Tio Loco

At the top right of the page click on 'User Control Panel', then 'Edit Profile', make your changes, then click the 'Edit Profile' button at the bottom of the page. FWIW there does seem to be something whacy with the notification thing. I changed my profile to use my secondary email address, and started getting notifications. When I switched it back to my primary email, no notifications. I'm sure it was entered correctly. I'm now trying a third address to see what happens.... the saga continues. Richard

So, you've been getting my notifications! I wondered where they were going! There is a checkbox when you post, but it doesn't work for me....

Geez, spent the better part of two days wondering what happened to Bob, 'til I finally found the post (it's in 'Crazy Dive Stories' if you're wondering too). Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery Bob. Richard

And Eric, as long as you're fixing stuff, the email notification doesn't work either. Boy what an ungrateful bunch, huh? Richard

Thanks Kurt! That is fascinating! That kind of project is almost beyond comprehension for me (and I suspect most of us), and is quite intriquing. Did you build all of the controls yourself? I guess most important, did you save the program? Thanks again for your insights. Maybe next time you can get some pictures of the process. Good luck if you decide to make it a venture! Richard

I would have thought the image sizes would be the same too, but from the Oly web site: C-4000 SHQ JPEG: 3200x2400, 2288x1712, 2288x1520, (2288x1520 3:2mode) HQ JPEG: 3200x2400, 2288x1712, 2288x1520 (2288x1520 3:2mode) C-4040 2272x 1704 (TIFF/JPEG-SHQ/HQ), 2048 x 1536 (TIFF/JPEG -SQ) so, you will have to tell us about file sizes for each mode. Once you get your 128 cards, you can just set the res, and the camera will tell you how many shots you can expect (it's not concrete). My C-3030 generates 2048 x 1536 files which make a decent 11"x14" print. Experience is the best teacher.... Richard

If a member doesn't have a location in their profile, it picks up the location of the previous poster....

sorry, didn't recognize you.. too many aliases! About resolution, go for the highest quality/resolution that you're comfortable with. I very seldom shoot over 100 shots/dive so that is the number that I generally shoot for. The better resolution/quality you use, the better prints you will see. I've not seen file sizes for this camera and the SHQ mode produces higher resolution images than the C4040 did, so just pick a target number of shots and match your resolution accordingly. Richard

Theoretically, using the DS50, you should be able to shoot program mode to take advantage of TTL. With this camera however, there is one big 'gotcha'. This discussion has been very prominent on Steve's forum and on D2D. The C4000 'super macro' mode (which on first blush does indeed seem super) disables the internal flash, which in turn disables the sensor firing mode of the DS50. The only way to get strobes to fire in super macro is with hard wired strobes using the cameras external strobe port, which the PT-010 does not support. Maybe Ike can comment on whether they are working on a solution to this delima, as it appears that these cameras are flooding onto the market. Have fun on your trip! Richard

Very nice job! Just out of curiosity, and without revealing anything that would hamper your pending production business, can you share a few more details? I'm assuming that you're a machinist by trade. What does a block of aluminum like that cost? Did you machine it by hand, or with a computer controlled machine? How many hours does something like t his take to manufacture? (I know the first one takes many more hours due to the trial & error.) Any other production tidbits you would like to share would be fascinating. Inquiring minds want to know! Richard

Eelbait, TTL is the photographic acronym, thru the lens, which is theoretically metering and controlling the exposure at the ccd plane.

Well, Andi I won't argue with your math, mainly because just talking about tangents makes me cross-eyed. Again, the illustrations (particularly the straight-ahead example) were just crude approximations to illustrate the point. Carl's Rule of Thumbs is also just a starting guide point. As digi-heads we have the advantage of being able to experiment with angles and see the result immediately, which is a huge advantage in this context. My intent was just to shed some light (no pun intended) on your question #5 about backscatter. Point being that while distance from the camera to the strobe to the subject figures into the equation, strobe angle is equally or more important. If you don't illuminate the particulate matter, you don't have backscatter. Until I heard this presentation it really didn't occur to me how to minimize backscatter this way. By instinct, I think most people just aim their strobes at their subject. I hope this has been some help. Richard

Yes Andi, the second illustration is the recommended concept to eliminate backscatter in your pix. Carl uses what he calls the 'Rule of Thumbs' as a guide. Rest your hand, (relaxed) above the camera with your thumb pointed along the axis of the lens, like so: Then point your strobes along the axis of your fingers. Granted, this will vary as different strobes have different angles of coverage, but just use it as a general guideline. Unfortunately, Carl's presentation is not available on the web to my knowledge, although it would be a good thing to add. I'm doing the illustrations on the fly. I will try to contact him and see what we can put together. Richard

