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TimG

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Posts posted by TimG

    Snorkelling or diving is pretty much the same for splits. You need the camera slightly submerged.

    I thought the swimming bands on the strobe arms a super idea. I did wonder though whether putting the housing on a swimming board would make it difficult to submerge.

    Sitting on the inside of a partially inflated BCD (so sitting on the BCD's back rest) was the method I'd found reasonably effective. You can play around a little to start with increasing the air in the BCD until you get the right level of buoyancy. You can also sort of rest on the BCD and push it down or angle it with your arms.

    12 hours ago, Dave_Hicks said:

    In a few days I am leaving for a three-week trip to Raja Ampat. Nine days at Misool Eco resort, then 9 more days on the Emperor Harmoni liveaboard. I've only been shooting the Maxi's in darker cold water with limited visibility. Using them in bright clear conditions should add some additional perspective and the high dive count will be a good measure of their reliability and battery capacity.

    I'm doing my packing for a trip today and considering what to bring along. My current planned camera loadout is looking like this:

    • Nauticam Z8 system

    • 2 Retra Maxi Strobes

    • 1 Backscatter Atom Strobe with adapted OS-1 snoot

    • 1 Backscatter MF-2 as an additional backup strobe

    • Nikon Z105mm macro lens w/MFO-1

    • Nikon Z24-50mm w/WWL-C

    • Nikon AF-S 8-15mm w/140mm dome

    • Macro setup with the Atom + Snoot for primary, Maxi with macro rings for secondary

    • Wide angle setup with the two Maxi's, optional reduction rings & filters

    I've shot the HF-1s lots of times in these conditions, so I won't bring them on the trip.

    Dave, we were on Harmoni last year. Brilliant! Best liveaboard we’ve done.

    • Like 1

    Well greetings, old chap - and a jolly warm welcome to our august forum (another stereotypical greeting, eh 😉)

    Really great to have you with us, ubiquitous (there's a user name that takes some careful spelling.)

    • Like 1

    Hmmm, not sure I've seen anything I'd call strobe brand bashing. Well not since the old Sea & Sea issue anyway.

    Seems to me these are all perfectly good strobes we're talking about. We all have brand preferences based on personal experience, a specific feature or just their good looks. Producing truly accurate comparisons is incredibly difficult given the vagaries of environment, set up, batteries etc. Some amazing work has been posted here by folks who have put hours of work and thought into testing - for which, massive thanks.

    After that, yeah, I'm sure one can be tweaked slightly differently from another. But aren't we getting a bit beyond the point? Take your pictures and enjoy them. No matter how perfect the bit of gear might be, something underwater is going to lead to some sort of degradation in perfomance.

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1

    27 minutes ago, bvanant said:

    I did get an offer for the camera plus housing for like $400 (with ports but no lenses) and said sorry but not worth packing it up. Ended up donating it.

    I think Bill sums it up nicely!

    • Like 1

    Hi Kristin

    Over the last 25 years I've bought and sold more housing/cameras than is sane.

    As Chris says, it's not a happy process even when, as in each case for me, the camera and housing were in perfect condition and even when only one generation old. If you get 40% of the original value, by my experience, you have done incredibly well. 25%-30% seemed the norm. But then maybe I'm a lousy salesman.

    I think there comes a point where no matter how good the technology, it is way better than an individual's ability to use it. I'm a very happy owner of a Nikon D500/Subal housing which I have been using since 2017. Old technology for sure but, I have to ask myself, is there anything that this system stops me from doing or frustrates me? Ideally, yes, I'd love to have in-viewfinder review which mirrorless provides (I shoot a lot of macro/snoot so not moving my eye from the viewfinder would be great). But the cost of that one small upgrade would be crazy: new body, new housing - I suspect new lenses: $10k. Really?

    I'm amongst the worst when it comes to a love of new, shiny toys. But there comes a point where my better angel screams, "you are kidding, right?"

    • Like 3
    • Haha 1

    Hmmmmm…….. any chance you could post a pic of you holding the camera in the housing in your usual vertical framing position? Doesn’t need to be underwater. I’m trying to figure out why the angles are a problem.

    • Like 1

    I’m intrigued by this. It’s an issue I’ve never noticed- although, I do occasionally find I have to tilt my head slightly to avoid blowing bubbles where they can be unhelpful.

    Annoying indeed. Assuming you're right handed, Jeanie, is your reg coming over your right shoulder? Kristin’s idea of adding a swivel is a neat one.

    And by my experience, there is no such thing as a dumb question. I’ve heard some dumb answers though…..

    • Like 3
    • Haha 1

    It'a bit like that classic dive saying: "I'd rather be up here wishing I was down there - than being down there wishing I was up here......

    Yeah, really annoying if you don't have it when you need it. On the other hand, I find it depends on what lens you're using and the camera's low-light capability. I find with a Nikon D500 and a 60mm lens I very rarely need a light. However, switch to a 105mm and the usage gets a bit more.....

    • Like 1

    A quick translation:

    Hello, it would be interesting to return to this topic, unfortunately we can no longer access wetpixel to read those articles, my experience with the 160 pro (opto kit) at the moment is not being good, the person in charge of Subtronic is friendly and correct, shipments to Germany are expensive and repairs take a long time, it is a shame because the quality of construction is exceptional, small companies in the EU tend to disappear, the Chinese market absorbs everything, if you have any problem they send you directly a new flash, without protesting, while it is under warranty, then if it breaks you can throw it away directly since here in Spain it is almost impossible to find a General technician who repairs underwater flashes... very unfortunate but that's how the market is today.. the more electronics and components the more probability of failures,, I started with nikonos, that if they were good flashes that did not give problems,, the 105 was the star, and then the ys250 pro and the ys 300 of sea sea were wonderful,, tempus fujit as the king of the Bible said... this will never be the same anymore.....use and throw away, there is the business....

    I'm sorry to be so fatalistic but it's been more than 40 years in the fotosub world and I've been through almost everything... greetings.

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