The Differentiator: Why One Macro and One Wide Lens Isn’t Enough

Underwater photography is one hell of an expensive hobby, especially once you aim for great photos and head down the path of getting a camera with interchangeable lenses—as most people reading this likely will. Almost all shooters who properly get into the hobby end up there because these cameras offer the best optics and image quality. They also force your photography to become more focused and targeted by requiring a specific lens for a specific style, such as macro or wide-angle.

However, most people look at the options available for either macro or wide-angle and choose a single lens—usually the best one on offer. You have already invested a small fortune into the camera and housing, so why not just get the best glass? Usually, that is where the journey ends; it feels like there’s not much point in owning multiple lenses for the same genre of photography. I, however, like many other prolific shooters, look beyond owning just one macro and one wide-angle lens. I actually own multiple versions of each, and there are some very good reasons for this, despite it being an undeniably expensive route to take.

If you think about it, almost all cameras are evenly matched these days, especially at the top end of the scale. It really doesn’t matter if you shoot Canon, Nikon, or Sony anymore; they all provide excellent image quality. In truth, that quality isn't significantly better than the old top-end DSLRs. They all have incredible autofocus; mirrorless technology has taken things to such heady heights that you won’t be disappointed regardless of which body you buy. None of them will give you a definitive advantage over the others.

It is a pointless exercise to constantly discuss the minutiae of small performance differences. In fact, your decision on which brand to buy should only be based on practicalities: your existing lenses, whether your friends use the same brand so you can swap gear, or which brands your local dealers stock so you can maintain a working relationship with them.

Since switching camera bodies is largely a fruitless task for improving your images, that leaves us with lenses. We’ve already seen that most people will just buy the "best" lens and forget other options. However, if you truly want your images to stand out and your portfolio to have diversity, it is a wise and interesting move to consider a wider variety of lenses for the two main shooting types.

By introducing niche lenses focused on specific sub-genres of wide and macro, you develop a very focused approach. It shifts your mindset from "I’ll take a generic lens and shoot what I see" to "I have this specific lens because I want to find this subject and shoot it that way."

This targeted approach is much more productive for your overall portfolio. It is this departure from the "standard" lens that makes your work stand out; it becomes your differentiator. I see the Instagram profiles of many great shooters, and while I see real skill, the range of images can be very two-dimensional. This is because they shoot the same lens every dive and never change a thing.

I was recently looking at a friend's portfolio. He’s a great shooter, but a couple of images stood out even amongst his excellent macro work. When I looked at the metadata, it turned out he had used a Laowa manual 100mm macro lens—a difficult lens to master and a nightmare to use day-to-day. Part of what made those images pop was the unique perspective the lens offered. It enabled him to shoot in a way you simply can't achieve with a standard focal length. That lens was the differentiator that made his work stand out from the crowd.

This is not a “safe” way to shoot, nor is it an economical one. But the decision my friend made—going on a "rogue trajectory" to try a lens that could have been a complete failure—allowed him to capture images that others simply can’t.

So, for wide-angle photography, I currently have five options for my Sony camera: the Canon 8-15mm fisheye with an 8.5-inch acrylic dome, a Nikon 13mm fisheye, a Nauticam WACP-1, a Nauticam FCP (Fisheye Correction Port), and a Sony 16-35mm with the 8.5-inch acrylic port.

Could I live with just one of these? Well, yes... of course I could. In fact, I did for many years, shooting only with the Canon 8-15mm fisheye. But what happened to my photography? It became flat and boring. It felt stale because I wasn't drawing any new inspiration from the glass. Now, I understand that owning all these lenses might not be the wisest economical choice, but each has a specific purpose. I’ll break those down shortly to help you decide if you should consider adding a second (or third) lens to your kit.

Canon 8-15mm Fisheye with Acrylic Port

For me, this is still the best lens for split-level photography on mirrorless cameras. It is razor-sharp and coupled with a large dome makes capturing "overs-and-unders" easy; it performs this one task better than any other wide-angle lens I own. It is also currently the only fisheye available for Sony that offers a full 180-degree field of view—the widest we can get. For pure fisheye shooting on vibrant coral reefs, it is arguably the best.

Nikonos 13mm Sony Conversion (by Isaac Szabo)

This lens is all about its compact size and unparalleled image quality. Put simply, no fisheye lens on earth can come close to the image quality rendered by this glass, yet it has the smallest profile of them all and is incredibly light.

This is my go-to fisheye for underwater reef scenes and external wreck shots when I want maximum width and quality in a compact package. However, it is not good for split-shots, nor is it ideal for animals, as they tend to look far too small in the frame. This lens isn't versatile at all—no splits, no zoom, and no flexibility—but what it does, it does better than anything else.

The Nauticam FCP

The Nauticam FCP (Fisheye Correction Port) is the most versatile option in the lineup. It offers a massive zoom range, from a 170-degree field of view at the widest point down to 74 degrees when zoomed in. This versatility allows it to capture the widest range of subjects; if you’re a little unsure of what you might run into on a dive, this is by far the best choice.

However, there is a trade-off. Despite being the priciest on this list—coming in at over $8,000 once you add the lens and zoom gear—it actually has the "worst" image quality of the bunch. To be clear, the quality is still great, but it can't quite match the primes. That said, this lens is a real differentiator because its versatility allows you to capture shots that other high-quality, fixed-focal-length lenses simply can’t reach.

Nauticam WACP-1

This is, quite simply, the best image quality you can get from a wide-angle lens underwater. It is so well-corrected for water contact that the sharpness it delivers is exceptional. It offers a field of view of 130 degrees at the wide end and zooms in considerably from there.

