pmooney

and another

On the second dive I added a +2 diopter and changed the extension ring to a 50mm - this is the recommendation for the Nikon 12-24 . I thought it would be a good reference to start with.

Just a minor adjustment to WB - nothing else.

And at about 8 metres

And another at about 12 metres

There has been much talk ( lot's from me ) about which port and extensions are best for this lens. My first dive was with Subal D2X / FE2 dome/ 20mm extension ring and used no diopter , with the magic 77 fitted using a blank filter ring. I am reasonably happy at the first results with the lens - it is really wide and will take a bit of getting used too. I am very pleased with the magic filter's results and can see lot's of available light shooting on the horizon. Visibility was fairly good - about 11 am This was at about 14 metres

I just got a 10-20 Sigma for use with a Subal D2X / FE2 combo. I can't get over how cheap this lens was.......... $695 AUD ( 12 -24 Nikon $1895.00AUD ) ( Still waiting for my Aqautica in BLACK to match my Brabhaus SLR ! ) My findings to date : Followed Jeans suggestions and dremmelled the 105 subal focus ring for perfect fit - looks like a factory fit... FE2 DOME & 50mm EXT ring - Vignetting terrible , added +2 Diopter required so no vignetting - close focus is fine but possible problem with focus on subject 15 ft away - won't lock focus. FE2 DOME & 20MM EXT ring - NO DIOPTER - close focus seems OK - distant focus seems spot on. More to report after diving it tomorrow. Side Note - those extra 2 degrees may not sound much boy do they make a difference.

Problem solved - purchased a new sigma 10-20 nikon mount today. Was absolutely stunned at how cheap it was $695 AUD or about $475USD. Hope to try it out this weekend.

Has any one used this with the D2X / Subal FE2 combo ?

I have been using the Fisheye HG20DX Focus Light with great success. The beam is very wide and can be dimmed if neccessary It has proven to be reliable and has fitted straight into my system using existing ultralight parts - 1 AD-SS adptor and a triple clamp. The only issues have been related to the battery charger contacts which were easily rectified.

Just wondering if anybody has used this lens underwater yet ??

Just wondering if any body has a first hand experience with this lens underwater ? The specs seem really close to the Nikon offering ( dimensionaly the same ) , and I recall James suggesting Tokina made lenses for Nikon - I wonder if........... Any help would be appreciated as they are less than half the price on this side of the world. Peter

James, Have a closer look at the boats you mentioned - they are within 3 pax of each other depending on the cabin allocations. What does vary is the number of crew and the quality of the wine with dinner. Same major dive sites Cod Hole , North Horn , Pixie Pinnacle , Steves Bommie etc. Where the limitations come is that some of the boats are not purpose built ,or are dated and have limitations in manouvabilty ( no bow or stern thrusters ). They also handle weather differently - remember crossing the Coral Sea enroute to Osprey Reef is the open ocean and can be a bit bumpy. My 2 cents Peter

Magic Filters just arrived in sunny Cairns ! Now watch the wind blow and the visibility deteriorate for the next month........

Prodive sounds like it would be a good choice - there are Sony P100's and marine cases on board that the guest's are able to rent. Prebooking is not neccessary unless you want to do a photgraphy course.

Hi Forestfish. Underwater cameras are available for rental from www.scubapix.com. Our store is conveniently located in the centre of the city. We can help you out with camera systems ranging from simple point & shoots ( sony P100 / marine pack ) throught to D2X's / Subal combo's. Depending on the trip you do we may already have rental camera's amd one of our staff on board. ( TAKA , Reefquest , Oceanquest , Seaquest, ) I would recomend that you drop by to discuss your needs once you get to Cairns. Peter ps please excuse the blatanty commercial plug.

Bravo - I cant wait to see the final edit.

You can solve most of the issues you mention by simply adding the ultralight handles. These are able to be spaced further away from the housing and are a absolute delight to use. ( especially if you have big hands like me ) The additional advantage of them is being able to use the top of the handle as a control arm mount - this changes the balance very nicely. ( No more sore wrists ) I'm sure many of the Subal ND2 users here have already made the conversion to these handles.

Was just wondering what strobes others were using with their new rigs. I have been trying some DS125 Ikelites out with some success until one stopped working dive 2 I guess I have get some of that first class customer service to fix my new broke strobe, I have also been trying the sea Sea 90DX as a main strobe - boy they are just the most reliable thing i have had for a long time, Been giving the YS350 for wide angle a go to but they tend to run out of sting/ battery so quickly Wondering what developments we can expect in strobes in the nexr few years. Any clues ?????????? java script:emoticon('')

Hey Dave , Great minds...........................

Not to hijack the thread - had my eyes done and a new pair of multifocal spectacles supplied - at last i can see all the out of focus images I have been taking.... On a serious note the optical mechanic says it shouldn't be a difficult task to replicate the SUBAL offering in terms of optics - he suggested a good machnist was more the requirement. Peter

I have a Macro Mate for my Subal and my Titan before that -they are just a handy, dandy thing to have in your pocket........ You never know when you might need one. Peter

This looks like a fantastic step forward for Aquatica devotees. My first thoughts were how similar it looks to my Subal. The quick release tray and spring tensioners really move this housing forward in terms of user friendliness. I wonder if they have been considering the possibility of a ''viewfinder expander'' or similar. I look forward to getting a unit wet. Peter

You could try a HD-Fix light . I have found them to be a versatile little unit. http://www.scubapix.com/Accessories/fishey...20DX/HG20DX.htm They seem to fairly popular with the folks here.

I shot these on my first dive at Bunaken last month. Depth about 20 meters Vis about a murky 30 meters Surface conditions calm D2X Subal / 16mm Nikon combo also first dive with this combo. Both were opportunistic grabs - I still have got a long way to go to get it right.