dhaas

If going with a housed lens (versus a wet lens) I'd recommend only two choices. FYI - I'm an APS-C shooter having never pulled the $$$$$ trigger for Full Frame......Just not worth it to me and I print some big prints occasionally that look fine at viewable distances. Buy a Canon 8-15mm F4L Fisheye (plenty of clean used ones are out there for good prices) or the get newest Canon RF 15-30mm IS STM lens, also a bargain if you prefer rectilinear or like me want lenses to use above water. Either choice with a correctly specified dome port will make great images....... Only corner pixel peepers who insist on shooting nothing less that f11-22 may find "deficiencies". You will drive yourself crazy overanalyzing differences never visible in your final photos...... I've shot Sigma 15mm Fisheye on Nikon and Canon bodies, the oldest Canon 15mm Fisheye and a friend's borrowed Canon 8-15mm L F4 Fisheye. They all can deliver great images. The newest rectilinear WA choices (Canon 15-30mm for Full Frame and RF-S 10-18m IS STM for APS-C) are also great and will serve as great surface photography lenses. I apologize if this sounds dismissive but I've never understood how the insane corner sharpness issue has been discussed to death for awhile now.....Especially considering some of the high megapixel cameras people shoot with !!!!! Just crop it a bit if you find anything objectionable for your final image! You'll still have a big enough file for any printing, publication use, etc. Good luck with your Marelux housed Canon R6 II ! David Haas Canon EF 8-15mm L F4 Fisheye shots from long ago.....I used my lowly APS-C Canon T4i in an Ikelite housing and small 6" dome port.

While I shot a pair of Ikelite Ecko Fiber strobes with my APS-C Canon R100 system the RC capability built in and light weight of the Ecko Fiber make it a good possible choice. https://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-photography-special-features/article/shooting-ikelite-ecko-fiber-strobes-roatan-honduras/ Just a thought :) David Haas

As a "think out of the box" idea I wonder if a simple gauge pump to use if an electronic monitoring system dies might work in a pinch? I had the Nauticam system on my Nauticam NA-R50 housing and it worked fine.....My current low cost Ikelite DLM housing has a simple mechanical valve and uses this pump......I was initially reluctant but after months of use I like the simplicity of the whole arrangement..... Seal your housing, pump to a number (10 in my experience) and check the gauge in 5 - 30 minutes or even overnight. If the gauge reads the same number your housing is holding vacuum :) Granted it's not an electronic monitoring set up with LEDs, etc. but if traveling far away and your vacuum set up croaks I wonder how difficult it would be to create a seal on the hose and check your housing? Just a thought...... IkeliteVacuum Pump with GaugeA vacuum leak detection system allows you to check for leaks after assembling your housing and prior to entering the water. This can make the difference between a successful dive and a stressful situa

To Dave Hicks and Gary R and others.... Absolutely global decline with water warming to previously unheard of levels is affecting coral worldwide. My only point was that posts basically telling people don't go here, there or anywhere may not be realistic. I doubt there's anywhere left on the planet untouched by global climate change both land and sea. I can look at my first digital photos (below) from 2001 shooting a lowly 3.3MP Nikon Coolpix 990 in Papua New Guinea and see the decline of reefs and all too. Doesn't make me happy either....... I'd say do what you want and share your thoughts, but me? I'm still going diving (and photographing) since I'm lucky to be able to at my age :) DH

I think the problem is people keep wanting to compare fabulous Pacific dive spots to the Caribbean.... They're two world apart destinations, different amount of population, infrastructure and more....Each will be different plus the time since someone visited last and other factors will influence one's opinion. I could dive the same island year after year and each trip will have different temperature, visibility, animal encounters, etc. Example: The Mantas at "Manta Point" won't necessarily get your memo of taking a week from work or life and you'll be arriving !!!!! LOL......Plus who knows WHEN a site got named that and by whom....... After 5 decades I just go underwater and LOOK AROUND......There's always something to see and enjoy :) Just get out there and photograph at any level of competence and desire....... You're sure to have fun with that approach !!! DH Some old guy still traveling and enjoying the ocean world :)

