Sea of Cortez Images

Just back from a trip on the Solmar V and my first efforts with the Tokina 10-17mm. I found that the lens works better than the 12 - 24mm zoom - my wife even asked me why I didn't use the lens before ..."it's new honey", "well you should have bought it earlier" she said. I think that's an enthusiastic endorsement considering the jaundiced eye I normally get when another package gets delivered by UPS

Any feedback will be appreciated. As I said, this is my first time with the lens and I did run into backscatter issues with it because I frequently had one strobe a little too far forward (I think). The water wasn't exactly clear either though!

Grouper at Cabo Pulmo

Scorpionfish at Swaine Rock

School of sardine at Islotes

Sealions at Islotes

Juvenile Whaleshark near La Paz

Frigate birds swarming at sunset as a dive ends

Regards

Jon Bertsch

Awesome whale shark shot. It almost looks as though its a few feet off the bottom.

Jon,

Some wonderful photos and a very understanding wife!!

Love the close focus on the scorpionfish.

Am definitely going to get me one of those Tokina 10-17mm babies after seeing all the great shots posted.

Regards,

Nigel

Excellent shots. Surely that is the ultimate endorsement for the Tokina 10-17mm!

Alex

Jon,

Looking into the Tokina 10-17mm after my last post. As a fellow Ikelite user can I ask what port you are using? (assume 8" dome) and are you using a diopter? Any advise would be appreciated.

Regards

Nigel

Thanks all for the positive feedback.

ce4jesus: We were lucky enough to find the whaleshark cruising around in about 10ft of water and moving at a moderately fast swimming pace, so yes that guy was right on the bottom! The photo was taken with natural light, no strobes.

wobby: yes I'm using the 8" dome with the ultra-short extension port. No diopter. I was nervous about the bayonet mounting of the port but it worked absolutely flawlessly. The only issues I had using it were photographer incompetence. I did mark the underside of the port so that I could glance at it and determine that the dome was completely seated before I took it into the water. It was fine for snorkeling as well. By itself and especially when you have strobes attached it creates a huge amount of drag underwater.

The one thing I really like about the lens and dome combination is just how close you can get to creatures (if they will tolerate it). Allows for some super close wide angle and the lens fisheye quality doesn't seem to be a problem underwater.

Regards

Jon Bertsch

Great stuff; I know about that jaundiced eye, as well as the furrowed forehead.