دسته: رزولوشن

  • Ikelite Unveils Ecko DS and Ecko Fiber Strobes





    Entry-level strobe offers 50Ws of power, a 140-degree beam when using diffusers, and comes in both fiber-optic and electrical versions



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  • Winners of DIVE Magazine’s Big Shot Portraits Photo Competition

    Winners of DIVE Magazine’s Big Shot Portraits Photo Competition


    Winner – ‘Blenny With Attitude’ by Ralph Paprzycki: A sarcastic fringehead (Neoclinus blanchardi) on a night dive at Veterans Park, Redondo Beach, California (Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 lens at 35mm, Ikelite housing, Sea&Sea YS-D3 strobe with snoot; f/8, 1/125s, ISO 500)

     

    DIVE magazine has unveiled the winners of its latest Big Shot underwater photography competition, which had “portraits” as its theme. Ralph Paprzycki was crowned the overall winner for a fierce-looking sarcastic fringehead captured off Redondo Beach, California. Ralph beat 200 or so other entries to claim the top spot.

    The runners-up were equally compelling: Marcia Riederer’s eye of a dwarf minke whale came in second, Rowan Dear’s arresting leafy seadragon was third, and JillAnne McCarty’s charismatic American saltwater crocodile scored fourth. Moreover, the impressive collection of Highly Commended images demonstrated the high quality of the contest’s entries overall.

    Check out all the winners below and head over to DIVE’s website for more on their Big Shot competition.

     

    Second Place – ‘Eye to Eye’ by Marcia Riederer: This encounter happened during a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, in Australia. This curious dwarf minke whale came so close that I could only see her eye, even through my wide-angle lens (Sony A7RV, 16-35mm, Isotta housing; f/6.3, 1/250s, ISO 1000)

     

    Third Place – ‘Portrait of a Dragon’ by Rowan Dear: Having spent several days shooting the leafy sea dragons and their habitat, I decided to switch to the Sony 90mm macro lens for a night dive. While shy at first, this male leafy – who was also carrying eggs – eventually became more comfortable in my presence (Sony A7IV; 90mm macro lens, Red Video Focus Light, INON Z330 strobes; f/18, 1/80s, ISO 320)

     

