My Freshwater Ikelite System for Sony a7CR with Ecko Strobes // Bill Hawthorne's Underwater Photography Gear [VIDEO]

Featuring Bill Hawthorne

Bill Hawthorne's Ikelite DLM/A underwater housing and Ecko strobes is ready for anything the Florida springs throw at him. Wide sunlit shots, quick turtles, tiny fish, this setup handles it all. Check out the camera, lens, and techniques that Bill likes to shoot and how Ikelite is there to bring his vision to life.

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I'm Bill Hawthorne and I am a aquatic ecologist with the Florida Springs Institute and an Ikelite Ambassador and we are here in Northern Florida in the highest concentration of freshwater springs in the world and we are going out today to photograph fish, turtles, and whatever else we can find. 

 

Sony a7CR in an Ikelite DLM/A Underwater Housing

Today I'm shooting with the Ikelite DLM/A housing with a Sony a7CR. I do a lot of free diving and this small setup helps move around a lot quicker. 

Whether he's shooting macro shots of minnows or wide angle shots of manatees, Bill uses Ecko Strobes for their power, versatility, and maneuverability. 

 

Ikelite Ecko Strobes

I shoot with Ikelite's new Ecko Strobes, I really love these strobes. They're tiny, they're bright, super easy to maneuver around. Another thing I love about these strobes is that they're great for macro and wide angle. I was using them yesterday shooting little minnows and today to shoot manatees, and it worked fantastic for both.

 

Wide Angle and Macro Lenses Underwater

Then I am using the Sony 16-35mm PZ lens. I really like this lens because it's nice and sharp from center to the side. It's a great kind of overall, generalist lens. But I also often use the Sony 90mm macro lens for smaller fishes. People don't realize but there are a lot of really cool freshwater fish that are quite small and that macro lens can help you get in close and really highlight those unique small animals. 

Shot with the Sony a7CR and FE 90mm F/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens. 1/50 • f/11 • ISO 1000 © Bill Hawthorne 

 

Ikelite DL2 DS Link Sony TTL Converter

In springs I like to shoot with a very slow shutter speed so I can get lots of light and keep my ISO pretty low. With that I've chosen to use the DS Link TTL Converter so I can shoot in rear curtain sync. 

 

Close Focus Wide Angle With Ecko Strobes

I also like to shoot a lot of close focus wide angle (CFWA). And for that I love these smaller Ecko strobes. I can maneuver them and get them right in close near the lens and really highlight that subject. And for those shots I generally shoot very low shutter speeds and try to freeze the object with the flashes but then have enough natural light in the background to create a cool scene.

CFWA and Snell's Window all in one shot in the Florida Springs. © Bill Hawthorne

 

Bill Equipment

• 200DLM/A Underwater Housing for Sony a7CR # 69124
• Sony 16-35mm PZ F/4 Lens
• Sony 90mm F/2.8 Macro Lens
• Ecko DS Underwater Strobe # 40102
• DL2 DS Link Sony TTL Converter # 46043

Additional Viewing

Underwater Photography Tips in Freshwater Florida Springs [VIDEO]

What's in My Underwater Photography Gear Bag // Bill Hawthorne 2026 [VIDEO]

What Secrets Lurk Underwater in the Florida Springs at Night?

Photographing Manatees Underwater in Crystal River, Florida [VIDEO]

From Research to Outreach: Underwater Photography as a Tool for Science

 

  

Bill Hawthorne is an aquatic ecologist specializing in the study of the freshwater springs of Florida. Bill focuses his studies and photography on freshwater species, most notably turtles. By sharing his underwater images, Bill hopes he'll expand his viewers' passion toward these unique environments and animals. Check out more of his work on his website, Instagram @billhawthornephotography, TikTok, and YouTube.