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The Underwater Awards Australasia exhibition returned as one of the highlights of the Go Diving Show ANZ
 

The weekend of September 5th–6th, 2026, saw the Go Diving Show ANZ return to the Sydney Showground for its third Australian edition. Visitors could browse the latest dive and imaging equipment, plan future trips, listen to speakers across the show’s stages, and take part in try-dives in the pool with either scuba gear or rebreathers.

This year, it was particularly good to see Nikon Australia exhibiting in person. Having a camera manufacturer at the show meant underwater shooters could discuss the latest Nikon cameras and lenses directly with the brand, alongside the advice available from the specialist underwater-imaging retailers.

The Underwater Awards Australasia 2026 winners were also revealed at the show. The competition, organized by DPG, Underwater Australasia and UW Images, attracted entries across nine categories, with Australian filmmaker Kat dos Remedios taking “Best of Show” for her short film Dragon. The finalist photographs were displayed as metal prints made by PhotoMart, giving visitors looking at equipment a chance to see what all that gear is able to produce.

In this report, I focus on the underwater imaging-related exhibitors at the show, before taking a quick look at a few other booths that I managed to visit, in between giving a talk and reporting for DPG.
 

Imaging Booths

A dive show is a great opportunity to compare several underwater camera systems side by side and actually handle the housings, wet lenses, strobes and lights before buying. This year, the specialist retailers brought everything from inexpensive smartphone pouches and compact TG-series systems to full-frame mirrorless housings, external monitors and some unusual new tools for underwater video.

UW Images

UW Images is a Sydney-based retailer of underwater imaging equipment. Owner and underwater photographer Brett Lobwein took me through the latest products from Kraken Sports and Isotta.
 

The UW Images booth, facing the Underwater Australasia Awards exhibition
 

Kraken’s range of video lights now falls into three families. The Abyss models are the simplest, offering white light without the extra color channels and reaching 20,000 lumens in the largest version. The Hydra models add red, green, blue and UV modes for shooters who want more flexibility. Across the latest models, Kraken has also moved towards a practical push-button-and-dial interface that should be easier to adjust underwater, including when wearing gloves.

The most specialized option is the Spectrum range. These lights produce a very cool blue output designed to blend more naturally with the ambient water column. This avoids placing a blue filter in front of a conventional light and losing output in the process. Kraken currently lists the fixed-16,000K Spectrum 10,000 and the Spectrum 25,000 with selectable 5,600K, 8,000K and 16,000K settings.

Brett also gave me a preview of Kraken’s forthcoming midrange strobe, labeled the KR-S80 Plus at the booth. The existing KR-S80 is an 80Ws manual strobe with a built-in 3,000-lumen video light. Full details of the KR-S80 Plus were still under wraps—to be revealed in the near future.
 

At the UW Images booth, a range of video lights from Kraken and OrcaTorch are displayed beside the Doris housing, which is designed to fit a wide variety of mirrorless cameras
 

For video shooters, Kraken has also introduced new external monitors. The latest 5.5-inch model has a substantially slimmer aluminum housing than its predecessor, a 3,000-nit display and a side-mounted control dial. Brett demonstrated how the image can be flipped to suit different mounting positions. A larger 7-inch monitor was available for those who value screen size over a compact footprint.
 

Isotta’s Sony A1 Mark II housing with a large dome port and two Kraken strobes, one with an ambient blue filter and one with a snoot. The extra set of fiber-optics connects the strobes to Kraken’s RC02 remote, allowing power adjustments without having to reach for the strobes. The cherry on the cake? The Kraken 5.5-inch monitor is mounted on an arch
 

Isotta’s housing for the Sony A1 Mark II was on display with the company’s new HSS-capable flash trigger. Paired with Isotta’s RED64 strobes, this gives compatible Sony shooters access to high-speed sync underwater.

The other Isotta newcomer was its housing for the Nikon ZR, which showgoers could see and touch, while it was still listed for preorder at the time of writing. A particularly large rear window lets videographers take full advantage of the camera’s generous LCD screen.
 

Isotta manufactures rugged housings for action cameras, which are appreciated by tech divers. Pictured is their DJI Action 6 housing, depth-rated to 200 meters (650 feet)! UW images also had on display housings for the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 and the GoPro HERO13

Underwater Australasia

Next, I caught up with Tim Hochgrebe from Underwater Australasia, an underwater technology equipment retailer selling online and from its Byron Bay store. As in previous years, the booth mixed underwater imaging equipment with scooters, ROVs and other useful—or simply fun—underwater tech.
 

Underwater Australasia’s booth showcased the retailer’s wide range of underwater technology products
 

One of the many brands sold by Underwater Australasia is AquaTech, which has made a name for itself creating housings for surf photographers. Underwater Australasia sells a full range and is also AquaTech’s Australian service center.

