News
SeaLife Introduces the First Permanently Sealed Never‐Leak Underwater Camera: The Micro HD
Introducing the Micro HD from SeaLife—the first permanently sealed underwater camera that never leaks. There are no O‐rings to maintain, no openings or doors that could possibly leak, and no batteries or SD cards. The self‐contained camera has no housing and is waterproof down to 200 feet.
Charging the battery or downloading pictures and video is as easy as plugging the USB cable into the camera’s waterproof USB port, and the internal high‐capacity Li‐Ion battery lasts for 3+ hours of continuous operation with one charge.
Small and ergonomic, the camera operates with three wide “Piano Key” controls that make it easy to handle underwater, even while using dive gloves.
The SeaLife Micro HD is offered in two models: The standard Micro HD includes a 16 GB internal memory for hours of continuous recording and thousands of pictures, and the premium Micro HD+ model features a 32 GB internal memory and WiFi for connecting to smartphones and tablets.
The Micro HD+ can wirelessly download and share images and video to iOS and Android devices through the free Action Cam HD app. The app provides uploading to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and other online services, perfect for backing up and sharing your photos and videos immediately after a dive or during your vacation. The app also allows for wireless control of the Micro HD+ camera, providing a real time view of the LCD and the ability to capture and review photos and videos all on your smartphone or tablet.
The Easy Setup Guide is a fast and intuitive new way of using pictures instead of text menus to select land, dive, snorkel, or external light modes, allowing users to spend more time immersed in their environment rather than scrolling through a menu list.
The Micro HD offers fast one‐touch video recording. Bypassing the usual steps, the video key will start and stop videos immediately. While video is recording, pushing the shutter button will take a still picture without stopping the video. Featuring full 1080p HD resolution video and 13MP images, the Micro HD is capable of delivering stunning underwater footage of colorful sea creatures, reefs and other undersea landscapes.
Capturing surprise encounters with sea creatures is made possible with a fast shutter response and sharp focus from one foot to infinity, and the built‐in 140‐degree wide angle lens helps stabilize videos and capture large objects and wide scenes at close shooting distances.
Color correction filters are not necessary since the camera features four underwater modes with automatic color correction. The Snorkel Mode is perfect for capturing vibrant natural colors at shallow depths, while the Dive Mode restores the red and yellow colors lost at deeper depths.
Since bright lighting is essential to reveal magnificent underwater colors, the Micro HD is expandable with the powerful new Sea Dragon underwater lights and flash. Also available to expand the camera’s capabilities are Flex‐Connect arms, grips, trays and accessories. Flex‐Connect accessories “click” together in seconds for easy set‐up and disassemble equally as fast for compact traveling.
An exciting way to get close to colorful reef scenes and creatures in caves and crevices is to mount the camera on SeaLife’s extendable AquaPod, a 54‐inch extendable camera pole designed especially for use in water.
The revolutionary new Micro HD underwater camera will be available at SeaLife dealers starting September 1, 2014.
Models:
- Item SL500 – SeaLife Micro HD (16GB) – $399.95 (MSRP)
- Item SL501 – SeaLife Micro HD+ (32GB + WiFi) – $499.95 (MSRP)
- Item SL505* – SeaLife Micro HD+ Sea Dragon Pro set – $899.95 (MSRP)
*includes Sea Dragon 2000 Lumen underwater light, Micro Tray, Grip and Case
For more information visit www.SeaLife‐Cameras.com.
Blogs
The BiG Scuba Podcast Episode 180: Dawn Kernagis
Gemma and Ian chat to Dawn Kernagis. Dawn joined DEEP in 2023 as the Director of Scientific Research. DEEP is an ocean technology and exploration company with a mission to ‘Make Humans Aquatic.’ DEEP’s undersea habitat and submersible systems, combined with multi-phased diver and human performance training, will create the next evolution of subsea science, research, and exploration capabilities. Dawn is a NASA-trained NEEMO Aquanaut, Explorer’s Club Fellow and Women Divers Hall of Fame Inductee and who is also tasked to establish DEEP’s first US presence in North Carolina. Dawn has also been a diver with numerous underwater exploration, research, and conservation projects since 1993, including the mapping and record-setting exploration of some of the deepest underwater caves in the world.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-kernagis-995383152/
The BiG Scuba Podcast is brought to you by Narked at 90. “Beyond Technical” Narked at 90 If you are thinking of moving across to tech diving or completely new to diving, Narked at 90 can advise and guide on the best equipment and set up for your personal or commercial requirements https://www.narkedat90.com/. There is currently a code for you to use for purchases and the code is BIGSCUBA2024.