    Fourth Place – ‘Toothy Grin’ by JillAnne McCarty: This large American saltwater crocodile, in Cuba’s Jardines de la Reina, swam over to see our boat. I slipped into the water and waited with my eye in the viewfinder. As the crocodile came towards me, he suddenly jerked his head and snapped his jaw. I captured the image with his teeth nearly on my camera’s dome port (Nikon D850, Nikon 16-35 mm lens, 240 mm dome port, Nauticam housing, ambient light; f/20, 1/200s, ISO 800)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘Playtime’ by Rowan Dear: Taken at Montague Island, Narooma, Australia. This playful sea lion was zipping through the seagrass. It made for a perfect image of contrasting colours showing these playful animals in their environment (Sony A7IV 16-35mm 2.8 lens, INON Z330 strobes; f/8, 1/200s, ISO 320)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘‘Seacow’ by Romeo Bodolai: This dugong was feeding on seagrass at Marsa Shagra in the Egyptian Red Sea (Sony a7R4, Canon 8-15mm fisheye, Nauticam housing, Ikelite strobes; f/10, 1/250s, ISO 100)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘Trigger Happy’ by Michael Gallagher: Titan triggerfish are notoriously aggressive around their nests during breeding season, and this one was no exception! I snapped this photograph while hurriedly retreating, and it was not until after the dive that I realised that I had captured the potent beauty of this special fish and its formidable teeth (Canon 5D3, Canon 50mm macro lens, Hugyfot housing, dual Inon Z240 strobes; f/11, 1/125s, ISO 400)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘Spotted’ by Michael Gallagher: I encountered this magnificent male parrotfish dozing on the reef during a night dive in Lhaviyani Atoll in the Maldives (Canon 20D; Canon 60mm macro lens, Ikelite housing, Ikelite DS-125 strobe x1; f/16, 1/100s, ISO 100)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘‘Hair Ball’ by Michael Gallagher: Frogfish must be one of my favourite fish of all time, and this hairy frogfish must be one of my personal favourite underwater sightings (Canon 50D, Tokina 35mm macro lens, Hugyfot housing, Inon Z240 strobe with snoot; f/22, 1/200, ISO 200)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘Nobility’ by Imogen Manins: I regularly visited this individual during freediving sessions at Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary, Port Philipps Bay, Australia. The rocky reef was covered in a lush carpet of green seaweeds of the Caulerpa genus, providing rich feeding rounds for the bigbelly seahorse (Olympus TG6, Backscatter Air Lens, Olympus housing, video light MW4300; f/3.2, 1/160s, ISO 100)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘Prince of the Waterfall’ by Romeo Bodelai: Traunfall is a breathtaking waterfall in Austria with excellent visibility (10-15 m) and underwater rock formations, along with plenty of large pike (Sony a7R4, Canon 8-15mm fisheye, Nauticam housing, Ikelite strobes; f/22, 1/2s, ISO 100)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘Embedded’ by Christian Horras: At the end of a dive around Anilao, I saw this little blenny and decided to try a different take for a picture. I used a slow shutter speed, a snoot and a little camera movement to create the effect in the picture (Nikon Z8, Nikon 60mm macro lens, Seacam housing, Seacam Seaflash 150D strobes; f/16, 1/10s, ISO 64)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘Playful Calf’ by Vanessa Mignon: Every year, humpback whales travel to Tonga, to mate and give birth. During that time it is possible to swim with them. That day we saw a small fin break the surface, and start swimming in circles, a sign that it was a calf coming up for air while its mother was resting below (Canon 5D Mark IV; Canon 16-35 mm lens, Nauticam housing; f/6.3, 1/160s, ISO 320)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘‘The Pinch’ by Fabi Fregonesi: An anemonefish with a shrimp delicately perched on its head with the anemone as a frame, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia (Canon 5D Mark IV; 100mm Canon lens, Nauticam housing, 2 Inon Z330 strobes; f/18, 1/250s, ISO 100)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘‘Orange Beauty’ by Miguel Ramirez: While diving in Wakatobi, Indonesia, I was lucky enough to see this beautiful and rarely spotted spinecheek anemonefish (Premnas biaculeatus) (Nikon D500; Nikon 85mm lens, Hugyfot housing, Inon Z330 x2; f/25, 1/200s, ISO 100)

     

    Highly Commended – ‘‘Shining Seahorse’ by Stefano Colombo: I had my buddy backlighting while I used a snoot for filling in the front of the seahorse during a muck dive in Tulamen, Bali (Canon EF 5DMKIV; Canon 100mm macro lens, Isotta housing. Inon Z330 strobes, Snooty Snoot; f/13, 1/200s, ISO 320)





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  • Ikelite Unveils DS165 and RC165 Strobes

    Ikelite Unveils DS165 and RC165 Strobes





    Left: DS165. Right: RC165

     

    Ikelite has announced two new additions to its strobe lineup—the DS165 and RC165. And as you probably already noticed, only one of them, the DS165, is triggered the conventional way for Ikelite strobes—electrically. The other, the RC165, is a surprising—but many will say, welcome—departure into the world of fiber-optic triggering. While the U.S. company has offered fiber-optic triggering solutions in the past, these have been in the form of receivers that convert the electrical bulkhead to a fiber-optic connection. This is the first time Ikelite is offering a strobe with fiber-optic connectivity built in.

    In Ikelite’s blog post on the RC165, the company says “this next generation of 165-series strobes is an improved upon and refined version of our famous DS160 II.” The power of the RC165 isn’t explicitly stated, but as an upgrade from the the DS160 II, the new strobe presumably offers the same 160Ws maximum power. Other specs are stated: Ikelite says the RC165 offers a “significantly wider 120º angle of coverage” (without the need for a diffuser), comparing favorably with the 110-degree beam angle with diffuser of the DS160 II. At 5000K, the RC165’s stated color temperature is also a little different to the 4800K color temperature of the DS160 II. Otherwise, the controls on the new strobe are identical to those on the DS160 II: Expect manual control across 10 stops in 1/2-stop increments.




