Photo / Video News & Reviews
S.U.P.E.R. Part 3: Fujifilm XQ1 Compact Camera
In our ongoing series S.U.P.E.R. (Scubaverse’s Underwater Photography Equipment Reviews), Nick and Caroline Robertson Brown from Frogfish Photography will be reviewing new underwater photography equipment, general diving equipment, and some older favourites too.
For the third instalment of S.U.P.E.R., Nick and Caroline will be looking at Fujifilm’s XQ1 Compact Camera.
The Fujifilm XQ1 is one of a recent batch of “super” compact cameras, with advanced features, bigger sensors, ability to use higher ISO and yet is still small enough to fit in your jeans pocket. It looks really good – with a retro feel that oozes quality. Fuji make an underwater housing for this camera that is waterproof to 40m and the best news about this new housing is that all the manual controls can be accessed whilst you are underwater. Put all this together and you have a serious contender in the compact camera market for underwater photographers.
We took the XQ1 into Capernwray to do some testing and to see how good it really is for underwater photographers. For this initial test, in addition to the camera and underwater housing, we fixed the system to a tray, added an INON Z-240 strobe and also the INON mount base to allow us to trial the camera with various wet lenses. We had the camera set to Manual Mode so that we could control the ISO, aperture and shutter speed manually whilst diving. The water temperature was only 6 degrees and so thick gloves were the order of the day. I have to admit that whilst kitting up, I did wonder how I was going to access all the controls on such a small system with cumbersome thick gloves on – but I had need not worry. The XQ1 is really very easy to use, and the one button press to switch between f-stop and shutter speed, then altered via a simple dial, was simple. With the menu button already set to access ISO setting, again there was no problem – even when my fingers were starting to get cold – in making the setting changes that I needed to.
Another huge plus with the Fuji XQ1 is that is has virtually no shutter lag and the autofocus is extremely quick, so gone are the days where you miss a shot underwater simply because your compact system is too slow. The screen on the back of the camera is really clear, again making it easy to use even in relatively tough diving conditions. One thing you do need to remember is to pop up the flash before you put it into the housing and go diving, as once in, this cannot be done underwater. Whilst we have only completed a couple of dives with this setup, we are impressed so far.
We had the most fun when using this camera with the INON Micro Fisheye lens. Not all compact cameras can work well with this lens, but the XQ1 certainly does. The tiny wide angle lens allows you to get really close to a small subject and yet still get a lovely wide angle shot. We cannot wait to get this combination into water with live critters rather than our plastic models.
This 12 megapixel camera, with a larger sensor than most of its rivals, combined with the ability to use higher ISO settings that many cannot compete with, is a serious contender for underwater photographers who want to keep their systems small and light. The image quality is really very impressive and so is the price, with camera and housing (that comes with a useful canvass carry bag and 8GB card) coming in at under £450.
The FujiFilm XQ2 has just arrived with us and so we will be testing this newer model over the next few weeks. Incredibly, it uses the same housing as its predecessor. We will be adding macro and wide angle lenses to the test, doing some video and pushing the various settings and white balance function to the limit to test out the performance – so watch this space…
An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.
“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”
Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero
Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”
Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero
Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”
“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”
Photo: Jenny Stock
In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”
Photo: Nuno Sá
More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.
About Underwater Photographer of the Year
Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.
Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson
The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.
Grand Prize Winners
- Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
- Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
- Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 € cash prize award.
Celebrating Diversity and Innovation
This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.
Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation
World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.
This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.
Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.
Explore the Stunning Collection
Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.
For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.
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