Backscatter Hybrid Flash Underwater Strobe & Video Light Review
With the introduction of the Backscatter Hybrid Flash HF-1, underwater photographers can now capture stunning stills and video with a single versatile tool. The Hybrid is the most powerful strobe and ...
Read More Best Underwater Cameras of 2024: Compact Cameras
The Backscatter team spent hundreds of hours testing the best underwater cameras to find the best and not-so-good cameras for underwater photography. We publish this article annually from the results ...
Read More Best Underwater Cameras of 2024: Mirrorless Cameras
The Backscatter staff have spent plenty of time shooting mirrorless cameras in the water around the world in all sorts of conditions, from our home waters of Monterey, CA, to the Caribbean, and the In...
Read More Best Underwater Lighting of 2024: Strobes & Flashes
The Backscatter team has taken all of the best strobes for underwater photography and put them to the test to determine which strobe is our Top Pick for different applications and budgets. Whether see...
Read More Guide for the Best Filter for your GoPro
The Flip Filter System by Backscatter provides you with the most comprehensive filter kit available. We've got you covered underwater with color correction, lens correction as well as topside len...
Read More The Best Underwater Lenses for Compact Cameras 2025
From the Caribbean to the Coral Triangle, we've spent hundreds of hours shooting compact cameras underwater. We've shot and tested dozens of compact (a.k.a. point-and-shoot) camera lenses to...
Read More Backscatter Smart Control Optical TTL Flash Trigger Review & Setup Guide
The Backscatter Smart Control Optical TTL Flash Trigger provides super-accurate, automatic flash exposures with Olympus/OM System and Sony cameras using Backscatter strobes. The Olympus/OM System trig...
Read More Backscatter Xterminator—Eliminate Backscatter In A Single Click!
Backscatter Xterminator (BSXT), developed by GoAskErin, is a game-changing Photoshop plugin that eliminates backscatter from underwater photos with a single miraculous click.
Read More Complete Guide For GoPro HERO13 Best Underwater Video & Photo Settings
The GoPro HERO 13 Black is the best camera from GoPro to date and is our favorite action camera. The GoPro HERO13 has upgraded battery life for longer shoots, super smooth image stabilization, and a s...
Read More Interviews with the Pros: Shooting Subjects Big and Small with Dustin Adamson
From humpback whales to nudibranchs, tiger sharks to flamboyant cuttlefish, Dustin Adamson has shot it all. In this interview, Dustin shares key insights on the gear he uses, as well as his process an...
Read More GoPro HERO13 Camera & Underwater Housing Review
The new GoPro HERO13 Black action camera is packed full of new features for both the underwater and topside video shooters. The GoPro HERO13 now has access to the new HERO Black Lens series, magnetic ...
Read More Our World Underwater Scholarship Society Paul L. Schutt Photography Internship
A few weeks ago, my experience as an underwater photographer had strictly been from behind a GoPro. While I still believe it is one of the best underwater cameras out there, I believed I had reached a...
Read More Inon S220 Underwater Strobe Review
The Inon S220 is the latest flash from Inon, sporting a compact build, guide number f/22 flash power, and a dome diffuser system. The Inon S220 is the successor to the Inon S2000, with a brighter, wid...
Read More Remote Lighting with Backscatter Hybrid Flash & Mini Flash 2 Underwater Guide
One of the standout features of the Hybrid Flash and Mini Flash 2 is Remote Mode. Unlike a simple slave mode, Remote Mode allows for remote triggering and adjustment of power levels on an off-camera H...
Read More Canon EOS R5 II Mirrorless Camera & Underwater Housing First Look
We are happy to announce our first dive with the much anticipated Canon EOS R5 II, the successor to the hugely popular Canon EOS R5 that was released back in the summer of 2020. We spent this dive sho...
Read More What Is The Best Accessory For Underwater Photography & Video?
What is the best accessory for underwater photos and videos? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this question to get their hot...
Read More What Is The Best Way To Get Started In Underwater Photo & Video?
What's the best way to get started in underwater photography and videography? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this que...
Read More What Is The Best Macro Lens For Underwater Photography & Video?
What is the best macro lens for underwater photos and videos? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this question to get their ho...
Read More Best Underwater Compact Strobe - Backscatter Mini Flash 2
The Backscatter Mini Flash MF-2 is a major upgrade to the MF-1, with tons of new features and performance upgrades, including Olympus TTL, remote strobe control, high-speed sync, test mode, emergency ...
Read More What Is The Best Wide Lens For Underwater Photography & Video?
What is the best ISO for underwater photos and videos? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this question to get their hot-take ...
Read More Can You Shoot Underwater Photo & Video On The Same Dive?
Can you shoot underwater photo and video on the same dive? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this question to get their hot-t...
Read More Ikelite DS230 & DS232 Underwater Strobe Review
The Ikelite DS230 and Ikelite DS232 strobes stand as Ikelite’s latest flagship offerings. Both models boast identical flash features and characteristics, with the only discernible difference being a b...
Read More Retra Flash Pro Max Underwater Strobe Review
The Retra Flash Pro Max is Retra's latest top-end strobe. It has a redesigned battery compartment and booster, as well as a rear OLED screen added to the back. This is an attractive upgrade for R...
Read More Sea & Sea YS-D3 Duo Underwater Strobe Review
The YS-D3 Duo is the latest strobe from Sea & Sea. This strobe adds Olympus RC automatic TTL flash power, giving you the most accurate automatic flash power ever from a Sea & Sea strobe when s...
Read More The Zen of Underwater Strobe Placement
Over the years I have taught thousands of people how to shoot underwater. By far the number 1 question I am asked is “Where do I put my strobes?” My simple Zen master answer to the student is always, ...