    Left: DS165. Right: RC165

     

    As you’d expect, given Ikelite’s long history as TTL pioneers, it’s the strobe’s TTL capabilities that the company is giving the most emphasis. The RC165 supports TTL operation with compatible OM System, Olympus, and Panasonic cameras when firing the built-in flash in “RC” mode, and with compatible Canon cameras when using Ikelite’s TT5 Canon TTL Transmitter. The TT5 supports switching between TTL and manual strobe exposure using the camera’s flash menu, as well as rear/second curtain sync. Ikelite has promised TTL transmitters for Sony and Nikon systems are coming soon.

    Current compatible Ikelite housings for OM System and Olympus cameras include those for the OM System TG-7, Olympus TG-3/TG-4/TG-5/TG-6 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III. Various non-Ikelite housings are also compatible, such as Olympus or Nauticam housings for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II with FL-LM3 flash; Nauticam housings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark I to Mark IV; and Olympus, Nauticam, Isotta or Recsea housings for the Olympus TG-5, TG-6 or OM System TG-7.

    In its blog post, Ikelite is careful not to overstate the benefits of fiber-optic connections, writing, “Fiber optic cords are not more reliable than electrical cords, but they may be more convenient.” And for anyone who isn’t bothered by the added O-ring maintenance associated with electrical triggering, the company has you covered with the DS165, which has all the same specs as the RC165, except the fiber-optic port is replaced with Ikelite’s conventional electrical bulkhead. Is the “165-series” the first of many to be offered in both fiber-optic and electrical versions? Is Ikelite slowly but surely going fiber-only? Only time will tell!

    Shipping now from retailers such as Backscatter, the RC165 and DS165 are both priced at $995.

     




    Left: DS165. Right: RC165

     

    RC165

     






     

    DS165

     









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  • Nominations Open for the Inaugural ADEX 360 BLU Awards

    Nominations Open for the Inaugural ADEX 360 BLU Awards



    If you were one of the nearly 50,000 attendees at the last Asia Dive Expo in Singapore—or any of the 30 previous editions of the hugely popular dive show—you will already know that ADEX is a must-attend event on the dive calendar. But the next one just got even more interesting, with the announcement of the first ADEX 360 BLU Awards.

    Per the press release (below), the ADEX 360 BLU Awards will honor “outstanding individuals and organisations in the field of diving, innovation, ocean conservation, arts, and more,” with some 46 awards being given out during an evening ceremony on the second day of ADEX 32nd Edition in April 2026. The awards fall into four categories—“Sports & Education,” “Ocean Tourism,” “Arts & Science,” and “Individual Excellence”—and you’ll be pleased to know that “Photographer of the Year” is among them.

    The nomination period is from June 1st to October 1st, 2025, with shortlisted nominees put to public vote between October 10th, 2025 and February 10th, 2026. Check out the press release below to find out more or head over to the ADEX website.

     



    PRESS RELEASE

    ADEX 360 BLU AWARDS 2026

    Honouring Excellence: Celebrating the Industry and Community!

    The ADEX 360 BLU Awards 2026 will honour outstanding individuals and organisations in the field of diving, innovation, ocean conservation, arts, and more. The diverse range of traditional and new award categories will recognise everyone who plays a role in this space, ensuring we celebrate contributions from both the industry and the community. We hope to celebrate leadership, sustainability, and creativity, while supporting marine conservation through a high-impact charity auction.

    As part of the ADEX 32nd Edition Singapore Ocean Week, the longest-running and largest dive show in Asia, the ADEX 360 BLU Awards will be held on Saturday, April 11th, 2026, at Suntec Singapore. This ceremony is not only a celebration of excellence but a tribute to the passionate individuals, leaders, and changemakers who are shaping the future of diving and ocean protection.

    Nominations are open to individuals and organisations worldwide and awards will be presented at both Asia and Global levels, with dedicated trophies recognising contributions across the diving world.

    Award categories cover four key pillars, which are:

    • Sports & Education
    • Ocean Tourism
    • Arts & Science
    • Individual Excellence

    Some of the awards include:

    • Diver of the Year – Celebrating a diver whose achievements have significantly advanced diving and marine exploration.
    • Ocean Hero of the Year – Honouring a changemaker whose impact and advocacy have made a real difference for our oceans.
    • Most Certified Dive Centre of the Year – Recognising excellence in dive training and outreach across the region.
    • Photographer of the Year – For imagery that captures the soul of the sea and the urgency to protect it.
    • Best E-Learning Platform of the Year – Acknowledging innovation in accessible, high-quality dive education.
    • Eco-Tourism Dive Resort of the Year – Celebrating leadership in sustainable diving and responsible travel.
    • Lifetime Achievement Award – Awarded to individuals whose lifelong dedication has shaped the global dive community.