My dive buddy Nemrod and I dived Roatan in October and despite all of the Caribbean being "less lush and pristine" I still saw and photographed plenty of life...... This year I've been diving for 55 years and recall when the Caribbean was pristine. I think one has to be realistic on a planet trying to support 8 Billion people that it's not going to be the same as 10-20-30+ years ago. Many divers just starting the last couple decades may not have the means to go to Asia, the Red Sea, Maldives, Australia, Philippines, Indonesia or Maldives which all can be "less than people recall back in the day". My 11 year old grandson rolls his eyes telling me; "Grandpa, no one wants another story from back in the day!" LOL...... The Caribbean is still worth diving and fun to photograph underwater. :) Just one old guy's opinion! David Haas

I've seen lots of scuba and other tools confiscated if in your carry on bags. Some valid (cutting devices, Leatherman or Swiss Army / Victorinox tools that have some type of a blade and even 6" or so adjustable crescent wrench in Egypt from a fellow diver a few years ago. I never put tools in a carry on. Just pack any in your checked luggage and sort it out once at your destination would be my recommendation. YMMV...... David Haas Photo of me shot by my Roatan dive buddy Nemrod :)

Amigos, Here's a short take on Ikelite's newest small but powerful fiber optically triggered TTL flash. Enjoy! David Haas DivePhotoGuideShooting the Ikelite Ecko Fiber Strobes in Roatán

I think if shooting with strobe(s) which I do and don't do depending on my mood many shooters dismiss slower and less "PRO" labeled lenses without trying them. At f8 being a sweet spot and modern cameras being so much better at ISO400 and above lightweight mid-zoom or "kit lenses" should be given serious consideration IMHO. Lighter weight and lower cost make many a good choice and I've used many successfully over decades. If you're a full frame shooter the mentioned Canon 24-105mm slower lens might be worth picking up! David Haas Here's a couple over 20 year old shots. I used a Canon Digital Rebel XT or XTi, Canon 18-55mm IS lens in an Ikelite housing with 6" dome port and a single Ikelite DS125 strobe. First pic might have been with a Canon 10-22mm EF-S lens....That shark had likely been hooked via a long line and broke free. Bite marks might have made it prey to other sharks (just guessing???)

Depending on what tray you have (preferably a dual handle one) here's a couple low cost solutions. 1) Simply thread some long cable ties (like 6" regulator mouthpiece ones) through the base plate center and a 1-2 lb. weight underneath the housing when you get to your dive location. 2) If enough room buy one of the trim weight pockets for BCDs or weight belts and put that under your housing tray. That has the advantage of sliding various weights into it and cushions the underside a bit. https://www.scuba.com/p-xssqawp/xs-scuba-quick-attach-single-weight-pocket?msclkid=20ce4040d442165e847328f09f4aba2e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Scuba.com%20-%20US%20-%20P-Max%20-%20Categories%20-%20Scuba%20Gear%20(All%20Visitors)%20700%25&utm_term=2329109226044619&utm_content=P-Max%20-%20Categories%20-%20Scuba%20Gear&gclid=20ce4040d442165e847328f09f4aba2e&gclsrc=3p.ds&gad_source=7&gad_campaignid=22673310953 Just a couple ideas! David Haas

