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BengalBoy

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Posts posted by BengalBoy

  2. Posted

    I have put together my own E-M1 rig and this what I'm using.

    E-M1 in NA-EM1 Housing

    Olympus 60mm Macro f2.8 lens in Nauticam Port 65 with Manual Focus Gear, Flip Diopter & CMC diopter.

    Olympus 12-40mm PRO f2.8 lens in 7.5 inch Nauticam Dome Port with Zoom Gear.

    6 Nauticam standard ball clamps

    2 HowShot 6 inch carbon fiber 150gram bouancy arms.

    2 Nauticam 5 inch arms.

    2 HowShot 3 inch YS adapter arms.

    1 Olympus UFL-2 Strobe. Works wonders with Olympus RC Flash software and Micro 4/3 lens.

    1 iTorch Venom 50 5000 lumens light with Remote Control.

    1 Nauticam 22cm lanyard

    1 Cesca coiled safety lanyard.

    2 fiber optic cords.

     

    I think its a very good all around system with hight quality images being produced by both lens. You may have some who prefer a wider angle lens than the 12-40mm PRO, but, its sharpness and image quaity is sublime. Don't forget that Olympus strobes are the only ones that will work with the RC flash software on the E-M1.

  4. Posted

    I am in the United States Plumas. Will you ship to me and if so, how much would DHL or FedEx cost? Does the port come in its original box with extra O-Ring and grease? If shipping this port isn't terribly expensive from your location then I'm definitely interested in purchasing it.

  7. Posted

    I would go with the Pro as the sharpest lens of the two. Most of your photos will be taken at about 8-10 feet below the surface. The water is very clear & clean and the sun is bright. Its difficult to get very creative and most shots would be the image of the Great Whites taking passes by the cage, around the cage, under the cage,,, coming up to the cage. The 12-40 will also give you more reach when the sharks are out in the bait area as the boat will most likely not throw it in front of the cages and pull it in. If the Solomar has a submersible cage then the 7-14 would be a cool choice to shoot up at the bottom of the boat and all the fishes gathered around... silhouetteing a Great White above you and between the surface. If you can do a over/under with a shark in the water and Guadalupe behind it... also a good choice. Here is an image of me hanging out of the cage as a young Great White comes in to check me out. You can see the depth of the cage from the surface to the average shooting angle. Most coveted shot in this situation is a Great White attacking the cage with its jaws distended.. it does happen,, and it will definitely get your attention!! Be Ready and Don't forget to pull the trigger when it does!!

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  9. Posted · Edited by BengalBoy

    I was on the "Islander" back in 2011. My dive master was Jimi Partington who has been featured in many "Shark Week" shows as well as marine biologist Doc Anes. Excellent experience! The people on The Islander love Great Whites and are very concientious about safety and protecting the sharks. There is no "loud music" or pulling the bait directly into the cages. All dives are done in two 4 man cages alternating every hour with 8 other divers. Dives begin at 8 in the morning and conclude at 5. There is a submersible cage that is a single diver with Jimi as your dive master that goes to 40 feet. Divers all get a turn that are certified, and, after that its just pretty much who wants to go down and use it. If you have the camera equipment, *I didn't*, its a very cool experience being at depth with Great Whites. Maurico the Mexican marine biologist in charge of Guadalupe will visit the boat one night and give a lecture on the ecology and behavior of Great Whites. Check Jimi out on Facebook for information. The boat is by no means "plush",,, you share two large community bathrooms with the other guests, but, the experience and passion of the crew for the Great Whites is contagious. Highly recommend these guys!! (The Islander has done out of the cage dives for experts and National Geographic style productions, they did one the week after I was there, however, I would hesitate to do that unless you have a great deal of experience with these Sharks.) It is guestimated about 300 or more are there and the stealthy nature of these animals is very disarming at times. I recommend you book your trip as late into October first of November if possible. That is when the very large females arrive and you might get to see Deep Blue or Lucy. Deep Blue was there during my dives, but, arrived on the day before I left. Lucy got there a couple days earlier and was Gi'Normous in her own right! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206811024977577&l=a39a61ee1f

     

    @aneomefish: I now shoot with a E-M1 and think your lens choice would be great selection with a dome. I prefer my 12-40 Pro for quality, but, wider is better. If your brave,, hanging off the back of the transom where the cages mount might make for a great over/under shot of a Great White passing by with Guadalupe in the background. (just don't fall in) Its a very primal place. Also recommend a 40-150mm Pro with converter for BIF and Sea Lions on the shore. A camera drone would be cool as well if you are into them. No one is allowed on the Island, but, a camera drone would give you some great footage and landscape photos if you know how to use one.

  14. Posted

     

    Are you saying that TTL won't work on my setup?

    I don't know? I can only speak to the fact that the "RC" flash feature is a proprietary software that works with Olympus Flashes. It sends the camera's readings to the flash to give TTL metering. Its very simple to just set your Olympus camera to "RC" flash and then connect to a Olympus strobe. I use a Olympus UFL-2 which also has a telescoping beam that senses from 12mm-40mm lens to focus more narrowly or widely the flash shutter. I never took a badly exposed macro shot my first time using it in Galapagos. Its just a very nice feature that you can only take advantage of by using a Olympus strobe. The newest is the UFL-3.

