Troporobo

Guys - Thanks a lot for the super helpful advice! Ben - Do you recall the focal length used for your video? You got some great action. John - Nice shots and very helpful ti pre-visualize focal lengths. You’re almost right, I would be using the 8mm FE and 12mm rectilinear, as both work well in the mini dome and one tiny extra lens is manageable. Tim - I’ll be diving the day before the new moon so maybe there’s a chance to see the bumpheads in action, to contribute to your proposed “fans only” mating thread!

Hola UW comrades - I’m heading to Palau the week after next for work, and because of the flight schedule from my location, I’ll have two days of diving, one each before and after the week’s business, three dives each day. I’ve read everything I can find online about the typical land-based trips and have booked my two days with an operator. Now I need advice to strategize my photo gear. What I don’t have a grasp of is the minimal viable photo setup, which I need to optimize to incorporate into luggage for a work trip. My usual setup isn’t possible as I will start on a small plane with a strict 7 kg limit for my carryon. I am at heart a macro photographer trying to learn wide angle and CWFA. I am leaning toward minimal WA only, with a fisheye and a wide rectilinear that both work in the same dome port. Given the less than ideal season, I’m concerned that any pelagics won’t be close enough for that setup, but I don’t have a better idea. I’m OK with winging it, but if anyone has advice it will be most welcome! Robert

The third link that I posted will show weight and give a clunky size comparison of body+lens combos. The permutations created by adding housings and ports would increase the task by an order of magnitude or more!

There are several camera size comparison tools available online: https://pxlmag.com/db/camera-size-comparison https://camerasize.com/compare/ https://cameradecision.com/size-comparison/7zSI-vXzL

Great info, thanks a lot!

That’s a fabulous image! The composition is a perspective I’ve not imagined before. Well done. But I’m struggling to imagine the lighting to make it so smooth and even without harsh shadows. Please give some hints!

Volivoli is a beautiful resort with a very high caliber dive operation and a great camera room, although the groups on the boat can be larger than I like. It’s not cheap, but the best option for diving the Bligh Water without a liveaboard. Over on the Rainbow Reef, Taveuni Dive Resort and Paradise Taveuni both get good reviews. I’ve not been to either. There’s also the Cousteau Resort for legacy cachet and other resorts around Savusavu but the boat trips are longer from there. There are lots of reviews over on ScubaBoard. On Kadavu, there’s a range of prices, from Oneta and Matava up to Kokomo. The attraction out there is oceanic mantas from about June to October. That’s going to be my trip next year.

I’d like to offer a quick additional insight. Tonga, like many south Pacific destinations, is a developing country with many local tourism operators still learning the ropes of international marketing. Many will deliver a great experience but have an amateur internet presence, or even none at all. Email and even phone calls may work better than websites. The slick websites are often run by overseas operators, though to be fair, some may be palangis (non-Polynesians) who’ve dedicated their lives and investments to the place. I know it’s difficult to judge from afar, and a risk, but sometimes the more local the presence the more authentic the experience. As always, your mileage may.

I have not been to Tonga for the whales yet, so I can’t recommend an operator. Here are some useful links. I’ve been sending inquiries to the the operators directly, rather than packaged tour operators, to ask for rates and availability for next year. The first link lists all of the licensed operators. https://tongapocketguide.com/the-guide-to-whale-swimming-in-tonga/ https://tongapocketguide.com/10-best-whale-swim-tours-in-vavau/ https://tongatourism.travel/swim-with-whales/

Davide, that’s always the big question for any destination, right? I’m planning a week to be safe, but I’ve heard three days is also OK. During the season there are lots of whales, and weather should be mild, but you never know when planning a year in advance. For me the extra few days is not an huge addition compared to the total cost and time of the trip. Regular hotels are around USD 150-200, there are a couple more expensive options, and some cheap homestays. Boat trips are around USD 250 a day. Daily costs on the ground are reasonable. Most operators want to sell a package for multiple days accommodation and swimming which run a bit more expensive but it’s possible to put it together yourself. Costs in Tongatapu and Vava’u are a bit more, in ‘Eua a bit less. As for getting there, depending on your route, it may be necessary to overnight in Tongatapu before a domestic flight to Vava’u or ‘Eua and those are typically not cheap. It’s better to get a direct flight from Fiji or Auckland.

I’m planning a visit to Tonga for next season so have been researching also. I have the advantage of working with a colleague from there who has a relative in the humpback swimming business, and I’ve been to Tongatapu and Vava’u before. In addition to the excellent info in the website that Chris posted I can add a couple of things. First, everyone wants to go to Vava’u. It is certainly the most scenic part of the country with the best tourism infrastructure and most activities when you’re not swimming. It is also the most crowded during whale season. The rules restrict the numbers of boats and swimmers near the whales, and there are complaints about needing to wait your turn. That can happen anywhere of course, but is more likely in the more popular spots. That also means you need to book well in advance. It’s already tight for 2026. Second, it’s worth considering ‘Eua as an alternative. It’s less busy, but still good for swimming with whales. But there’s also less to do out of the water. Finally, tourism infrastructure and accommodation is basic compared to Fiji or French Polynesia. Domestic flights are less than reliable so it’s good to allow for flexibility in the itinerary. Tonga is an authentic South Pacific experience that operates on island time. Personally I love it there but it’s not for 5 star resorts. Adjust expectations accordingly!

The ruling has been issued. I am impressed and a little surprised that the ICJ ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. Big congrats to the island countries that did so much to get this result! I really enjoyed the photos and videos of some people I’ve worked with over the years making their statements there. I’m less optimistic that the countries causing the most damage will do much in response, but it’s a positive step nonetheless.

Nicely done, Ben! Thanks for sharing

It seems that we’ve confirmed one thing - the LM3 is not consistent!

OK, perhaps I can redeem myself from the last silly post and report real test results . . . I used an Olympus OM-D E-M1 mk II with a freshly charged Olympus battery and a brand new FL-LM3 flash set on 1/64 manual and shooting the lowest resolution JPEG files available. I set the shutter to sequential low which is 10 frames per second, then started shooting. I got 180 frames without a single blackout before the flash stopped firing and showed the red lighting bolt symbol to indicate it was recharging the capacitor. I was able to achieve the same result three times in a row after pausing a minute between each test.. So I don't think the FL-LM3 presents a binding constraint on real-world recycle times. I can think of some possible reasons why UW recycle times could be poor. First is the fact that the FL-LM3 is notoriously unreliable. I'm on my third one, after one died on a trip and I replaced it and also decided to carry a spare. Second could be the main camera battery, though I kind of doubt it since it fills the flash capacitor before it will fire. Third could be poor contacts somewhere in the flash circuit. And finally, it could be not the flash at all but the SD card buffer presenting a constraint due to slow or faulty memory cards, poor contacts, and/or large file sizes. Finally, to be clear, I am not suggesting that a dedicated flash trigger is not a good solution. I am sure they do many things better than a mini flash. I've now spent more than 50% of the cost of a Turtle on three fragile Olympus units, so I am not claiming that the mini flash is optimal.