News
S.U.P.E.R. Part 4: Nauticam NA-D7100 housing for the Nikon D7100 DSLR 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 fourth instalment of S.U.P.E.R., Nick and Caroline will be looking at Nauticam’s NA-D7100 housing for the Nikon D7100 DSLR camera.
Change is difficult! I have been using the same underwater camera & housing for the last 5 or more years, and the thought of upgrading left me feeling panicked at both the idea of having to learn a new system and being hauled out of my comfort zone, and of course, the cost. But it was time for my existing system to be retired, and I leapt forward and ordered in a brand new Nauticam housing for a Nikon D7100. I have taken the system underwater now on 17 dives in the Maldives, plus a quick pool session before we left. What are my initial thoughts?
Firstly, I was delighted that Nauticam offer a system that allows you to use your existing (non-Nauticam) ports, so I did not have to go and spend close to £1000 on a new large glass dome port. I could keep the existing one, and simply buy an adapter to continue using it with my new housing. Many underwater photographers never change housing systems simply because of this restriction and so it is refreshing to have this option now, and know I will have a great choice of ports when I choose to upgrade these at a later date.
When I first pulled the housing out of the box, I had to smile, as it is a thing of beauty. It has a shiny black aluminium body, with solid, knobbed dials that are easy to use even with thick gloves on. It looks and feels solid and, as such, has a depth rating of 100m.
Putting this housing in the water for the first time was a bit daunting! Not because I was worried about the new system leaking (more about this later), but because the housing has been designed so well, that every single button, menu and lever can be accessed with the camera in the housing, and I was now going to have to think about all of this. No excuses for any poor images! However, I was delighted to find that it was easy to find everything, intuitive to use and I only stumbled on a couple of occasions. Once when I accidentally put the lens into manual focus, and took a while to realize that this was what I had done, and on another occasion being unable to remember where the video button was located whilst sat in the dark on a night dive that was only the 3rd dive I’d had the camera in my hands.
At first, before I had even put the camera in the water, I had difficulty reaching the aperture control wheel and shutter button at the same time, whilst still keeping hold of the housing handle. One mention of this to Nauticam UK, and a new handle arrived the next day that was positioned better for me, and the issue was resolved. Now that is what I call customer service.
I love that I have 4 ball mounts where I can attach strobes, lights or my GoPro. I also love the rope lanyard that makes it easy for dive guides to understand where to grab and lift the camera out of the water, rather than holding a strobe arm or worse. I also went for a 45 degree view finder – that again takes a bit of getting used to, but is well worth it, with excellent optics to see your images and it allows you to get close down to the reef to take your shots. One small downside of this viewfinder is that it does make reviewing images and shooting video a little harder, as it slightly obscures the back screen. Nauticam have thought of this already, and do offer an additional housing to be able to mount a monitor that gives those wanting to use this camera for video, a great option for smoother well composed films.
Another highlight of my new Nauticam housing is the vacuum leak detector. This allows me to check the integrity of my seals before I get in the water. A coloured light system on the back of the housing tells me if the housing is waterproof, without having to put it in water to check, or find out the hard way! Another new feature for me is the ability to use fibre optic, without the camera flash being popped up. Instead, a flash trigger is attached to the camera hot-shoe and this in turn fires your strobes via fibre-optic cable. This means that you have far less delay in recycling time on your strobe firing, improving battering life, and you can keep up with all the action going on underwater.
There are so many great features of my new Nauticam housing, it is too much for a short review to cover. But you can know that I am very happy with my new system, which should last me a very long time. So far I have only shot wide angle, and so have lots more testing and getting in tune with this setup. I am already looking forward to my next dives with it. More good news – should I choose to upgrade to the next camera model up – the Nikon D7200, it will fit in this Nauticam housing too.
Discuss this review in the Scubaverse Forum.
News
Spooktacular Underwater Adventure: Oyster Diving’s First Halloween Scuba Party at Mercers Lake
Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.
After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.
With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.
Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!
Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.
Marine Life & Conservation
Shark Trust launches Oceanic 31 Shark Art Auction
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
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