Read More The Best Underwater GoPro Wide Angle Lens & Filter System
Get a significant upgrade in image quality from your GoPro camera with the Backscatter Sharp Wide Lens Pro (SWLP). This optical grade glass wide conversion lens will dramatically increase the sharpnes...
Read More What Is The Best ISO For Underwater Photography & Video?
What is the best ISO for underwater photos and videos? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this question to get their hot-take ...
Read More What Is The Best Shutter Speed For Underwater Photography & Video?
What is the best shutter speed for underwater photos and videos? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this question to get their...
Read More What Is The Best Aperture For Underwater Photography & Video?
What is the best aperture for underwater photos and videos? During The Digital Shootout, we asked a panel of the world’s best underwater photographers and videographers this question to get their hot-...
Read More Strobes vs. Video Lights for Underwater Photography
One of the most common questions at Backscatter is whether you can use video lights instead of strobes for underwater photography. The straightforward answer is that a strobe is always going to be bet...
Read More OM System TG-7 & Olympus TG-6 Review: The Easiest Underwater Compact Camera
We love the OM System TG-7 & Olympus TG-6 cameras for their extremely simple operation, outstanding macro ability, and the great image quality produced in both photo and video. It’s our pick for t...
Read More Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV Underwater Camera & Housing Review
Excellent image quality, more affordable than similar rigs, and compact enough for travelers and novice shooters - is this the new Best Bang For Your Buck in underwater photography? That’s a 10-4, goo...
Read More Nikon Z 8 Underwater Camera Review
In this article, we'll provide an in-depth review of the highly anticipated Nikon Z8 for underwater photography from our first-hand perspective. We’re going to explore and discuss the key aspects...
Read More Sony a7R V Underwater Camera Review
The Sony a7R V is the newest full-frame mirrorless camera from Sony. It’s an all-around serious upgrade for α7 shooters and we dove deep to find what matters most to underwater photo and video shooter...
Read More OM System 90mm Macro Lens Underwater Review
The OM System 90mm Macro Lens provides an all new, greater focal length to use on micro four thirds sensor and lens mount cameras than was previously available. What does this mean for underwater phot...
Read More Nauticam EMWL Underwater Lens Review
The Nauticam EMWL (Extended Macro Wide Lens) is a wet-mounted accessory lens for capturing macro-sized subjects with a wide angle perspective. It features interchangeable objective optics for differen...
Read More Canon R5 vs Canon R5C Underwater Review - The best underwater video camera?
Canon underwater shooters are spoiled for choice at the moment between two great full-frame mirrorless cameras with the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R5C. While these cameras appear similar in both name ...
Read More OM System OM-1 Underwater Camera Review
The OM System OM-1 camera is the latest top-of-the-line flagship Micro 4/3 camera from OM Systems, formerly Olympus. We took the new OM System OM-1 mirrorless camera underwater to the Digital Shootout...
Read More Sony a7 IV Underwater Camera Review
The Sony a7 IV boasts an all-new sensor and other significant performance upgrades from the previous Sony a7 III camera. The “middle” child of the a7 series, the base model has often been looked over....
Read More Nikon Z9 Underwater Camera Review
The Z9 is Nikon’s first foray into a pro-body mirrorless camera. Unlike the company’s pro body DSLRs which mainly concentrated on speed at the sacrifice of resolution, this is the highest resolution p...
Read More Nikon Z7 II Underwater Camera Review
The Nikon Z7 II is a relatively minor - but very welcome - upgrade from the original Nikon Z7. The second generation of Nikon's full frame mirrorless camera has the same image sensor and will pro...
Read More Sony a1 Underwater Camera Review
The Sony a1 on paper looks like the “one” camera to rule them all. With high resolution (50mp), speed (up to 30 fps stills), and 8K 30p/4K 120p video, can this camera live up to being a jack of all tr...
Read More Sony a7S III Underwater Camera Review
The Sony a7S III camera looks and feels similar to other cameras in the a7 series, but under the hood, it is dramatically different. This camera was made for video shooters. The camera allows for shoo...
Read More Best Buoyancy Solutions For Underwater Cameras
Diving with a camera system and shooting underwater images or video is difficult enough. Adding a camera and housing that is too negatively or positively buoyant can turn a fun dive into a challenging...
Read More Sony RX100 VII Underwater Camera Review
On the surface, the Sony RX100 VII looks almost identical to the previous RX100 VI camera. Under the hood, however, it packs a new upgraded sensor and an improved autofocus system. The new autofocus s...
Read More Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens Review
The M52 Wide-Angle Air Lens is a wet-mount wide angle conversion lens designed to work best with Olympus TG series cameras. The lens cancels out refraction and restores the camera’s topside field of v...
Read More Olympus TG-6 and Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light Demo Reel—How it Was Shot
James Emery, manager of the Backscatter Authorized Photo Center at Lembeh Resort, recently shot an amazing demo reel with the Olympus TG-6 and the new Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 light. We sat down wi...
Read More Backscatter Color Filter System—Expanding Your Creativity Underwater
Add a new dimension to your videos and photos with the Backscatter Color Filter System. The Backscatter Color Filter system is compatible with the Backscatter Mini Flash MF-1, Backscatter Macro Wide 4...
Read More Best Underwater Video Light - The Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Has You Covered
The Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light is the ultimate video light for any video or photo shooter. Its compact size is great for travel, it’s versatile for macro and wide shooters, and offers pra...
Read More Backscatter Mini Flash Field Test—What is a Snoot and Why You Need One
The new Backscatter Mini Flash MF-1 and Optical Snoot OS-1 can turbo-charge your macro creativity by isolating subjects and creating a completely new perspective for your shots. We’ll look at side-by-...
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