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TimG

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Posts posted by TimG

    3 hours ago, Jim Laurel said:

    Quick follow with the latest from Sony Customer Relations. I replied to their previous email, emphasizing that my wireless module was working with Imaging Edge before the update. Here is their response. Essentially, "You can't prove that your wireless was working before the update, so bugger off."
    -------------------
    "Thank you for contacting Sony. We regret to inform you that no one can verify if the software update caused the issue of your unit and this is considered as a normal out of warranty repair. You may contact Precision Camera Repair 860-272-2100 to get a repair estimate. Thank you.

    Regards,

    Mark
    Sony National Customer Relations"

     

    Nice. Pity he didn't add "have a nice day".

    1 hour ago, CaolIla said:

    Me too  but I don^t plan to change my R5 to the R5II I'm happy with mine setup. I bougth a second (for a good price) as reserve ... juste in case of... then if my first R5 have a problem I don't want to change my housing. It will be very expensive much more as the price I pay for the second R5.
    Now I can have one for under water and the second for over I hope I'll shooting many years with it 

     

    But YES it was eypensive to buy the first setup...   for me after 3 year(?)  It was the good decision to invest on it.

     

     

    I've always thought that going with the two identical camera bodies was a good idea. As you say, Caollla, a backup body but also one for topside shooting when one of them is in the housing. Same lenses, same features, same controls. I did this for Nikon D100, D200, D300... and D800. I must admit though I havn't this time around with the D500. I wanted to go to the Z, mirrorless series for topside and havn't made that jump for underwater - and doubt I will.

    • Like 2

    On 5/2/2024 at 1:31 AM, scuba_jc said:

    Ah yes! That makes sense. One of the compromises going from Nikon to Sony is that they have slower sync speed (although not by much). Didn't know you could adjust fro this on the strobe side. Lots to learn there. Seems the Retras are something I'll need to grow into, cause my skill level is currently will not do them justice. Thanks for the perfect explanation.

     

    Sorry, one thing I forgot to mention: HSS needs a HSS-capable trigger to initiate the strobes and communicate with the camera.

     

    I use the UWT one to talk between a D500 and the Retras and fit in my Subal housing.

     

    So the sync cable goes from the camera's hot shoe to the UWT board which, on initiation, fires LEDs in the bulkheads. That LED flash runs down the fibre initiating the Retras. A dial on the strobes can be set on Manual, TTL or HSS depending on what you want to do - all of which can be changed underwater.

     

    It perhaps sounds complicated but it's not. All pretty simple. Like Chip, I tend to keep my system for a good few years. So if you are setting out and plan to go with a fairly sophisticated system, it's worth factoring in HSS from the get-go rather than spending a good chunk of cash on a system without the capability and then realising you want it!

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    24 minutes ago, scuba_jc said:

    What's HSS? Can someone educate me?

     

     

    High Speed Sync. Think of those situations where you are shooting into the light but want the strobes to light the subject in the foreground. So you set the shutter at a high speed (because of the ambient light) but also need the strobes to sync at speeds above those of the camera's sync speed. So with HSS you can shoot at, say, 1/2000 of s sec and still get the strobes to fire in sync.

     

    I don't think you'd use this very often for macro but I find it very useful for wide-angle shooting where, for example,  you want the sunburst. Here's an example - not a great pic but it gives you the idea. This was shot at 1/320 of a second.

     

    The Retras are superb for this. As Chip says, pricey, but they are really good.

     

     

    TG54589.jpg

    • Like 2

    1 hour ago, Sarthur1 said:

    A little tip I learned about WA- bigger isn't better (dome wise..)

    If you want something nice for traveling then consider fish lens (canon 8-15) and a 100mm / 4.33" dome.

     

    That's a good point. The wide-angle problem is pretty much solved by using a fisheye lens. It works with a small dome which, in turn, makes for easier travel, it's not so expensive (well, ok, an 8-15 isn't cheap!) - and the corners are good.

     

    I know some folks don't like the look of an FE but it solves so many FF wide-angle issues and it's a rare underwater image where the FE effect is really noticeable and distorting. 

    • Like 2

    Hi scuba_jc

     

    Congrats on the new gear. Nice! I'm still a Nikon DX shooter but I hope the following may be a bit of help:

     

    I'd suggest only you can decide whether you should go with macro or wide-angle to start with. You know what types of subject you are likely to see on your dives and what you enjoy photographing. Hard to say which is "easier" to start with. As far as compact size goes, maybe macro is a little more compact if you are going to use a large domeport for wide-angle (see below). More generally, I always reckon that there are more opportunities to shoot macro as you don't need reasonable viz.

     

    A couple of other thoughts:

     

    - mirrorless v DSLR aside, the big difference between DX and FF is the issue of wide-angle lenses. I'm sure you've read here that housing a wide-angle on FF is more complicated and costly than on DX. Maybe you were a Tokina 10-17 shooter (like me) on DX. But that won't work now - on FF or a Sony. If you don't go the wet lens route, (eg the Nauticam ones) you will likely need a big domeport (usually a 230) to house a wide-angle lens and produce reasonable corners. 

     

    - macro: if you've been shooting a macro lens on a DX sensor you will have seen that a 60mm macro lens performs on DX like a 90mm; and a 105mm like a 150mm. So the DX gets you closer and with DX you get greater depth of field. Moving to a FF the depth of field reduces quite considerably for macro and you wo';t get the reach that you had with DX. If you are used to using a 60mm on DX, I'd suggest you need to go for a 105mm length lens on FF.

     

    Whatever you choose, I hope you have fun with it!

    • Like 2

    I'd guess that a firmware update can't "destroy" a transmitter. I bet though it can most certainly stuff it up to make it unusable until the fault is corrected through a further firmware update..... 

     

    Really annoying for Jim and others. ARGGGH. Good though that you got away with it, Massimo!

     

    [Last week I lost completely the mobile signal on my iPhone as a result of a firmware update by the carrier. 4 days of ripping my hair out and cursing all and sundry: Apple, O2..... It needed a new eSIM to fix it] 

    Posted

    For folks who are new to Waterpixels or, more importantly maybe, underwater photography more generally, would anyone like to have a crack at explaining the difference (other than the obvious one!) between front and rear curtain sync? The pros and cons? The why bothers?

     

    It'd make for an interesting read and perhaps shine some light on a slightly obscure avenue.

     

     

    • Thanks 1

    10 hours ago, DiverTess said:

    I’ll be heading to two dive shops next week — one only carries Nauticam, and the other has Ikelite and Isotta, so I’ll go and have a go at which feels better in hand! 

     

    Good luck with it, Tess. I think that'd be quite some interest in what you discover and choose. If you have the time, do post a read out. I really think "feel" is important in the choice.

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