  17. Posted · Edited by BengalBoy

    I just received my new i-Torch Venom 50 underwater light from Diving Express, Ltd out of Hong Kong and boy am I impressed!

    I purchased this 5000 lumens white light, red focus and UV underwater light with its unique "remote control" for almost $500 less than any other Seller I found online with this light. Delivery was through DHL and I had it in my hands in 2 days from order.

     

     

     

    I have recently upgraded my system to the EM-1 and I wanted a powerful light to improve my video quality from my old 800 Lumens underwater light. Also, I learned that it's hard to shoot cool critters at depth using white light as a focus light. It can irritate them causing movement and attempts to get away. (Kind of like Sean Penn). So, a red focus light was a part of my purchase criteria. Also, I didn't want to spend $thousands$ on a light. My search led me to the i-Torch Venom series. Very powerful & affordable underwater lighting. The Venom 50 was the most powerful in the Venom series at 5000 lumens with a 50 minute burn time on full power. It has four lower settings for 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20% power. It also has a red focus light with two lower levels. Additionally, it has a UV light capability for florescent photography. I'm planning a trip to Komodo and look forward to trying my hand at this UV photography on a night dive.

     

    I also purchased the iTorch remote control. The Venom 50 and iTorch Venom C92 both offer a remote control feature. It uses fiber optic cable to control the mode and light intensity without removing your hands from the case. Very cool! It comes with a fiber optic cable adapter for controlling 2 Venom 50s, battery, and mounting hardware.

    The remote is rated to 100 meters just like the Venom 50.

     

    The Venom 50 really shocked me with its size for such a powerful light. Very compact and less than 500 grams with battery. It included charger (need US adapter for 3 prong Euro electrical plug)

    , O-Rings & grease, rubber grip rings, lanyard, battery cap, light head and instructions. It uses two buttons for operation. One for powering on/off and selecting mode. (white/red/UV). The other button controls light intensity. A red digital read out provides light intensity and battery level information.

     

    When coupled with the i-Torch remote control you must first turn the Venom 50 on. After that, your thumb can select mode by pressing the little chrome button and a knurled thumb screw dials light intensity up/down or off in the case of white or red light. You cannot dial down UV light to a "sleep" setting.

     

    I'm so excited about my new light! Coupled with my UFL-2 strobe I'm looking forward to capturing some cool critters in Komodo with my EM-1. If your like me and want to save money, you can't go wrong with Diving Express. Ask for Tam and tell him I sent you!

     

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  20. Posted

    That is Awesome to know Elmer! Yes, that is exactly what i'm looking for. i'm making my "Trophy List" that I intend to shoot and I really like the idea of having a personal guide to help me meet those goals. This will be the pinnacle of my underwater photography gear to date and I really want to do some amazing macro shots and wide angle like I see from the Photographers on WetPixel's Facebook page. I got the bug many years ago with a cheap digital rig that eventually flooded.. tried it again many years later when technology changed and Panasonic's first underwater compact came out,, then upgraded to a Olympus TG-1 with Strobe & video light. Now I've got a EM-1 with 7" dome & a 60mm macro port with CMC.... My ideas of subjects, dive environment *day/night*, UV light photography, over/under shots, etc.. I'm really getting excited about having great equipment to accomplish with IQ underwater what I previously could only shoot on the surface. An adventure with 1 camera, 3 lens, underwater housing & lighting equipment and a camera drone. 2-3 weeks in Komodo/Bali... Childhood dreams of riding a Dragon come True! Haha! I will check out the dive shop you recommended as well and compare! Did you do any UV photography on your night dives or see any being done? I'm curious how much marine life was fluorescing and how did you like the results of the shots?

  24. Posted

    Elmer, how did you like navigating from Bali on Mermaid as opposed to flying from Bali to Luan Bajo and boarding the Indo Siren? Was it worth the extra money to you for the better appointed Siren?? I will be traveling alone, so, I don't really require a swanky atmosphere like I might on a couples cruise. However, I do want a good clean cabin and boat with modern electrical systems for charging all my electronics & computers. Everything I've read about the Mermaid boats seem to indicate they are very nicely appointed and a good value for photographers seeking a boat focused on underwater photographers & their equipment. Your thoughts on the differences of each would be appreciated and your experiences with the dive staff, sites you visited, unique or special moments unique to each boat. Haha, a cool photo of your dives there is always appreciated!

  25. Posted

    Cool video Mike and so true!! Best to sit still and watch the Big Fish and hope they come to you!! (at least it was in Galapagos..) Diver's chasing Eagle Rays and Sharks never got close. Sitting still outside the current I was within arms reach of those same species many times. I have looked at some of your other videos and they look great, exactly what I'm hoping for. Great Guides who can show me the critters as well as help me be a better photographer.

     

    Thank you Aquapaul for the recommendation. Its great to hear others first hand opinions.

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