What do you do when you want to add a FLIP system to your housing, but there is no room for it? You add an extension…
If you like macro photography, you are not alone. It is a great form of underwater photography, where you can get really colourful, sharp, and detailed pictures. Since you are close to the subject, the light does not have to travel far from the subject to the lens, and the closer you are, the easier it gets. (Light has to travel less far)
Not many cameras have a good built-in macro function.
So you might have to add an external macro-wetlens in order to get as close as you like to be. But there might be a problem.
Sometimes you just get too close, and you lose the overview of the picture. So you might want to remove the lens again and take the desired picture.
You can lose your lens easily
This process has a challenge. Once you take off your lens underwater, you might risk losing or scratching it. So the solution is to use a FLIP system.
There are great systems available from both Nauticam and AOI and they are all based on an M67 thread that you screw into your port.
However, not all housings have been designed to mount this option. Sometimes the handle or another part of the housing is in the way. So there is no room.
The solution is to extend the M67 thread, so the FLIP is mounted further out on the port.
To do that, you need an M67/M67 extension ring.
How about the sharpness?
You might think that it is a problem to extend the FLIP and remove it further away from the port? It rarely is… since most cameras have a zoom function, and since most cameras will do focus before taking the picture, the extension is not significant. (there is a chance, that there is vignetting if the lens is moved out too much, and if the camera is not designed to use a macro lens). But vignetting can be removed in post production, and will not ruin you image. (different story with video)
How about wide-angle?
It is possible to use the FLIP and an extension with wide-angle lenses, too, but you should expect that you will have to zoom in or get some vignetting on the image, as most wide-angle need to be used on either a 24mm or a 28mm focal width lens.
Here you see a double FLIP mounted on an iPhone housing.
That will give the option to use both an average and a really powerful macro lens.
(This setup is a bit exaggerated, as the FLIP system is as expensive as the phone housing 😉
Here you see a FLIP adaptor on an Ikelite housing. An M67/M67 extension is not needed on Ikelite ports, but it will fit right on the port. Always check if your housing port is the furthest front point on your housing. If it is, the housing should not conflict with the FLIP system.
Here you can see the M67/M67 extension ring in place.
The M67 ring is a good and easy solution to make room for a FLIP system.
Get your own ring:
M67-M67 Extension Ring
You can buy it on the FOTOGRAFIT webshop.
