Joe Honu

Scorpio fish! My wife was mad at me last night from the drool puddle I left on the keyboard after reading you were in Palau. I have been getting much advice from MUCHO wetpixel "pros". Very informative group. I am very much looking forward to your additional info on the Aquatica housing and set-up recommendations. If you have the availability, check out some of the "filter talk" going back and forth. Pretty interesting stuff. Thanks again for the reply! Joe B)

See, there you go, answering the rookies Q's...I certianly appreciate it! Thanks for the read referral on the Fuji also. Nice touch them incorporating firewire capability for file transfer. As far as the housings, the aquatica really has sparked my interest (especially from the reviews), but the price on the S&S in the classifieds here sure is right. Input?? Last Q if I may, I understand that strobe lighting is going to be infinitely different u/w, and there are few to no DSLR shooters here in Hawaii that I routinely dive with, but all the big shooters seem to have duals...should I start with a single (maybe an ike ds 125), learn THAT first before jumping into twin sources??? Your input would be appreciated. Thanks again. Joe B)

M- Thanks so much for your very educated input. I had not even considered the Fuji, just no familiarity with it. I have a N90 which I am very fond of for dry work. I will definitely look into the fuji now! Can you tell me why the filter is not needed with the DSLR??? Is the pixel processing different from my SONY set-up (P-9 with 50W torch)??? May be a silly Q, but am still curious. Donaau, I saw the add for your S&S housing, so did the boss here at the house:P !!! That was why I was trying to get some additional opinions on it versus the Aquatica. Certianly NOT badmouthing something I have NO experience with, just trying to get edjumacated before I start shucking out the bucks...looks like a great deal though! All responses are welcomed!

Greetings digital photo dudes! I am now upgrading from U/W point and shoot to U/W SLR. I shoot nikon topside, will my AF lenses work with the D-100? In looking at / for housings, I am reading some problems with the S&S housing (factory recall?) versus the Aquatica....great reviews. Any preferencial statements from wetpixel shooters? I read the review posted previous on the Aquatica and it looks great. Also looking into advice on the use of "domes" for shooting, necessity of the "red filter" for SLR work. I will look further on strobes on that board. Many thanks for the input, offers of used equip for sale are welcome!!! Joe

Thanks to all for the wonderful commentary everyone! Scorpio: What a great system for checking out photos! Understand this is probably UW photo 101, but I apppreciate the info! That "edge patrol" is aright on the mark. So far (fairly inexperienced w/ U/W photo....I see to be looking at my shots and saying "This turned out to be a decent photo EVEN THOUGH I was shooting for this or that. Your comment on "What was it you were trying to capture" will "refocus" my efforts The fact I am using a point and shoot makes it a bit more challenging, but 1 toy at a time. I talked to that fish for a good 10 minutes and told him EXACTLY which direction I wanted him to swim, how fast, facial expression, mood, etc...but his union got involved and he just did his own thing. Good idea too on the 50% fish face rule. The only adjustment I did on the photo was "autolevels", no recoloring of the tank. The SONY seems to REALLY pick out colors and make them pop as you can see in this shot of my wife finning off the corsair. Again, THANKS to everybody!!! Every little bit helps, and your "little" may be my "whole bunch"!!! Joe

I haven't kept any of the shot comparisons w/ vs w/o the filter. The difference was enough for me to just want to delete the w/o pics. BUT, I will try and go out this weekend and take some for side by sides. Any excuse for a good dive!!!B) Joe

:)Thank you both for looking at my pictures! Dolphine I have tried shooting close to the same shots with and without the filter and it made a huge difference. The filter really brings in the colors. Grasshopper, AGREED on the little fish. I have seen other photos where people just "took out the fish in the forground for better composition with photoshop", so I bought a book last week on photoshop to try and figure it out. I have one that is almost exclusively airplane, but there are no fish either I thought it looked a bit blah...Thank you BOTH again for looking and comments! Joe Honu

One more...this one is deeper (114 ft), again ambient light, SONY P-9 with Marine Pack housing. I will hold at these two for now. Thanks Again to all!!!

