udi62

Thank you. It's exactly my plan and why I have only few days in Fiji.

Thank you, again, guys ! Following your words, I've decided to stay for 16 diving days in the big island and divide it between the north - Bligh waters, the east - Naigani and south - going out from Pacific harbor. Sent e-mails to Nai'a they didn't even bother to reply and to Volivoli beach resort - still waiting for a reply. So, a good budget way will be getting to a town, find a reasonable room and find a local operator for few days. I got some names from you. Will love some more personal tips !!!

Thank's. guys for the tips. I drink too much Kava - bad kidneys.... Will appreciate any other tips !!!

Thank you, Luko, for your important experience and tips. So, you think I can choose to go only to Vity levu north and south and get the best of Fiji in 13 days ? Any specific recommendations of resorts, dive operators or liveaboard ?

Hi every one ! Going for 13 dive days in Fiji in September for the first time. I"m an experienced diving instructor and photographer. What is "a must" and how to plan it without rushing from one place to another and to stay on a reasonable budget ? Looked at the liveaboards and they seem very expensive. Thank you !!!

I've shot many good shark pics with 6' Sea&sea compact dome without any ext' rings or diopters with the 10-17 + D300. I think the 10-17 is a bit too short, but the quality is very good.

I would check also all 3 D800 cameras. What people call by mistake a "left focus point problem" is actually right and left - as much as you are getting far from center, it gets worst. especially on ultra wide (weitwinkel) lenses. Have you tried calibrating all 3 cameras ?

Wow x 2 !!!

The D800 focus system is great !!! The high resolution harm severely the contrast and it looks some times as not sharp enough. Adding contrast and sharpening is essential !!! All together, I find the D800 a good camera but more difficult to handle than my old D700. The Sigma 15, Nikon 60 and Nikon 105 vr are really good on it as John says. I'm sure the D4 will be much easier to handle !

The 10-17, 60 and 100 are excellent for the job. Try a 16-35 + D800 on land and if you are satisfy, just get the largest dome port (in Sea&sea is the 240 + 80 mm ext' rings). Not sure how the 10-17 works with a 1.4 Tc. The new Nikon 60 2/8 afs is not working well with the Tc, the old one (F) is working very well. Good luck !!!

Well, for now, I use the Sigma 15 2.8 with and without the Kenko X1.4 TC and have 15 and 22.5 mm that I like. I ordered the Sigma 35 1.4 and will know how is it in the near future. Alex M. said the 16-35 is the best zoom lens for the job at this moment , I didn't like it even out of the water. It seems that the 16-35 that worked so great with the D700, is not good enough for the D800 (my opinion, only). Just a thought - why not getting the D4 into a housing ?

I use the Mdx800 with Ikelite 161 on Manuel and like it. Never thought to use a TTL, so, can't help you on that. You need to think over about lenses and ports. My experience with the Nikon 16-35 VR with the 240 dome port , is not good, for example.

Thank you for your willing to help, I really appreciate it !!! There is a lot of sense in what you say. I'm in contact with one of the members here that have the same results with the very same gear as me. There is so much sense in it, that it makes me ask the obvious question - maybe the 14-24 will show completely different results with different dome port then what Alex used ? Is there any one else that tried the 14-24 here ?

It's very sharp at the center. It's the sides I don't like. I wonder if any one here tried the new Sigma 35 1.4. If I had the 14-24, I would try it at 14 mm and 24 mm' without buy the zoom gear first !

I don't know what to say. Your pic looks, here, on the net, just fine. When I compare the results of the 16-35 on my old D700 and on the D800,out of the water, I see huge difference. Under water, I got very bad results with my gear and I know from another user that got identical results.