As Tim states Full Frame sensor cameras behind any dome will "challenge" sharpness out the edges. Larger 230mm domes at 15-30mm will be a bit sharper at f8-16 but still I wouldn't count on a huge difference. My advice with gear you have: Shoot with the dome and extension you have if that's what Seafrogs recommends for your particular lens. At 15mm for divers, wide scenics, etc. stop down to maybe f8 - 11...... You didn't say if those were shot only ambient light or with a strobe(s). For over / under shots a larger dome is preferred. You can "cheat" with your smaller dome port. Use f16-22 focussing on the underwater portion then bringing the dome up to get above and below in reasonable focus but all larger dome ports will work better..... Zoomed to 30mm I'd shoot only critters down to maybe 5" long or so. Macro tiny critters will be easier with a longer focal length preferably a dedicated macro lens and flat port. Or shoot what you have an crop and sharpen in post for online sharing. Here's a couple photos of the kiddos in a pool. Canon R100 APS-C sensor 24 MP camera and RF-S 10-18mm lens (equal to 16-28.8mm on my camera.) Used in the Ikelite DLM housing and compact dome port with pair of the new Ikelite Ecko strobes on TTL using the housing's Fiber Optic TT5 transmitter. Good luck! David Haas

Oh how bghazzal writes what I believe too! I look back at every path I RAN down for the next shiny toy I imagined would propel my images into the stratosphere :) Only to end up selling 90+% off after frustrating myself....... Once you find your magic formula of shooting (style or whatever you want to call it) just go spend more team diving and shooting. In 1990 when Phil Rudi, I and a few others got to spend 5 days with David Doubilet in West Palm Beach one evening at dinner I believe one thing he said stuck with me. He was talking about what National Geographic gave shooters once committed to a story. "Time in the water was more valuable than anything else." That idea has stuck with as I traveled, photographed, sold photos, used them to promote hosted trips and more. I"m lucky to been diving long enough through the go go years of scuba growth. Dive computers, BCDs, better thermal insulation and especially digital imaging.....I could go on and on all I've seen in 55 years of diving. It still thrills me keeping me enthusiastically "in the game". I won't fault anyone buying what they want, but when I see many continue to be "getting ready" and never using said equipment enough to get their desired images or videos it does sadden me a bit. So get out there more :) David Haas

Having always stayed at APS-C or under for my UW photographic pursuits I do find many in the tiny UW imaging world always waiting for the "next big thing". This despite current equipment having incredible AF and exposure, large file sizes and capability for any creativity....I see many miss just jumping in to go have fun shooting...... Scroll down on one of my favorite web sites read daily. Ken Rockwell's Aug. 7th post on getting what you want NOW rings true in my book...... https://kenrockwell.com/tech/00-new-today.htm I'm happy with my choices and continue to get outfitted and dive having fun shooting underwater as often as possible. I learn something new (and challenge myself) every time I get below the surface with a camera....... Just one old guy's opinion :) David Haas Here's one example: Diving our local quarry last Sunday the "hazy" 4' - 6' of visibility didn't stop me from trying various techniques. I'm a wide to medium shooter these days anyway meaning get close! Canon R100, RF-S 10-18mm IS lens, Ikelite DLM housing with compact 6" dome port. Shot with ambient light plus a few with a pair of 2,000 lumen Orcatorch video lights not effective past maybe 2' in daylight LOL...... I edited them after "pinging" some files to my iPhone directly from my Canon R100. The iPhone only SeaReal App for color with the one slider then 45 additional seconds per photo using Apple's Photos App included with every Apple / Mac product :)

Elie Masbanji is in California USA. He bought several Nikonos items from me over the years and a nice guy. He's also pretty adept at disassembling them and repairs. tallnsmall2010@gmail.com 818) 309-7673‬

I've tried it with hard wired older Ikelite TTL and current sTTL (Inon) and a few other sTTL / TTL systems. Unless in a bright almost surface condition like Chip and Chris refer to better to pick a fixed ISO then sTTL / TTL will do it's thing better. Of course this is based on f-stop, strobe to subject distance, individual subject reflectivity, etc. It's also easier to change ISO on modern mirrorless cameras up or down a bit then continually changing shutter speed / f-stops once you've set up for depth of field, etc. DH Photo of me in Alexander Springs April, 2025 taken by my friend and PRO UW photographer Paul Rudin :)