Tim showed me the latest AquaTech EDGE Pro housing—fitted with AquaTech’s new 20-meter-rated backplate and upgraded, more-robust controls—which is available for a range of Canon, Sony and Nikon mirrorless cameras. That extra depth rating moves the system beyond its traditional surf photography role and into the shallower end of recreational diving. Interestingly, the housing’s handle can also be repositioned so that two lights sit below the housing, a handy arrangement when composing over-under images.
 

Tim shows me the AquaTech Edge Pro housing fitted with the new 20-meter backplate
 

AquaTech’s EDGE platform is modular. Its conversion kits include a camera-specific backplate, camera plate and cable release, allowing the same housing body to be adapted to various supported camera models—and even to a different camera brand—rather than replacing the complete housing.

Tim also mentioned AquaTech’s dual electronic shutter buttons with compatibility with the M3 Shutter Grip, which provides one-handed autofocus and shutter control. This lets a photographer position the camera some distance away—for example, close to breaking waves or toothy marine life—while remaining in a safer position.

Underwater Australasia is the Australian distributor for American brand SeaLife. The company now offers three SportDiver smartphone housings: the standard SportDiver, the larger SportDiver Ultra for the biggest phones, and the more-affordable SportDiver S. The standard and Ultra housings are rated to 40 meters (130 feet), while the SportDiver S is rated to 30 metres (100 feet).

Finally, Tim showed me the feature-packed Weefine WFH-TG PRO2 housing for Olympus/OM System’s Tough TG cameras. The housing’s internal battery can recharge the camera battery and also powers the housing’s vacuum-check system. The slim quick-release mount keeps compatible wet lenses close to the housing port, helping to maximize their field of view.

Beside it was the Weefine WED-5 PRO external monitor, which combines a five-inch Full HD display with a very bright 3,200-nit backlight and supports a 4K/60p HDMI input. It is rated to 100 meters (330 feet) and includes monitoring tools such as focus peaking, false color, waveform, and 3D LUT support.
 

Tim is happy with his Weefine WFH-TG PRO2 housing with WED-5 PRO monitor mounted on an arch. The thick HDMI capable seems very robust
 

Weefine’s WFH-TG PRO2 housing can power both the camera and its vacuum-check system via a recharcheable lithium battery, while the WED-5 PRO gives videographers a bright five-inch external display

Scubapix and Nauticam Australia

Scubapix (aka Nauticam Australia) sells underwater imaging equipment online and from its Cairns store. Owner Peter Mooney had brought a broad selection of Nauticam housings and water-contact optics, giving visitors the chance to see and handle almost all of the company’s latest offerings.
 

Scubapix owner Peter Mooney discusses ways to fill showgoers suitcases with fancy Nauticam gear
 

The Scubapix display neatly illustrated how one conventional macro lens can cover a much wider range of subjects when paired with removable wet optics. The SMC-2 and SMC-3 take shooters into super-macro territory, while the MFO-1 improves close-focusing performance and slightly increases magnification. At the other end of the range, the MFO-3 widens the field of view of a typical full-frame macro lens—roughly turning a 90mm or 100mm lens into a 60mm equivalent—which is useful for fish portraits and larger critters. All can be removed underwater when the subject changes.

Nauticam offers several mounting options, including single, double and triple flip holders, so photographers can keep more than one optic ready without having loose lenses dangling from their rigs.
 

A Nauticam housing for the Canon EOS R6 Mark III fitted with an MFO-3 mounted on a dual flip diopter. Next to it, the much more compact Nauticam housing for the Canon EOS-V1
 

While I knew of double flip holders, I discovered at the show that Nauticam also makes a triple flip holder, so you can elegantly juggle three wet optics during a dive
 

Among Nauticam’s recent housings was the new NA-A7RVI for the Sony A7R Mark VI. It uses Nauticam’s N100 port system and remains compatible with existing ports, gears and lens configurations used with several earlier Nauticam Sony full-frame housings. As indicated by the blue color coding, it features the brand’s upgraded port lock mechanism, which only requires the user to push the port in, while it locks automatically.
 

The new Nauticam NA-A7RVI housing for Sony’s A7R VI was available for visitors to inspect
 

Besides Peter Mooney, Scubapix booth visitors had a chance to speak with Backscatter’s CEO Jim Decker and Operations Manager Becca Boring, who had flown from the U.S. to Australia for the show. Besides Nauticam products, Scubapix sells Backscatter strobes and video lights, among a few other brands.
 

Digital Diver

At Digital Diver, owner Chris Mitchell had arranged a broad selection of underwater photo equipment, with AOI and Ikelite taking up much of the shelving, complemented by video lights from Weefine and X-Adventurer spread across the tables.
 

