JPS

Thanks for the post (and great images as well). Have you tried it with external strobe? Or has anyone else experience of this camera with (e.g.) Inon Z-240?

Alternative to the small zip-lock bags is a piece of cling film from kitchen.

Used Ike D200 housing could be the most cost effective solution. If you plan on sticking to Ike gear you can re-use ports and stuff when you upgrade to next-gen D300 after some years.

On my last trip I had it assembled for two weeks or so, and it was very tight. I managed - just - without strap wrench or similar. Next time I'll use bit more lubricant when assembling.

"Reef Fish Identification: Tropical Pacific" by Allen, Steene, Humann and DeLoach follows the same style as the Caribbean series by Humann and DeLoach. Only fish are covered, though. I like to complement this with more area-specific guides (e.g. Fishes of the Maldives by Kuiter).

Set the strobe to TTL. Full is full for preflash, no good!

Pdf-copy is also very convenient when travelling: always with you in your laptop HDD and or memory card. I always miss the manual that I forgot at home...

Which atoll were you in? Did the dive operator even try to organize trips to more macro-friendly dive sites? Most average customers value only big things...

My experiences are neutral. No major hassles, but regular impoliteness. Anyhow, the TSA procedures seem primarily targeted towards reminding US citizens that "we are at war", "there are bad guys everywhere", and "government is protecting you". Just my impression.

NiMH batteries discharge on their own around ~1% or so per day, more in the first days after charging. My rule of thumb: charge everything the day before use.

This is good news! The URL is http://www.seaslugforum.net/

I use IMatch (www.photools.com). Great extension capabilities with scripts, and has full metadata export options as well.

(Oly C-8080 is not a DSLR, so you can find more discussion of it in other forums.) The depth rating is, IMO, the least of the differences between Ike and Olympus housings for C-8080. Ike housing has TTL capability with Ike strobes, whereas Oly can be directly connected only to Oly's own housed strobe that is rather underpowered. Ike housing is more compact. Ike housings are more robust than Oly housings. Of course Ike is more costly, though. Doing a search is worthwhile, this has been discussed before in more detail.

In my experience sound environmental practices are followed for all the aspects you ask about. However, there are tens of operators in the area, and I have always made business with just one. Even when sound practices are followed the area is very heavily visited by divers, and it starts to show more and more How about also contacting Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conversation Association (HEPCA)?

When is DEMA?