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Underwater wide angle

Started 1 month ago | Questions
Reefdiver Forum Member • Posts: 56
Underwater wide angle

What focal length is likely to yield best results when using sel 16-35 f 4 behind a dome port on a full frame Sony?

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PHXAZCRAIG
PHXAZCRAIG Forum Pro • Posts: 19,651
Re: Underwater wide angle
1

Do you mean like 'is it fuzzy at certain focal lengths and sharp at certain others'?

I can't speak to the Sony, but I've shot a Nikon 16-35 a lot.   I didn't have a particular focal length I liked, though I tended to like it wider for video than stills in general.  For me stopping down made a lot of difference, and that is with a big (230mm) dome port.

What port size is involved with your Sony rig here?

For me, even with the big dome and stopping down, the corners were pretty smeared.  Things improved a lot when I added a Sea and Sea Internal Corrections Lens to the zoom.   Afterward I was happy shooting F8, sometimes F5.6.

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Phoenix Arizona Craig
www.cjcphoto.net
"I miss the days when I was nostalgic."

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kelpdiver Veteran Member • Posts: 5,564
Re: Underwater wide angle
1

UWA lenses (both fisheye and rect) have light falloff at the edges.   Rectalinear lenses also tend to have sharpness concerns.   Zooming towards the top end will certainly reduce both effects, but the primary reason for using a WA is to get as close as possible to the subject for stronger strobe effect and less water distortion.   Closing the aperture is the other mitigator, but you might be looking for the light gathering.

The light falloff is often a positive - better emphasis on the subject, but it depends on how well it frames it.

Backscatter does recommend a closeup lens diopter for the 16-35/4.   But it also favors the fisheyes over any of the 16-35 class.    Any of the big UW shops is your best resource here - they are most likely to have direct (or customer) experience with the combo in question.   Craig shoots Nikon and I shoot Canon.

PHXAZCRAIG
PHXAZCRAIG Forum Pro • Posts: 19,651
Re: Underwater wide angle

kelpdiver wrote:

Craig shoots Nikon and I shoot Canon.

I got my Insta 360 X3 dive housing last week, and I'm planning on taking it to Truk next week.   Assuming I have someplace left to pack it.    I don't know how much I'll use it, if at all, but I have considered taking just it on a dive on a selfie stick.   Might be quite interesting on a shipwreck assuming decent lighting.

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Phoenix Arizona Craig
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"I miss the days when I was nostalgic."

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OP Reefdiver Forum Member • Posts: 56
Re: Underwater wide angle
1

I picked up a used Canon 15 fisheye. I plan to shoot it in a smaller dome with MC 11 adapter on Sony A7R 3

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