Mauricio Handler returned recently from a field trip on Saba Island. Part of this trip was devoted to testing the new Close Up Lenses from Aquatica, and we asked him to answer a few frequently asked questions about Close Up Lenses (AKA wet diopter). Please click on the thumbnails below for larger views. Click here for the FAQ.

Macro port diopter mount with a 5x diopter lens installed on an Aquatica D3s housing with a 105macro lens.	This is a 1:1 shot of a Pike Blenny shot on the lava sands of Saba Island, Netherlands Antilles with my Aquatica D3s housing + macro port for 105VR lens. This is as close to the subject as I could get with the Nikon 105VR lens a life sized image.	Adding a +5 diopter to my 105macro VR lens on a Nikon D3s DSLR made all the difference in the world. Now the Pike Blenny comes to life, details are up close and personal! A +10 diopter would have been too much for this size fish so I chose the +5. Notice the shallow depth of field when using diopters of this magnification. I focused on the eye only letting the depth of field fall off nicely. Exposure for this final image is aprox 180th/sec f11 ISO 200 with dual Ikelite DS160 Strobes @ -3 setting (less than a 1/4 power).	Mauricio Handler photographing a Pike Blenny with the new Aquatica +5 diopter in an Aquatica D3s housing with a 105VR macro lens.

Bart Lukasik who has purchased a HD wave video housing recently was kind enough to provide us with a field review of the latest HD Wave CX 560 & CX 700 housing. To read the review click here.

To see Bart’s work please follow this link http://bartlukasik.tumblr.com/contact.

To learn more about this Amphibico housing click here.

Alex shot this video in 73 meters of water using the Aquatica AD7 housing for the Canon 7D. The wreck dates back to WWII and is a very challenging dive. Alex selected Aquatica for its stellar reputation in the world of technical diving, with a 90 meter off-the-shelf depth rating that can be upgraded to 130 meters, large knurled knob insure that his housing control are easily accessible, whatever  type of glove he is wearing.

To see more of Alex outstanding work, make sure to visit his website http://www.underwater-abyss.com/.
To watch the video, click here.

Congratulations to Pasi Lensu, for his 3rd-place in the Fresh Water section of the 2011 Epson World Shootout. Pasi I uses a T2i housing as a tool for expressing his talent, his working environment is the cold water of Finland, which much like Canada, where his housing was design and manufactured, is known for the ruggedness of its diving condition. Cold water divers are typically much more task loaded and burdened by the equipment they need to bring and use underwater, this makes every single image taken, that much more appreciated due to the harsh environment in which they are taken. You can see more images from Pasi on his website http://www.pasilensu.com/

Congratulations are also on order to Keri Wilk from Canada for his 1st place, (Keri recently upgraded and switched over to an Aquatica D7000 housing system) and to Stephan Beskow from Sweden for his 2nd place.

Congratulations are also in order to Nuno Sá for 1st place in the Wide Angle category. The picture, a magnificent blue shark, was shot in the Azores using the Aquatica A7D housing. Nuno, who is a long-time Aquatica user, also took 1st place in the Ocean Category of the Natures Best Photography-Windland awards and was highly commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the year competition (UW World category). This year he has managed to get awards in three other competitions as well, Deep Indonesia, Ocean Views and Asferico. Click here for another image.

We also have Mark Fuller from Israel, who placed third in the Best 5 Images Category in the Epson Red Sea, World of Underwater Images. Mark is one of our earliest AD7000 users, he also is a regular to photo competitions across the world and has won several prizes in the past. Congratulations Mark!

Stewart Sy, has done a nice review on our Aquatica AN-5 housing for the tremendously popular Sony NEX-5, while this camera is being replaced (already!) with the newer NEX-5n, his observation and recommendation will apply perfectly to the upcoming camera and the soon to be available AN-5n housing for it. Stu, as he is commonly known, is not only a top level photographer, but also has a very thorough knowledge of underwater photography and good penmanship as well, he offers a good insight into this new approach to photography, the so called EVIL generation of mirror less cameras.

Please click here for the complete review.

Aquatica today announced that it has acquired Amphibico, the industry leader in underwater video imaging. The combined company is now a global leader in the design, development and service of equipment for the professional and recreational videographer, filmmaker and still photographer.

For more than two decades both Montreal-based companies have been recognized for product innovation, quality manufacturing, and excellent customer service. Read more »