HELP - Urgent dome problem

[Cussy]

Help, I'm off to Sharm next week. Last time I ended up with a few images that had the same problem as this one:

If you look at the image you can see the reflection of the springs on the focus/zoom mechanism of the Ikelite housing. It only happens on extreme wide angles when using the 6 inch dome port. You can also see other reflections from within the dome.

What have I done wrong and how do I make sure I don't do the same mistake in Sharm again, or anywhere else for that matter?

Cheers in anticipation,
Rob

[KenByrne]

Hi Rob, I've had similar problems with the 6" port and my 10-17.

When I had the problem I didn't have the shade on the port. Since then I've taken a dremel and carved the port shade so that I can use it with the 10-17. I also took a black felt tip pen to the springs. I have had this previously on film and blacked out the white writing around the front of the lens as this was being reflected of the dome. I've not had a problem since I put the shade back and blacked the springs.

The other thing is strobe position. I think they may need to be slightly further back and maybe pointed outwards a little.

Ken

[Cussy]

Ken,
I've already modified the shade, so it's not that (it didn't feel right after just taking delivery of all this expensive Ikelite kit and then taking a Stanley knife to it!!).

Where do you have your strobes? Books say in the same horizontal plane as the lens (and that's what the shade protects), but in seeing photographer shots I notice a lot of people have their arms at 45 degrees, but on long arms. I would have thought this would have been more problematic as this is where the 10mm end has nearly 180 degrees of view corner-to-corner.

I'm pretty sure the problem is strobe placement, but I thought I had the strobe far enough back.

I've since covered the springs with black masking tape, but I still sometimes get that "glow" reflection.
Rob

PS my other decision is do I take the 50mm or the 105mm? I want to take the latter but wonder whether in a lot of circumstances this is too long. Baggage allowance doesn't allow both to come with me.

[KenByrne]

Positioning the strobes is a real problem as I often seem to get flare at the side, but I don't seem to get the reflections anymore. I try to get them slightly behind the lens probably in line with the camera body. There's a post on Wetpixel about this I noticed yesterday.

I took a 50mm and a 100mm lens on my recent trip. The 100mm was probably the better lens during the day. It's bright enough and clear enough for the extra distance not to impact on the pictures and the extra distance allows you to get shots that are not possible with the 50mm. On night dives I used the 50mm as I found it difficult at times to get focus light on the subject and think it would be a lot harder to get focus on the 100mm.

[KenByrne]

Here's the Wetpixel post Wide angle close-up lighting. - Wetpixel :: Underwater Photography Forums

Also I shot quite a few natural light shots in the Red Sea, I used RAw than white balanced them in post. Works for wrecks not so good for fish.

[Cerianthus]

I'l be going in april. I decided I will bring most/all of my lenses (+ magic filter), maybe even a telezoom for surface stuff . I bought a photovest to cheat more sensitive stuff into the cabin (current setup would alow both camera, strobes and housing in the cabin). Hope my buddy will be able to lighten the reliance on the photovest by taking some stuff...

[Cussy]

It's definitely a down side of Ikelite kit that you have to take a whole port for each lens. I'm jealous of all those aluminium housing owners. Not only are their set-ups light, they only have to take spacing rings.
Rob

PS I'm flying with Thomson (TUI) from East Midlands Airport and they have started to randomly weigh hand luggage - I'm stuffed!! No clothes for me...

[Cerianthus]

are those alu housings really that much lighter: the ikelite housing itself weighs 3 and a bit kilo's with the handles.

[KenByrne]

Have you contacted Thompson about excess baggage? Most airlines allow around 10Kg extra for diving equipment usually at around £15 each way. I usually arrange to pay this to avoid some of the hassle when packing and checking in.

[Cussy]

Originally Posted by KenByrne

Have you contacted Thompson about excess baggage? Most airlines allow around 10Kg extra for diving equipment usually at around £15 each way. I usually arrange to pay this to avoid some of the hassle when packing and checking in.

Tried, but I'm booked on with Explorers (now part of TUI) and you end up in an endless loop of being passed on to the other. I get 20kg in hold + 5kg as a diver, plus 5kg hand luggage. Should be enough (just)