digital photos

[jeffweiss]

carlislere:

To repond to your questions: What do I like most about the Tetra system? The quality of the housing is a primary factor; along with it's small compact size and ease of use. It feels like using and holding an SLR, as opposed to a bulky housed U/W camera.

What do I dislike about the Tetra? There isn't much I can think about. I've had mine since early Nov. which is probably about 30 dives, without any problems. I'd like a more compact strobe port, but that's simply an asethic issue.

I find the software Olympus provides to be excellent, although I like to run my photos through Olympus' Camedia and then through Adobe PhotoShop to finalize the processing.

Going back to likes & dislikes, I wish the Olympus had a better apperature settings and range. An F16 or F22 lens would be an improvement, especially for U/W photography. i guess Olympus wasn't really thinking of the U/W market when they designed the camera. Overall, however, I sold on the system, and plan to purchase a 2nd strobe and ultralight brackets for mine soon.

 

[jeffweiss]

Ron

To repond to your questions: What do I like most about the Tetra system? The quality of the housing is a primary factor; along with it's small compact size and ease of use. It feels like using and holding an SLR, as opposed to a bulky housed U/W camera.

What do I dislike about the Tetra? There isn't much I can think about. I've had mine since early Nov. which is probably about 30 dives, without any problems. I'd like a more compact strobe port, but that's simply an asethic issue.

I find the software Olympus provides to be excellent, although I like to run my photos through Olympus' Camedia and then through Adobe PhotoShop to finalize the processing.

Going back to likes & dislikes, I wish the Olympus had a better apperature settings and range. An F16 or F22 lens would be an improvement, especially for U/W photography. i guess Olympus wasn't really thinking of the U/W market when they designed the camera. Overall, however, I sold on the system, and plan to purchase a 2nd strobe and ultralight brackets for mine soon.


JeffW

 

[joewr]

Nope--the folks at Tetra do not have any plans to produce such a beast--too bad! However, they promised to keep me informed if plans change.

Joewr

 

[Dee]

I appreciate your comments. Let's see...new camera and housing or 1 week in Roatan...mmmm?

 

[jeffweiss]

Dee

Why not both?????
or keep the S&S 35 and go to Coco or the Galapagos. Much better than Roatan.

By the way, I saw your photos at photo point, they are really good. Your results are much better than I was able to get with my old Nikonos. Probably has to do with the frequency of use, since mine flooded about every 6th dive.

JeffW

 

[Dee]

Why not both? Money, my Man! I came across this sight today about housing the CP880 and 990. It's really made the think more about the Olympus and Tetra housing.

http://echeng.com/travel/palau/index.html

 

[jeffweiss]

Dee:

Great site. Palau is definately world class diving. My wife & I frequently argue over which is better Coco's or Palau. I rate Palau as # 1, she rates Coco's # 1 & Palau #2. If you haven't been to Palau, make plans to go. Peter Hughes has some special discount prices for last minute travel, & Palau is frequently on their list. Best of all you can get there with frequent flier miles. We did American to Hawaii, and then Continental to Guam, and then Palau. (You have to overnight in Guam.)It's one place I'd definately go back to in a heartbeat.

As a cost compromise to the Tetra housing, you might consider the Olympus housing for the 3000 series cameras. One of the guys on the Coco's Aggressor with us had one. I've seen it advertised for around $350.00; and about $180.00 if you can get it from Japan or Asia. It's clear lexan and about the same size or smaller than the Tetra. It's drawbacks are it's only rated to 90' and it doesn't allow for an external flash connection. But if $ are a primary consideration matching it with an ikelite slave strobe might be an alternative to consider. I went with the Tetra because I tend to go deep and wanted the options L&T had available.

 

[joewr]

Hey!

We were thinking about Palau then we heard about the El Nino-fied bleached corals and had second thoughts. However, JC, of this Board, said not to worry...are you of the same mind? When were you and your wife there last?

Also, I have heard that both the live-aboard and the resort are great at Palau. Have you also done the resort thing (as G.H.Bush would have said), too? If so, what did you think of it? We tend to prefer land-based ops, but have no prejudice against live-aboards....

We are definitely going to Micronesia and need to decide where to go. So far, we think Panape, Palau or Yap, and finish up in Guam. It will probably be three+ weeks in late Jan or early Mar next year.


Still like your photos!


Joewr

 

[jeffweiss]

Joe:

We went to Palau in Dec. 1996, just before Xmas; then we did the Truk Aggressor during Xmas week, and finished off in Hawaii at the Princeville for New Years. We overnighted in Guam on both legs and it's truly a strange place--"where the sun rises first on America". We stayed 2 nights at the Palau Princess Resort. It's a good small resort hotel with a good dive operation (I think it's called Fish & Fins). The best diving is a long way off and your best opportunity to dive the good sites(like blue corner) is on a live-aboard. We were on Peter Hughes "Sun Dancer".

We opted not to do Yap, as we had done Mantas in Kona and went on instead to Truk. If you like wrecks it's the place to go. But the diving is DEEeep, but we like that. We opted for a special side charter to the San Franscio Maru, which sits at about 230'. Aggressor doesn't really promote it, but if you ask they'll arrange it for you. It's a Big vessel and has two Japanese tanks still on the decks with there guns pointed at the sky--the ship went down with them firing..... If you have the time, I definately recommend the Palau/Truk combination.

JeffW

 

[joewr]

Jeff,
Thanks for the info. We dived Truk this March and had a great time. We did not do the San Francisco (Actually in Japanese it is called the Soko Maru; Soko is the old Japanese word for San Francisco); the deepest dives we did were the I-169 sub and the Fumizuki destroyer escort--both around 140-150 feet. Great dives!

We probably will not go back to Truk on our next trip. In fact, it will look more like Panape for a week, Yap or Palua for a week, Guam for a week and then Honolulu for three or four days to ease the jet lag. But, back to Palau...

Your reason for choosing a live-aboard rather than the resort is that the trips to the dive sites are more convenient...sounds reasonable.

We did not see any Mantas on Kona this Feb, but are heading back in September and hoping to see them then.

Thanks again,

joewr