The busy Digital Diver booth
 

We started discussing smartphone housings, where the options ranged from an inexpensive DiCAPac soft pouch to more substantial Weefine and Oceanic+ housings. Chris told me the DiCAPac performs surprisingly well for its price, helped by the rigid window in front of the phone’s camera.
 

Various options for smartphone users (clockwise from left): the DiCaPac, Weefine and Oceanic housings
 

The OM System Tough TG-7 remains an incredibly popular entry point into underwater photography, and Digital Diver were offering several housings for the camera, including the popular OM System PT-059 housing, Ikelite’s ultra compact housing, and the Weefine WFH-TG PRO2 (discussed earlier in this article). The Ikelite housing offers a unique wide-angle option: a dedicated dome port that accommodates the FCON-T02 fisheye conversion lens. Chris recommends it as the best TG-series solution for split shots, while a replaceable flat port remains available for dedicated macro use.
 

Chris shows me a TG-7 equipped with the FCON-T02 fisheye lens, next to the Ikelite housing with dome port, making for a very compact over-under system
 

Chris also demonstrated AOI’s new modular tray system. By adding or removing extension sections, the same versatile platform can be adapted to an action camera or a wider TG-series housing, then expanded as the photographer adds arms and lights. A recently launched pair of small tripod legs allows the assembled rig to stand securely on the bottom, when conditions permit.
 

AOI’s modular tray, fitted with the new aluminum stand legs. The tray can grow from an action-camera platform into a wider TG-series rig
 

For lighting, Digital Diver featured strobes compatible with the TG cameras’ Olympus RC flash protocol, including the AOI UCS-Q1RC and Ikelite Ecko Fiber. These compact strobes can automatically control their output from the camera’s RC signals, while retaining manual options for photographers who prefer to set their own exposure. Chris pointed out that shooting in RC mode makes it possible to achieve brightness levels below that of the minimum manual mode setting, giving the user extra control.
 

Digital Diver also sells full-frame camera rigs, with housings and suitable strobes on display

Dive Lantern and DIVEVOLK

I caught up with Nik Johnson, founder of Dive Lantern, a Perth-based Australian brand that designs dive and video lights. The compact CORE 1000 can serve as a travel-friendly primary or backup torch; the Beacon 2000 is a focused primary light with a narrow nine-degree beam; and the Focus 3000 has an adjustable beam that can go from 11 degrees to 70 degrees for use in open water, wrecks and swim-throughs.

Dive Lantern also sells its own camera accessories, including trays, arms, clamps and mounting hardware, and distributes DIVEVOLK smartphone housings in Australia.
 

A range of dive and video lights from Dive Lantern
 

The Dive Lantern and DIVEVOLK booths were side by side
 

DIVEVOLK had a neighboring booth focused on its SeaLink Transmitter. The new underwater communications system connects a smartphone underwater to a surface cellular network. Paired with DIVEVOLK’s wireless microphone transmitter and an Ocean Reef Neptune III full-face mask, the complete kit can record a diver’s voice and support live streaming, video calls and communication with the surface down to 30 meters (100 feet). Higher-end versions also add diver-to-diver voice communication.

The transmitter is an impressive piece of technology. Whether taking a phone call during a dive sounds like progress is, of course, another question!
 

DIVEVOLK’s SeaLink system pairs a surface transmitter with a smartphone housing and Ocean Reef Neptune III full-face mask for underwater live streaming and voice communication

Insta360

Insta360 had its own booth in partnership with local retailer Georges Cameras, and the obvious star was the recently released Insta360 X6. The new 360-degree action camera records up to 8K/50p, adds 10-bit I-Log video, and uses larger 1/1.1-inch square sensors than the X5. It is waterproof to 20 meters (65 feet) without a housing, although Insta360 recommends its Invisible Dive Case Pro for properly stitched 360-degree underwater footage.
 

At the Insta360 booth, visitors could purchase products directly from Georges Cameras
 

The Insta360 X6 in the Dive Case Pro, mounted on the adjustable buoyancy Dive Buddy for hands-free 360-degree filming underwater
 

Among the accessories on display was the Dive Buddy, an adjustable buoyancy support that can be set to make the camera hover at a chosen depth. It can also be fitted to its included tripod, and is rated for use down to 50 meters (165 feet).

Insta360’s Ace Pro 2 action camera was also on display, along with a few other accessories.
 

DivePhotoGuide and The Underwater Club

As in previous years, DPG and The Underwater Club shared a booth near the Photo Stage, welcoming visitors who wanted to talk about anything related to underwater photography.
 

The joint DPG/The Underwater Club booth
 

Along with catching up with members of The Underwater Club, we enjoyed meeting new and experienced shooters and discussing cameras, lenses, lighting, editing and our program of monthly webinars and courses. For visitors looking for practical help, The Underwater Club’s Lena Remy offered live demonstration of how different strobe placements enhance the lighting in a photograph, using an Olympus TG-6 and Backscatter Mini Flash 2, and a snoot to spice things up.
 

