Baby shampoo didn’t work

bit of a noobish question...

How do you guys focus for your over/ under shots when the setup doesn't have manual focus overide? Do you focus lock on a surface subject and hope it doesn't lock on a water drop on the dome?

Yep... Hand, fin, etc. Lock and load.

On the subject of over/under water droplets on the dome. When I really get into an over/under shooting mood I take a plastic bottle of a product familiar to many of us “Filmosaurs†called Photo-flo which was/is? made by Kodak for the purpose of reducing drying marks on processed B&W film (ooops! That bad word again. Sorry.). Photo-flo is termed a “wetting agent†and its purpose was to keep droplet of water from forming. It is probably pretty close to a soap-like substance, but tastes far fouler.

Kodak recommended a particular dilution (either Photo-flo 200 or more recently P-600 which was its dilution - 1:200 or 1:600 - for use on film). I generally diluted it a little less, meaning used it somewhat more concentratd, for dome port use.

I used it by spraying it on the dome just before I lowered the dome into the water. And would then totally immerse the dome very briefly and then raise it up to the halfway point in the water for the shot. It generally worked really well for the first wave or two. And then less well as it got washed away by successive waves.

If I can make it work, I’ll try to attach one example I shot this way using (gasp) film and the original Sigma 14mm f3.5 lens. The newer Sigma 14mm f2.8 is an even better lens with respect to flare. And the Nikon 14mm f2.8 better still, but far more expensive.

divegypsy

Fred, is that similar to Fixer? I think that would work quite well, just not sure how long it would last.

Taste eh? hahaha.. Reminds me of the smell of colour B

Before anyone tries it, Fixer is definitely NOT the same thing. Fixers are thiosulphates for fixing an image. No relationship to wetting agents like Photo-Flo, soap, spit etc.

good info, but now that i think about it more i meant Stabilizer, not Fixer... hahahaha

you would think after thousands of rolls i would know but... been too long since i did E6...

I never did E6 but I think Stabilizer had formaldehyde or something similar in it;also not a good idea. Any wetting agent should work to some degree, I may try a pouch of the stuff you buy at the gas station for your windscreen wiper fluid.

Stabilizer - I'll have to Google it.

ya, i don't remember what it is made of.

It is used to basically clean slides, a "wash" so to speak to take out streaks etc. Tis rather soapy, some people would just use a watered down "dishwashing soap" mixture instead

It is used to basically clean slides, a "wash" so to speak to take out streaks etc. Tis rather soapy, some people would just use a watered down "dishwashing soap" mixture instead

Yes, I remember in the good ole days sitting around with other darkroom dudes discussing the various brands of dishwashing liquids, arguing which one was the best wetting agent for the final rinse in film processing. (sounds like we led exciting lives, heh ).

Regards

Peter

Now check this out... we all know how much spit you need for some of those whapping big domes -- sorry not Alex's head -- but those rather large ports you guys have.

There may be a new answer? Whilst out recently with a group of photographers we found out that one guy was using a very old scubapro solution for preventing droplets. They don't make this anymore, though we had a lot of very clever whizkidz on the boat and one guy knew the chemical compount that was the only ingrediant on the label. It turns out the super ingrediant was nothing more than anti freeze. Even by just smelling it, yep certainly smelled just like any old anti freeze from your local garage!

This doesn't mean go out and try anti freeze, just that one guy has been using this and reckons it works wonders. The guy is a very well known photographer and film maker!

I use liquid hand soap (come in a pump action container) the really thick stuff, no particular brand, I just check the thickness and the smell (I use it in my mask too), it costs AUS $2.50 for 600ml. I rub it on my dome, leave it there while I get my gear on, and then wash it off just before hoping in the water. Took the below picture AFTER a 40min dive today, Have not altered it at all apart from removing the boat ID.

D200 with Tokina 10-17 in Aquatica housing with 8" Dome

Regards

Gary

Hello all,

I have been looking through some of the 'solutions' posted here (no pun intended, honest!) and was thinking about the possible impact from a liveaboard of 30 photographers all jumping in at a divesite to try split level photography and trying these various solutions.... Surely it cant be good for the coral (the way i have interpreted teh posts is that some of these solutions are applied repeatedly whilst in the water)

As photographers we tend to go to the most remote locations, where 1 or 2 folks using chemicals maybe not cause damage, but if everyone starts using it it could spell trouble for the shallow reef.

I personally, rightly or wrongly, have always used a little soap on my (acrylic) dome before the dive.