Monday's (1/5) Maui dive pics

[Gilligan]

Well the rain stopped so I got back in the ocean for the first time this year. Conditions were marginal due to an ocean swell, bottom surge, lots of particulate matter and to top it off the Trade Winds came up early and hammered me during my paddle back to shore.

This is a "Pimpled Basket" and the only time I have found one alive. The red spot is the operculum at the rear of the snails foot. It is times like this that I wish I had a stack close-up lens. I ordered a +5 from B&H two days ago for around $35.

M (A/S/M) Mode, F8 (Macro), 1/100, Inon D-180 strobe

Trumpetfish

M (A/S/M) Mode, F5 (Macro), 1/80, Inon D-180 strobe

 

[ShoalDiverSA]

The trumpetfish is superlative! What did he charge you for the closeup?

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[marpacifica]

Welcome back to the underwater world, Gilligan. Looks like the D-180 is serving you well with some nice photos. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Gilligan]

B&H charged me 30.95 + 4.95 shipping via USPS Priority Mail for the +5 close-up lens.
I realize it is a land lens but nevertheless others have had success with them.
For $35. I'll give it a try.

 

[Dee]

Love the Pimpled Basket. I've got to start looking closer because I seldom see the snails but I know they are there!

 

[DivemasterSteve]

congrats sir on being able to get wet again today. i know you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing your beautiful pics with us again.

thanks,
steve

 

[justleesa]

Nice shots. We got lucky the other day and found a 6-7inch Tiger Cowie with it's mantle out...but it doesn't compare to yours. I do have a question fou you though. On my Olympus, when I go into a macro mode it only will take the picture w/o flash and the result definatly lacks light. Will a strobe with fiber optic go off anyway? Is there a setting for that? How can I get the flash to work, is there a way to override the setting??
Thanks,
Lisa

....ok, it was a couple of questions....

 

[Gilligan]

justleesa,
Assuming you have the C4000Z, the internal strobe will fire in 'macro' mode but not 'super macro' mode. The internal strobe is disabled on the Oly's in the 'super macro' mode as the flash is too close to the lens at that short distance.
No, an external strobe will not fire in 'super macro' on the 4000Z as there is no design feature for that. I beleive there is on the 5050.
My initial solution to that was to take 'super macro' shots w/o the strobe and use the 'mandrake process' on them in Photoshop. However, the color is lacking in comparison to a strobe.
My latest fix for that is to use a stack close-up lens with 'macro' which does allow me to use my strobe. I ordered a +5 close up lens from B&H Photo for around $35.00. It will arrive later this week. I'll get a pic up as soon as I can test it out. It is basically a land lens but others have used them underwater. It threads onto the PT-010 lens port (67 mm).

 

[justleesa]

Thanks for the info, very helpful and you are right, photoshop can't make it that much better either. Would holding a flashlight with your third hand :icosm11: , or some home made setup do the trick?
Lisa

 

[Gilligan]

No, a dive light won't work and it will leave a hot spot unless their is a diffuser on the light. The UK Light Canon has been used by some as a camera light, mostly for video. It is around $200. and uses 8 "C" batteries unless you get the model that is rechargeable. It comes with a diffuser. At one time I entertained it but a strobe is better.
Here are two photos taken on 'super macro'. They both were taken in M (A/S/M) Mode with Manual White Balance calibrated off my dive slate at the depth of the subject. The first subject has little color to begin with. The second, a Scrambled Egg Nudibranch has yellow spots on it. The color is weak w/o the use of a strobe. Both were cleaned up in Photoshop using the 'mandrake process' as well as some other adjusting such as sharpness, brightness and contrast and auto levels. There is no substitute for the strobe but this is better than nothing if you must use 'super macro' w/o a strobe

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