ATJ

Thanks, Nick. I do - well sort of. I have a Tusa Geminus mask with bifocal +2.5 diopters. Makes a huge difference, especially when shooting video with my D7000, however, I still miss a lot of the detail on small critters. Although I did "see" some pygmy seahorses in Komodo in August for the first time (other than seeing them through the viewfinder). Note that I am still able to find lots of cool stuff, I just don't get the full enjoyment until reviewing the photos later.

Jeremy, I really feel for you. I love diving and taking photos so much I hate it if I can't go for at least one dive on a weekend. Thanks, Leslie. I didn't notice the polychaete until looking at the photos. I have poor close vision (I'm an old fart) and frequently find gems like this after the dive. This particular dive I had a number of such suprises. There was this crab holding a sand dollar on its back. I had just assumed it was a flat-top crab until looking at the photo: A spider crab with hydroids (I saw the crab but not the hydroids): A dwarf lionfish with a copepod parasite on its eye: And then there were the crabs carrying upside-down jellyfish on their backs: (Sorry, Jeremy if make you miss UW photography more.)

I need some help identifying this cute little fella... Taken at a site called "Torpedo Alley" off Rinca Island, Indoensia at night at a depth of around 13 metres on sand. It appears to have a polychaete living on its carapace.

Thanks very much, Kaj.

Thanks, Leslie.

Shot at a site called "Circus" off Gili Banta at a depth of 5 metres at night. Looks like it is in the family Portunidae and perhaps Thalamita sp. The spines on either side of the carapace are quite long. I can post closer images of certain parts if required.

Any ideas what species this might be? The shot was taken on the black sand at a depth of 20 metres at a dive site called "Techno Reef" off Sangeang Island. I'm guessing it might be Lysiosquilla sp. from the colour, but that's purely a guess.

My buddy had one. He was the only person I knew with one.

Congratulations, Randall. I still have 6 years to go to get to 40. I got my cert through FAUI (Federation of Australian Underwater Instructors) in 1978. I don't think PADI had a presence in Australia back then. We didn't eve use BCDs and we learned to put the right amount of weight on the weight belt depending on the depth of the dive. I bought my first BCD in 1981 and dived without one until then. We learned with J values but did have pressure gauges. I bought my first reg in 1980 (US Divers Aqualung Aquarius) and the second stage is my current octopus.

I have an Acer Aspire One D257 netbook which I used for weekend trips. It weighs around 1kg (2.2lbs). It is not blindingly fast, but is adequate to run Lightroom. The screen is small (10.1" and 1024x600) but it is OK for reviewing images and starting the cataloging process.

Rainer, Those videos are great. What lens(es) did you use and how to you handle focus? While I have my D7000 in an Ikelite rig, the camera is the same and I'd love to better understand how you're doing focus.

Very cool sequence. (Note it is no more a cannibal than a lion eating a wildebeest.)

No exposure, focal length or equipment information at all for Nikon D7000 .MOV files in Lightroom 3.6 on the Mac.

I get very little data for movies from my D7000. In the Info window I get: Date/Time Nikon D7000 Lens 1280 x 720 - file size Auto1, 0, 0 If I do "Copy File & Camera Information" I get: File Info 1 File: DSC_6089.MOV Date Created: 2012/04/28 22:46:16 Date Modified: 2012/04/28 22:46:16 File Size: 84.7 MB Image Size: 1280 x 720 Duration: 01:00 File Info 2 Date Shot: 2012/04/28 18:27:33 Time Zone and Date: UTC+10, DST:OFF Movie Quality: 25fps, High Quality Camera Info Device: Nikon D7000 Lens: 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5G Focal Length: Focus Mode: AF-Area Mode: VR: AF Fine Tune: Exposure Aperture: Shutter Speed: Exposure Mode: Exposure Comp.: Exposure Tuning: Metering: ISO Sensitivity: Image Settings White Balance: Auto1, 0, 0 Color Space: sRGB High ISO NR: Long Exposure NR: Active D-Lighting: Image Authentication: Vignette Control: Auto Distortion Control: Picture Control Picture Control: [NL] NEUTRAL Base: [NL] NEUTRAL Quick Adjust: - Sharpening: 2 Contrast: 0 Brightness: 0 Saturation: 0 Hue: 0 Filter Effects: Toning: GPS Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Altitude Reference: Heading: UTC: Map Datum:

I have a GoPro mounted on my DSLR rig and that works quite well (when I remember to use it*). I have the LCD and after using it for a few months would definitely not consider or recommend not using the LCD. It is the only way to make sure you have it pointing in the right direction. I have an Ikelite rig and I made a horizontal PVC "handle" that goes between the two grips for the housing. I've had this for some years which makes it easier to hand the housing to people on boats, etc. When I got the GoPro I just made an aluminium bracket that fits the PVC "handle" and allows me to adjust the height of the GoPro. In practice it is very easy to use. * I say "when I remember" as often realise when it is too late that I could have used it. For example, on the weekend I spent nearly 40 minutes of a 60 minute dive swimming around with a 2m+ grey nurse shark trying to get still photos (which didn't turn out well because of all the particulate matter in the water). I could have taken some pretty good footage with the GoPro if I'd thought about it at the time.