Welcome to Issue #72 of Inside Scuba
In Issue #72 of Inside Scuba, we ask whether an industry built on protecting the ocean is doing enough to protect the people who make diving possible, in the first of a two-part look at the business of diving. Byron puts Sony's 100mm macro head-to-head with the 90mm to find out whether the upgrade is worth it, while Alex Mustard and Matthew Sullivan share their best guesses on how to pick winning entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2027. Add the latest dive news and a Video of the Week where sharks go viral, and there's plenty to sink into.
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What’s happening in this edition?
The Price of Paradise: Rethinking the Business of Diving (Part 1 of 2)
By Ciara Michaud
We talk a great deal about protecting the oceans that sustain diving. But what about the people whose livelihoods depend on them?
Sustainability is one of the most important conversations in scuba diving. We advocate for healthier reefs, responsible tourism, marine conservation, and protecting the ecosystems that make our industry possible. We encourage divers to consider their environmental impact and support initiatives that preserve the underwater world for future generations.
Yet there's another dimension of sustainability that receives considerably less attention: the people who dedicate their lives to this profession.
Can an industry truly call itself sustainable if the people who make it possible cannot build safe, respected, and financially viable careers?
Behind every extraordinary dive is a network of professionals whose work rarely appears in the photographs. Instructors, Divemasters, captains, boat crews, technicians, and business owners make these experiences possible. Their expertise, judgment, and dedication are essential to the industry's success, yet the conditions in which they work often receive far less attention than the environments they help us explore.
This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Part 2 follows in the next issue.
In each issue of our newsletter, we will curate some top dive news from around the world. Links to each of the original articles are available.
Safety & Incidents
DIVE Magazine: "Search for missing Komodo divemaster ends after ten days. Authorities formally called off the search on October 22 for 23-year-old Veronica Beatrix Jessica, the only person unaccounted for after the dive boat KM Feronia capsized near Tatawa Island on October 13, with the other 29 people aboard rescued."
Divernet: "Snorkellers leap as fire engulfs boat off Bali. Four tourists jumped into the sea after an explosion set the snorkelling boat Naomi ablaze in Gamat Bay off Nusa Penida on October 29; all passengers and crew were rescued, the captain was treated for leg burns, and an electrical short-circuit is a possible but unconfirmed cause."
Divernet: "Dive-pro alleges underwater assault in Maldives. Chinese scuba instructor Xiao Du says three divers physically confronted him at 18 m (59 ft) at Kuda Rah Thila in South Ari Atoll on October 28 and that one tried to remove his mask and regulator; liveaboard operator Maldives Legend says guest statements have been taken and the matter referred to the relevant authorities, while Du plans to report it to Maldives police."
Wrecks & Underwater Archaeology
Greek Reporter: "Roman 'ghost shipwreck' rediscovered off Italy after 67 years. Divers have relocated a suspected late Roman Republic wreck, first found in 1959, below 40 m (131 ft) off Punta Chiappa on Liguria's coast, where archaeologists identified nine wine amphorae lodged among rocks on a steep underwater cliff."
Divernet: "Divers find Canadian WW2 U-boat victim at 120m off Maine. The Nomad Exploration Team located the steamship Cornwallis on July 11 at a depth of almost 120 m after searching since 2019; the ship was torpedoed by U-1230 on December 3, 1944, with 43 of the 48 people aboard lost, and the team hopes to deploy an ROV in 2027 for further documentation."
Divernet: "Norfolk wreck divers identify Victorian trawler. Norfolk Wreck Research divers say an engine-builder's plate found on a wreck uncovered by receding sand identifies it as the steam trawler George, which ran aground on Hammond Knoll in January 1911 while being delivered from Cardiff to Aberdeen."
Marine Science
Islands Business (PACNEWS): "Atolls deserve greater conservation attention, scientists say. A new international study suggests the ring-shaped reefs of the Pacific and Indian oceans together cover nearly as much area as the Great Barrier Reef, yet remain under-recognised in global coral conservation planning."
Gear
The Scuba News: "DIVEROID WatchDive aims to turn everyday smartwatches into dive computers. The housing-and-sensor system would run dive calculations on a compatible Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, with a Kickstarter planned for December 2026 at a US$149 early-bird price; its recommended depth is 40 m (131 ft), and certification work and independent testing are still outstanding."
Dive Travel & Destinations
Cruise Industry News: "SS United States sinking date set for November 12. Okaloosa County has confirmed the former ocean liner will be deployed about 22 nautical miles (41 km) southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach to become the world's largest artificial reef, with a public send-off ceremony planned the day before."
Conservation & Community
IUCN: "Virtually all coral reef ecosystems face high risk of collapse within 50 years. The first global coral assessment under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems classes 96 percent of shallow-water reef ecosystems as Critically Endangered, including the Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Triangle, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and the Red Sea, with collapse risk assessed out to 2075."
