Underwater Photos from Anilao, Philippines

pelsasser wrote:

EvilOtter wrote:

pelsasser wrote:

kelpdiver wrote:

EvilOtter wrote:

Stunning macro shots! Great job on the black backgrounds. The subjects really pop.

Are you using the Oly 60mm macro and are you using any wet lenses?

the 60 is great there, where in other spots I often find it a bit confining, ponder the cost of the panasonic 45. But so many really tiny objects in Anilao.

Now you're hosed when you set the 10" sea horse (unlike the pygmy in this gallery), or the plate sized frogfish, but that's always the trouble. Just strap a Go Pro on top of the housing, or get your partner to carry a compact camera with more focal range.

Yes, it is a bit of a bummer there is no gear to take the lens out of 1:1 macro mode while in the housing. I have done it for a few dives before to be able to shoot larger animals. In fact, for some of the Coconut Octopus shots, I had done just that. They are slightly too large for the 6omm in macro mode. With the second step in the focus limiter they are much better framed, but of course now you are a lot further from the subject which has its own challenges underwater.

I own this lens but I have not used it underwater yet since my current rig is a compact. What happens if you leave the switch on 0.19 to infinity? Does the focus hunt too much to be useful on macro subjects? If not, can you get reasonable portraits on larger subjects? Thanks for any insight that you can provide.

No worries on derailing this thread, happy to share my experiences with the lens underwater.

Personally, I don't think you are ever going to get a shot with strobes @ 60mm (m43rds) were you are further than the .4m focus limiter that will turn out well. In my experience it is actually further than .4m that it will focus in that mode. Also, if you are relying on strobes, backscatter becomes too much of an issue as you are getting that far away to produce an acceptable image to me.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. In my case, I primarily shoot video, so there would be an advantage to shooting at infinity in ambient light. I will spend more time with the lens on land, playing with both modes, to see for myself. Derail over!

EvilOtter wrote:

pelsasser wrote:

EvilOtter wrote:

pelsasser wrote:

kelpdiver wrote:

EvilOtter wrote:

Stunning macro shots! Great job on the black backgrounds. The subjects really pop.

Are you using the Oly 60mm macro and are you using any wet lenses?

the 60 is great there, where in other spots I often find it a bit confining, ponder the cost of the panasonic 45. But so many really tiny objects in Anilao.

Now you're hosed when you set the 10" sea horse (unlike the pygmy in this gallery), or the plate sized frogfish, but that's always the trouble. Just strap a Go Pro on top of the housing, or get your partner to carry a compact camera with more focal range.

Yes, it is a bit of a bummer there is no gear to take the lens out of 1:1 macro mode while in the housing. I have done it for a few dives before to be able to shoot larger animals. In fact, for some of the Coconut Octopus shots, I had done just that. They are slightly too large for the 6omm in macro mode. With the second step in the focus limiter they are much better framed, but of course now you are a lot further from the subject which has its own challenges underwater.

I own this lens but I have not used it underwater yet since my current rig is a compact. What happens if you leave the switch on 0.19 to infinity? Does the focus hunt too much to be useful on macro subjects? If not, can you get reasonable portraits on larger subjects? Thanks for any insight that you can provide.

No worries on derailing this thread, happy to share my experiences with the lens underwater.

Personally, I don't think you are ever going to get a shot with strobes @ 60mm (m43rds) were you are further than the .4m focus limiter that will turn out well. In my experience it is actually further than .4m that it will focus in that mode. Also, if you are relying on strobes, backscatter becomes too much of an issue as you are getting that far away to produce an acceptable image to me.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. In my case, I primarily shoot video, so there would be an advantage to shooting at infinity in ambient light. I will spend more time with the lens on land, playing with both modes, to see for myself. Derail over!

Report back!  Would love to learn more as well.

pelsasser wrote:

Personally, I don't think you are ever going to get a shot with strobes @ 60mm (m43rds) were you are further than the .4m focus limiter that will turn out well. In my experience it is actually further than .4m that it will focus in that mode. Also, if you are relying on strobes, backscatter becomes too much of an issue as you are getting that far away to produce an acceptable image to me.

my strobe arms extend up to 0.5m.   backscatter is not a concern.

still comes down to size and friendliness of the critter.    The largest frogfish, even the medium sized octos push you beyond.

