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.

Light & Motion recently announced their new Sola Trade In Program. If you have an old Sola light and have been itching to upgrade, now is the perfect opportunity! Simply purchase a NEW Sola light from us with the trade in of an old Sola and receive a $100 discount off the new light. Its as easy as that! If you don’t live locally you can still participate by shipping your old light to us. Shoot us an email or give us a call if you have any questions!

All current model Sola lights are eligible (does not include Sola 500 for new purchases). No mounts included with the lights, please keep your old mounts before turning in the light. (Some older Sola users will need to purchase new mounts to fit the current Sola lights).

The post Light & Motion Trade In Program first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.

Polar Pro just announced a new version of the Switchblade, the popular underwater tool for GoPro Shooters.

The Switchblade is a combination macro / red filter tool for the GoPro which offers both color correction and improved underwater focus in one piece. You can flip off both the lens and filter to make it work for any underwater scenario you need. The macro piece allows the GoPro camera to focus closer that it will normally, and the red filter offers quick color correction for underwater images and video.

The new 2.0 version has been updated to address some issues that had been reported with the original design and to create a better overall accessory for underwater imaging with the GoPro Cameras.

Switchblade 2.0 Specs:

• 3 in 1 Red/Macro filter for Scuba Diving
• Ultra Powerful 10x Magnification Macro Lens
• Precise Tropical Water Color Correction with PolarPro Formula
• Rubbarized Coating for Added Grip
• Zinc Rivet for added Durability

The new Switchblades will be available at the end of September, call us to pre-order today. Retail price $69.99 (Original model switchblades will be available until the current stock is gone).

The post Switchblade 2.0 From Polar Pro first appeared on In Focus Underwater Photography Blog.