Big and Small with Dustin Adamson

Dustin Adamson · Issue 143, Mar/Apr 2025 · pp. 42–46

Products mentioned: Canon EOS R5 C, Canon 5D II, Canon 1DX II, Canon 1DX III, Nauticam NA-R5C Underwater Housing, Nauticam NA-502S Housing, Canon RF 100mm f2.8 L Macro lens, Canon RF 14-35mm f4 L Lens, Nauticam SMC-1 Super Macro Converter Lens, Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Lights, Backscatter Optical Snoot OS-1, Xit 404 Tripod Legs, Adobe Premiere

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 and workflow for creating stunning underwater films. Q: What’s your Current Primary Camera System? A: Previously I have worked with the Canon 5D II, Canon 1DX II, and Canon 1DX III cameras. In the last year I have moved to the Canon EOS R5 C which I LOVE! The ability to utilize Canon’s custom white balance through pressing just 1 button is a huge deal for me and my wide angle work. In my opinion, Canon has the best underwater color of any camera out there. Having one button to achieve correct white balance at depth has really been a game-changer for me. The 8K RAW isn’t something I use a lot of, but it is nice to have when a shot calls for that type of flexibility in post as well as extra reso…