Doesn't seem like this is a value in the EXIF.   Wonder if stored in the RAW.  Then could look to see how many of my shots would have fit within the limiter.   I just know the ones that didn't, forcing me away from it.

kelpdiver wrote:

pelsasser wrote:

Personally, I don't think you are ever going to get a shot with strobes @ 60mm (m43rds) were you are further than the .4m focus limiter that will turn out well. In my experience it is actually further than .4m that it will focus in that mode. Also, if you are relying on strobes, backscatter becomes too much of an issue as you are getting that far away to produce an acceptable image to me.

my strobe arms extend up to 0.5m. backscatter is not a concern.

still comes down to size and friendliness of the critter. The largest frogfish, even the medium sized octos push you beyond.

Doesn't seem like this is a value in the EXIF. Wonder if stored in the RAW. Then could look to see how many of my shots would have fit within the limiter. I just know the ones that didn't, forcing me away from it.

Personally, if I was expecting to be that far away, I would choose a different lens.

pelsasser wrote:

Personally, if I was expecting to be that far away, I would choose a different lens.

which would be what on the 4/3rd offerings?

the 8mm FE handles bigger, but requires closer.

the 45 might be the answer to bigger critters, but hasn't changed the distance.

it's a lot easier just to leave the focus range on full.

kelpdiver wrote:

pelsasser wrote:

Personally, if I was expecting to be that far away, I would choose a different lens.

which would be what on the 4/3rd offerings?

the 8mm FE handles bigger, but requires closer.

the 45 might be the answer to bigger critters, but hasn't changed the distance.

it's a lot easier just to leave the focus range on full.

I have shot the 8mm FE quite effectively for octopus, but yes you have to get very close and find a very cooperative subject.

I would think the 12-40 pro may be a good option for the type of shot you are talking about, but have not tried it underwater, so hard to say for sure.

pelsasser wrote:

LarsPolarBear wrote:

Absolutely stunning pictures!!! You definitely know what you are doing!!!

Anilao is still on my list, have done Puerto Galera, do you think Anilao brings any added value or ist more or less same same?

Thanks,

Lars

I think Anilao is much more macro / muck focused. There was a few species in Anilao that we didn't find commonly in PG. Mainly, the coconut octopus, which was worth the trip alone in my opinion. We came up from a night dive in Anilao having seen 4 coconut octopus, 1 mimic octopus, 1 stary night octopus, 1 white beak octopus, and more bobtail squid and big fin reef squid than we could keep track of.

The coconut octopus is still my favorite. You could interact with them in ways that isn't typical. We would sit and watch each one for several minutes. If you brought them a nearby shell, and placed it near them, they would unfurl a tentacle and start the process to determine if your gift was suitable. If it was, well then the octopus would pick it right up and attempt to incorporate it into its collection of armor. Incredibly entertaining!

Thanks Phil!

Sounds exciting!! I have seen the Coconut Octopus before, but mostly in Indonesia (e.g. Lemeh or on the way to Komodo), but I think I never had the interaction as you described it, must have been amazing!

Again, thanks and good luck ,

Lars

pelsasser wrote:

kelpdiver wrote:

pelsasser wrote:

Personally, if I was expecting to be that far away, I would choose a different lens.

which would be what on the 4/3rd offerings?

the 8mm FE handles bigger, but requires closer.

the 45 might be the answer to bigger critters, but hasn't changed the distance.

it's a lot easier just to leave the focus range on full.

I have shot the 8mm FE quite effectively for octopus, but yes you have to get very close and find a very cooperative subject.

I would think the 12-40 pro may be a good option for the type of shot you are talking about, but have not tried it underwater, so hard to say for sure.

It’s actually quite funny, but I have been trying to find solutions for the problem for years, and always thought I am the only one who sees it like that...

I got the Oly 12-50mm lens, because of its macro mode, just realizing later, that with the AOI port on the Oly housing one cannot switch between macro and normal mode (macro sets the focal length at 43mm, fixed). Nauticam apparently had a port in their selection where one was able to switch between the modes, not sure if they still offer it..

So, currently I am thinking of the new 12-45mm f4 Pro, since it has a quite good magnification, and for macro one has to stop down anyway... it’s just the wide end that needs more light... or a better sensor... 😏

Hope that we will see some more Oly housings, and AOI promised me, that they will look into the 12-45mm when it is available (which would be now).

Anyway, good luck to all, hope we can go diving soon again,

Lars