Underwater With The Fujifilm X-T1


A few weeks ago I bought a waterproof housing for my Fujifilm X-T1 and tested in the local rock pools here in Dunbar (CLICK HERE).  I bought this DICAPAC Waterproof Case for the landing trip to Bass Rock that I had booked and the idea was to capture some underwater shots of the Gannets diving for fish which is thrown in the water by the skipper of the tour boat.

Yesterday I finally got to try the new underwater housing in the Firth of Forth.  Now I need to explain how the housing was used.

The DICAPAC case was attached to my Manfrotto monopod by the means of a Mini Clamp.  The monopod has a clip and this was attached to one of the connectors on the waterproof case and then I attached a Peak Design leash to the case which was then attached to my wrist.  There was no way that the camera and case was going anywhere should it become detached from the clamp.




When doing my tests I found the case, which is airtight obviously, tended to flip up and point towards the sky.  I solved this problem with a wire coat hanger which was shaped into a U  and fitted down each side of the case.  I taped off the ends of the wire so the it didn't puncture the bag.

Because the WiFi on the X-T1 doesn't work underwater (there isn't enough signal strength through the water) I resorted to setting the camera to Interval Timer, setting the camera to fire one shot every second.  With the Fujinon 18mm f2 lens fitted to the camera on manual focus the field of view was wide enough to capture images through the fairly clear sea.  While a bit 'hit and miss'  this is the only method I can use without actually getting into the water with the camera.



In the end I didn't get the shot I really wanted ( a gannet diving underwater) but I nearly did (see the shot below of the gannet diving through the frame).  However I did capture some great images as the sun shone through the waters of the Firth of Forth.


Some of the the images are quite abstract in nature or capture the feet of seabirds in the water (see main shot at the top of the page).



I did encounter a couple of problems that I need to solve on the next trip later this summer.  The first issue is the coat hanger wire isn't strong enough in the strong swell of the sea and the camera was soon pointing skyward while it was in the water.  I think I can solve this by putting a strong elastic band around the ends of the wire and under the camera.

The second problem is the movement of the boat in the water which meant I had to hold the mono pod with both hands to try and keep it level.  As you can see with the images the camera was being pushed to something like 30 to 40 degrees off true.  I need to see if I can find a solution to this problem.  However the images do work, even if they are not level.

The one thing that did concern me was sea water getting into the case.  I needn't have worried because, thanks to the system of seals (see images below) the camera was bone dry when I took it out of the case.  I did put a couple of packets of silica gel in the bottom of the case to absorb any minor leaks or condensation but this proved to be a precautionary measure.







CONCLUSION
The DICAPAC waterproof case proved to worthy of its name as it kept the North Sea at bay.  I need to fine tune how I use the camera on the monopod but if I was taking the camera swimming or canoeing it would be easier to use and I would have 100% confidence that the camera would be completely safe from water damage.

For more information on the DICAPAC waterproof case CLICK HERE

The X-T1 inside the DICAPAC case
The first line of defence against water - a roll up seal under the top flap
The second line of defence - a push seal across the top of the bag
You can operate some of the controls with your finger but it is best to set the controls before sealing it in the case
The Manfrotto Mini Clamp
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ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION

MacLean Photographic run Tours and Workshops in East Lothian and the Borders of Scotland.  CLICK HERE for more details and availability

In June 2015 Jeff Carter was named as a Fujifilm brand ambassador and you can view his profile and gallery on the Fujifilm website HERE

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