Lena Remy used a TG-6 and Backscatter Mini Flash 2 to show how strobe position changes the lighting on cooperative plastic frogfish and nudibranchs

Other Booths

Underwater imaging was only part of the show. Between conversations at our booth, giving a talk about diving in Dauin (Philippines), and visiting the photography retailers, I managed to catch up with a few dive-equipment brands and dive operators from across the industry.
 

Mares and SSI

Dive equipment from Mares, SSI, Aqualung and Apeks were featured and available to purchase over a large booth showcasing recreational and technical dive gear. The Mares Horizon semi-closed rebreather was among the more unusual products on display. Designed to make rebreather diving more accessible to recreational divers, the Horizon was also available for supervised try-dives in the show pool. I also spotted the new Mares single frame, low-volume, anti-fog mask—which I can’t wait to try!
 

Visitors could inspect equipment from Mares, SSI, Aqualung and Apeks, and even try the Mares Horizon semi-closed rebreather in the pool

Lembeh Resort and Murex Resorts

It was great to catch up with marketing manager Pim van Schendel and Lilian Tanpian at the Lembeh Resort and Murex Resorts booth. Together, Lembeh Resort, Murex Manado and Murex Bangka give underwater photographers easy access to three distinct North Sulawesi experiences.

The Lembeh Strait is one of the world’s best-known macro destinations, with Lembeh Resort combining the top-class muck diving with a high level of service. For wide-angle enthusiasts, Murex Manado runs daily trips to Bunaken National Park, known for its walls and turtles, while Murex Bangka is well positioned for Bangka Island’s colorful coral gardens. The three properties can also be combined through their “Passport to Paradise” itinerary. (Check out DPG’s “Triple Treat in North Sulawesi with Murex Resorts and Lembeh Resort.”)
 

Pim van Schendel and Lilian Tanpian represented Lembeh Resort, Murex Manado and Murex Bangka, three complementary bases for exploring North Sulawesi

Silver Reef Dive Resort

I also caught up with Silver Reef Dive Resort owner Ana Sison and marketing and reservations manager Behnaz. Silver Reef is a photography-centric dive resort in Dauin, Philippines, where I have recently spent just spent a month. I greatly enjoyed my stay and will be returning to Silver Reef in June 2027 to run a workshop.
 

The Silver Reef Dive Resort booth, just opposite the Photo Stage

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

At Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, I met with general manager Craig Stephen and his partner Dorothy. The Cairns-based company runs three-, four- and seven-night expeditions aboard Spoilsport, visiting the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. Its itineraries include trips to the Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole, expeditions to the Yongala wreck, and seasonal opportunities to snorkel with dwarf minke whales.

Underwater photographers are well catered for aboard Spoilsport, with dedicated freshwater rinse tubs and two camera stations equipped with air guns.
 

Mike Ball offers year-round diving cruises to the GBR and Coral Sea

Benni Marine Designs

Finally, I caught up with Benita Vincent, a Tasmania-based underwater photographer and artist who creates environmentally conscious clothing and accessories inspired by the marine life in her photographs. Benni’s latest collection was on display, including a new range of weight belts.
 

Benni Marine Designs has become a regular stop for me at the Go Diving Show ANZ
 

Benita Vincent displayed the latest Benni Marine Designs collection, including new weight belts featuring her marine life imagery
 

The third Go Diving Show ANZ delivered what a good dive show should: a chance to handle new equipment, ask detailed questions of the people who know it, discover future destinations, and catch up with friends from around Australia and overseas.

For underwater photographers, being able to check out housings from eight different manufacturers (Nauticam, Isotta, Ikelite, AOI, Aquatech, Weefine, Doris, DIVEVOLK), as well as a range of wet lenses and accessories, really helps you to choose your next gear. Equipment for smartphones, action cameras, compact and mirrorless housings were featured, along with wet optics, powerful lights, and external monitors. Nikon’s presence also added something that had been missing from earlier editions: direct access to a major camera manufacturer alongside the specialist underwater retailers.

After two busy days, I still hadn’t managed to visit every booth. That is probably the best indication that the show has established itself as a worthwhile fixture on the Australian dive calendar.
 

About the Author: Nicolas Remy is an Australia-based pro shooter and founder of online underwater photography school and community, The Underwater Club, with members in 26 countries. He serves as an ambassador for Mares and Nauticam, and chairs the jury of the prestigious DPG Masters photo competition. Nicolas' images have been widely published in print and digital media, and have won over 40 international photo awards. To see more of Nicolas' work or browse his upcoming trips, visit www.nicolaslenaremy.com.
 

When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.