TimG

Hi Duane Sounds fun - and a trip to the Bahamas should be excellent. I started using one sync cord and the other strobe set to slave. But reading various posts on Wetpixel about sync cords failing, I have now moved to using two sync cords - thinking that if one fails, I can always switch that strobe to slave and use the remaining corded strobe to fire it. So an element of redundancy is available. No sync cord failures so far!

Yeah, I've had no problems at all. I've used them with Nikonos SB-105 and Inons. Nice and solid.

Just to add to Mike's reply, it also allows modelling by having one strobe on a higher or lower setting than the another - and both aimed in at a slight angle. Lighting is less even across the whole image and creates more "life" in the picture rather than possibly being a bit flat.

The Subal housing is sold now. But I still have available a pristine Nikon D200 with battery pack. Its done about 5000 exposures and is complete with all the orginal accessories, manual and box.

Another vote for the 60mm. Good for macro and fish portraits. I really liked the Nikkor 12-24 too and used it all the time for WA - its also a terrific topside lens. But I bought the Tokina 10-17 recently and it does look as though it will nudge the 12-24 out. As Dave said, its very good for big fish- or the shot of the diver against fan corals.

Hey Chris I've been using Inons for about 3 years having traded in my Nikonos SB105. I'm really happy with them (I have a 220 and a 220S). They are terrific for travelling - and, so far, trouble free. The only time I have thought them slightly under-powered was with coverage with a 10.5mm. But with an 18-70, 60 or 105 no problems. I have found one other slight issue with them which has been covered in a Wetpixel post some months back: a problem sometimes getting them to charge because of the way certain rechargable batteries sit in the battery compartment. It seems to be an issue relating to the slightly differing diameter that AA batteries have. It can be a bit frustrating - but once the batteries are sitting right the strobe performs very well. I'd certainly buy them again if I was starting from scratch - and am toying with the idea of going to the 240s and using a TTL converter.

That top shot is really neat! If you can get in again with a really wide angle you should get some amazing shots with so many squid in the water. Can you get ahead of them so they are swimming at you rather than across?

Sure glad you're all back! I get the same issue here in Canberra as Wagsy reports. Very slow to load.

Hey Steve Is "mint, complete with original packaging, manuals, cables - approx 4000 cycles. Much loved, very well looked after" any good? I've emailed you. Tim

Hey Steve Some expressions of interest - but nothing fixed as yet. I've emailed you directly. Best wishes

Flat cap and string vest? Eeee, I used to dream about string vests. Mother used to crochet wire wool so we 'ad vests.

Hey Zoltan But would you have the same Customs headaches if you mailed the housing somewhere in the EU for repair? As Andy suggests, you can get Ikelites repaired in the UK. And I wouldn't have thought the DHL/FedEx charges would be as much as sending it to the US.

Many thanks indeed, lads. I'll check out the CSIRO site nearer the time. But I think you Strines are tougher than we whimpy Mancunians. I reckon you guys are born with iced water in your veins But diving with a 5mm suit would be perfect. I may bring my 'ood and gloves though just in case. And a vest

Many thanks Gudge. So its tons of neoprene. Or my dry suit. Tough call. Survive Canberra eh? Hmm, well as a guest in town I couldn't possibly comment. It would be nice if it was nearer to good diving though. I keep wondering about giving my Subal a run out in Lake Burley Griffin.

Hey Guys Trust a Canberran to chip-in.... I'm heading to Ningaloo all being well in May. What's the water temps like around then? Being a wussy Pom, if it ain't 28 degrees I'm in a dry suit.

Hi Ayesha As Chris says, you can't go far wrong with a Nikon D200 - and your choice of a Subal housing is very good. They are excellent and there will be an increasing number on the second hand market (mine included! If you'd like to talk D200/Subal housing PM me). You could certainly get a wide angle and fisheye to work with one port: the DP-FE2. You'd probably need a flat port then for, say, a 60mm macro which would give you a good fish portrait capability. For lenses I'd suggest the 60mm macro plus either the Nikkor 12-24 to start off with, then the Tokina 10-17mm or the Nikkor 10.5mm. All the wide angles fit in the DP-FE2 with differing extension rings. The 12-24 is easier to use; the last two certainly take more practise because of their more extreme wide angles. One strobe is fine to start with and get used to the system. the Subal/D200 combination is ready for a second strobe when you're ready and have the cash. Hope this helps.

