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S.U.P.E.R. Part 7: Nauticam SMC
In our ongoing series S.U.P.E.R. (Scubaverse’s Underwater Photography Equipment Reviews), Nick and Caroline Robertson Brown from Frogfish Photography review new underwater photography equipment, general diving equipment, and some older favourites too.
For the seventh instalment of S.U.P.E.R., Nick and Caroline take a look at Nauticam’s Super Macro Converter (SMC).
Nauticam SMC – OMG
The Nauticam Super Macro Converter (SMC) is a wet lens designed to fit on the outside of your camera housing to give magnification to macro marine life (or anything else you wish to shoot). It has a 67mm screw thread and is compatible with a wide range of cameras and lenses. It is the first lens of this type that has been completely designed from scratch for use underwater, and this is evident when you use it – it offers huge magnification, and yet still the images are crisp and sharp. I used the lens with my Nikon D7100, Nauticam housing, 105mm lens and a flip dioptre that allows you to easily move from macro to super macro without having to unscrew the lens from the port.
My first impression – WOW. In Indonesia, sometimes the guides can point out creatures that are so small, my eyes struggle to even see what they are pointing at. But with the SMC, I could take photos of these critters. You do need good diving skills to get the best from this lens, as you are required to be quite close to the subject and perfectly still to focus and take the shot. In currents and surge, while keeping your fins off any delicate coral or marine life, you need to be patient to capture the image you want. Indeed, as I mostly shoot in wide-angle, this lens took a bit of getting used to. Suddenly you look down your viewfinder and the world is hugely magnified, and it takes time to be able to locate the subject, get close enough to focus and get into a suitable position to take a shot, before said critter gets bored and wanders off. But it is worth the effort, as new macro subjects suddenly became possible, and previously boring shots of small subjects that were lost in the frame will now pop out in their full glory.
I also enjoyed the chance to experiment with the lens to pick out the intricate details of larger subjects; for example, focusing on the details of an eye. On our recent trip to Manado in Indonesia, I was able to fill the screen with tiny creatures like pigmy seahorses, minute colourful shrimps and the details that make up the incredible camouflage on the many frogfish our guides found for us (none of the images in this review have been cropped). I would use the 105mm lens without the SMC first for some of the larger subjects, getting a more conventional shot to start with, and then using the flip dioptre holder, I could move the SMC lens down into position, ease forward towards the subject, and get some amazing detail shots too.
The quality does come at a price, with the desirable, but not necessarily essential, flip dioptre holder coming in at £159.95 and the SMC itself costing £399.95. However, I would not want to be without either when I am next getting into the water to have some macro photography fun.
For those that love macro photography, this is a superlative accessory. There is also something about using this lens that is addictive (maybe it should come with some sort of warning). There are plenty of acronyms within the underwater photography world. In this case perhaps they should change the name of the lens from SMC to OMG!
For more information about the SMC from Nauticam visit www.nauticam.co.uk/nauticam-super-macro-convertor.
To find out more about Nick and Caroline and Frogfish Photography, visit www.frogfishphotography.com.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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