Photo / Video News & Reviews
Underwater Photography News from DIVE 2016, Part 6: And finally….
There was so much to cover at the Dive Show, that it is time for us to do a round up of the remaining equipment stands and also include BSoUP in our ramblings. BSoUP are an ever present stand at the show and the volunteer members manning the stand are always ready to give advice to budding underwater photographers and experts alike. This year the BSoUP stand had been updated, with new images and an audio-visual display. The images showed off as many underwater photograph techniques as possible and also tried to show off the work of as many of their members as they could. BSoUP is going strong, with “buoyant membership figures” of close to 300 members and counting. Also on display at the BSoUP stand were examples of the underwater photography books by members, and this alone is a great testament to how talented and knowledgeable the group is.
The BSoUP stand at DIVE 2016
Along with the BSoUP stand, the members also run the underwater photography competition that is held at the Birmingham Dive Show each year. From over 100 entries, the best 80 are mounted and displayed in four categories: British & Irish, Overseas, Advanced British & Irish and Advanced Overseas. Everyone that attends the show is invited to vote for their favourite images and this is always a popular feature of the show. Once the votes have been counted up, the winners will be announced, probably sometime in early November. In addition, an expert judging panel will also select their winning shots and their favourite will be crowned overall champion. As soon as we have the results we will get them up onto Scubaverse.com so that you can see if your favourite shot won.
Show visitors checking out the entries in the underwater photo competition
Cameras Underwater are regulars at the Dive Show and it is always hard to grab an interview with the team, as they are always very busy. We grabbed a rare quiet moment to ask the team what they thought of the show. With exciting new cameras at both ends of the spectrum, the Canon G7X MkII and the Canon 5D Mk IV were creating a great deal of interest. In the lighting arena, the team really loved the Exposure Action 100 and on the wet lens front they also showed-off the Epoque ESL-TG4 Soratama lens, made for the TG4 camera. This creates a “bubble” effect on the image and will be a popular and fun lens for those looking to create something a little bit different in their images. The team “love coming to Birmingham and seeing lots of customers, old and new”.
Brett Thorpe from Blue Orb
Blue Orb are newcomers to the show, and were showing off the popular Fantasea range of housings. With the Fantasea G7X MkII, recently returned from our latest review session, on display, there was certainly lots of interest. But Blue Orb had even more recent goodies, with the dual branded Fantasea / AOI Super Wide Angle Lens which “works wonderfully with all the Fantasea housings”. Another new lens, which had just arrived before the show opened, is the Fantasea / AOI Super Close Up lens which is a +12.5 diopter for those who love their super macro photography. When we met up with Brett, owner of Blue Orb, he said the show was “going really well. Lots of people, and very busy”. With Blue Orb also offering plenty of dive equipment, including the new XDeep Zen travel Wing, the stand was packed every time we went by.
Sea & Sea also have a photography equipment section amongst their dive gear. They were showing off new housings for the Nikon D500, Canon 80D and the Sony A6300. Sea & Sea was one of the first stands we visited and Geoff Sharples told us that it had been a “good start to the show” and that it was “busier than expected”. We hope to get some Sea & Sea equipment to review for Scubaverse in the near future, and with a new buoyancy arm system that can also be used as a handle coming out, perhaps we can get our hands on this soon!
That is it from us from DIVE 2016. There was certainly plenty for all the underwater photographers that visited the show. Our next stop is Las Vegas for DEMA, so we hope to have lots of new photo-related gear to talk about!
Award-winning TV underwater Director/Cameraman and Editor-at-Large for Scubaverse, Jeff Goodman, is serialising, in part, six sections of his latest book, Action Camera Underwater Video Basics, on Scubaverse.com.
Jeff shares his experience and knowledge of underwater filming to encourage people to explore and experience the joys of underwater video. The book covers all you need to know for the novice through to the budding professional. It’s an easy, fun read—clear and well laid out, with great images taken from video frames.
The book covers cameras, lighting, planning, editing, filming techniques, and many more aspects of making high-standard videos.
Starting next week, the six sections in this series are:
Choosing a camera
Underwater lighting
Buoyancy
Pre-dive checks
Filming techniques – Eyeline, camera position and angles
Ethics of filming wildlife
For those who would like to own the complete book, a full list of contents is below:
1. Introduction
A new way of diving
2. Responsible Filming
Ethics of filming wildlife
Protecting the marine habitat
Buoyancy control for filming
3. Equipment
Choosing a camera
Accessories
4. Theory
White balance
Colour correction filters
Lighting
Focus
Steady shots
Exposure
ISO
PAL or NTSC?