Andi, re: your backscatter question, we had a presentation at our Colorado Underwater Photographic Society meeting one month by Carl Brownd, an award winning local photographer known for his wide angle work. I've tried to illustrate his technique with these diagrams. In the first you can see that with the strobes aimed at the subject, the illumination from the strobes intersects at some point between the camera and the subject. The result that any particulate in that path is illuminated. Carl's technique is to actually aim the strobes outward, so that just the edge of the illumination catches the subject. This is a very crude illustration, but I think it illustrates the concept. In actuallity, with a wide coverage angle, the strobes should be angled outward instead of straight ahead as I have illustrated. This way, even if particulate is present, it is not illuminated. I made sense to me, and it sure works for him. Richard

I'm pretty sure I posted this here before, but I did a test with my E20 and Microdrive. Used a fresh set of 1600mHa batteries. Shooting raw mode, I filled the Microdrive (105 shots), about half of them w/LCD on. I then reviewed the shots twice and deleted half of them before the batteries died. If you're like me, and change batteries after every dive, it should not be a problem. Richard

"These new 6mp cameras may be all you ever need." ... seems like I remember hearing a simular statement when PC's came out with 1MB RAM... Richard

I've only had my 1GB MD for a short time, but in my E-20, using a fresh set of 1600mHa batteries, I was able to fill the MD - (105 RAW images), review them on the lcd twice, and download about half of them before the batteries died. No noise out of this drive at all. From everything I've read, the 1GB is a considerable improvement over the 340's (as they should be). Richard

I belive I found this in the specs on the LMI site... Titan Wetmate w/a is 80º

James, Thanks for the pix and the report... very informative. Richard p.s. the link is still hosed....

FWIW, in a followup thread today, someone reported that the 4040 will be replaced by a C-3080, same form factor, but I have not seen anything concrete to that effect. Richard

There is a thread on D2D to this effect: http://www.scubadiving.com/talk/read.php?f...512328&t=512328 If you're on the fence about getting one, now might be the time. Richard

Interesting information, Robert! Certainly food for thought. Thanks, and please keep us posted on your search. Richard

What I think is that a camera is a tool, just like any other tool. Having the very, very, very best camera, with the very, very, very best lens, and the very, very, very best strobes still does not guarantee you will every take one decent picture. Yes, I love techie tools as much as the next guy, but the key word there is 'help'. If you read my earlier posts, you would know that I'm not affiliated with ANY manufacturer. I do have a minor affiliation with a local dive shop that is a dealer for LMI (as well as Ikelite, Sea & Sea, Sea Life etc.). I do not sell cameras, housings or any other equipment. I have over the past couple of years, through the shop and through the local UPS, developed a good relationship with LMI, and I foolishly thought I could share my knowledge of their products with others through this forum. Obviously that was folly. This forum started as a venue for sharing information about U/W digital phography. It has degenerated into petty, juvenile nitpicking. "Well, my camera can beat up your camera... so there!" Sorry children, I have better things to do with my time... Richard

Well said Anon!

OK, here we go, and I hope this will clear up some of the questions. First off, John, I still can't see t he emails that you are referencing (dead link), so I don't know what they contain. The LMI guys are in their busy season, so communication with them has been a bit eratic lately, and I apologize for not getting back to you about the lenses. I simply did not have any answers. As for the shutter release issue, here's the word from LIM: Tetras made from their release (October 2000) until April 2001 were made with a strong spring in the shutter release. It was good to around 300ft. It was difficult for most people to depress. It was changed in April 2001 to have around 200 ft. strength. This has been more appropriate. Tetras are still depth rated to 330 ft., however the shutter will actuate sooner. As for the upgrade, with annual service the price is $200. Annual service alone is $150. As for the LMI wetmate lens adapter: ...made from marine grade aluminum, glass port and stainless steel lock ring featuring: black anodized, self-burping air vents, double O-ring seals, positive locking bayonet mount, with an internal thread tolerance of 3/1000ths. As for the Titan lenses: Titan's lenses are completely different. They were custom engineered for the E-10 and E-20 and we are making them. And finally, on the Tetra 5000 add-on lenses: The Tetra 5000 will use the "Original" Tetra lenses, 80 degree WA and 1:1 macro. The Wetmate will fit just fine, but the WA was designed for a 35mm lens and the CP5000 has a 28mm lens, so it vignettes at full wide. I hope that covers it, and I hope I haven't offended anyone in the process. Let me state again that I am not affilated with LMI, but I do think that they make great equipment. And yes, it is expensive, and yes I may not always agree with the pricing structure, but then again, take a look at the prices of Nikonos stuff, or other top end housings. What we as consumers never see is the back end costs of engineering and manufacturing this stuff, so who's to say? Richard