    The nomination period is open from June 1 to October 1, 2025. A shortlisting official committee will announce the Top 10 per sub-category by October 9, 2025, with public voting taking place from October 10, 2025 to February 10, 2026. Final winners will be announced live at the ADEX 360 BLU Awards Ceremony in April 2026.

    To view the full list of award categories and descriptions, visit: www.adex.asia/adex-360-blu-awards

    To submit a nomination, visit: www.adex.asia/adex360-blu-awards-form

    Join us as we recognise those who inspire, protect, innovate, and lead in diving and ocean advocacy. The ADEX 360 BLU Awards 2026 are more than just awards, they are a celebration of our global ocean community.

    ADEX 32nd Edition

    The 32nd edition of the Asia Dive Expo, Asia’s largest and longest-running dive expo, will be held from April 10–12, 2026, at Suntec Singapore, during Singapore Ocean Week to celebrate ocean-related industries, culture, and conservation. ADEX 2026 will be dedicated to the Humphead Wrasse, raising awareness for its protection, and the Blue Revolution – Reduce, Innovate, Reuse: a commitment to promoting sustainability in ocean and diving practices. The show will feature diving innovation, ocean culture, sustainability, and community, from the TEK Asia Conference and underwater arts to tourism, tech, conservation, and beyond.

    Media Contact:

    MIHIRI S KORALA

    mihiri@uw360.asia

    +94 77 770 6009

    ADEX – Asia Dive Expo

    www.adex.asia

     





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  • Announcing the Winners of the 12th United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Contest

    Announcing the Winners of the 12th United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Contest



    The winners of the twelfth annual Photo Competition for United Nations World Oceans Day were announced today surrounding the United Nations World Oceans Day celebration in Nice, France. A panel of world-renowned judges selected winners from thousands of global entries made by both amateur and professional photographers. This year’s competition featured the recurring categories “Big and Small Underwater Faces,” “Underwater Seascapes,” and “Above Water Seascapes.” The category “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us” was newly added in celebration of the 2025 UN World Oceans Day theme sharing the same name. The 2025 winning photographers hail from eight different countries: Rachel Moore, Luis Arpa, Steven Lopez (“Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”); Andrey Nosik, Giacomo Marchione, Lars von Ritter Zahony (“Big and Small Underwater Faces”); Dani Escayola, Gerald Rambert, Pedro Carrillo (“Underwater Seascapes”); Leander Nardin, Nur Tucker, Andrey Nosik (“Above Water Seascapes”).

    Historically hosted at the UN Headquarters in New York, this year’s United Nations World Oceans Day moved overseas, taking place ahead of the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which will also be hosted in Nice, France from June 9–13. The winning photographs will be presented live during the United Nations Ocean Conference, during a panel event on 11 June at the Agora in the La Baleine (Green Zone). The winning images will also be displayed in gallery exhibitions at NEO VogelART LAB (Nice) and at The Explorer’s Club (New York) throughout the week.

    The 2025 photo competition was coordinated in collaboration between the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DPG, Oceanic Global, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Since its inception in 2014, the competition has been curated by underwater and wildlife photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, and judged by a world-renowned panel of judges. Judges for 2025 included: underwater photographer Ipah Uid Lynn (Malaysia), underwater photographer William Tan (Singapore), wildlife photographer Vanessa Mignon (France), and underwater photographer Marcello Di Francesco (Italy).

    The Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is a free-and-open public competition that calls on photographers and artists from around the world to communicate the beauty of the ocean and the importance of the respective United Nations World Oceans Day theme each year. All winners and participants in the competition signed a charter of 14 commitments regarding ethics in photography. Winning photos from 2025 as well as from previous years can be viewed via the virtual gallery on www.unworldoceansday.org and on DPG’s World Oceans Day Photo Competition mini-site. (On DPG’s mini-site, you can find extended captions for this year’s winners, which tell the stories behind the images.)