Hey Bruce As a Vic, you can say that about Canberra. But as a Pom - and a diplomat - I couldn't possibly comment The upgrade to PSE6 is good - it certainly has a nicer feel to it that my previous version, 4.0. There are a number of additional features but I can't say any of them I have found so far are so useful that they are Must Haves. But the upgrade is nice for sure - and, as these things go, I had to get it cos I couldn't get 4.0 to read files from my Nikon D300.

Hey Bruce I did an upgrade from PSE4 to PSE6 a little while ago. The interface and layout arrangements have improved and the main screen now has the look of Lightroom about it.

Score another one for the Spyder2. Very easy to use. Although I can't say I can see any difference on the before and after! The Spyder2 includes software for calibrating the printer to the monitor.

Tamrac have got some good backpack style bags too that have a laptop slot.

Hi - and Happy New Year! I'd suggest playing around with all the bits of gear by laying them out on a table or the floor until you get a neat square or rectangular shape using all the bits - with roughly an inch between each part. Then measure the outside of the shape. This then forms the internal measurements of whatever case you chose - although you may want to add a bit more space to hold future purchases. Then take a look on the Pelican or Storm websites. They show the various case shapes and provide the internal and external measurements. Find a case with internal measurements that will fit the shape you have worked out. And then check this fits within the airline regulations. A case such as the Pelican 1510 should be fine - and holds a lot of gear A couple of other potential considerations: do you go for "pluck foam" or dividers in the case? Pluck foam is usually cheaper and can be made to fit the gear perfectly. But it breaks down over the years. Dividers are more expensive, are highly adjustable but, arguably, don't hold the gear quite as securely (although I've used them for years without a problem). And then do you want wheels and an extendable handle on the case? Costs more money, increases the weight of the case (maybe be an issue when you fly) - but makes it easier to carry. Maybe a carrying strap? And maybe a lid organiser - rather than foam in the lid. And then there is colour of course! Black, yellow......... Decisions, decisions. Have fun with it!

I'm with Tim and Gary. I really like the Inons: quite small and light for travelling, highly variable power output, no fancy chargers to carry - uses AA batteries. If using two you can set one to be a slave; or wire them both.

Permission from wife; early edit of pics; watch DVDs; play iTunes; games of Solitaire. Go on, you know you want one. Hee hee. Sony VAIO. Never leave home without one.

Glad to be of help Vincent. You may have seen Paul (I think) and I plus many others suggesting in another post that a P&S is more than enough to get your teeth into if relatively new to diving and photography. You can get terrific results with a good P&S and strobe. DSLRs are just wicked underwater but very hard work to get anything decent if you don't know your way around a camera system - and, most importantly, don't have really good buoyancy skills. Once you are really comfortable with your diving and have a good idea of what you are doing with a camera, come and join us on The Dark Side with DSLRs. You'll have even more tons of fun. Mind you, your bank account will never be the same again. But hey, if diving wasn't an expensive enough hobby......

Hey Wingsy Brrr, makes me cold just thinking about it. On the "adjusts": if you don't use strobes or Auto WB/RAW and want to use Preset WBs, you will need to go through the procedure on the D100 for "Presetting" the WB every few metres as you descend or ascend. This is because the colour of the light changes at different depths. The red end of the spectrum is absorbed as you descend. A quarry would be especially bad for this. There is quite a lot to do in presetting the WB (check the D100 manual which explains exactly how you do it). It involves a number of steps. This is what I was explaining about the task-loading aspect. I'd suggest that you keep practising presetting the WB topside out of the housing first and then in the housing: until you can do it automatically. It's not something you want to learn how to do in a quarry in the UK in winter in a semi-dry! Forgive me if I'm teaching you to suck eggs, but some UK quarries can be quite tricky dives. I'd suggest that you know where the bottom is (!) before you start playing with presetting. You don't want to start at 5m and discover after you've been fiddling with the camera that you have sunk down to 30m....