I'm thinking of buying a Macro Mate Diopter/Stixs bouyancy floats

[H2oman211 0]

I'm thinking of buying a micro mate wet diopter from Backscatter for a trip I'm taking to Indonesia this fall and I'm looking for any feed back about them .It would be fitted to my Aquatica 200 housing . I will be shooting with a Sigma 50mm macro lens and and older film Nikon 105 macro lens .I'm also looking for feedback on the stix bouyancy floats for my TLC arms. Please let me know what experiences you have had with these items.

[elbuzo 8]

I have the macromate for about 4 years now and i'm very pleased . My only complain is the weight . I use it on my Aquatica D300 with the 60mm and 105mm .

 

You will need some floats to avoid the pain in your hands and arms . I use one Stix collar float around my macro port and also floats that i put in my tlc arms .

 

It's importatnt that you have a good spotlight to help you to find small creatures and also with the focus due to the shallow depth of field at such magnification . For the spot light i put it on top of my housing attached to a TLC ball with a long clamp from ULC that give me space when i flip out the macromate.

 

Good luck

 

JA

[Steve Williams 0]

Patrick, another option to consider is the new Reefnet Subsee +5 and + 10 lenses. Might want to give them a call and see how they are coming on the new design. I believe they are backed up on the orders but you should be fine for a fall trip if you decide to go that way. I also use a Stix collar on my macro setup and I have the Stix floats on my ULCS arms. They work very well.

 

Cheers,

Steve

[ramaroodle 0]

Love my macro-mate.

 

1. Get the housing neutral with it on or you will have very sore wrists and a difficult time holding it steady dealing with the weight.

2. I have no manual focus gear with my 105mm/Subal so I usually find my subject and keep it in manual focus mode and move the housing back and forth. Even my friends with focus gear use manual and move the housing.

3. Remember the limit switch. A pain to forget it in macro situations but a ROYAL pain with a macro-mate. (see # 2)

4. I see most people with them set up so it flips down when out of the way but have found that less potential damage to the reef is had with it folding from the sides or top.

5. I have found it handy to have a metal rod or chopstick to rest on a spot of dead coral to steady the housing. It is too easy to get lazy and rest the end of the port on the coral, damaging it.

6. A focus light is critical, not necessarily to focus but to focus the bright spot on your subject so you can find it in the viewfinder. So it doesn't have to be an expensive light, just one that has a relatively concentrated beam.

7. Dead flat calm with no surge is best.

8. There is a free Macro-mate out there left in the overhead bin of a Continental Bonaire flight 3 years ago along with my CPAP machine for anybody who can find it.

 

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Andy

Edited May 25, 2010 by ramaroodle

[bvanant 179]

Patrick, another option to consider is the new Reefnet Subsee +5 and + 10 lenses. Might want to give them a call and see how they are coming on the new design. I believe they are backed up on the orders but you should be fine for a fall trip if you decide to go that way. I also use a Stix collar on my macro setup and I have the Stix floats on my ULCS arms. They work very well.

 

Cheers,

Steve

The reefnet lenses are very nice, but make sure you have no surge if you are trying the +10 out. DOF is measured in nanometers, I think. Another vote for STIX floats on ULCS arms.

Bill

[eyu 27]

Another wet diopter is the Inon 165 that you can look at. I think you will have problems using any diopter with your 50 mm lens, since your subject to camera distance will be too short. A diopter will work better with your 105 mm and you could consider using a Nikkor 5T dry diopter with it vs a wet diopter.

Stix arms with floats are great.

 

Elmer