Nauticam EMWL (Extended Macro Wide Lens) | Underwater Photo Video Review

The Nauticam EMWL (Extended Macro Wide Lens) is a wet-mounted accessory lens for capturing macro-sized subjects with a wide angle perspective. It features interchangeable objective optics for different fields of view, allowing photographers and videographers to capture a variety of perspectives of the same subject through the same lens. This lens is all about perspective distortion - making small foreground subjects appear large in the frame compared to background subjects or the environment.
We put this lens to the test underwater to learn everything that underwater photographers and videographers need to know.
Learn more about the Nauticam EMWL: www.backscatter.com/reviews/p...
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JUMP TO A SECTION:
00:00 Intro
00:08 EMWL
00:53 Perspective Distortion
02:58 Rig Rundown
08:00 EMWL vs Laowa Probe Lens
10:12 Practical Use
13:01 Photo Examples
17:36 EMWL Video
19:29 Conclusion

[@Reefark]

Nice video on new tech. I shoot an r5 in a nauticam housing. As it is, I struggle with rig buoyancy and trim. I like to have my rig neutral in the water with a level trim. Otherwise, I have way too much camera shake. For the average shooter (like me), poor diver buoyancy creates risk of more harm to the environment. Ask you know, photographers piss off other divers because they tend to monopolize the wildlife and damage the environment. This item may not make the photographer or other photographer many friends. This would best used while solo diving.
Using the EMWL in mid water would by challenging. Front heavy rig means the diver would constantly by struggling with staying on the subject. Blackwater diving would be even more challenging with this rig. It would definitely need its own float. I’d like to see what it looked like in a wide of shooting conditions with the product the product pictures NOT on the countertop at the store.
This lens needs some sort of stabilization particularly for video. Its best use case would be muck diving with the diver lying on the sand. Lastly, I’m not sure that I have ever looked at my pictures and thought … hmm … I wish I had more perspective. This piece of gear is likely to have a very small audience. It will attract photographers with gadget envy.
Lastly, I would love for nauticam to work on making new gear backwardly compatible with old gear. I have a pile of nauticam photography gear which is not compatible with my current rig. As you know, the used market for this gear is small. I have a lot of gear which has little to know value after I’ve used it for a year or two. Improving existing housing to include more attachment points for buoyancy solutions would be a nice addition. Take these comments for what they’re are worth. Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

[@divoarioo]

Great video Backscatter!
I've question, It is possible to have 160 degrees EMWL setup in compact camera setup?

[@backscatteruw]

Not with the Nauticam EMWL, but you can achieve similar effects with things like the Inon M150 ZM80 lens: www.backscatter.com/Inon-UFL-M150-ZM80mm-Underwater-Micro-Semi-Fisheye
Read more about the lens in our Weird Lenses article: www.backscatter.com/reviews/post/Unique-Weird-Underwater-Lenses

[@ChingJasonS]

Is there much fisheye distortion with the 160? Didn't seem very noticeable n the video but it's hard to tell sometimes with underwater work. Thanks!

[@backscatteruw]

We didn't notice any fisheye distortion