5. Preparation and Maintenance
Pre-dive gear checks
Washing
Travelling
6. Shoot Planning
Dive planning for filming
Pre- and post-dive filming
Researching subjects
Filming in cold water
The difference between taking video and stills
7. Sequence Structure
Basic sequences
Storyboards and planning
8. Techniques
Eyeline, camera position and angles
Looking for things to film
Shot duration
Framing and composition
Perspective
Getting close to your subject
Cutaways
9. Editing
Thinking ‘edit’ while filming
Video editing
Choosing your edit programme
Edit software overview
My process
10. Stills
Extracting stills from video
Taking photos with a video camera
11. Confined Water Exercise
Aim
Safety
Before entering the water
Buoyancy exercise
Short storyboard
In-water video shoot
Video review
Edit
12. Open Water Exercise
Aim
Before entering the water
Safety
Videoing in open water
STARTING NEXT WEEK:
PART 1 of 6: Choosing a Camera
Action Camera Underwater Video Basics by Jeff Goodman is available now from DIVEDUP Publications:
https://www.divedup.com/shop/action-camera-underwater-video-basics-the-essential-guide-to-making-underwater-films/
About Jeff Goodman
Jeff is a multiple award-winning freelance TV cameraman/filmmaker and author. Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world’s oceans and their conservation that hold his passion, with over 10,000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and as author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the Underwater Action Camera course for the RAID training agency.
Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment, and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life. He has witnessed, first-hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time.
Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.
SeaLife, a leader in underwater imaging technology, has announced the release of three exciting new products designed to empower divers and snorkelers with compact, user-friendly tools to capture their underwater adventures like never before.
NEW: SportDiver S Smartphone Housing – MSRP: £249
Engineered for ultimate reliability, the SportDiver S is SeaLife’s latest underwater smartphone housing—compact, rugged, and updated with divers and snorkelers in mind. With intuitive ergonomics and easy operation, it supports a wide range of iPhone® and Android models.
Whether diving to 30 meters or snorkeling in shallow reefs, the SportDiver S lets users unlock advanced camera features and expand their creative possibilities. Built from premium polycarbonate, stainless steel, hard-anodized aluminum, and optical-grade glass, the housing weighs just 641 grams on land and offers near-neutral buoyancy underwater (depending on the phone).
➡️ More details: View on SeaLife website
NEW: Sea Dragon Mini 1600 Power Kit – MSRP: £180
The Sea Dragon Mini 1600 offers serious power in a compact body, delivering 1600 lumens through a narrow long-range beam. Designed for one-handed operation, it features five light modes: full power, half, quarter, 1-second flash, and emergency SOS.
Constructed from anodized aluminum with a dual O-ring seal, the Mini 1600 is waterproof to 100 meters, making it ideal for all types of dives. The kit includes a 3500mAh 18650 rechargeable battery and USB charger.
NEW: Sea Dragon Mini 1200 Power Kit – MSRP: £160
Compact and powerful, the Sea Dragon Mini 1200 delivers 1200 lumens with a tight 6° underwater beam, perfect for focused, long-range illumination. Its five-mode operation mirrors the Mini 1600, with additional features like an instant-on function and textured grip design for ease of use in any dive condition.
The kit includes a 2600mAh 18650 battery, USB charger, and a durable anodized aluminum body for reliable, corrosion-resistant performance down to 100 meters.
For pricing and dealer information, refer to the Price List Page or visit:
🔗 https://scubapro.johnsonoutdoors.com/eu/en-gb/sealife
Blogs3 months agoGO Diving Show 2025: The Monster Mark Evans Created (And Why the Industry Loves It)
- Marine Life & Conservation3 months ago
ARC marine Celebrates “Commended” Award at Underwater Photographer of the Year with reef cube image
- News3 months ago
Humpback Mother and Calf Win Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025
- Gear News3 months ago
Poseidon Diving Systems Announces New UK Distribution Model
- Gear Reviews3 months ago
Gear Review: Insta360 Ace Pro2 (Watch Video)
- News2 months ago
Safety First: With Red Sea Liveaboard Scuba Scene, You’re in Good Hands (Watch Video)
- News3 months ago
UWACAM Impresses at BOOT 2025 with New App
- Gear News2 months ago
Revolutionize Your Dive with Northern Diver’s Odyssey Full Face Mask
