SIPADAN, MABUL & KAPALAI - May 2007

It is nearly a year since I last shared my pictures from a trip on the forums! (Since last spring I had been shooting for my new book, and in an attempt to keep most of the images fresh, I have not posted them online.)

Anyway, with that done I am free to post again here is a double whammy! I have just returned from a very productive trip to Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai. I have divided the galleries into the mainly wide angle subject matter at Sipadan and the mainly macro subjects at Mabul & Kapalai.

Sipadan

All the wide angle at Sipadan was shot with the Tokina 10-17mm, whose versatility was incredibly well suited to the islands large and abundant subject matter. I also used my Sigma 28-70 (F2.8) and Nikon 105mm VR on dives there. I also did several dives with the Magic filter on the Tok shooting reef scenes and turtles.

Sipadan Gallery

Mabul & Kapalai

At Mabul and Kapalai it is mainly macro subjects, although I used the fisheye (10.5mm) + teleconverter much of the time. I did not find that the Tokina 10-17mm was a adequate substitute for this setup, despite its close focus because of the difficulties in lighting it around the larger port I was using. For macro lenses I used the 150mm Sigma with Canon 500D dioptre on many dives (the setup James recommended to me). It has taken me a long time to get to used to this lens, but finally I found subject matter that hit its sweetspot. I also used the 60mm a lot, but rarely used the 105mm VR.

On my trip at exactly the same time last year I only saw one frogfish. Curiously there were frogfish everywhere on this trip, sometimes up to 10 on a dive.

Mabul & Kapalai gallery

I'll post some more favourite images below, for those who don't have time to browse the galleries.

Alex

Thanks for sharing those great pics Alex B) !

The turtle shot above is a real WOW image! very nicely realised image ... kudos

cheers

Leander

Alex.....great work.

The gallery is wonderfull.

We will get your books one of these days

Looks like you had some really calm weather, the seas look flat in quite a few of the images, nice work.

very nice alex. i hope the diving is as good when i get there. i am flying out from the uk tomorrow morning

I love the shots. What tele are you using with the fisheye? Do you add an extension to the dome port? What does this combo do that the straight fisheye doesn't?

What was the frogfish shot taken with?

Great collection Alex. A nice variety of images.

Todd

Great stuff Alex. I particularly enjoyed the wid-angle.

A quick question: I will be going to Sipadan Water Village sometime in the fall. I have 5 days paid for at SWV but will probably extend my stay to 10-14 days. In your opinion, what is the most photo friendly resort in the area. Will I be OK at SWV or would I be better off going with another op for the remainder of my stay.

Thanks

These are fantabulous Alex - thanks for sharing. That CFWA of the croc fish - wow!

Glad you got a chance to get the Sigma 150mm in play - that's good news. Now I don't feel so bad 'bout you buying a $500 lens and a $120 diopter for nothing :-)

Cheers

James

Very nice images Alex! Looks like you had a great time

Cheers,

Tony

Looks like you had some really calm weather, the seas look flat in quite a few of the images

Most of the places I dive, Cyaman included, usually have (trade) winds - and so glassy days are rare treats. So when I get somewhere like Sipadan, where it was glassy most days I really tried to make the most of it. This is the second year in a row I have been there in May and the water has been 30ËšC and flat nearly every day. Loverly!

What tele are you using with the fisheye? Do you add an extension to the dome port? What does this combo do that the straight fisheye doesn't? What was the frogfish shot taken with?

The frogfish above was taken with the Nikon 10.5mm + 1.5x Kenko TC. I use this behind a dedicated port (I think it is a discontinued Subal port, that originally they made for the 24-50mm). The small port diametre is the key to getting the lighting on the subject because the dome is just a few cms from the subject. The Tokina 10-17mm can produce almost the same magnification at 17mm on land, but UW without the option of a small dome I cannot get the lighting close enough to get the in your face effect. For comparison MK29 is shot with the Tokina - still a very nice effect - but not the in your face impact of the 10.5mm and TC and small dome.

A quick question: I will be going to Sipadan Water Village sometime in the fall. I have 5 days paid for at SWV but will probably extend my stay to 10-14 days. In your opinion, what is the most photo friendly resort in the area. Will I be OK at SWV or would I be better off going with another op for the remainder of my stay.

The resorts are all photo friendly. Malaysia has a 45 minute max dive time policy - which might be inforced when they don't know you, but tends to get more relaxed after a couple of days - so generally it is best to stay in the same resort. Most of my dives were 60 minutes plus, not mega long but fine. I was with a group of photographers - so we filled our own boat and avoided the restrictions this way. Buddy shore diving is also unlimited.

Glad you got a chance to get the Sigma 150mm in play - that's good news. Now I don't feel so bad 'bout you buying a $500 lens and a $120 diopter for nothing :-)

Yeah, I am finally starting to get that lens and exploit the different perspectives it offers for macro. I should start a new discussion about it. It is not about magnification, I am not one to chase higher and higher reproduction as others do it so much better than me, but I do like the way that long macro lenses flatten perspective and limit DOF.

Looks like you had a great time

Tony, I passed on your best to Ketrick, who was telling me about how rough some of the places you are diving in Japan are. I guess he is too used to the glassy calm waters of Kapalai! See you in about 1 month.

Alex

Very nice stuff Alex. Love the wideangles.

Great images.

Love the frogfish for its great technical method and fabulous result.

Alex, your stuff is not only superb, it is superior.

I think in essence this is what we all strive for; the good 'eye', and absolute control of your medium and equipment. Frustrates me no end.

For a bit more detail on this trip, please check out my blog entries at Fins Online:

http://www.finsonline.com/blog/fins/200705...bah-part-1.html

http://www.finsonline.com/blog/fins/200706...bah-part-2.html

The third and final part should be up soon.

Alex

Thanks for sharing those wonderful images Alex!

Great shots!!!

Miguel

WOW !!! The turtle shot looks like a painting

Out of all the inspiring shots that have been posted on here in the past there have only been a few that had this look, so well done me old mate and once again WOW !!!

Dive safe

DeanB

Wow. Excellent work as always, Alex. Its such a treat to see your images.

Beautiful work Alex... glad you're enjoying that Tokina!

BTW, on your sunset over/ under shot (2nd to last on the Kapalai slide show) did you use strobes to light to underwater portion or is that just ambient light from a slow shutter speed?