New Sea Life DC500 - By Review

[Bbarnes]

I have the "Elite" set which is the dc500 along with the digital (black) strobe and the wide angle lens. I need to set up my gallery. Just haven't figured that out yet. Watch out for the fish nipping at your lens. I saw a clip of a parrotfish nipping at the front of someone's housing and shattering it. I think it was on the DAN blooper type video a couple of years ago.

 

[LavaSurfer]

Last night we dove off the shore by the Kona Airport at a place called Garden Eel Cove.
It was a two tank dive. The first a reef dive where several Manta came to do some fly by's and the second a night Manta dive where we had 16 Mantas show up. I guess thats some kind of show because everyone including the DM's were haveing a cow. I know I was. IT was awesome. I was knocked over so many times I cave up trying to kneel.

Here are some shots.
http://www.kona-aloha.com/photos/Kona2006/MantaDive
I am getting better with the camera and its obvious to me I need a good external flash.

 

[Jcsgt]

Those are very good. The external flash, in the right position, should eliminate a lot of backscatter.

 

[Bbarnes]

Wow! What an experience. We have yet to see a manta. We have seen several spotted eagle rays, which are incredible too. My favorite pictures of yours are the moray1-2 and the gillshot. The swarm one was one that captured your experience. Great shot!

 

[CheddarChick]

Lava!!!I am so jealous! Closest I had to that experience was the bluegill swarm looking for food!!

 

[bperrybap]

Lava,
Have you played with the video mode yet?
Its pretty cool, assuming there is adequate light.
If you crank up the audio on playback you can hear
your breathing & bubbles on exhale.
--- bill

 

[LavaSurfer]

Lava,
Have you played with the video mode yet?
Its pretty cool, assuming there is adequate light.
If you crank up the audio on playback you can hear
your breathing & bubbles on exhale.
--- bill

I did play with the video.
I shot a few minutes of video until the Battery died.
It turned out pretty good.

 

[LavaSurfer]

Lava!!!I am so jealous! Closest I had to that experience was the bluegill swarm looking for food!!

It was a blast. Had a Tiger shark shown up it would have been the perfect dive
It was just as much fun doing stingray city in Grand Cayman but the sheer size of the Manta was mindblowing. Having 16 of them moving in the water really caused a lot of turbulence in the water and I was knocked over many times. Once, I was taking a picture and the big one with a red underside hit me in the back of the head and I went right down. Its quite a rush getting mowed over by a 2000 pound animal.

 

[LavaSurfer]

Some Above Water Action - No its not Lava Surfin' But just as good!

My Friend

A peacock Flounder I found

 

[LavaSurfer]

Here are some more shots from a dive at Mile Marker 4 on Alii Drive just south of Magic Sands Beach. The last three shots, anyone have a clue what this guy is?

http://www.kona-aloha.com/photos/Kona2006/MileMarker4AliiDr

The camera is making me happy
I found setting the white ballance manually is the best way to go for the best colors.

Scooter