If you are interested in the INSTA360 action camera we discussed then please click this link: https://www.insta360.com/sal/x3?utm_term=INRAI8S
We hope you have enjoyed this episode of The BiG Scuba Podcast. Please give us ★★★★★, leave a review, and tell your friends. Contact Gemma and Ian with your messages, ideas and feedback via The BiG Scuba Bat Phone +44 7810 005924 or use our social media platforms. To keep up to date with the latest news, follow us:
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🎧You can listen to the BiG Scuba Podcast on all major podcast platforms including …. iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify and Stitcher 😀. ISSN Number 2752-6127
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Creature Feature: Butterfly Rays
In this series, the Shark Trust will be sharing amazing facts about different species of sharks and what you can do to help protect them.
As we’re currently in butterfly season, this month we decided to concentrate on the Butterfly Rays!
Within the family Gymnuridae, there are two genera and 12 species of Butterfly Ray. These species are morphologically different to lots of other rays because of the width of the disc and pectoral fins – in contrast to many other species of Butterfly Ray, their bodies are much wider than they are long, especially considering their very short tail. This gives them the appearance of gliding or flying across the sand.
Gymnura altavela – Spiny Butterfly Ray
Gymnura australis – Australian Butterfly Ray
Gymnura crebripunctata – Longsnout Butterfly Ray
Gymnura japonica – Japanese Butterfly Ray
Gymnura lessae – Lessa’s Butterfly Ray
Gymnura marmorata – California Butterfly Ray
Gymnura micrura – Smooth Butterfly Ray
Gymnura natalensis – Backwater Butterfly Ray
Gymnura peocilura – Longtail Butterfly Ray
Gymnura sereti – Seret’s Butterfly Ray
Gymnura tentaculata – Tentacled Butterfly Ray
Gymnura zonura – Zonetail Butterfly Ray
Today we’re taking a look at Gymnura altavela, the Spiny Butterfly Ray. Like all Butterfly Rays, the Spiny Butterfly Ray is a demersal species, meaning it spends the majority of its time on the bottom of the seabed. Butterfly Rays are known for their burying behaviour in the sand, a technique they use to camouflage themselves when they are resting during the day. This protects them from predators, in some areas larger sharks. It also aids them in their ambush hunting technique – by hiding themselves under the sand they are able to easily snatch up their dinner – usually crustaceans, molluscs or other small fish – as they swim by unawares. This behaviour can leave tell-tale butterfly-ray shaped imprints in the bottom of the seabed.
Spiny Butterfly Rays can grow up to 260 cm (disc width (wingspan)), although average is around 200 cm. They give birth to live young, and each litter consists of 1-8 pups. This species has also been found to aggregate, likely for mating. One study found that aggregations of primarily females in the coastal regions off Gran Canaria may correlate with the shifting water temperature.
It is estimated that the species has undergone a population reduction of 50-79% over the last 33 years. This is primarily due to fishing pressure – the Spiny Butterfly Ray is targeted and bycaught in both industrial and artisanal fisheries types using a variety of gear types. The species is now Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean and Southwest Atlantic.
Scientific Name: Gymnura altavela
Family: Gymnuridae
Maximum Size: 260 cm (disc width)
Diet: crabs, shrimps, various invertebrates, fishes, small crustaceans, and molluscs.
Distribution: throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Habitat: muddy and sandy substrates down to 150m.
Conservation status: Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean and Europe, Endangered Globally.
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Banner Image: ©Tomas Willems. Main image: ©Andy Murch
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