Mongabay: "Pemba's new marine protected areas show the power of collaboration. More than 20 local communities, Tanzania's government and environmental NGOs worked together to create two new marine protected areas on the island, which still allow activities like fishing and are being held up as a blueprint for 30×30 efforts."
ABC News (Australia): "Concern Port of Townsville sea-dump could affect coral spawning. Reef scientists worry dredge spoil dumped in Cleveland Bay during the October–November spawning window could harm coral larvae, while the port says its modelling does not predict impacts on sensitive reef habitat."
Photo Competitions
DPG (DivePhotoGuide): "DPG Masters 2026 announces its judging panel. David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes, Nicolas Remy, Henley Spiers, Ipah Uid Lynn and Renee Capozzola will judge the 11-category competition, with prizes worth more than $90,000, mentor sessions for selected finalists and a 'DPG Grand Master 2026' title for the top entry."
Underwater Photographer of the Year: "Kat Zhou joins the UPY2027 judging panel. The San Francisco-based photographer, who won both the Up & Coming category and the overall title in 2023, joins chair Alex Mustard, Peter Rowlands and Tobias Friedrich on an expanded panel as the contest opens for entries today, November 1, with a January 4 deadline."
Should You Upgrade From the Sony 90mm to the Sony 100mm Macro for Underwater Photography?
By Byron Conroy
Every new lens launch comes with the same promise. Sharper, faster, better. And with Sony's FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS, that promise is largely true. It is the first macro lens in Sony's G Master line, it reaches 1.4x magnification on its own, and it works with Sony's teleconverters. If you shoot the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS, the question is obvious. Is it time to upgrade?
I have shot the Sony 90mm for years, including the last three years on my annual month of diving in Lembeh. For the past six to seven months the 100mm has been my main macro lens, first on the Sony A7R V and more recently on the A7R VI, both in Nauticam housings. So this review comes from real time in the water, not a spec sheet.
The 100mm macro on one of my favorite subjects, the juvenile Stary Puffer fish
Here is the short answer. The Sony 100mm is optically a much better lens. It is easier to use, and it is far more flexible thanks to its native 1.4x magnification and its compatibility with teleconverters. But for most underwater photographers, the upgrade will make very little difference to the images they actually take. Unless you shoot an awful lot of macro, your money is probably better spent elsewhere.
How to Choose Your Entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2027
By Alex Mustard and Matthew Sullivan
In this article from The Underwater Photography Show, we'll be speculating on how to choose your entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY) 2027, from understanding the judges to knowing what the competition rewards.
This topic was proposed by a listener, and because we love the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, we always enjoy the chance to talk about it. But most importantly, do remember this is informed guesswork! I (Alex) can assure you that if Matt and I had all the answers, we'd both be winning every year, and we're not! So what follows is a handful of hopefully helpful observations, not a recipe for success.
Start Early and Make a Real Effort
The most important thing with any competition is that you have to be in it to win it. And if you are going to take part, then make a proper effort. Don't do what I do, which is race around on the last day and throw some pictures in. Entry is open now and runs until Thursday 3 December, so you still have well over a month.
I'd start the selection process now. I go to my Lightroom catalog, look through my favorites from this year's trips, and drag those favorites into a new Collection called something like "WPY 2027". The earlier you start, the more time you have to process those pictures properly (following the rules), and to make sure you still love them after three or four viewings, not just because you were excited when you took them. I'll also dip back into my WPY 2026 Collection and see if there is anything I'd like to try again.
Know What the Competition Rewards
Wildlife Photographer of the Year wants wildlife-focused images, and the ethical side of the competition has been tightened right up during the last couple of years. Anything ethically questionable is going to go out, and these days that includes baiting and any sort of attraction or manipulation. You can expect the judges to want to be squeaky clean on this – so anything questionable is a wasted entry. Blackwater images are now a really interesting conundrum – because it can be argued that the downline lights (which are needed as a point of reference for the divers) are also a form of attraction. It will be interesting to see when WPY next awards a blackwater picture, if it ever does, and how that rule will be interpreted by different juries down the years. You can communicate with the competition office for clarification, but ultimately, it's the judging panel that decides when they gather, based on what is said in the room.
Sharks have a way of going viral, and this week's highlight video rounds up some of the most talked-about shark clips around. SHARK BYTES has pulled them together into one quick, entertaining watch. It's a lighthearted change of pace from our usual fare, so grab a coffee and check it out.
Summary
That's a wrap on Issue #72 — we hope it gets you thinking about the people behind every great dive, and about which of your best shots deserve a chance at Wildlife Photographer of the Year. If you enjoyed it, please share it with a dive buddy who'd love it too. Until next time, happy bubbles!
Andy & Byron
