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After a fun (maybe a little too fun) DPG/Wetpixel Underwater Imaging Cocktail party and the launch of Scuba Diver- Through the Lens, DPG was back on the show floor on Friday, looking to bring you the latest in equipment and informative seminars.
iDivesite and iTorch
iDivesite unveiled several new underwater photography accessories this year, mostly aimed at the ever-growing compact market. The first of these was the new, universal tray, which still in prototype form features 4 ball points an a slot just to attach a GoPro or other small camera.
The prototype on the show floor was designed to fit a compact setup, but iDivesite has not ruled out a similar tray for DSLRs and bigger cameras as well.
Another accessory on display at the booth was iDivesites new swing adaptor for m67 filters and diopters. Currently in production, the adaptors are available for Canon’s G10, G11, G12, Olympus XZ-1, and Canon’s S90 and S95, with a mount for the S100 to be announced soon.
In congruence with the flip adaptors, they also displayed a new series of M46 diopters. Coming in +8 and +16 variations, the diopters will be available soon for the prices of $150 and $270, respectively.
ITorch also had a host of new products on display, headlined by the new Pro 4, which boasts a 1200 lumens output at a 70 minute burn time. Additionally, the light features 3 power levels on both “white” and “red” lights, with a beam angle of 110 degrees. The Pro 4 is expected to be available within the month and will retail for $550.
It almost looks like iTorch stuck the Pro 4 in the dryer to shrink it into their latest product- the Pro mini. With an output of 750 lumens, this miniature focus light features three light settings and a red filter to go unnoticed with easily startled subjects. Like its older brother, the Mini is expected to ship within a month with a price tag of $325.
Liquid Vision
Liquid Image had on display their latest Scuba Series HD Wide-Angle mask camera. The camera, which looks almost like a “black-ops” device, shoots full 1080p video at 30fps or 720 at 60fps.
The liquid Image HD mask has a field of view of 135 degrees and can store up to 32GB of memory.
Epoque
At the front of the Image Resource Center, Epoque also had some interesting products on display for DEMA-goers. Epoque’s EHD 900 is a 9MP proprietary camera in a custom housing that sells for just $279.
“For somebody who truly wants to point and shoot, it’s the easiest camera in the world,” said Frank Fennel of Epoque USA.
The big new product for Epoque was their housing for Sony’s NEX-C3 EVIL camera. Released at DEMA, the housing can be customized for either Sony’s macro or zoom lend, and can be converted for wide-angle with their fisheye conversion lens. The body, port and zoom will be available as a package for $999.
BS Kinetics
BS Kinetics gave DPG a close look at their new housing for the Canon XF105 video camera. BS Kinetics's housing gives the shooter complete manual control of the camera, including shutter and white balance.
They plan to use the same idea –full manual control in an affordable housing- for Canon’s XF305 and XF100 cameras.
Sealife
Sealife's big product release this year, the DC1400, was on display at the impressive Sealife booth at DEMA. Released in September, this 14MP camera is depth rated to 200 feet and is capible of shooting 720 HD video.
The big improvement in the camera and housing is the addition of the "Central Command" dial, which allows one-touch access to the camera's 5x zoom. Other significant improvements include the Super Macro Auto Focus and six pre-determined shooting modes for ultimate control.
Big Blue Lights
We walked across the Image Resource Center to see what new products light manufacturer Big Blue Lights were showing off. As it turned out, they had just announced their VL1800 video light- a fully contained 1800-lumen video and focus light.
The VL1800 will sell for $699 and can be improved with several accessories including a re-enforced glove, optional ball joint or the company’s wide selection of filters.
Seminars
In addition to the great new products on the show floor, visitors to DEMA’s Image Resource center were treated to seminars and presentations from some of the leading underwater image makers like Keri Wilk, Alex Mustard, DPG’s Matt Weiss and Andy Sallmon.
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