     

    Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us

     

    Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — Winner by Rachel Moore (USA)

     

    Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — 2nd Place by Luis Arpa (Spain)

     

    Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — 3rd Place by Steven Lopez (USA)

     

    Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — Honorable Mention by Ollie Clarke (UK)

     

    Big and Small Underwater Faces

     

    Big and Small Underwater Faces – Winner by Andrey Nosik (Russia)

     

    Big and Small Underwater Faces — 2nd Place by Giacomo Marchione (Italy)

     

    Big and Small Underwater Faces — 3rd Place by Lars von Ritter Zahony (Germany)

     

    Underwater Seascapes

     

    Underwater Seascapes — Winner by Dani Escayola (Spain)

     

    Underwater Seascapes — 2nd Place by Gerald Rambert (Mauritius)

     

    Underwater Seascapes — 3rd Place by Pedro Carrillo (Spain)

     

    Underwater Seascapes — Honorable Mention by Lars von Ritter Zahony (Germany)

     

    Above Water Seascapes

     

    Above Water Seascapes – Winner by Leander Nardin (Austria)

     

    Above Water Seascapes — 2nd Place by Nur Tucker (UK/Turkey)

     

    Above Water Seascapes — 3rd Place by Andrey Nosik (Russia)

     

    Above Water Seascapes — Honorable Mention by Ken Findlay (South Africa)





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  • Issue 144 of Underwater Photography Magazine Available

    Issue 144 of Underwater Photography Magazine Available



    The latest edition of Underwater Photography magazine—Issue 144—is now available as a free download.

    The issue begins with a handy roundup of industry news and the latest imaging equipment. New gear highlights include the Nauticam housing for the Panasonic Lumix S1RII, Nauticam’s UltraBright Monitors, and the AOI Aura Light System multicolor light. We’re also excited to see Byron Conroy’s review of the new Nauticam Midrange Focus Optimizer (MFO-1)—an intriguing gadget that we hope to have a good play with ourselves one day!

    In other features, Peter Rowlands chats to veteran shooter and Ikelike Ambassador David Fleetham, the Backscatter team expounds the joys of fluoro using their new excitation filter for the Hybrid Flash, Lars Stenholt Kirkegaard goes on a fascinating nudibranch safari at Gulen Dive Resort in Norway, and Colin Munro recounts his search for the planet’s second-largest fish—the basking shark—off the west coast of Scotland and Southwest England.

    Getting your free copy of the latest issue of Underwater Photography magazine is a breeze: Simply sign up with your email to get access. If you’ve already signed up (and you’re logged in), you can download your copy directly here.  





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  • Sony Announces Compact Full-Frame FX2 Cinema Camera

    Sony Announces Compact Full-Frame FX2 Cinema Camera


    Sony has unveiled the latest addition to its Cinema Line—the FX2. The compact full-frame video camera has a similar body design to the four-year-old full-frame FX3 and almost three-year-old cropped-sensor FX30. But where the FX3 borrowed the a7S III’s 12MP sensor and lacked an EVF, the FX2 takes the 33MP sensor from the a7 IV while featuring a video-camera-style 3.68-M-dot EVF, which can be tilted up to 90 degrees. Like the a7 IV, the FX2 supports Dual Base ISO (800 and 4000) when using S-Log3.

    With its a7 IV DNA, the FX2 promises to be a much more useful hybrid camera, offering not just high-end video recording and powerful video-focused tools, but also high-quality still image capture. (In addition, there’s a handy movie/still lever to switch between modes.) The FX2 can record up to 4K/30p and 1080/120p using the full width of the sensor, and supports Log shooting in Cine EI, Cine EI Quick, and Flexible ISO modes. Shooting 4K/60p entails an APS-C crop factor.

    To round things off, the FX2 offers a large dedicated record button, a full-size HDMI port, and an internal cooling fan. The camera has two memory card slots compatible with SD UHS-I/II cards, with one slot also capable of accepting a CFexpress 2 Type A card.

    Available in August, the Sony FX2 will be available for a body-only price of  $2,700.

     



    PRESS RELEASE

    Sony Electronics Introduces the FX2 Compact Camera, Expanding Cinema Line’s Versatility for Creatives

    The new FX2 has the look and operability of Cinema Line cameras with the ability to shoot high-resolution photos and comes equipped with an articulating eyepiece

    Sony Electronics Inc. is proud to announce today the latest addition to its established Cinema Line family, the FX2. The FX2 will offer a seamless entry point into the broader Cinema Line range, giving greater cinematic expression to independent creators or small crews needing a versatile camera.

