Wetpixel Forums

For sale: Ikelite system for Olympus E-330

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:32:32 -0800

Ikelite 6853.30 housing for Olympus E-330 $1000 Still in box from Ikelite service
Olympus E-330 dSlr with live view $250
Olympus 50mm f/2.0 $325
Ike lens port 5502.41 for 50mm $75
Olympus 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5 $500 used once
Ike 8"dome assembly 5510.24/5510.45 $355 used once
Sigma 105mm $375 used once
Ike port 5505.58 $75 used once
Olympus EX-25 $100
Woody's diopter $50
Ikelite DS-51 strobe (2) $250 (each)
Synch cords
Ikelite 4103.52 $100
Ikelite 4103.51 $50
Ikelite 4118.1 $50
I would really like to sell all at once, as you can tell form the pricing. Will part out
Thanks

FS: Two Ikelite DS-125 Substrobes with Ultralight Arms

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:15:51 -0800

Selling two Ikelite DS-125 Substrobes (serials 13520 and 13529), each with an Ultralight buoyant arm. Each arm has two 8" buoyant segments (DB-B08) with three clamps (AC-CSB), a strobe adapter (AD-125) and release handle base adapter (BA-IK or BA-IKT -- I have one of each, you choose). This equipment is two years old (about 40 saltwater dives), in excellent condition (nearly like new) and works beautifully.

I'll sell one or both sets: one for $860 or both for $1650.

Also selling a dual TTL sync cord (superb condition): $130

...and a Smart Charger (like new): $80

...and a spare battery module (like new): $140.

need help with lense flare

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:04:30 -0800

Hi all i need some help whith my new lense i bought. It is a fantasea big eye wide angle. i am using a G10 with ys-27dx the problem is i am getting lense flair in the corners. I am using it in verry clear water if that helps?

Equipment for Nikon D60

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:30:41 -0800

Hello,
I am going on a trip to the Maldives (mostly snorkeling). I would like some advice on gear please.
I currently have a Nikon d60 with the Nikkor 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses and also a Tamron 18-270mm lense. I was wondering whether I should expand on that or start from scratch (with a new camera) as I am not sure how suitable D60 is for underwater (and any of the lenses). Apart from housing (which one is recommended?), I probably need micro/macro/wideangle lense (lenses?) and reading up online, there seem to be many choices. What about flash?
If any of you are using D60, I would be very interested to know what equipment you use in addition (and for what reason). I am just looking to take decent photos, nothing too fancy/complicated. So a compromise/all-round gear is probably what I am looking for.
Many thanks in advance,
maldives

Philippines with Sea Explorers

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:51:22 -0800

In October a group of 14 South Africans from Cape Town embarked on the long haul to Cebu in the Philippines. The plan was for 10 days diving spread over 4 different resorts, and was organised with Sea Explorers. The first few days was spent at Turtle Bay Resort, Moalboal, diving the reefs and walls there and at Pescador Island. The next stop was Pura Vida Resort at Dauin, where the diving alternated between magnificent wide angle dives at Apo Island and muck dives on the house reefs. After that it was off to Alona Beach and diving at Balicasag Island. The last resort was at Cabilao and was mainly wall diving for macro subjects.

This was the first group of South Africans that Sea Explorers have hosted and hopefully we did not do too much damage to our reputation! It was an awesome trip and the diving is world class. Many thanks to Bruno, Ayog, Edgar and all the other dive guides, boat crew and staff for making our stay such a pleasant one.

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=12950

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=12951

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=12952

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=12949

More pictures can be seen at Flickr!

Regards
Jean.

Traveling with redundant photo gear: what do others do?

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:39:49 -0800

My question to you guys is: how much "backup" or redundant photo gear do you carry with you when on an extended trip that's important to you to shoot pictures? What are the most important pieces of back-up gear to have, in your opinion? What's most vulnerable to failure?

I've happened to be on the same trip with a few professionals (e.g., Cathy Church, Tim Rock, others) who had at least two complete identical set-ups with them. Housing, camera, strobes, cords, not sure about redundant lenses or ports. This struck me as extreme, until last week...

The context for my question is that: last week in Bimini Bahamas, I had my first true housing malfunction (not that it really matters - an old-school Canon 5D in the Sea & Sea housing). Water leaked into the finder of the housing. Let me be clear - not actually through the o-ring that seals the finder into the back of the housing, but actually through the finder itself. When I examined it closely, there was a "ding" on one side of the finder which I believe had impaired the seal of the glass on the outside of the finder, and made it no longer pressure proof and allowed water to slip in. I was p***ed because I'd spent a bunch of money to go to Bimini, with the goal of shooting wild dolphins, and didn't have a workable photo setup, and no real way to remedy the situation. I actually figured out something of DIY workaround but it was far from ideal.

