TimG

Hi shokwaav The problem with homemade snoots is the aiming system. I think lots of us have had a go - I used plumbing piping. A really fun project but it's almost impossible to aim the snoot correctly even when the strobe has a focussing light. The best snoot/strobe combinations have a circular flash tube with the focussing light in the centre. (Check out the Retra combination). This is very good for lighting the subject pre-flash and then close to ensuring the strobe light will illuminate the same place. if you can manage that with a homemade system, then you have a fighting chance. Otherwise, frustration lies ahead......

Hi Jallie Great to have you with us. Welcome! We hope you really like Waterpixels.

Hey Wolfgang. You'll appreciate I'm sure that we cannot discuss individual cases, but there are a range of options before "banning". That would be the nuclear, DEFCON 5 option which, we hope, we would never have to use. We really have no wish to act as school prefects.

Folks We have said a good number of times on various threads that posts should be courteous and respectful of members' views. Agree to disagree by all means, but this must not cross the courtesy line. We are concerned by a number of comments in the various posts above. As a result we will be using the sanctions we have available to encourage members to stay within the guidelines. We will be in touch with individual members about this. Again, if you have particularity concerns about views expressed which you feel cross the boundary, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Yeah, very unlikely I'd go down the mirrorless route underwater. I really like the idea of the in-viewfinder review capability but the cost of that upgrade (new body, new housing) would be in the region of, say, $5500 - and frankly, it's just not worth it. And then, as you say, all sorts of problems getting old lenses to work on a new mirrorless body (the Tokina 10-17 especially); plus, I have never yet found my image-taking limited by the capabilities of a D500/Subal/Retra combination.

I'm 7 years into a Nikon D500-based system (so APSC) underwater having downgraded from an FF-based system (Nikon D800). No regrets at all. I just can't see that the FF advantages outweigh the disadvantage underwater. Topside it's a completely different matter and I use FF.

Semtex? Man, what a pain. I've not come across anything that hasn't been suggested already. The only extra thought I did have was whether the construction of the flip holder would allow you take the holder end apart from the lens holder end and, push comes to shove, actually destroy the flip holder. I'd guess (dangerous) that the flip holder can be replaced. It might be worth taking it to a garage where they usual have a good range of gear to get two awkward things apart. But that can be pretty destructive too.

Great to have you with us, Martin. A warm welcome to Waterpixels.

Better late than never, Martin!

I think you guys are built with some form of thermal insulation. I'm cold if the water drops below 28 degrees. And, yes, that would be centigrade.

Hi Hans! A warm welcome to Waterpixels. Great to have you with us. We hope you really enjoy the forum. Diving around Stavanger? Sounds chilly!

I appreciate your concerns guys about all that battery charging with the AAs. I’ve done multiple liveaboard trips carrying 32 AA batteries and two 4x battery USB driven AA chargers. No problem. Using the same charger for my dive light’s 4x AA batteries too. But yeah, let’s see what the Retra guys come up with. I just don’t want to carry another charging unit. But each to his own eh? I appreciate what might work for me is not what everyone might want.

Really great to have you with us! A warm welcome!

I can’t say the combination of a round flash tubbe and the AA battery arrangement has caused me any problems at all with the Retra’s I’ve had. I’ve used them for macro, wide-angle and snooting. For snooting I did find it much better to have the 8 battery arrangement but for “usual” macro and wide-angle. 4 batteries usually covered 2 dives without much of an issue. I can’t argue the technical calculations. I can only report my experience as a user who just wants to take quality images.

But not having a custom battery pack has been one of the many advantages, for me, of the Retras. Charging or obtaining AAs is never a problem. Whilst only using 4xAA could at times, be a challenge depending on circumstances, with 8 installed I’ve never had an issue. I struggle to think of a real life scenario where this would be a show stopper of a problem.

Thanks, Massimo What a loss to the community. His book is the seminal guide. RIP indeed.

Oh wow. Where did you see this, Massimo?

Yep, super pics, Mike. The juvenile frogfish and the backlight one especially. Nice job!

I've not used any of the Sony family. However for APS-C sensors, the Tokina 10-17 is for sure the go-to lens for wide-angle shooting. It works for shots of divers on the reef, wrecks (assuming straight lines are not important) and large critters close-in. As you suggest, the Zen 100 works really well and is a very neat package. Add a Kenko 1.4TC and you're good for CFWA. Pelagics might be a bit trickier (although with the 1.4TC that can work). That said, shooting pelagics with a zoom from a distance isn't great either! I bought a 10-24 for those but can't say it made much difference over the Tokina.

Super pic, Chris! That's Up On The Wall stuff.

Hey Kalle! You've sure come to the right place! Great to have you with us. A warm welcome to Waterpixels. We hope you really enjoy the forum. Best wishes

I do agree on 2x 12” strobe arms being cumbersome especially when getting the system into the water. In addition I found the arm clamps struggle to hold the arms in place even at depth. I’ve always used 2x 8” plus 2x 5” and found this a good combination both for WA and macro. I bought 2x 12” to get more spread. Tried it a couple of times and gave up. I should put them in the Classifieds! I do think though that Klaus should try using his housing to take skiing pics of the family. We would need to see pics of the expressions on family faces….. just for scientific purposes of course.

I find this too, Andrej - also having moved from Inon Z240 to Retra, initially Pro-X. I find even less of a backscatter issue using the Retra reflector attachment.

Thank you for this, Andrej. We believe it a key ingredient of the forum that members treat each with civility and courtesy. People can disagree but this should be done within those principles. Agree to disagree and move on. Like most people, we enjoy and do not discourage amusing banter. We really expect members - who are adults - to understand and appreciate that and not overstep the line. We do have range of sanctions and have and will use them when necessary. As you will appreciate we do not publicise their use. We really hope members are not being put off by some of the exchanges. But if anyone does feel uncomfortable, please let the moderators know.