128 replies to this topic

[KenByrne]

In the backscatter on pic 3 there's a bright white curved line. When I look again it's not as obvious on this shot as some others because it sort of follows the edge of the container. I think if I can get the strobe placement right to avoid the backscatter I'll lose this flare as well.

[Hobbes382]

I went to a local freshwater site at the weekend to try out the Tokina lens with my D70 and Ike housing.

Ken,

Thanks for posting those shots. I'm wrestling with a decision to pick up this lens or the Canon 10-22 rectilinear UWA for my RebelXT. What dome port were you using with the Tokina in your Ike housing, 6" or 8"? That's the other half of my dilema, which dome port to get.

Thanks for your help.

[pakman]

Ken,

Thanks for posting those shots. I'm wrestling with a decision to pick up this lens or the Canon 10-22 rectilinear UWA for my RebelXT. What dome port were you using with the Tokina in your Ike housing, 6" or 8"? That's the other half of my dilema, which dome port to get.

Thanks for your help.

I'm not an expert but have limited experience with a 10-22. It's an impressive topside lens and does a great job uw if you are doing blue water shots. But, if you are trying to do close up wide angle shots of reefs, the corners are soft at the wide zoom range (10-15mm). A friend who has an Ikelite has expressed similiar problems. Now the solution would be to get a diopter... But the problem is finding a quality diopter in a 77mm filter size! The Canon one is about $150 plus change. and only +2 I think. I did pick up a cheap Hoya single element +2 diopter to fool around with, but the topside test with it were so disappointing that I will not even try in uw. Overall picture quality was degraded and the corners were real soft. So until I hear from someone who's got the same dome and housing who has gotten good results with the expensive Canon diopter, I am going to stick with the Tokina for u/w WA use.

[KenByrne]

To answer the question I was using the 5503 6" dome.

I've also got a Nikon 12-24 lens and using that the corners are a little soft, although not so bad when the lens is stopped down. I did pick up a diopter for it but didn't find it helped particulary. I also found that the filter mount was so thick it caused vingnetting at 12mm. This may be the same for the Canon 10-22.

With regard to the flare I've looked at my shots again and noticed I didn't have the problem on the second dive so I'm convinced it's a flash placement problem. I need to do more work to learn just where to place the strobes.

[marinedomain]

Shot the below today with the Tokina 10-17 (kindly lent to me by Peter Mooney) on a Nikon D200 with a single Sea&Sea YS90DX strobe, was using an 8'' dome with strobe placed directly above dome angled to the surface at a 30 degree angle. No cropping of pics has been done.









Regards
Gary

Edited by marinedomain, 30 January 2007 - 02:56 AM.

[pakman]

Gary, you and Peter are killing me! I'm dying to try my Tokina FE out in warm blue waters! Great shots!

[marinedomain]

Just to rub it in, some more from todays dive. Using the same setup.





Starting to get the hang of lining things up using the reflection in the dome


Regards
Gary

Edited by marinedomain, 31 January 2007 - 05:50 AM.

[pmooney]

Perhaps you can try to get a little light into the mask , bring up those lovely eyes.

[dhaas]

Peter and others,

This lens keeps looking more and more intriguing......

I read at one web site something about "Quick Focus Shift" mechanism allowing manual focus after AF. But when I look at Tokina's own site detailing this lens there are no details.....

Does the 10-17mm have the same "pull back" clutch to shift from AF to manual focus some of the other Tokina lenses have?

Being a wide, wide lens I expect most would shoot it in AF anyway....

Any details appreciated...

dhaas

[pakman]

dhaas, no such luck... you need to switch the focus switch to manual.

[dhaas]

pakman,

That's the news I wanted, anyway. I couldn't see any switch on any of the lens photos....

I am an AF junkie, never using Manual focussing, even with macro.....

Thanks for your insights!

dhaas

[pakman]

OK, back from Palau. Absolutely love this Tokina FE lens! Never took out my Canon 10-22 once during the entire trip. Took me awhile to get use to strobe placement, especially on closeup WA shots. The 22mm port extension + Athena Dome worked out perfectly.

Jellyfish lake @17mm


Jellyfish Lake @10mm (CS2 post processed for the blue sky)


Turtle @ 10mm


Juvenile Napoleon Wrasse @ 17mm hamming it up for the camera...


Chandelier Cave @ 10mm

Edited by pakman, 26 February 2007 - 07:22 PM.

[Nunomix]

The pictures look great Pakman!!!

Makes me wanna get the lens too. I am going to Utila on 7th April and I was still not able to test my 10-22 properly in the Dutch murky waters. I hope I dont get disappointed with it.

How did you use the zoom ring?

Regards,

Nuno

[pakman]

How did you use the zoom ring?

thanks Nuno. I re-used my S&S 60mm macro focus ring with some foam tape underneath as the 60mm focus ring is just a little bit too wide.

[Nunomix]

thanks Nuno. I re-used my S&S 60mm macro focus ring with some foam tape underneath as the 60mm focus ring is just a little bit too wide.

Thats right. I think you told me this before. How well does the zoom ring work then? Does it slip once in a while or was it working like with the o-rings?

[bmyates]

Nice shots! I love the over-under of Jellyfish Lake!

[pakman]

Nuno, I had it slip once as I was switching the 60mm ring between the Tokina FE and my Sigma 18-50mm (my "shark" lens) between dives. Otherwise it was pretty snug (I was using that weather sealing tape that you would use around doors/ windows). I was shooting down on a giant clam and the ring fell off onto the dome. I almost had a heart attack as I was looking in the viewfinder, when I hear "clink" and all sudden there is SEVERE vignetting! Made for an interest shot...

Thanks Bruce...

[bruceterrill]

Perhaps you can try to get a little light into the mask , bring up those lovely eyes.

I dunno Pete,
I kinda like the 'blacked out' look.

BTW, I am Sooo glad that his mask leaks, that'll teach him for takin' such great pictures!!...LOL
I saw blue water like that in our Port Phillip Bay once; I think someone dropped a tin of nice 'duck-egg blue' off the back of their boat...

Wonderful images...

Bruce

[Nunomix]

Nuno, I had it slip once as I was switching the 60mm ring between the Tokina FE and my Sigma 18-50mm (my "shark" lens) between dives. Otherwise it was pretty snug (I was using that weather sealing tape that you would use around doors/ windows). I was shooting down on a giant clam and the ring fell off onto the dome. I almost had a heart attack as I was looking in the viewfinder, when I hear "clink" and all sudden there is SEVERE vignetting! Made for an interest shot...

Thanks Bruce...

I guess after seeing your pics Pakman, I had to buy the lens myself... the trip is getting very expensive already.... Ordered the lens this morning. I should have it tomorrow and then I have to work out the zoom ring.

Cheers

Nuno

[pakman]

I guess after seeing your pics Pakman, I had to buy the lens myself... the trip is getting very expensive already.... Ordered the lens this morning. I should have it tomorrow and then I have to work out the zoom ring.

Cheers

Nuno

hehehe... you won't regret it. really nice lens u/w and topside. Plus the lens itself is as small as the Canon EFS 60mm macro so it doesn't take a lot of room in your camera/gear bag or pose any problems with port extensions. I just noticed nexus has released a compact dome just for this lens. Would make for a pretty compact kit to travel with.