Alex_Mustard

This is a spinyhead blenny. The confusion around the IDs is long running. First, many people refer to all the tube blennies collectively as secretary bennies - even though there is a specific species called secretary blenny. These ones are commonly called spinyhead secretary blennies too! The true secretary blenny is a shallow water species (rarely seen by boat divers, usually only seen by shore divers) and there is confusion about it because on the early (but widespread) editions of one of the popular ID guides had a photo of a spinyhead under secretary blenny. This one can be orangey around the eyes - but is more obviously spikey on its head. The one with orange around its eyes is the roughhead blenny (which has both a dark and golden colour form). Alex

I agree with Phil, the "N120 140mm" is what I would use. To use a Sigma 15mm with a 100mm dome, you need to shave off the lens hood - if you leave it on, the lens cannot get close enough to the dome to not see the edges of the dome. Alex

I tried to use a pair on my last trip - but couldn’t trigger them with the Retra flash triggers - which could trigger all the other strobes we had around. Suggests to me that they probably need a strong-ish pulse of light to trigger. Alex

Saga makes ones that work both ways: https://sagadive.com/categoria-producto/aros-extension-y-adaptadores/ Alex

Just in case it saves you money - domes referred to as 9" and 230mmm are usually the same size. The 8" is considerably smaller - and offers something different. The Zen 180 is also a good mid-sized option. Alex

Not tried it on a dome - but this brought this D2 strobe back to life after a nasty battery flood.

Yeah the leak detection is still part of the strobe. My video was a one-take-live effort - so I didn't remember everything - or explain everything quite as clearly as I would in an edited, written review. The App is awesome - they already added something for me to test in Egypt and I was able to update both strobes and to have a different function on one of the User modes! Alex

The biggest limitation of the D2X is ISO. It is a base ISO camera (ISO 100) and increasing the ISO at all means the image quality falls apart by modern standards. Despite being just 12MP - the files still hold up well and process well and can be uprezzed. Therefore it is best for macro and wide angle in bright conditions with powerful strobes - so that you can shoot at low ISO. Shooting the camera - the LCD screen is very small these days. But the AF is still pretty decent. Alex

A production specification pair arrived with me today. Just took the photo below. I haven't seen the email sent out to those who pre-ordered. But my understanding from Retra is that they are well into the production run now - and they are planning to have all the pre-ordered strobes ready at around the same time to send out in the second half of October.

I have an M5 - it is lovely and small and I am considering taking it underwater. Think it could be a great combo with the Tokina 10-17mm. Has anyone got any updated impressions on this camera UW? Alex

I regularly use Nauticam ports (including the WACP) on my Subal housings (type 4 ports) - I use an adaptor from Saga. I am pretty sure that the difference in port to lens difference is 30mm longer like this (Subal housing sticking out more and the adaptor - compared to the original Nauticam port on a Nauticam housing). Alex

Best of luck

Nice set of pics!

Had to check this thread to see whether the question was photoshopping it into or out of images! Photographers are well aware that images with trash in can be good sellers and we now show off about taking worthy ‘environmental’ images in the same way we used to humbrag about competition wins. I even hear stories (dunno if they are true) of photographers staging photos of marine life interacting with plastic etc. To get back on point - I think the most important thing to consider with manipulation - is if you do it - be open and honest about it (including a note about it in the image caption). I don’t think most people have an issue with photoshopping - as long as they are not misled. Alex