    “The hybrid cinema camera was created based on user feedback and is engineered with unique features to support filmmaking, a new eyepiece, and enhancements for versatile production needs. The FX2 is intended to continue the Cinema Line’s goal of preserving authentic emotion in every shot and empower creators across all areas of content production,” says Theresa Alesso, President, Imaging Products and Solutions Americas, Sony Electronics Inc.

    FX2 Features: Full-frame Photo and Video Capabilities

    The FX2 comes with a full-frame sensor that delivers stunning imagery and beautiful bokeh effects. Equipped with a 33.0 effective megapixel1 back-illuminated Exmor R™ sensor with up to 15+ stops of wide latitude using S-Log3, it captures impressive detail in both highlights and shadows.

    Designed for versatile shooting environments, the FX2 offers Dual Base ISO at 800 and 4000, ensuring optimal performance in both bright and low-light conditions. Its ISO sensitivity for video can be extended up to 102400, making it ideal for challenging lighting scenarios. The camera supports a wide range of recording formats—including 4:2:2 10-bit All-Intra—and records in high-quality options, such as XAVC S-I DCI 4K at 24.00p, providing professionals with the tools needed for flexible, high-end production workflows.

    The FX2 can also continuously record for up to 13 hours in 4K 60p2 thanks to its internal cooling fan and effective heat dissipation structure. The FX2 offers variable frame rate settings, allowing up to 60 fps in 4K (for a maximum 2.5x slow-motion effect) and up to 120 fps in Full HD (for up to 5x slow motion). It supports Log shooting in Cine EI, Cine EI Quick, and Flexible ISO modes, offering versatile workflows for different production needs. To further the cinematic expression of the camera, creators can import up to 16 user LUTs for on-camera preview, enabling precise color monitoring on set.

    Filmmakers can also easily and quickly create in-camera cinematic looks, with S-Cinetone™ set as the default, along with a range of Picture Profile and Creative Look presets. A de-squeeze display function is available, supporting both 1.3x and 2.0x anamorphic lenses for accurate framing.

    Improved Usability for Comfortable Solo Operation

    The FX2 features the same compact, flat-top design as Sony’s Cinema Line FX3 and FX30 cameras, ensuring familiarity and compatibility across setups. Built-in mounting points (UNC 1/4-20 x3) support a cageless configuration, offering greater flexibility for rigging. An optional top handle (ILME-FX2) enhances mobility and control, especially during handheld or dynamic shooting. Its lightweight, portable build—measuring approximately 5 1/8 x 3 1/8 x 4 1/8 in and weighing approximately 1 lb 8.0 oz—makes it ideal for solo operators or small crew productions.

    The camera offers advanced focus features designed for precision and creativity. Its new Real-time Recognition AF (auto focus) delivers fast and reliable performance with improved accuracy for human subjects, although its intelligent subject recognition extends to animals, birds, vehicles, and insects, with an Auto mode available for effortless detection. For even more control, tools like focus breathing compensation, AF Assist, and customizable autofocus transition speed and sensitivity give creators the flexibility to fine-tune focus for expressive, cinematic imagery. The FX2 comes with Active Mode and Dynamic active Mode, which is new to the Cinema Line, and are both designed to ensure smooth and steady handheld shooting.

    The Auto Framing feature automatically crops and tracks a subject to keep them in a prominent position when the camera is mounted on a tripod, producing footage that looks like it was shot by an experienced operator. The Framing Stabilizer function automatically keeps the subject in the same position within the frame, which can be useful, for example, when the camera operator is moving alongside the subject.

    From a still image perspective, the camera features an additional log shooting option with a newly added ‘Log shooting’ menu. This feature allows creators to shoot high-resolution 33MP stills, optimized for color grading in post-production. The FX2 also offers smooth operation with a MOVIE/STILL mode lever, allowing for a quick switchover between still and movie shooting. Depending on the selected mode, the displayed menu items will automatically adjust. Additionally, mode selection is made easy with a long press of the Fn button, which recalls and changes the shooting mode.

