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If you’re into underwater macro photography, Nauticam’s latest innovation, the MFO-1 (Midrange Focus Optimizer), might just take your shots to the next level. Designed to enhance the capabilities of standard underwater macro lenses, the MFO-1 is a “wet lens” that attaches to the front of the port housing of your underwater camera setup. Developed with insights from Dr. Alex Mustard and Ryan Canon, the MFO-1 aims to make underwater photography not only easier but also more versatile and detailed.
What Does the Nauticam MFO-1 Do?
One of the standout features of the Nauticam MFO-1 is that it extends the effective focus range of standard macro lenses. Typically, macro lenses have a very short minimum focusing distance, which can limit how far you can be from your subject and still capture sharp details. The MFO-1 adjusts this, allowing for a broader range of distances. For instance, a Nikon 105mm macro lens, which traditionally has a limited focusing range, can now focus from as close as 125mm to as far as 1000mm when using the Nauticam MFO-1. This extended focus range means more freedom to frame your shots creatively, making it easier to photograph subjects of varying sizes and distances.
Key Benefits of the MFO-1
- Extended Focusing Distance: Unlike other macro lenses that restrict focus to within 10cm, the MFO-1 allows focusing on subjects up to 1 meter away. This broader range opens up new options for shooting medium-sized marine life without needing to change lenses.
- Improved Image Quality: The MFO-1 is designed to counteract common optical issues, like image distortion and color loss, that happen when shooting through underwater flat ports. By correcting these aberrations, the MFO-1 produces images with sharper resolution and richer color.
- More Creative Possibilities: The versatility of this lens encourages experimentation. The range and size of objects that can be photographed are vastly expanded, making it easier to capture a wider variety of marine subjects and compositions.
Behind the Design
The Nauticam MFO-1 is the result of a collaborative effort and months of testing by Nauticam and underwater photography experts. Dr. Alex Mustard’s idea of a low-power macro lens, combined with Nauticam’s optical engineering, led to a design that maximizes flexibility while maintaining high image quality. Through multiple prototypes, the team found the perfect balance: a lens that provides extended focus without sacrificing quality or introducing too much magnification.
Conclusion
For underwater photographers looking to expand their macro capabilities with something new, the Nauticam MFO-1 is a pretty impressive tool. With its ability to reduce focus distance limitations and enhance picture quality, this wet lens brings a new level of creativity and precision to underwater macro photography.
The lens is set to ship in late November-24, but as always… let´s see when it is really ready for delivery.
Find the MFO-1 at Fotografit: Mid-range Focus Optimizer (MFO-1)