So the question occurred to me - given enough money to buy the equipment and to ship it with you, a good remedy is to carry a back-up. Spare parts like o-rings, plus a redundant housing, camera, sync cords, maybe even an extra strobe all seem obvious to ensure that you can shoot. But how far do you go with this - e.g., lenses themselves, lens ports? It is conceivable you could lose a port if you or the deck hand drops the thing on the port and cracks it. If you only have 1 dome port and you need to shoot wide angle, then your photography is done even if you have a spare housing. Similarly, if you flood one housing and damage your wide angle lens, you're done shooting even if you have a spare housing and camera!

Or alternatively, are failures of some things conceivable but so unlikely that the expense to mitigate it just isn't worth it?

One could go crazy (and maybe bankrupt) thinking about scenarios and carrying the backups necessary to mitigate them - so would love to get a sense of what you all think about this and what if anything you actually do about it in practice.

Strobe for Panasonic LX3 with Subtronic S6 Bulkhead

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:17:05 -0800

Hi there,

Please excuse me, I have done a search for LX3 and don't appear to have come up with anything so I am probably doing it wrong in some way...

Could anyone help me on what would be a good strobe to use with the above combo?

Please be kind as I have not a clue about photography.

Thanks and best wishes,

Maria

Light & Motion with Sony HDR-CX520 housing

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:51:00 -0800

I just got back from Dema and got to see the new Light & motion CX-520 housing. Pictures below of the housing and the new sunray 2000 lights.

The guys at light and motion demoed the one touch feature and it was great to see it done at the push of one button. One of the guys has dove the xr520, the new canon and the cx520. He said the new canon white balances deeper than the XR at depth and the new CX white balances deeper than the canon (he was talking in the 60' range). He also stated the camera is real nice with the new user interface.

The housing looks great with out the side window and joy stick hanging out of it. This camera had the OLED display and looked great. I was told the OLED have been corrected with the color problems underwater as to early models.

On display were the new suray 2000 light, WOW they are so much smaller in lenth and almost 3/4 pounds lighter each. ( sales rep claim) They look like the 1000's in size. I also noticed the batteries looked shorter and fits under the housing better. When I saw the Bluefin housing at BTS the batteries looked to stick past the front of the housing by a couple inches with the sunray 2000's.

About the camera from Cnet
".The two models, which differ only by built-in memory--the 500V has 32GB while the 520V includes 64GB--use the same Exmor-R back-illuminated sensor and G-series 12X zoom lens as the XR versions, so we expect them to deliver the same high-quality video, and both retain the novelty geotagging capability for video and new Active SteadyShot image stabilization for use while walking. For the newer models, Sony has made some much-needed improvements to the user interface, as well as added another axis (roll) of electronic image stabilization. The CX500V/CX520V retain a manual control dial, although it's in the back of the unit rather than on the lens barrel. Other enhancements: Face Touch for face detection, the capability to upconvert to 60p playback when connected to a TV via HDMI and in-camcorder downconverting to MPEG-2 (for direct-to-DVD transfers)."

Startfishes wave. Sligo, Ireland

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:03:48 -0800

Hi there!

This week was found over a beach in Sligo thousands of starfishes. They speak about a mini tsunami that pulled out them. starfish news

Does anybody know something more about it?

And does anybody know why there are so many starfishes in Ireland water? (population and different species)

Who are they predators?

Thanks!

Maria

fs: canon 500d + ikelite housing + ds160 with sync cord

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:03:28 -0800

For sale:
canon 500d, ikelite housing and ds160 flash. All in exellent condition. Prefferably sold together (canon and housing), but may be sold seperatly. Make a good offer.
For pictures or questions, mail me

Which compact (and housing) for macro?

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:05:31 -0800

A friend asked me today which non-DSLR camera she should buy for underwater macro as she wants to upgrade after flooding her camera (my old Powershot S50 system), but I'm not really up to date on the compacts so I need some help from the knowledgeable folk on this forum.

She still has the two Inon Z240 type 2 strobes and two of the 67mm thread Inon macro lenses so ideally it would be a camera and housing that will accommodate these. She mainly shoots macro although she does still have the Inon wide angle lens (UWL 165?) as well.

Any suggestions would be appreciated as she is without internet access at the moment.

La Paz Video

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:17:26 -0800

Here is the video I finally finished editing and putting music to from a recent trip to La Paz, Mexico. Any comments/feedback would be appreciated:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rqrikUiigE

One sap-sucking slug? One Flatworm?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:23:01 -0800

Hi guys,

Been trying to identify these two little fellows, but I have had no luck. Maybe one of you encountered one or both of them.