    FX2 Features: Improved but Familiar Hardware Inherited From Sony’s Cinema Cameras

    The FX2 is equipped with a new high-resolution 3.68-million-dot tiltable EVF3 (electronic view finder) designed specifically for video production, offering a wide viewing angle and enhanced immersion thanks to its included deep eyepiece. Complementing the EVF is a 3.0-type vari-angle touchscreen LCD, making it easy to frame shots from virtually any angle. Intuitively arranged controls on the top panel and grip, along with tally lamps for clear recording status, support efficient on-set operation. The camera also introduces a customizable “BIG6” home screen that provides quick access to essential shooting parameters, such as FPS, ISO, shutter speed (angle or speed), Look presets, white balance, iris, and neutral-density (ND) filter settings. Addressing the growing demand for vertical content creation, the FX2 supports vertical menu display during shooting—ideal for social media formats. The handle-equipped model further enhances professional usability with two XLR/TRS terminals and a 3.5mm stereo mic jack, enabling 4-channel, 24-bit digital audio capture.

    The camera offers extensive expandability and connectivity options, including an HDMI Type-A terminal capable of outputting up to 4K 60p 4:2:2 10-bit video and 16-bit RAW4 for high-end recording and monitoring. For seamless data transfer and remote control, it supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz5) as well as wired LAN via a compatible adapter6. Additionally, the USB Type-C port enables SuperSpeed USB up to 10Gbps data transfers and supports USB Power Delivery (PD)7, while built-in USB and network streaming support enables live broadcasting and remote production workflows.

    Social Responsibility

    Aligned with Sony’s global environment plan, ‘Road to Zero’, this product supports the company’s vision for achieving a zero environmental footprint by 2050. The manufacturing process reflects this commitment through facilities powered entirely by renewable energy sources8.

    The camera system incorporates comprehensive accessibility options, including a Screen Reader function9 and Display Magnification, to support visually impaired users across an expanded range of menu items. Additional intuitive controls enhance usability for all shooters, featuring:

    • Real-time recognition autofocus that reduces manual adjustments
    • Streamlined touch interface operations for direct menu navigation
    • Tactile button design with clear differentiation

    These inclusive design elements ensure professional imaging tools remain accessible to creators of all abilities while maintaining full operational capability

    The FX2 will be available early August for a suggested retail price of $2,699.99 USD and $3,499.99 CAD body only or $3,099.99 USD and $3,999.99 CAD with XLR handle. It will be sold directly through Sony and at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.

    1 For stills. Max. 27.6 megapixels for movie.

    2 Sony internal tests. USB power supply, XAVC S-I (All-I), 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2, 25 deg C (ambient, camera when recording started), Auto power off temperature: High, Cooling fan: Auto. The maximum continuous recording time for a single movie shooting session is approximately 13 hours (a product specification limit) Actual performance varies based on settings, environmental conditions, storage, and usage. Batteries are consumable products and their capacity degrades over time as they age. Sony does not guarantee the life span of the battery.

    3 Adjustable from 0° to +90° for flexible shooting angles.

    4 The output image will be in the APS-C size /Super 35mm equivalent angle of view.

    5 The 5 GHz band may not be available in some countries or region

    6 A commercially available USB-LAN adapter is required.

    7 A USB PD compatible external power supply device with 9V/3A or higher output capacity and a USB Type-C cable that can handle 3A or more is required

    8 Further reducing environmental impact, the product utilizes recycled packaging materials that minimize plastic content without compromising protection. These sustainable practices demonstrate our dedication to eco-conscious production while maintaining the highest quality standards.

    9 Download of compatible language file may be necessary. Please refer to the Help Guide for details.





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  • Instagram Now Supports Images with 3:4 Aspect Ratio

    Instagram Now Supports Images with 3:4 Aspect Ratio



    If you’ve really been paying attention to the Instagram profile grid over the last couple of days, you will have spotted that your vertical images that you meticulously cropped to 4:5 aspect ratio are now having the sides trimmed just a little bit. That’s because Instagram has switched to a 3:4 grid ratio on profile pages as it introduces support for images with a 3:4 aspect ratio—i.e., the aspect ratio of the vast majority of smartphone sensors.

