 16:10 aspect ratio. This is the future standard for movie theaters.
• An Mp4 video format was used. For UHD/4K, mov and mp4 are your only options and they the same codec with different wrappers. Both have a bitrate that peak at 100 Mb/s
• 4k/UHD is limited to 24-30fps

Panasonic GH4 – other options to consider. Special thanks to Bobby Arnold for this information.

• Codecs – 200Mbs all-intra codec is a very uncompressed codec that allows for a lot of latitude in post production. For underwater this setting can be beneficial if you want to do a lot of color grading, apply LUTs etc.
• The most useful setting for U/W is the 96fps setting which creates great slow-motion and automatically converts the footage to slow-motion 24 or 30fps in camera. You can also vary the frame rate all they way down to 2fps to create timelapse videos.
• Additionally there is a timelapse setting that will also create your timelapse video, up to 4k, in camera
• Picture mode – There’s a lot of debate about which “picture mode” to use with the GH4; We use the Cine-V profile to get vibrant colors, but not too much extra processing so I have some flexibility in post. Many professionals are promoting the use of the Cine-D which creates a more RAW-like image that requires more work in post. I’d rather spend my time creating something interesting to watch versus trying to get a great looking picture. The GH4 does a excellent job, let the camera do the work and you can concentrate on composition and telling the story.

The post Nauticam GH4 underwater video footage & settings first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Our July 16th Anacapa trip was a big success. We have 4 great dives, and saw bat rays, giant black sea bass, harbor seals, huge schools of blacksmiths and senoritas, and more.

Here is a video from the trip that our guest Walter Marti made for us:

Along with some underwater photos:

The post Anacapa trip photos and videos first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Sevengill sharks started appearing in the San Diego area a few years ago, and their numbers appear to increase each year. They are most commonly seen in the Point Loma kelp area, and the La Jolla cove. There have been several sightings in the “cove” during the last couple of weeks, including the 2 sharks in the above photo taken yesterday by Scott McGee (cropped, taken with Nikon D800, Ikelite housing).

Here is an exciting sevengill shark video taken a few days ago by Scott McGee, in La Jolla cove.

This video below was taken two days ago by Rod Watkins at the outer reef of the La Jolla Cove Ecological Reserve.  A sevengill shark can be seen at the very beginning of the video and again at the 2:23 mark.

The Broadnose Sevengill Shark, Notorynchus cepedianus, has been seen in increasing numbers in the San Diego area since 2009.  No one is really sure why the number of interactions with these sharks has been increasing but theories include everything from deep ocean currents to ocean currents due to global warming. The sharks seem to make an appearance every couple of years. Their max length is 9 ft  and they are opportunistic feeders, going after other sharks, rays, bony fish, and sea lions. There is a good article here on their return to San Diego.

Mike Bear, a REEF surveyor, has set up a website (http://sevengillsharksightings.org) to act as a central repository for data and submissions on these creatures.  If you’ve managed to catch one of these on film or video, be sure to submit it to the site to help with possible identification using the dark patterns on their backs as unique identification markers.

Criss-crossing sevengill sharks, photo by Scott McGee, taken 3/31/2013 in La Jolla cove, San Diego, CA

Here are some underwater photography tips for the sevengill sharks, courtesy of Scott McGee, who has had several encounters with them, including one recently.

• They are curious and aren’t afraid of bubbles. I know this because my backup regulator was bubbling constantly through the whole dive and it didn’t deter them. Maybe it even attracted them.
• They make multiple passes. On my first encounter in 2009 off Pt Loma, the same shark did 3 obvious passes by us and upon reviewing photos from earlier in the dive, it was lurking in the shadows before then. At La Jolla Cove recently, there were at least two sharks that did multiple passes.
• Sevengills usually swim near the bottom, so in order to get better shots, you’ll want to be on the bottom and angle up a little. Be aware of the difference in lighting at the bottom vs looking up towards daylight, and set your camera to be a little underexposed. It’s easier to lighten the dark areas than correct for over exposure.
•  Sometimes they’ll swim straight at you and veer off as they get closer. If you follow them, they can get skittish and speed off.
• The only aggressive behavior I’ve heard of was from a spear fisherman who had dead fish on a stringer attached to his body.

Sevengill shark, photo taken in June 2011 by Steve Murvine

The post Seven Gill Sharks flock to San Diego first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Last year was a busy year for us with eight Southern California trips and the popular SoCal Shootout.  2013 is shaping up to be just as strong with ten local photo trips already on the books, including the 3rd annual SoCal Shootout set for Sept 13-15.

