Dry diopters

[rcolman]

I am going to attempt some "macro videography" for the first time with a Canon HV30 behind a dome port on an Equinox housing. I know most use wet diopters in front of flat ports, but, what the heck.

I am planning to use dry diopters, attempting to get some nudibranch footage. The set consist of the usual +1 +2 and +4. Since I can't manual focus and the little inboard monitor wont really show focus too well and since there is no autofocus lock indicator, etc. etc.

What combination of dry diopters would you recommend, and where shall I place the lens in its zoom range?

Sage advice appreciated.

Rick Colman

 

[sharksdelight]

Don't know anything about the Canon or its abilities but if you are going to use internal diopters, you will need practice knowing the strengths and limitations of what each diopter or combination of diopters you can use for a specific result. Certainly a rock steady hand will be important. I would suggest you start with a #2, shoot and study the results, than add the #1 to it to make a 3 and proceed from there.
Steve:14:

 

[Annie Crawley]

Hi Rick,

I hope I am not too late for your experiments. I would skip the one completely and go for the 2. Your depth of field becomes minimal when shooting with the diopters and often you cannot use the internal red filter of your system, but that does not matter if you have manual white balance. I would also recommend using lights at all times when shooting macro subjects with these diopters. They are brilliant, but will affect your focusing. I have only used these with flat ports and with the dome port you are referring too, I do not know if the optics will force the edges out of focus. I would not combine the diopters to begin with because of the focus and depth of field. If you want more magnification then the 2 go for the 4. I would also not attempt shooting macro without a tripod. If you do not have a tripod, you want to film animals that you can weight your system to the bottom right in front of the action. Just a little bit of camera motion with macro makes your viewers extraordinarily seasick. They will be running for the head.

Let me know if you had some success!

Annie

 

[sharksdelight]

Remember Annie, that there are some places where a tripod is completely worthless. Try using one in Lembeh Straits where the best macro in the world exists, and you will not only not get the shot but will stir things us so much, that no one else will either. How would you use a tripod on a wall when trying to shoot a pygmy seahorse on a fan?
Unfortunately, in most true macro settings, tripods are not usually pragmatic. Wish they were. Maybe it was a typo but I think you suggested using a 4 diopter, don't know of anyone that steady with their hands.
Steve:14:

 

[Annie Crawley]

Hi Steve!

I lived and worked in Lembeh for nearly a year. I would not shoot macro there without a tripod. It is all about buoyancy and use of your system....there is an art to it. I definitely here what you are saying, but I carry a tripod on my housing on every dive I make....the only system I did not shoot with a tripod was with the Amphibico High Def housing for the F900. In Lembeh, we would only shoot if there was a spot we could set the camera down.

On walls, I use my tripod as a monopod. I also do not use my LCD when shooting macro animals. I press my viewfinder right up to my mask and use my body as the tripod and the one arm of tripod to lock me in without damaging the coral.

Believe me, I used this technique in Wakatobi a few months ago...had too as you know how strict the dive guides are there...no touching anything. Pygmy's are challenging and I would not attempt to shoot them on just any sea fan. They must me on a fan that is growing a certain way near the bottom where you can land and shoot.

I shot video for the first year without a tripod...it does not work. I carry it for every single dive...in case I want to shoot close up too.

Let's not forget how important the weighting of our system is too. The 4 diopter was not a typo, I have seen some amazing nudibranch gills....nothing I care to shoot, but if someone is going to experiment, I think they need to go for it and see what the capabilities are.

Wish I were in Lembeh right now...tis the season of the frogfish...life is just a surface interval...