    The change comes only four months after Instagram did away with their square profile grid, causing many carefully crafted profile pages to no longer look quite so cool. Presumably, the latest move will result in a new wave of similarly incensed users—who spent the last four months perfectly lining up their 4:5 aspect images—but the support for the 3:4 aspect ratio is an eminently sensible decision given that an overwhelming majority of users are trying to make full use of the available screen real estate by posting vertical images shot on their phone.

    Of course, users of Micro Four Thirds cameras—underwater shooters included—can also pop the champagne, as their days of cropping vertical images are now officially behind them. Meanwhile, everyone else can at least celebrate the little bit extra in our photos we get to show the world. (Instead of a maximum size of 1080 by 1350 pixels, vertical images can now be 1080 by 1440 pixels.) Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that there’s a very good chance Instagram will not be switching to a 2:3 grid ratio anytime soon, given the ubiquity of the 3:4 smartphone sensor. Still, one can always dream!

     





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  • Underwater Awards Australasia 2025 Open for Submissions

    Underwater Awards Australasia 2025 Open for Submissions



    The Underwater Awards Australasia 2025 is now accepting entries. The premier underwater imaging competition focused on the Australasian region is a three-way collaboration between DPG, Underwater Australasia, and UW Images. This year, entrants are competing for prizes in nine categories, including the contest’s unique “Reels Showcase” video category, with the top image or video among the category winners receiving the distinction of “Best of Show.”

    This year’s prize pool has increased in value by more than 40% compared to last year, to a total of A$70,000! The prizes include dive trips with the world’s top resorts and liveaboards as well as the latest underwater imaging equipment and dive gear—even an underwater photography drone and an underwater scooter with photographic platform. The prestigious judging panel comprises photo judges Tobias Friedrich, Jayne Jenkins, Matty Smith, Tanya Houppermans, Scott Portelli and William Tan; and video judges Philip Hamilton and Ross Long.

    The competition will culminate in an exhibition and awards ceremony at Go Diving Show ANZ in Sydney, in September 2025. The exhibition will feature high-quality metal prints of the finalist entries in the photo categories. Made by the competition’s Printing Partner PhotoMart, the prints will be available for purchase at the show, with the proceeds going to Environmental Partners Australian Marine Conservation Society and Take 3 for the Sea.

    Head over to UnderwaterCompetition.com to find out more about the categories, prizes and judging panel, and make sure to read the rules and guidelines carefully before submitting. Entry fees are US$10 per image or video entered. The competition closes on July 20th, 2025.

     

     





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  • Innovating in Underwater Photography with Martin Broen

    Innovating in Underwater Photography with Martin Broen


    The Underwater Club Event: Innovating in Underwater Photography with Martin Broen


    If you’ve been following DPG Masters over the years (and why wouldn’t you be?), you may know that there was one photographer who bagged the “Best of Show” twice in succession—in 2021 and 2022—for incredible black-and-white photos of Mexican cenotes. But there’s probably a few things you don’t know about Martin Broen. For one thing, he doesn’t only take prize-winning pictures of submerged caves: He’s received 50-plus awards for everything from wrecks and wildlife to macro. For another, he doesn’t just take pictures: He’s the designer of hundreds of innovative products and holds more than 130 innovation patents!

    In other words, Martin is a fantastic person to have a chat with, and that’s exactly what Nicolas Remy, host of The Underwater Club (TUC), will be doing for his next Masterclass event. During the two-hour webinar, Martin will—of course—be talking about his amazing panorama, cave, wreck, and wildlife imagery, but he’ll also be discussing how problem-solving skills help to creatively tackle unique challenges in underwater photography. In addition, Nicolas will be finding out what Martin learned from his first foray into publishing, after the success of his cenote-focused coffee-table book Light in the Underworld.

    As usual, TUC members join for free, while non-members will need to purchase tickets to the event at AU$49 (approx. US$35). Note that this is also the price of monthly membership, so this is the perfect opportunity to join the club and take advantage of all of the membership benefits.

    Here are the event times:

    • May 31st, 2pm Los Angeles time (PDT)
    • May 31st, 4pm Dallas time (CDT)
    • May 31st, 5pm Miami time (EDT)
    • June 1st, 5am Singapore time (SGT)
    • June 1st, 7am Sydney time (AEST)
    • June 1st, 9am Auckland time (NZST)


     





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