Have digital cameras in underwater housings
replaced Nikonos cameras and other film cameras in housings?
ANSWER
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I shoot TTL and am getting
inconsistent exposures; mainly, a lot of my frames are underexposed
from a little bit to as much as a stop. Do you have any suggestions
as to what the problem or problems might be? ANSWER |
| What's the simplest way to bracket exposure
with a housing system for those pictures that are really important,
such as that rare whale shark or a macro shot of cleaner shrimp
in the mouth of a moray eel? ANSWER |
I'm thinking of housing my SB26 for use
with my housed N90s camera. What disadvantages will I have
over using my Ikelite AiN when using the housed strobe? ANSWER |
| I presently have a Nikonos V with a
35mm lens. I'm thinking about going to a housing for the type
of photographs that I used the thirty-five for. What is the
appropriate role for my Nikonos V? Should I keep it for wide-angle
with the fifteen or twenty millimeter lens? How do these lenses
compare optically to a housed twenty or twenty-four? ANSWER |
I'm interested in getting into either
underwater video or underwater still photography. Do you have
any suggestions? Is one less expensive or easier than the
other? I'm just interested in doing this for fun. I'm not
looking to get professional results. ANSWER |
| What aperture should I use for the best
macro shots? I'm going on a major trip and won't see my pictures
until I'm back and it's too late to shoot them again. ANSWER |
I recently purchased a Nikonos V with
a 35mm lens and an SB103 strobe. I've taken about fifteen
rolls of film and have had disappointing results. My pictures
are not sharp and my exposure is mostly bad. I have to say
I'm pretty discouraged. Can you offer any suggestions? ANSWER |
| I am looking for some video lighting
for my Sony TR101. I have an Amphibico housing. I travel to
remote dive locations frequently and weight limitation is
a major consideration. Do you recommend one light or two,
and how many watts do I need? ANSWER |
| I am currently using a Stromm housed
8008S with a 60mm micro lens and TTL flash for fish portraits
and macro shots. Since I have no camera control once under
water, should I be using program or aperture priority mode;
matrix or center-weighted metering; and single or continuous
servo autofocus for the best results? ANSWER |
I have just started using an N90 in an
Ikelite housing. I frequently get blurry photos even when
using autofocus. I have heard (in this column and elsewhere)
that autofocus does work underwater. How is this possible!
Please be gentle. ANSWER |
| I recently returned from a live-aboard
dive trip during which I blew up my only charger for my wide-angle
strobe. Needless to say, this was very disappointing since
I couldn't use my wide-angle lens except when I could borrow
a strobe. Is there some way to check the current on the boat
or to protect my charger to prevent this from happening again?
ANSWER |
I am trying to decide which strobe to
buy. I want to get one powerful enough to do the job, but
I am confused by manufacturers' model numbers and specifications.
Can you make any suggestions which will help me decide? ANSWER |
| I own an Ikelite housing for my N90
camera, and I have a 35-70 zoom lens. I dive quite a bit locally
out of San Diego and usually go on one big dive trip a year.
I'm going on a trip to Palau for two weeks, and I want to
get a wide-angle lens and a macro lens for this trip. Funds
are limited, and I'm looking for value. What lenses do you
recommend? ANSWER |
I want to buy a Nikonos camera. I've
heard that the Nikonos II or III are better to get because
they are simple, have no electronics, and have fewer problems
than the later models. Also, I have heard that they're easy
to fix if they get flooded and that if you flood a Nikonos
V, it probably isn't worth fixing. I'm going to work at a
remote dive resort in the South Pacific and will have to service
it myself. What do you suggest? ANSWER |
| I have a housed camera and I use a 60mm
micro lens for fish and macro. I have trouble getting close
enough to spooky little gobies, jawfish, and the like. Any
suggestions would be appreciated. I am considering the purchase
of a longer macro lens or perhaps a zoom lens. ANSWER |
I have decided on housing a Nikon camera,
probably an 8008S or an N90. I don't want to spend the money
for an F4. Can you tell me what I actually get for the $450
that I pay for an N90 over a 6006 and the more than $300 for
an N90 over an 8008S? ANSWER |
| I've been using a Nikonos V for several
years, and I think I want to go to a housing for my Canon
EOS 650. Do you think this would be a good move for me? I
know a number of divers that have housed their Nikon 8008
and N90 cameras. I would consider moving out of my Canon system
if this would offer a significant advantage for my underwater
photography. What is your opinion on this? ANSWER |
I use an 8008S in a housing, and I'd
like to know which exposure mode is best in general photography.
ANSWER |
| Will the airport x-ray really damage
my film? I've heard that it will and also that it son't from
what should be reliable sources. ANSWER |
I've been using a housed SLR system for
a long time and I'm having more and more trouble seeing well
enough through the viewfinder to focus properly. I've been
considering switching to an autofocus camera. I'd appreciate
your advice. ANSWER |
| I have an SB103 for my Nikonos V camera,
and I'd like to get a second strobe so that I can do two-strobe
lighting to eliminate shadows in my photographs. I don't want
to lose TTL. What are my options, and what do you recommend
as a second strobe? ANSWER |
Backscatter has ruined some of my best
shots. What can I do to minimize or, better yet, to prevent
this problem. ANSWER |
| I've decided that I want to get a housing
for my Nikon N90 SLR camera because of its versatility, but
I'm concerned about putting my camera in a housing because
I keep hearing that housings flood easily. How safe are housings,
and do you recommend that beginners use them? ANSWER |
How can I tell if my TTL is working?
ANSWER |
| I am wondering about the ready light
on my strobe. I wait for the light to come on, but when I
shoot two or three photos in a row, although my first exposure
usually is correct using TTL, often the second or third are
underexposed. ANSWER |
Can you use autofocus in doing video
underwater or is it best to preset the focus? ANSWER |
| What's the proper way to determine the
correct focus when using framers on my Nikonos camera for
macro photography? I cannot tell any difference between focusing
my 35mm lens at infinity or at 2.75 feet when I'm using extension
tubes. ANSWER |
I don't live near the ocean and only
dive once or twice a year while on warm water one-week dive
trips. I'm considering buying an inexpensive underwater camera,
but I do want decent quality photos. I'd appreciate a recommendation.
ANSWER |
| I have difficulty in aiming my strobe.
Can you offer any tips? ANSWER |
What's new and exciting in underwater
camera technology these days? ANSWER |
| I frequently go to dive destinations
where film processing isn't available. I have come to rely
on this service to check myself and my equipment. Is it practical
to do it myself, and if so, how can I get started? ANSWER |
I've just started doing underwater video.
My first attempt was disappointing due to an overall blue
cast. I now know that a filter would probably help. What should
I buy and when should I use it? ANSWER |
| I have a Nikonos SB103 strobe which
I use with a Nikonos V camera. I have always used alkaline
batteries. Can rechargeable batteries be used in this strobe,
and is this a good thing to do? ANSWER |
Can you suggest a method for cleaning
my lenses? I have trouble getting them clean without a lot
of rubbing, and I have been told this can damage the lens.
ANSWER |
| I hear that most professional photographers
almost always bracket their photographs. Is this necessary?
I find it a big nuisance, and generally, my first shot is
my best anyway. ANSWER |
Why do my prints from the lab never look
as good as the slides? ANSWER |
| Do scratches on my lens or port damage
my photos? I've heard that water fills them in, and they aren't
visible. ANSWER |
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