Aquatica Housing for 20D Yap Images

Hi Folks,

Last week I did a review of the Aquatica Housing for the Canon 20D and also explined I had switched from Nikon to Canon.

I attended the Yap Divers Critter Hunt (and shark feed) the last two weeks.

To see more images with the housing and the 20D (wide shots done with 10-22mm zoom), see:

http://www.photosource-enhanced.com/bin/Po...aunch=pdn-31809

Thank you,

Tim

Beautiful shots Tim, especally the mandrarin fish shots. How did you focus on these guys? I recently tried getting a shot like that using autofocus, and found it too dim without a modeling light and as soon as the modeling light came on the fish darted back.

Tim, I must say that I am jealous,that model is quite lovely.

The sharks seem to have a bit of an "attitude"

Looks like your camera came with the "Velvia" sensor in it. I thought that only Nikons had that sensor.

Nice stuff...

Hey Tim, next time you want to borrow the D70 and 10.5 again just ask!!! :)

We never did that Nikon vs Canon shot did we?

At last, a photographer that understand the real important issue in u/w photography: To take a better shot, you must have a beautiful girl in red swimsuit in the frame.

I really enjoyed the article - which gave a fair assessmnent of the reasoning in many people's mind.

I think that the big drawback of the cropped sensor Canon's is the lack of a really wide lens. I could not imagine shooting without a 180 degree fisheye underwater - as I use it for all my scenic/model shots. But I have to say that your splits level shots show that the 10-22mm lens is really wide - and pretty much answers this need for most situations.

Alex

Hi ALex,

Thank you. Yes, the 10-22 is a good start. If Canon would bite and make a 10, 11 or 12 wihtout the zoom so you can use just the Aquatica port, I would be blissful.

Best,

RT

And when in doubt just leave horrible images of bearded men on my D70 with the 10.5mm...."Mike i need the 10.5 for room shots, honestly..."

HA! No more fisheye for you!

Yikes,

I don't do this much so I'll try to reply to everyone here. I guess that's how its done?!:

Herb:

Thank you for the kudos. The beauty of the Critter Hunt weeks is that mandarinfish dives are nightly, which they are anyway at Yap Divers if someone wants to go. But we all got the fever and went every other night for about 12 days. They were some dud nights where mating was sporadic or they were shy of the lights. I tried 4 nights with some good shots and also some unrewarded excercises in patience.

Now, remember Howard Hall's first rule of being a good underwater photographer? Get in the water!

The one night I didn't go, Russ Stoddard, a Guam photog, had one male and three males go up at once among a veritable porno scene of mandarin mating. Thus, Max Gibbs and I dutifully headed out the next night ( while Russ, who had his shots, sipped cool beverages) and Max and I were rewarded with horny mandarins. The moon was getting full, so that helped a lot. I used just the center focus on the 20D and I wait until they actually get up into the water column paired up. I then blast them with a Hartenberger for focus and shoot off a quick 6-10 shots with the DS125s at low power. It seems if they're really gonna "do it" the modeling light doesn't matter once they're up in the column.

Although I shoot Canon now, which doesn't focus in the dark worth squat, I found that the Aquatica with the D100 was a "secret weapon" at night. The port is wide enough to let the camera's on body focusing light work without a modeling light. In Komodo and Yap I have had night dives where otherwise reclusive creatures could be shot sharply with the D100/Aquatica combo. Try it sometime if you have that setup. Wish Canon had that.

Tony - It is two models actually. One is the effervescent Kumiko Furukawa of Dive Rota (north of me - I live on Guam) who was able to do a Critter Hunt week and the other Valerie Acker, charming daughter of Bill Acker and she is part fish.

Yap Divers does a superb shark feed. Ask sharkman Mike Vietch. When the sharks see a tuna head appear, they get greedy, thus the attitude.

The RAW adjustments let me go a little Saturation crazy to get that Velvia look I like and I also still use Fred Miranda's digital Velvia action.

