rwe

Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is available at www.stri.org/sftep.

Two new free ID guide apps for neotropical shore-fishes, both with English and Spanish interfaces have also just been released.  Release info below:

• Fishes: East Pacific, version 2, with iPad optimization, several iPad-specific features & an updated database. Covers 1,297 species & includes 3,600+ images. https://itunes.apple...d494644648?mt=8 or search in iTunes store for fishes east pacific

• Fishes: Greater Caribbean, version 1 for iphone.  Covers 1,599 species, & includes 5,500+ images.  https://itunes.apple...d570048678?mt=8 or search in iTunes store for fishes greater caribbean

         Together these apps cover 2,775 species, ~ 20% of the world’s known tropical shore-fishes.

While I don't presently have an iphone to check out the apps, the caribbean version includes a few of my photos so must be good!

Hi all,

I am busy writing up my impressions of the NEX-5n 10 Bar housing at the moment. I hope to have housings from Nauticam, Subal, Aquatica, and Recsea for test soon.

Adam

I just received my 10Bar housing for the NEX-5N.  While I haven't had a chance to get it in the water yet, the zoom control for the 18-55mm lens seems very cumbersome and hard to use.  Is it easier in the water with some pressure on the spring.  Did you try moving the zoom ring around to try to get better contact?  While, again, I have not had it in the water yet, it seems to me that this control needs a much weaker spring or no spring at all.  Is there a way to remove the spring and still have housing integrity (no leaks)?

Hey rwe,

I just recently upgraded to the Nex 5n in the Recsea housing + ports, and have a few sets of dives under my belt now with the set up.  I really like the Recsea housing (I had their Canon s90 housing as well), and they are just rock solid in terms of construction.  The housing plus camera is very compact, moreso than I expected which I like since it means I can keep the same tray/handle set up I was using before.  

I have the dome port for the 16mm WA+fisheye, and the 18-55MM port. Both have secure o-rings and lock firmly into place on the housing, yet can be swapped out when you change lenses fairly easily. The housing also has a screw on strobe mask with pre-drilled holes for fiber optic strobe cables.

It also has full access to the Nex 5n control wheel and buttons, flash on/off & zoom (a must on my list), so using the camera in the housing is virtually exactly the same user interface as when the camera is out of the housing.

Since the 30MM macro lens seems to have limited utility based on the reviews I read here, I've decided to wait to see if Sony or another manufacturer produces a macro lens with a longer focal length before I invest.  In the meantime, I also the 67mm adapter that snaps onto the 18-55mm port so I can use my stacked macro wet lenses with it.   I keep the lenses screwed into the adapter in a neoprene pouch on my BCD, so I can just quickly snap it on when diving with the 18-55 lens if I come across a good macro subject.  

All in all, I'm very happy with the camera and housing. Just looking forward to getting in more dives with it, and continuing to improve!

My NEX-5N arrived a few days ago and my 10Bar housing is in transport.  At this time I only have the 18-55 lens but I have purchased a FIT +5 diopter the external adapter.  I have an Inon 240Z strobe connected by fiber optics.  For those of you who have used the NEX-5N underwater, I would be interested in how you have set up the custom buttons and what apertures, shutter speeds, and ISOs you use as starting positions for both close-ups and distance shots.  Also interested in your choice of metering and flash modes.  My NEX seems to have trouble with close focusing when I use spot metering but does well when I use evaluative metering (all 49 sensors).  Is this common?    

Thanks,
Rick