tassietraveller

Isla Mujeres Mexico from June To September is famous for congregations. Snorkelling only as well. I had some great encounters at Darwin’s Arch in the Galapagos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glad you worked it out. Sounds like a great trip. The Yongala wreck is one of my diving highlights. Hopefully reef encounters will take you there. Plenty of weedys around the Sydney area. They're super photogenic! Leafys are trickier to find. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No worries. Happy to help. That's strange with the clamps. They hold things together tight, but shouldn't be hard to release. You need to push the flat piece of metal that's on the hinge before it will release. It's the small metal strip that's perpendicular to the rest of the hinge. You'll need an ikelite to ikelite sync cord. As you mention that you'll be getting two strobes, you'll want the dual version. The leak sentinel screws into a control port via an adapter. You'll need to sacrifice a control. You'll probably find that there's several that you'll never use underwater. It works by you making a negative pressure on the inside of the housing via a pump. An LED light tells you if you're losing vacuum, hopefully pre-dive. Leak sentinel from vivid housings is a good quality unit for a great price. Excellent customer service too. Where in Australia are you headed? I'm originally from Tasmania. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi I have a D7000 in an ikelite housing, so happy to share my thoughts and experience. Ikelite strobes are quality and make sense when going with an ikelite housing as TTL functionality is built in. The 161s are great. I have one paired with an older 125 (purely for financial reasons). As far as lenses go, the accepted "go to" lenses are the tokina 10-17 fisheye for wide angle, and either a nikkor 60 mm 2.8 macro (d or g version), or 105 mm. I have the 60 mm, which I find great. You need to get a little closer for macro shots, but I think provides an easier working distance to also shoot fish portraits. With those lenses you can't go wrong. You'll need to get a flat port for the macro lens and a dome for the fisheye. You can either go with the large ikelite dome, or a smaller dome that will allow you to get closer to things for "close focus wide angle" (CFWA) shots. I've recently invested in a vivid housing leak sentinel for my set up. Also really worth looking into to give you peace of mind with all that expensive gear! Hope that helps. Happy to answer any further questions. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lovely pics and a nicely written article! Thanks for sharing. Can I ask what lens you were using? Do you use TTL settings for the strobes or manual? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks all. I've managed to find one Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Piotr, No problem. I mainly gave the sandpapering recommendations in case someone searches this topic in the future. I'm not sure where toothpaste and other creams would fall on the spectrum, but really fine grad sandpaper (e.g. 3000 and up) is what often gets used when working on car panel surfaces before a final waxing. The fine grades act like a polisher more than a sander. The product you referenced looks promising. In the "real world" I very much doubt that any really fine scratches that you can only see in the light will impact your photos at all. Even heavier scratches are hard to pick up in images and will only be visible if light is hitting them at a certain angle. I remember reading somewhere (maybe on wetpixel somewhere) that fine scratches are "filled in" by water when the dome is submerged and thus you won't be able to pick them up in photos. I understand wanting to have nice pristine looking gear though Good luck with the polishing! Nick

How much are you asking? What condition is it in? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi, Does anyone have a Nikon D7000 body they're looking to sell? I managed to kill mine. I'm currently located in north CA. Nick Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Piotr, The Novus #1 came as a sheet that was soaked with a really fine polish in the kit I got. It will help get the really fine marks out. Alternatively as suggested above, toothpaste can also be used, or I have also had success with other polish such as metal polish (Brasso in Australia) or a cutting compound that is used for car detailing. My experience is that the Novus does work, but it takes a while and lots of elbow grease. It's a good option for if you're nervous about causing further damage. Once you are more confident you might want to consider using really fine grade wet and dry sandpaper. The starting grade will depend on how deep the scratch is and how quickly you want to work. If you work at 90 degree angles and gradually move up in grades of sandpaper it is a much quicker method than the Novus. In the past I have started with 1000 grit and worked up to 3000 grit. If you can get 5000 grit it'll polish up really nicely. Work over the whole dome, not just where the scratch is, otherwise you'll get a local flat spot and distortion. You should see the scratch disappearing as you work at it. Then finish up with the polish or toothpaste. Cutting compounds usually remove scratches from 1200 and higher grades. It's scary at first, as you're dome will look really hazy, but as you get up to higher grades it'll clear up and then sparkle . Do this wet. A spray bottle with a tiny bit of detergent mixed in works well. Hope that helps! Nick

@ComeFromAway Ah yes, that rings a bell now you mention it. I think I may have read the original exchange between you and Tom (or part of it). Sounds like a cool idea! I was thinking of getting in the water initially, although it's rapidly getting pretty cold and a remote set up sounds like a great way to go. Do you have any pics online I could have a look at? Would be cool to see!

Hi, I don't have an answer to your question, but I'm really interested to hear the replies. I also shoot with a D7000 in an Ikelite housing. I have recently relocated to Northern California and was interested in getting some trout and salmon pics over the coming months. In particular, some split shots with fish below and redwoods above would be sweet. Where are you located?

Hi All, I am an Australian marine scientist (and photographer when I get the chance) who is currently working in California on the MPA network. A colleague in the Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently putting together a brochure on the MPA network for public outreach. He is currently looking for an image to feature on the cover of the brochure. I am wondering if there are any photographers out there that might have a suitable image they'd be willing to share. Unfortunately, there's not funding in the state budget to pay for the image, but the photo would of course be credited. Here is what he has in mind: - Portrait orientation - Macrocystis forest - An interesting/iconic species in the foreground e.g. California sheephead, rockfish. maybe a red urchin or sea star - Either a split shot (big ask I know) or with a sunball at the top of the image - If it was shot in an MPA that's a bonus If anyone is interested we'd really love your help. Also I think this has great bragging rights and would give your work great exposure. I'd love to get the shot myself, but haven't had the chance to get out diving much yet. Thanks in advance Nick

Hi Dustin I've watched a few of your videos and always enjoyed them, but that was amazing! Love the music and production and some really amazing footage. The octopus intro and outro works really well. Keep up the great work. Nick Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Can't say I have observed it, but then I haven't been looking out. I will do now!