MX-10 vs MotorMarine IIex questions

[Texass]

Next question: How do I convince Santa not to leave until after she gets my wide-angle lens??? - and is adding the highpoint viewfinder w/the internal mask to my Xmas list going too far?

BTW if you're manually selecting the shutter speed, aperture setting and focal length, what does the auto film indexing do?

Mucho Thanx, everyone

 

[joewr]

Texass,

I do not have a whole lot of time now 'cause the grandson is in town. I am just ducking in and out of this site so they don't fire me for malingering. But I did make some delicious pancakes this AM. I would have asked you to join us, but all that is left now are dirty dishes--which I have to wash!

Re Santa: be nice and she will be around for a long,long time! If the budget allows, by all means get the 20mm. You can live without the view finder for a while. My words of wisdom: take pictures with both lenses and see how they turn out. Enjoy the learning experience. I hope that does not sound like pontification!

I will add that I suggest a very good purchase would be Martin Edge's The Underwater Photographer. It is in paperback, but fairly pricey. It will really help you maximize the utility of your camera! Joe Liburdi also has a book specifically aimed at Sea and Sea product users. It is good, too. And Jim Church has a Nikonos guide that is good whether or not you have a Nikonos. I have recommended these to others on this site and, I hope this is not sounding like a broken record. (Are you old enough to even know what a broken record sounds like? I am!)

At the very least, sneak a peak at these books in your LDS!

I presume you are asking about manual override on the MMII-ex. Is that right?

Joewr

 

[Texass]

OK I admit I'm a point & shooter. I did have a Canon AE1 at one time, but I had to sell it to our keyboard player after I shot his wedding pics out of focus. (Funny how we're not that close anymore.)

Anyway, what I wanted to know is how does the auto indexing effect your shots. I'm guessing by you're reply that the MMIIex has an Auto or semiAuto setting. I hadn't seen that mentioned anywhere. I thought you had to choose a particular speed, exposure and focus for each shot and wanted to know what changed based on the film type.

Thanks for the book recommendations. Mr. J's Nikonos Bible seems to be sold out at both Amazon and Barnes&Noble, but I did order his 'Essential Guide to Composition' book as well as Martin Edge's 'The Underwater Photographer'. The 'New Guide to Sea & Sea' is coming with the camera. (Evelyn Woods, where are you?)

One last question - for now. Does the MMII work well on land? My current camera blurs after about 10'.

Oh, and Joe in answer to your questions. 1) Not on your life - although we'll beat what y'all are charging yourselves for your excess gas. 2) Of course, but w/ Ronnie's caveat of 'Trust but Verify' in mind. 3) I now have a paying job.

 

[joewr]

Texass,

You answered my last question, too: there is no manual override in the MMII-ex! You have to set the shutter speed and aperature. However, you can deliberately ignore the "proper" setting by ignoring the little red light in the viewfinder (I think it is red--remember I am a Nikonos owner.).

This is just for your education--I am not trying to hype the Nikonos--so that when they the management of this Board ties me to a post, sticks a cigarette in my mouth and calls in the firing squad, you can step right in and take over. The MMII-ex has a film sensor that automatically "locks in" the ISO (If I wrote, "ASA", would you have understood that?) into the camera's exposure computer. The Nikonos' ISO must be set manually and that provides a very convenient way to bracket shots in the Auto setting (It is a form of aperature priority.). On the MMII-ex, you set the aperature and ignore the light when you change the exposure time in a "sorta aperature priority".

The MMII-ex's 35mm lens is just like the Nikonos' 35mm: it works fine on land. In fact, I do not like taking my "land" camera on boats and, so, I take somewhat wide angle photos with my Nikonos 35mm (The normal lens for a 35mm camera is 50mm or 55mm.). Sea and Sea gives this capability some fancy name--or, maybe they call it, "amphibian"--and I am too lazy to run to the bookshelf now to verify that. Short answer: yep!

Well, it sounds like you have a lot of swampside reading to do apres plongee. I expect that you will enjoy every minute of it. And Edge's book will make you want to take even more photos!

I hope this helped--and I hope it wasn't too long.

Joewr

 

[Texass]

So the film indexing is used by the camera just as a way to warn you when it thinks your various settings are stupid? That makes better sense to me.

BTW I don't think they offer a last smoke anymore - it's bad for your health.

 

[joewr]

Originally posted by Texass
So the film indexing is used by the camera just as a way to warn you when it thinks your various settings are stupid? That makes better sense to me.

I would not say, "stupid", but, rather, "misinformed".

Well, it sounds like you have your arms completely around this problem! So, I hereby declare this thread to be "FINISHED"!

See you in the Redneck Section

Joewr

 

[Texass]

Thanks for all the info.

 

[herman]

Ahhhh, you can't shut it down until I get back in...I was diving for a change...well kinda diving, almost got blown out Sat and completely blown out today, oh well, thats NC diving. Actually, Joe I agree with you that if money is not an object then Nikonos is the way to go but within the basic price range that was being discussed it's not really an option. Dee, I'm with you on the "better quality" of the more expensive cameras/lens. I am quite sure that there are differences but to me the differences are not worth the cost unless cost is simply no object or only the best will do. On another tangent, the ability to change lens underwater more than makes up for any reduced quality. To me UW photograhy is very opportunistic and swapping from wide angle to macro and back underwater is important. I can get a pod of dolphins and a seahorse on the same dive.

 

[joewr]

You are always welcome! I will reopen any thread that I can at any time for you!

Life is just one set of compromises after another. Cost vs. capability; dining vs. a new camera: children vs. peace and quiet; Joewr vs. intellingent conversation. All compromises!

Herman, since you reopened this, let me quote somethings to you from Martin Edge's book. I think that it will comfirm that we are not the only ones that came to the conclusions in this thread.

I quote:

"The Motormarine is an ideal first level entry system and although SLIGHTLY inferior optically and in terms of versatility to the Nikonos it should be seriously considered..." (my caps--Joewr)

and

"If you have a passion for u/w photography and a desire to obtain quality images ... my advice is NOT to invest in anything LESS than the MM 11EX." (my caps--Joewr)

Of course, he does not have to pay your grocery bills!

The thread is officially reopened. Fire when ready, Gridley!

Joewr (the Kind Reopener)

 

[herman]

Quick, reclose it, we all agree!