Underwater Photography Gear for Komodo

This was a trip focused on manta and sea turtle photo ID research, and I was hosting a diving and snorkelling trip, so I expected mostly wide-angle sites—not muck diving that would need a full macro setup. That was indeed the case: I used my fisheye lens for the entire trip. Komodo’s a great place for big animals, so fisheye is ideal.

Camera and Lens

I’m shooting with a Sony A7R IV in a Nauticam housing. I’ve been using Nauticam housings since I started underwater photography back in 2013, and I haven’t seen a reason to switch. The A7R IV housing is fantastic.

For this trip, I used the Canon 8–15mm fisheye, which stays at 15mm—I don’t use the circular fisheye range. It’s mounted on a Metabones 5 adapter. I use the Nauticam 140mm dome port on an N100–N120 adapter since it’s a Canon lens. If Sony ever releases a native fisheye, I’d love that—it would simplify and shrink the system a lot.

The A7R IV’s high resolution allows me to crop comfortably when needed, which is useful for photo ID work.

Camera Settings

My starting point is ISO 200, f/8, and 1/160s. I shoot full manual underwater when using strobes—it’s easier to manage exposure variables and strobe power directly. I’ll include the exact setup in my updated wide-angle photography article later.

Housing Setup

The hand grip is essential—it’s especially helpful when snorkelling—and I keep it on for diving too. I’ve added extra ball mounts on the handles for flexibility.

I mount my Shearwater Perdix AI dive computer on one of the handles, which works well—I can glance at it while shooting. I still keep an SPG on my reg for quick tank pressure checks. (More on the dive computer in my Dive Gear for Komodo – 2025 notes.)

Vacuum Seal System

I’ve got a vacuum seal system installed—an absolute must-have for underwater photography. I’ve been using it for about a year. It gives peace of mind and security. I’d never go back to not having one.

USB-C PD System

I also have the USB-C PD system that allows me to charge the camera and transfer files without opening the housing. Since I wasn’t changing lenses this trip, I never disassembled it until the end. Each day I could plug in the USB-C cable to offload photos and charge the camera.

It’s a slow transfer—someone said it’s USB-C 2.0—but the waterproofing is worth it. Some people think the USB-C port is only for charging, but it works for data transfer too. I plug directly into my computer when I get home to offload photos and charge the camera simultaneously.

Not having to open the housing daily is a game changer for me, and I’ll always include that in future setups. It also means one less charger to carry—the Anker 140W handles it along with everything else. (More on the charging setup in my Travel Tech Gear for Dive Trips notes.)

Strobes: Backscatter HF1s

These are new for me this year—the Backscatter HF1s—and I absolutely love them. They replaced my old Sea & Sea YS-D3s, which had a few problems.

The YS-D3 battery compartments are designed with a single small o-ring, and even being careful, I’ve flooded them several times. Once that happens, unless you catch it immediately, you’re replacing the strobe. Getting them serviced or replaced can be tricky when travelling. Earlier this year, before heading to Galápagos, I decided to stop dealing with that and bought the HF1s instead.

The HF1s are lithium battery powered and have been fantastic:

  • Fast recycle rate – lets me shoot bursts, which is super useful for capturing behaviours like a hawksbill turtle feeding or a manta swimming in close
  • Battery life – I did up to six dives without recharging and still didn’t hit low battery warnings
  • Colour temperature – rated around 4500K; I use orange flat filters
  • Power – I usually shoot around one-third power as a baseline

I haven’t tried the built-in video light yet, but I’ll test that on a future trip.

They are heavy underwater, so I added extra jumbo floats to balance them out. It’s worth it for the performance.

Sync Cables

I use optical sync cables from Backscatter—they’ve been reliable, but I plan to get a backup. I’ve snapped old ones before when they got caught on something or were passed around on the boat. Losing one would ruin a trip, so it’s worth carrying spares.

I do have the Backscatter USB-C flash trigger now—it charges via USB-C, which is nice—but I haven’t figured out how to get it to work consistently with my setup yet. I’ll troubleshoot that more before the next trip.

Flotation and Balance

My rig needs quite a bit of flotation, especially with the HF1 strobes. I’ve got three jumbo floats and Nauticam float arms to get it just slightly negative underwater. That’s my preference—if it’s positive, it strains your wrists. Slightly negative keeps it balanced and easy to manoeuvre.

I use Nauticam clamps too—they last really well.

Accessories

I use a lanyard, which makes it easier to carry the camera to and from the boat. It’s not the most comfortable, but practical.

On this trip, I mounted a GoPro Hero 12 on one handle to get additional video footage and as a backup in case something went wrong with the main camera. It didn’t add much bulk to the system. I’ve got the Backscatter/AOI wet lens for it, which I like, but I didn’t use it this time—it adds bulk.

I also brought my WWL and the 28–60mm lens, but I didn’t end up using it since this trip was focused on mantas.

Spares and Backup

Spare batteries are key: I bring extras for the vacuum system, flash trigger (CR2045s for the Nauticam trigger), and other small electronics. I also carry spare Nitecore batteries for the strobes. I didn’t need to replace anything during the trip, but I’d never go without backups—replacements are hard to find in remote dive destinations.

I also keep basic repair tools: carabiners, spare mask strap, mouthpiece, electrical tape, cable ties, and a multi-tool. That’s my little spares kit—there’s some overlap with my dive gear spares. (See Dive Gear for Komodo – 2025 for the full list.)

Data and Backup

I travel with dual 256GB cards in the A7R IV. I don’t usually need to reformat during the trip since I keep photos on both cards and copy to the laptop each night. I carry a 4TB external SSD too, though I rarely use it on the road. The 4TB internal SSD on my MacBook Pro handles most of it.

Travel Case

For travel, I use the Think Tank Airport Accelerator. I’ve been using this model since 2015—it’s perfect. Lightweight, fits all my gear, and still goes in overhead bins on every airline I’ve used, including Air New Zealand’s small regional flights (if I remove the laptop). It’s durable and surprisingly comfortable even when overloaded.

Land Photography

Land photography was minimal this trip, but I brought the Sony A1 II with the 100–400 GM for photographing Komodo dragons on Rinca Island. It was a quick stop but totally worth it—amazing to see them moving around.

I’ll talk more about general land photography setup in another article.

  • Dive Gear for Komodo – 2025
  • Travel Tech Gear for Dive Trips
  • Komodo Diving and Photography Trip – 2025

Dr. Simon Pierce is the Executive Director of the Marine Megafauna Foundation, where he leads the Global Whale Shark Program, and a specialist ocean wildlife photographer.