This is the ultimate lens for big animals—think Tiger Beach—and it will deliver the best possible results for that kind of work. Beyond standard shots, you can also perform techniques like zoom blurs by utilizing its zoom range. Furthermore, this lens allows you to play with depth of field in your wide-angle photography; you can shoot at f/3.5 and still maintain high image quality, something traditional domes just can't handle.

It’s also a great lens to take to a "fisheye" dive site, like the Red Sea, for a few dives. The narrower view forces you to shoot your favorite scenes from a different perspective. By using this lens in situations where you’ve previously only used a fisheye, you’ll end up with a completely fresh set of images.

Sony 16-35mm with 8.5-inch Dome

I use this lens primarily for splits. It has a narrower field of view than a fisheye, which gives you a bit more working distance from your subject or allows you to shoot smaller subjects. Crucially, it allows for shooting splits with a straight meniscus, creating a much more "natural history" style in your portfolio. This removes the dramatic, over-emphasized distortion you get from fisheye splits. It is also excellent for wreck interiors or any scenes with straight lines where you want to avoid distortion and create a more natural-feeling image.

Macro Photography

For macro work, there have been far too few options for mirrorless shooters over recent years. That is finally starting to improve, as reflected in my most recent purchase: the Sony 100mm macro.

While lens choices have been somewhat stagnant, lens accessories are where the true differentiators have emerged. The range of diopters and contact optics now means you could technically get by with just one macro lens and a bunch of accessories. However, I use four macro lenses plus accessories. My current collection includes the Sony 90mm, Sony 100mm, Sony 50mm (with a custom-made curved port by Isaac Szabo), and the Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 manual "bubble bokeh" lens.

For accessories, I use the Nauticam MFO-1, MFO-3, SMC-1, (with an SMC-2 arriving soon), the Kraken Plus 6, and various optical filters. I have also previously owned the Nauticam EMWL with the 160° optic (you can read my thoughts on that in a previous article). Since this article is about the value of owning multiple lenses, I will explain why I keep each of these in my kit.

Sony 90mm and Sony 100mm

Despite everything I’ve said about "having more," the new Sony 100mm is a direct replacement for the 90mm for most people. If I were entering the market today, I wouldn't even consider the 90mm over the 100mm. The 100mm is so far ahead and covers almost everything the 90mm does, making it hard to justify owning both—even though I intend to keep both!

The new Sony 100mm is a lens that can be a true differentiator. First, it has a native 1.4x magnification, surpassing the traditional 1:1 definition of a macro lens. This native magnification gives you a distinct advantage. Furthermore, the lens pairs beautifully with Sony’s 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters. By using the 1.4x teleconverter, you change the focal length to an equivalent 140mm, making it an outstanding lens for fish portraits in clear water or for skittish subjects like jawfish and eggs. These unique features allow you to effectively have multiple different lenses all in one.

Sony 50mm and Curved Port

This lens is a real game-changer for producing shots that stand out. I don’t use the 50mm as often as the 90mm or 100mm because it doesn't offer the same versatility, but the shots I do get with it are truly unique and among my favorites.

The 50mm allows you to get closer to larger subjects, such as frogfish, resulting in much cleaner images. More importantly, it allows you to make these larger subjects appear smaller in the frame while maintaining a comfortable working distance. By opening up the frame around the subject, you can incorporate a sense of the surroundings and environment into your macro shots.

While this lens isn't as flexible for traditional macro destinations like Lembeh, I simply love the perspective it offers. A 50mm is transformative compared to a 90mm or 100mm. Even though we have incredible tools like the MFO-3 to provide wider views, they still don't match the native width of a 50mm. Using a combination of all these tools is undoubtedly the best way to ensure variety in your portfolio.

Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 (Manual Focus)

This lens is an absolute bitch to use. It is fully manual focus, you can’t change the aperture underwater, and the image quality ranges somewhere between "poor" and "terrible." But for occasional use, it is a fabulous lens.

It is known as a "bubble bokeh" lens because of the way it renders perfectly circular, delicious, oversized background bubbles. This is a highly desirable quality that can truly make an image pop. The lens is completely inflexible, a practical nightmare to set up, and annoying to house. However, all of those flaws are part of what makes the resulting images stand out so distinctly from the work of other shooters.

Conclusion

In summary, starting out by owning the best single lens for your system is certainly the way to go, and it will serve you well for a long time. However, the key to a truly diverse portfolio and images that stand out from the crowd is the use of different lenses. On paper, these lenses might sound like they all do the same thing, but the nuances and differences between them create immense variety in your image-making. The quirks of each lens force you to shoot in new ways; they demand creativity, and you reap the rewards of that effort.

Of course, this is an expensive route to take, so think hard before you run out and buy a bunch of new glass that might just sit on your shelf for eternity. One final note: if you do buy a niche lens, don’t be afraid to use it. People often buy these tools and then use them sparingly because they are afraid of the unknown or worried they will miss a "safe" photo opportunity. Yes, you will undoubtedly miss some shots, but the unique photos you gain will far outweigh simply taking more of the same images with your safe lens.

Support the Newsletter: If you’re ready to take the plunge on a new lens, check out the links below at Backscatter. Using these affiliate links costs you absolutely nothing extra, but it provides us with a small credit that helps keep Inside Scuba running and ad-free. We appreciate the support!

• Nauticam EMWL

• Nauticam Fisheye Conversion Port: FCP

• Nauticam Midrange Focus Optimizer: MFO-1

• Nauticam Midrange Focus Optimizer: MFO-3

• Nauticam Super Macro Converter: SMC-2

• Nauticam Super Macro Converter: SMC-3 (the newer version of the SMC-1)

• Nauticam Wide-Angle Conversion Port: WACP-1

• Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens

• Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM Lens

• Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 GM OSS Macro Lens