Tokina 10-17 - macro in a pinch

OK, so you're shooting W/A, and you come across a macro subject that you just can't live without. If you're using the Tokina 10-17 (mine was on a Canon 350D in an Ikelite housing with a Substrobe DS125), you just get the dome port in close and...

-- Martin

PS I believe that may be the first sea horse I've seen in 40 years of diving!

Well done Martin! And it puts it nicely into a setting. If you can set up your system with a Kenko 1.4 TC too you can get even better

Come on over to KBR - we can show you lots of sea horses! Why wait another 40 years for the next?

Thanks Tim. I was just telling my wife on the way home from this dive trip that I'd like to dive Indonesia. ;-)

-- Martin

Well done Martin! And it puts it nicely into a setting. If you can set up your system with a Kenko 1.4 TC too you can get even better

 

Come on over to KBR - we can show you lots of sea horses! Why wait another 40 years for the next?

Same lens, same thing happened to me (except for the part about 40 years)

Very nice! Looks like the same variety of seahorse too!

-- Martin

Well done Martin! And it puts it nicely into a setting. If you can set up your system with a Kenko 1.4 TC too you can get even better

 

Come on over to KBR - we can show you lots of sea horses! Why wait another 40 years for the next?

Tim,

When you use the Kenko 1.4, does the lens act like a 14-24 zoom with w/a capabilities, or are you limited in the focus to close stuff?

I've already got a Canon 1.4, shame that wouldn't work.

-- Martin

Isn't that the same seahorse? Ernie?

Using the Kenko 1.4 increases the magnification of the lens by a factor of 1.4 and leaves the close focussing of the Tokina 10-17 the same. You can pretty much get Ernie the Seahorse pinned up against the port (not that I would recommend that at all) but still have a wide-angle view. It puts subjects beautifully into their surrounds. I reckon it works best when the background is attractive especially if you can shoot upwards to get some blue water into the frame. Subject s need to be a bit bigger - I'd suggest about 6" and upwards otherwise they are too small to have impact in the foreground.

Its well worth playing around with. I think Alex M did an article about it some months ago.