Here’s a look at how our local trip calendar is shaping up:

February 10th – Catalina Island (Little Farnsworth, Valiant wreck, Long Point) on the Pacific Star – $125.00. More details here

March 2nd – Macro trip to Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands on the Peace Boat – $135.00. More details here

April 7th – Ship rock and Rock Quarry, Catalina Island on the Pacific Star  – $125.00. More details here

June 23rd  – Four dives on Santa Barbara island on the Pacific Star  – $159.00

July 28th – Four awesome dives at Anacapa on the Peace Boat – $135.00

July 27th – Aug 3rd – Meet in Phoenix for our Sea of Cortez big animal trip – $2,295. More details here

August 25th – Catalina trip seeking black sea bass on the Pac Star – $125.00. Many guests’ favorite trip!

September 13th-14th – SoCal 2day Shootout at Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz Islands on the Peace Boat – $359.00. More details here

October 20th –  Oil Rigs and Wrecks on the Pac Star – $125.00

November 17th – Farnsworth banks on the Pac Star – $149.00

December 15th – Catalina West End, Albertson’s, and Emerald bay on the Pac Star – $125.00

All trips are 3 dives except for the Santa Barbara trip (4 dives) and the 2-day trip (9-10 dives). Peace boat trips leave out of Ventura, Pacific Star trips leave out of San Pedro.

We’ll have trip pages up for these soon but if you just can’t wait, send me an email at travis@bluewaterphotostore.com.

The post Local Bluewater Photo Trips for 2013 first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

From January 15 – March 3rd, 2013, The G2 Gallery will premiere State of the Sharks, a new exhibit of photography that highlights the beauty and vulnerability of the ocean’s top predators.  The exhibit seeks to educate the public and raise awareness for the plight of sharks in anticipation of the biennial C.I.T.E.S. convention, which will consider listing sharks as endangered species in March of 2013. Many photos were taken in the best shark diving in the world.

State of the Sharks was photographed by Mark Strickland and Chris Huss, veteran divers concerned by the drastic decline of sharks in recent years. “Sharks are incredibly misunderstood creatures,” explains Strickland.  “They’re widely viewed as mindless killers, but attacks against humans are actually very rare.” As top predators, sharks are essential for a healthy ecosystem; without them the entire marine food chain loses its balance. Disturbingly, over-fishing and habitat loss, exacerbated by low birth rates and slow maturation are global threats to sharks’ survival, bringing many species to the brink of extinction.

The G2 Gallery will donate all proceeds from the exhibit to benefit the non-profit conservation organization, Shark Savers.  Archival quality prints will be available in a variety of sizes and mediums. An opening reception will be held on January 19, from 6:30–9:00 pm.  Admission to the event will be $5 at the door and all proceeds will benefit Shark Savers.  Live music, wine, hors d’oeuvres, and complimentary valet parking.  The gallery requests an RSVP if you plan on going to the reception.

Location:  

The G2 Gallery (www.theg2gallery.com)
1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291-3742
Tel. 310.452.2842,
E-mail info@theg2gallery.com

About Chris Huss

For over 30 years, Seattle based photographer Chris Huss has been making images across many genres.  Most recently, he has turned his attention to using his photography as a tool to aid the conservation and protection of wildlife and the environment.  His passion for marine life, in particular, began at a very young age, and as an adolescent he began shooting underwater using a plastic bag over his Instamatic.  He graduated with a degree in photography and filmmaking from the University of Washington in 1981 and embarked on a career that includes countless credits, awards, and over 2,000 weddings and events.  Chris’s images have been featured in The New York Times, National Geographic, Vogue, Time, ABC and have been used by the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.  Corporate clients include Alaska Airlines, Hallmark, and Nikon.  His work on behalf of sharks is just one of several projects in progress that are geared toward promoting awareness of the oceans and marine life.

About Mark Strickland 

Mark Strickland’s career has been guided by his passion for the ocean.  Over the years he’s completed over 10,000 dives and served as an ocean lifeguard, boat captain and diving instructor.  He also spent 17 seasons as Cruise Director and Photo Pro on a series of live-aboard dive boats in Thailand.  Having spent much of his life observing underwater ecosystems, Mark has developed a reputation as a marine naturalist, and has discovered several nudibranch species including his namesake, Halgerda stricklandi. Co-author and primary photographer of Lonely Planet’s awarding book Diving and Snorkeling Thailand, Mark’s work appears in books and magazines worldwide, including BBC Wildlife, Conde Nast Traveler, Geo, National Geographic World, Nature’s Best, Natural History, Outside and most major dive publications. Based in S. California, Mark generally prefers warmer waters, leading trips to tropical destinations several times a year. He’s also a dedicated environmentalist, working closely with several conservation groups including Shark Savers and Ocean Artists Society.

About The G2 Gallery

The G2 Gallery is an award winning nature and wildlife photography gallery that facilitates change by bringing attention to environmental issues through the power of photographic art. G2 shares this passion with both celebrated and emerging environmental photographers, who use the camera as a tool to inspire conservation.

More Information

Click here and scroll down to hear an audio interview as Mark shares some insights about shark conservation with The G2 Gallery’s Jared Nigro.

The post The G2 Gallery Presents State of the Sharks first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.