My guess for that one is that it might be a flatworm sp., or a pleusobranchus sp. (maybe a juvenile - but I cannot see antennae)

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=12947

My guess for that one is that it might be a sap-sucking sea slug, but have not found any sp name yet.

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=12948

Cheers

Daniel

Wanted: Housing for Canon 5D Mark II

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:27:12 -0800

I'm a D/L (dry land) photographer looking to work U/W. I do fine art, b&w work and would like to find a housing for my Canon 5D Mark II.

I don't know enough to really know what I want, but it will be available light, manual mode, and moderate depths (under 100 feet) and I'd like to use my 24-105.

Anyone have such equipment they'd like to sell or recommend or even rent?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I need the gear soon.

Thanks.

Cole Thompson
www.ColeThompsonPhotography.com

Socorro

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:40:48 -0800

Planning on diving Socorro soon...Anyone have an opinion on which is a better operation...Solmar or Nautilus Explorer?

Thanks!

Mike

New 7D Review up on DPReview

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:36:00 -0800

The first real data is in, Check out the review here;

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/

The short version;
"It offers excellent image quality in all shooting situations and an impressive speed of operation, combined with very good build quality and ergonomics. Both its specification and the results of our testing make it a very easy recommendation."

Have fun!
Steve

I'm famous...at least in China (8-page PhotoWorld article)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:08:00 -0800

A few months ago, I was approached (via e-mail) by someone claiming to be editor of a Chinese photography magazine called PhotoWorld. He had clearly spent a great deal of time on my website and wanted to do an article about my underwater photography!

They didn't offer much money, but I figured it would still help the charity I'm supporting with my photography, so - even though I'd never heard of the magazine - I decided to do it, and just hope it was legit. I answered a bunch of questions by e-mail, sent him the images he requested, and - lo and behold - a few weeks later received in the mail a nice glossy magazine with an 8-page article in it!

You can see the article here, along with a rough English translation.

Because it was my grinning shark photo that got his attention in the first place, I had an opportunity to answer a few questions about sharks. Trying to do my small part to raise awareness (especially in China!) of the plight of sharks in general, my answer to one of his questions (that was used in the article) included the following:

"Unfortunately the world�s shark populations are being
decimated as shark fins are cut off to meet people's demand for shark fin soup - sharks are caught
by ships, their fins cut off and the live sharks thrown back in the water to die. I very much hope
that my photos can help people to understand this horrific act, and influence people to no longer
eat shark's fin soup, so that the dwindling number of shark species can recover."

DEMA 2009 live coverage!

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:06:28 -0800

After working for nearly 12 hours after dinner last night, Matt Segal, Richard Remski and I have completed the first phase of DEMA 2009 coverage. 29 booths are featured in day 2's coverage. We'll continue to cover the show as we have time to do so!

First booth coverage:
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/dema-2009-d...erage-insanity/

ATTENTION TO ALL NEXUS USER

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:25:16 -0800

DEAR ALL,
I JUST FLOOD MY 5D MK2 Yesterday during my first dive in similans.
I've use Nexus from 1996 from nexus f90 to master ,D70 and D200 in Digital era and never been lost any camera .
This October Canon Thailand ask me to represent Canon and switch me from Nikon to canon 5D mk 2
So i bought Nexus 5D MK 2 for my Canon.
I got almost every port in M5 but I don't know why Nexus change from M5 to M6 (only for some stupid bigger lens )
I check in their official website that adapter from M6 to M5 cannot use with Big dome port like FP230-5 FP170-5 AND FP160-5
But on the second remark they said that for NF15-5 (small dome that use with sigma 15mm can use with this adapter but can not
put Dome shade in.
So I have done the most stupid thing in my life I put my 5D MK2 in Nexus housing with M6-M5 Adapter and put NF15-5 Dome port on without Dome shade.
It's seem to be OK in first 20 meters but when I see a small droplet on back of housing I try to get back to surface immediately after a few seconds from first droplet on the way back to surface seawater trap in my Nexus 5D MK2 i see that flash pop out and then monitor black out and soon water trap in side my 5d mk 2 .
these all happen in just a few seconds . I've been minor leak a fews time in my F90 and D200 housing but this time is totally flood
and I lost my 4000 USD camera before I can reach surface .
I sending my camera to Canon and I think it can not fix and it's not canon fault at all.
i think it's my fault because i'm not check housing before put camera inside but most of minor leak is not flood and I never lost any camera so I didn't test
but I think Nexus should be wrong to put fault information in their official website too. (you can check in www.anthis.co.jp)

Schooling bait at Catalina Is. Video

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:12:21 -0800

Here's a link to a new video short, showing some schooling anchovies that I saw on a recent dive at Eagle Reef. Eagle Reef is located at Catalina island in California.