Photos from Monday's (10/27) dive on Maui

[Gilligan]

1. "Blue Eyes"
2. A somewhat typical Patch Reef at 80 feet. It is on these type reefs that I find most of my interesting critters.

 

[rad21]

Nice shots Jim. How does your latest Oly compare to the 2040?

Bob

 

[Gilligan]

I find there is a very noticeable difference in the quality of the photos between my old 2040Z and my newer 4000Z. This is especially true when I crop photos.

 

[Dee]

I like the Eels cross-eyed smile instead of teeth. What od you call those black and white Damsels? In the pet shops here they are called Domino Damsels. I love their personalities.

 

[Gilligan]

They are "Hawaiian Domino Damselfish". They are closely related to the species in the Indo-Pacific but their markings are slightly different making them endemic to Hawaii.

 

[TRIG]

Two great photos, are you as close to the eel as it looks?
Will they reach out and nip you, or are they docile?

I've only been diving in Ohio Quarries so far, the vis you have
there must be incredible.

TRIG

 

[Gilligan]

The vis here is usually excellent, at least at depth. The shore diving is often affected by swells.
As for eels, I use the zoom to photograph them. Eels are nearsighted but who knows when they will bolt. I don't mess with them. Their teeth face inward so the majority of the damage is done when you pull away after being bitten.

 

[TRIG]

OK, I' bet you were further back from the Eel and with your newer camera, you were able to enlarge and crop this, is that it?

 

[TRIG]

OOPS, you answered my question, about how you got the photo
of the Eel, while I was off line. Thanks

 

[Gilligan]

TRIG I'm guessing I was about 2 & 1/2 feet from the eel. I used the optical zoom. The photo on the C4000Z setting of SHQ is 2288 X 1712 pixels. I used the crop tool in PS7 set at 600 X 450 pixels to select the portion of the photo I wanted which was mostly the center. This is where the higher megapixel camera comes in handy as you get a better picture than with a lower megapixel camera when cropping.