New Guinea in 2009

Booked a trip on the Star Dancer for April 2009 and was wondering what lenses are a must.

I shoot a D100 in a L&M housing. I have a Nikon 60mm, a Sigma 15mm FE. I'm thinking about buying a Sigma 17-70 and potentially a Nikon 105mm.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Michael

Based upon 7 PNG trips, I think you have it covered.

Maybe if you have XS scuba bucks something in the 10-11mm W/A range?

Michael, you've got a lot of bases covered with those lenses. If I were going back to PNG, I would pack the much-vaunted Tokina 10-17mm, as it would cover everything from wrecks, reef vistas, close-focus wide angle and, to a lesser degree, pelagics. Have a great time.

SimonR

Michael, you've got a lot of bases covered with those lenses. If I were going back to PNG, I would pack the much-vaunted Tokina 10-17mm, as it would cover everything from wrecks, reef vistas, close-focus wide angle and, to a lesser degree, pelagics. Have a great time.

 

SimonR

Last trip the only lenses that came out of my bag where the Tokina 10-17 & my trusty old 60mm. Not once did I wish for anything else.

Enjoy your trip.

Thanks for the help.

Since I have not purchased the 17-70 or the 105mm, is there one that I can do with out?

Thanks for the help.

 

Since I have not purchased the 17-70 or the 105mm, is there one that I can do with out?

You don't mention the specific region your trip will be visiting... and that may influence your lens selection!

If you already have a 60mm then you really don't NEED a 105mm, unless you feel you need to be that far away from your subject, as both will allow 1:1 mag.

For WA the Tokina 10-17mm zoom FE is a very nice lens.

On my recent trip to the Andaman Islands, I only used the Tokina 10-17mm and the 60mm underwater. They worked out for all the situations I encountered.

Robin

Booked a trip on the Star Dancer for April 2009 and was wondering what lenses are a must.

 

I shoot a D100 in a L&M housing. I have a Nikon 60mm, a Sigma 15mm FE. I'm thinking about buying a Sigma 17-70 and potentially a Nikon 105mm.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

Michael

I took the StarDancer in 2005 to the Fathers and Witu's. It was a memorable trip, maybe because the diving was soooooooo good I'm not sure you could match it anywhere, soft coral, fans, sharks, dolphins, an indescribable amount of fish species as on any one dive I would try to remember the names of the species of fish and after 9 or 12 I started to forget what I saw first, and this happened on every dive.

The problem with lenses is you have to decide ahead of time what lens to use, I was still using a film camera and used a close focus wide angle 28mm mostly.

Here a couple of shots:

Do you like shy fish that need to be shot from a distance? If so add the 105mm. It is more difficult to use than the 60mm, but in really clear water, and lots of patience, you can fill the frame with subjects like the face of a Moorish Idol. However, since most of the more interesting PNG type of critters allow you to get close, the 105 may force you to shoot from too far away.

Many people like the Tokina FE 10 - 17 mm, but in the widest mode (180 degrees diagonal), where you are the most creative, it is not as sharp as the Nikkor 10.5mm lens. You get more Chromatic aberration but then you can't zoom for those more distant sharks. If you like the pelagic action shots, stick with the zoom. If you like enlargements of creative close-ups with an ultra wide (weitwinkel) lens, stick with the 10.5 mm. Hope this helps.

Cathy Church

Thanks for the help.

 

Since I have not purchased the 17-70 or the 105mm, is there one that I can do with out?

"Is there one I could do with out?"

This is not the correct way to evaluate this decision!

You should be thinking "which should I get next"

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

I think I will skip the 105mm and just use my 60mm.

With such a long trip, and with all the weight limitations, I am just trying to lighten the load of stuff I bring with me. Therefore I will bring my 60mm and my 15mm FE.

That being said I would like a topside lens as well as a good scouting lens. It always seems that I have the wrong lens when I'm underwater. When I have my macro set up, I need my wide angle, when I have my macro, I need my wide angle.

I have been thinking about the 17-70 because it might fit my needs. Any suggestions on this lens?

I would get the 10-17 and a kenko pro 1.4x to use with the 60mm. The 17-70 is a nice all around lens but in the end I always end up using WA or macro.