Where In The World Is ...

Manta Avenue

Manta shots are starting to improve, but I'm still relatively unsatisfied. All shots are taken by intercepting the trajectory of an approaching manta on its side and slowly moving under their belly. Note that all this is generally done against a slight current, with the manta flying effortlessly while I'm sucking air by pushing the whole ocean with my Mares Quattro fins (highly not recommended for such things). I'm putting so much energy swimming, that it is a challenge to be able to shoot at the same time while trying to adjust settings depending on the sun position.

I'm starting to shoot raw for the first time in an attempt to see if any improvement can be done at a later stage to adjust settings. I don't like this too much as I feel it is kind of cheating.

What I'm missing is also a much wider wide angle. With the Inon UWL-100, I'm having a 100-degree viewing angle which is still to narrow for mantas, it is hard to frame them. It would be much better with the associated dome port (131.6 degrees).

Bob got a Inon UFL-165AD (165 degrees) for Heather to be used with the Fuji F810, and it takes nice fisheye photos, too bad it is a bayonet mounting while I have a M67 mounting.

#18: Location: Manta Avenue, SI: 15h59min, Max. Depth: 17m, Time: 46min
#19: Location: Manta Avenue, SI: 1h36min, Max. Depth: 10.0m, Time: 60min
#20: Location: Turtle Town/Sandy Ridge, SI: 1h9min, Max. Depth: 14.1m, Time: 82min