Bali Pics with RX100

[maat1976]

Hi all.

This was my husband and mine's first trip with our new camera and the results came out pretty decent. By no means are they perfect but I'm happy with this attempt. We're going to get a second light and maybe a wide angle lens for our next trip in Bonaire for January. We did NOT get the hang of the macro lens, which was a bit disappointing, but meh, we'll get there. The equipment was an RX100, Nauticam housing, a Sea and Sea YS-02 strobe (not the TTL one).

Enjoy.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/maat1976/sets/72157646410819778/

Claudia

 

[Ran Mozaik]

Nice going! These are excellent for your first attempts with a new rig! Very impressive.
I love how this one came out - https://www.flickr.com/photos/maat1976/14833759367/in/set-72157646410819778

 

[Interceptor121]

The RX100 is a hard camera to begin with and completely unfriendly in P mode so well done

What happened with the macro lens?

Few tips:
1. ISO is always at 400, why? Was it difficult to see anything on the LCD? Really all the shots warranted ISO 100-200
2. A lot of shots at f/11 even when the fish was not really small. There is a lot of diffraction at such small aperture. f/5.6 would have been ok. F/11 really only with a wet lens or sunballs
3. A lot of 1/125? You can go higher to get a black background (the issue will be the LCD pitch black hence you need a focus light)
4. Need to get lower below your subjects, in the shots where you do that the results is much better

 

[maat1976]

THanks Interceptor. Some of these are mine, some my husband's. He doesn't listen to me on ANY of this technical stuff so I'm going to make him ready Martin Edge's book. I was pleased that we got anything, and I agree on ISO, but for f stop, as this is our first go, we weren't that go at focusing, so having the f stop at a high stop meant we were less likely to miss the shot. But you are right. We're getting there and achieved our goal of getting a few decent shots. We found ourselves "arguing" over the camera as well . He won most times because he was more steady to get the shots. I'm only 50 dives in.

Oh yeah, the macro lens - I was able to use it very successfully in the pool but I had a hell of a time on real dives. I just couldn't get it to focus because you have to be SO close and I'd scare off the fish.

Anyway, overall a success.

 

[Interceptor121]

THanks Interceptor. Some of these are mine, some my husband's. He doesn't listen to me on ANY of this technical stuff so I'm going to make him ready Martin Edge's book. I was pleased that we got anything, and I agree on ISO, but for f stop, as this is our first go, we weren't that go at focusing, so having the f stop at a high stop meant we were less likely to miss the shot. But you are right. We're getting there and achieved our goal of getting a few decent shots. We found ourselves "arguing" over the camera as well . He won most times because he was more steady to get the shots. I'm only 50 dives in.

Oh yeah, the macro lens - I was able to use it very successfully in the pool but I had a hell of a time on real dives. I just couldn't get it to focus because you have to be SO close and I'd scare off the fish.

Anyway, overall a success.

50 dives not bad
What lens did you get? Working distance will change. At the start is safer to have a relatively weak lens to avoid issues.
I use the RX100 mostly in autofocus with a focus light so maybe that was the problem

 

[maat1976]

I think we had some issues with focusing because we didn't have a focus light- I think we need one. We have an Inon UCL 165. Now that the husband is listening to me on what kit we need, I think he'll buck up the cash for another light, a WA lens, and a focus light.

 

[Interceptor121]

UCL165 is medium strength good to start working distance between 16.5 and 12 cm definitely an issue of light for the contrast based auto focus
But you can try focus peaking as well...
Money talks!

 

[gekodivebali]

Great pics Maat. You must have had quality guides too, judging by your subjects, lol

 

[maat1976]

The guides were awful!!!! Cedric, you run a great shop. Keep up the good work.

 

[gekodivebali]

I'll tell the guides then Claudia. Glad you enjoyed the dives in spite of them though...