ALOHA Bubble blowers and picture snappers...your critiques would be welcomed! SONY P-9 w/ marine pak and red filter. Ambient light. 50 ft. Autolevels with Photoshop. If someone can tell me how to link to a gallery (Yahoo???) I would like to post more. Looking for input for ambient light amatuer photo contest submissions. Thanks to All!!! Be kind to the Honu!

Hi All, I have a P-9 with the marine pak housing and have had it down past 120 ft. It is a terriffic set up with some limitations. It does use a pre-flash and I have been using a 50w sony video light for photography until I get the Ikelite strobe set-up. You can attach various strobes and lights, but you have to buy the tray and arm to go with it. The red filter is very important as well. Many of the dive shops here in Hawaii are buying up these systems for "rentals" out to the tourist population. Some of the operators here are using the fiber-optic sync cords on strobes but the consistant complaint is its fragility and need for frequent replacement. There is no aperture / vs shutter priority on this camera (limitation), but for a point and shoot it is great. Macro is OK, but you wont be able to get in there REALLY tight. Also, if you put it on center spot focus for the AF, expect the little "shakey hand sign" in your viewfinder quite a bit. Placing the sharpness at +1 doesn't hurt. This is my first U/W set-up, and I think it has been a great choice for the money. I am going to try and post either some photos or a link to some photos. If there are other questions I might be able to help you with, please let me know. B) Joe

Hi there, late reply to your post, I know...BUT, I have the P9 setup and marine pack also and really like it. I have been using a 50w video torch which can produce some hot spotting and motion shots are a bit difficult as well. There is a little "shakey hand" that you will see quite a bit at first on the viewfinder. I am going to replace my torch with a digital flash set up soon (I hope) for better pictures. The filter is an absolute must and well worth the extra money. We have dove it down to 126 without leakage and have had no problems at all. A little anti-fog on the inside of the housings lens surface goes a long way. Best of luck, look forward to your shots! Joe Honu B)

Albeit I am a SERIOUS rookie at all this underwater digital stuff...I have a P-9 w/ housing and am currently using a 50w torch for lighting (waiting for the strobe fairy to shower me with gifts). From what I have read, the Ikelight strobe set up will enable slave firing of the digital preflash where the Sea and Sea fiber optic slave cable sete-up will allow cancellation of the preflash by timing / settings of your strobe itself. The picture quality I get is very good with the torch. With the strobe it will be even better. Macro is a SIGNIFICANT challenge, as is any kind of real "action shot" (shutter delay). BUT for point and shoot stuff and simple high quality photos, my P-9 has worked very very well for me at depths down to 123 ft without a single hitch. For the price of the entire set-up, I couldn't beat it for a starter system.

Hi "ellenm" thanks for the ideas on using the inhousing flash! I was wondering about it and had not yet tried to shoot with letting it fire. Your shots turned out VERY NICE! I am attaching a link with a few of mine, open for comments...please be gentle! I will try the native flash on my next outing and let you know how it goes! Thanks again for the idea! Joe http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/ussfpa

proper link... http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/ussfpa

Aloha Oamdam...I have the SONY P-9 and am wrestling with the same issues. The literature with the P-9 says it meters the flash using a PRE flash for metering exposure within the 47 seperate lighting brackets which make up the photograph. The P-9 and P-5 are supposed to be the same camera save for the resolution difference. As far as which strobe is better...I contacted Ikelite and they said their strobe outfits will not fit the tray / arm assembly which the marine pak mounts onto. I am currently using a 45w marine pak lamp, but am looking into the Sea and Sea strobe systems which are compatable with the marine pak housing and tray system. Hope this helps. Shots are on the link... http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/ussfpa Be kind to the Honu! Joe