SOCORRO 2021 TRIP REPORT, PIX, & VIDEO (LINKS)

Greatly enjoyed your writeup and stills/video.  And appreciated your comments about Covid as a good data point.

Any issues with getting camera gear through customs at Cabo San Lucas?

6 hours ago, davec13o2 said:

Any issues with getting camera gear through customs at Cabo San Lucas?

Thanks for the kind words. The answer to your question is "No, but . . ."

They were definitely on the hunt. They were asking everyone, before you push the red/green light button, what was in your bags. I replied "Scuba gear." They immediately asked if I had cameras. I said yes. they asked if I had big housings. I truthfully - but incompletely - said, "I have a GoPro." They said, "OK" and I pushed the button (which was green). End of story for me.

I had warned all of our folks about the issue and I did hear the next day (two of our people came in a day after the main group) that there was a guy who had camera gear and was either singled out or got a red light who was arguing with them about it. Now, apparently what they wanted to ding her for was $40. I could live with that. (In fact, I had two $50 bills stashed in my pocket just in case I need to provide some . . . encouragement . . . to pass through.)

So it's still wrong, but $40 is a far cry from the stories we were hearing of $1,000 a year or so ago. Don't know if that's still happening. All I can say is that this is what our experience was.

- Ken

Thank you so much for the great trip report. Now my question is- what was the food like on the boat? I am heading there shortly...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

6 hours ago, Drwatson said:

Now my question is- what was the food like on the boat?

I'd say the range was good+ to excellent. No real complaints. And what a number of us became addicted to were the mugs of hot spiced apple cider offered post-dive and as a drink option at meals. Yummy!!!

I'd say the range was good+ to excellent. No real complaints. And what a number of us became addicted to were the mugs of hot spiced apple cider offered post-dive and as a drink option at meals. Yummy!!!

Ken,

Really nice writeup, vid and images.  I don't see any tech specs.  I have a crop sensor D500 and I've seen recommendations from just bring a Tokina 10-17 fisheye to 10-20 Rectilinear as well as a Sigma 17-70mm.

What are your thoughts after being there?

Oops, I did see your setup listed.

17 minutes ago, WanderingBob said:

Really nice write-up, vid, and images.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the kind words. As you now know, I shoot a D750. I am personally NOT a fan of wide/wide angle or close-focus wide angle. I did 18 dives over five days on this trip. I shot 18-35 on one dive, used my GoPro (various POVs) on 5 dives, and used my beloved discontinued Nikon 28-105 on 12 dives. So much of what you saw still-pix was 28-105 at various zoomed in or out focal lengths. All post-processing done in Lightroom-6.

1 minute ago, Ken Kurtis said:

 

Ken,

Thanks for the quick reply.

When I bought my first Nikon in 2001, I'm pretty sure my first lens was the 28-105.  I stopped using it because I didn't like the "screw" zoom (not sure what you call it).  I was shooting topside exclusively for a few years and with a polarizer, it drove me nuts!  I can surely see it's value underwater from your images.  

How often do you shoot at the long end?

I did a 2 month trip to S.E. Asia last year.  Started using 10-17 and 105 ... then eventually started using the 17-70, because it covers most bases, but not tack sharp.  Could shoot most anything I ran into.  Really held it's own for threshers in Malapascua.

Bob

On 4/9/2021 at 10:26 PM, WanderingBob said:

How often do you shoot at the long end?

Depends on where I am and what I'm shooting. On this trip, mostly 28-100. There was a colorful Leather bass I was shooting at 66mm. then a manta came by and headed right for me and I got him at 28mm.  But maybe I'm in Bonaire and I shoot a Tarpon at 28mm but then turn around and find a seahorse and shoot it at 105mm. Very versatile lens (and from 50-105 will shoot 1:1 macro at close-focus).