Mike - You're gonna hate your new 10.5 Nikon. Just give it to me now and I'll suffer through using it. What are pals for? Think I can make some vice grip adjustments to get it to fit on my Canon? We need to get that shot!

Amon - The other element is a beautiful girl with a nice full mask so you can see the eyes. That makes the shot. Remember also, a beautiful girl without the hot pink suit really grabs people's attention!

Thank you all for looking. Hope some editors also find the shots favorable.

Best,

Tim of the Deep

I bet you can shoot the Nikon 10.5 on a Canon 1.6x body using one of those converer rings. Dig up an old aperture gear and/or rig something, and set the lens focus at 8 or 12 inches and you're good to go.

Cheers

James

Mike,

Would Larry and I take strange fisheye photos of ourselves? It was Jan's idea. Keep an eye on that guy. Sane until he gets a camera in his hands. Larry and I are just innocents in the clutches of a madman.

Best,

T

Hi James,

On your 10.5 Nikon to Canon idea, we tried with Mike's new lens while he was out diving but just scratched the crap out of the rear element. Don't tell him. Not sure if it can be done. Hope the Super Glue holds.

Seriously, if you go for it before me, let me know. A fixed-focus 10.5 would be quite fun on a 20D.

Best,

T

Herb, I shot the Mandarin in Lembeh with the focus light on the whole time and they just went at it like monkeys anyway.

I think I was also in the right spot on our turn in the water.

I used center focus and AF and was able to capture them. I did not turn the focus light on till it got dark and they seemed to be on the prowl for love, that may help. As Tim said they seem to be undeterred once they begin.

I bet you can shoot the Nikon 10.5 on a Canon 1.6x body using one of those converer rings.  Dig up an old aperture gear and/or rig something, and set the lens focus at 8 or 12 inches and you're good to go.

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I think that this is an awesome suggestion. Can't believe I didn't think of it. Come on someone - get on it!

Alex

p.s. I always find all the excitement about Mandarinfish a bit OTT, considering how few people go out and try and shoot other fish spawning. Mandarinfish are pretty, sure, but there are much more interesting behavious out there to catch.

I agree - anyone ever see a regal angelfish (P. diacanthus) spawn? I saw video, it's amazing. They flick their tail and a doughnut shaped plume of eggs flies upward like a bubble ring.

James

In the Red Sea they spawn right on the cusp of darkness. Seem much more pair oriented, rather than harem spawners like the Rock Beauties I photograph regularly in the Carib. I've not managed a shot of a pair spawning, but have a few of the courting. Spawning rise similar to other angels. Larger male nusles females abdomen as they rise then release gametes. Alex

Just for showing off purposes. Here is a pair of Rock Beauties spawning (no relation of Tim!).

Shot with a long exposure of a 1/10th second to burn in the blue background (at dusk). This image is only cropped slightly, probably one of my favourites from this year considering the difficulty of the subject matter and the technique.

Alex

I do agree although the Mandarins were the first mating fish I had seen so, I thought the experience was cool.

After seeing the hamlet mating shots I am hoping to see something like that now. Any suggestions on when and where to find the behaviour? Is there a better time of the year?

Hi Alex et al,

Youy're right Alex, the name Tim Rock and beauty are rarely found together.

I saw the bumphead parrotfish spawning at Sipadan once and that was downright dangerous. These are big fish out of control racing all over the place.

Last year in Yap about this time there were surgeonfish spawning in Miil Channel. A wild and very milky scene. Got the on digital as well and didn't need a light. Thank goodness they do it in the open by day (bawdy fish).

Best,

Timbo

Last week I did a review of the Aquatica Housing for the Canon 20D and also explined I had switched from Nikon to Canon.

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Some great shots, Tim. I've been using the search feature to try to find your review last week mentioned above, and can't find it. Can you provide a link to it?! TIA.