Wetpixel

The Wetpixel Rinse tank

by yahsemtough

Wetpixel Rinse Tank #4.
By Todd Mintz.

My last two trips with my kit have been in the freezing cold water of the Canadian arctic (actually below freezing) and the less cold waters of British Columbia, Canada. While neither trip is specific to explaining my gear it does give me a chance to let you know that the kit performed greatly in these challenging conditions.

I am not the best person to talk to about the various technicalities of camera gear but I am someone who can tell you why I have selected the gear I have and that it has been selected to allow me to achieve my photographic goals and ideas. Below you will find a list of my current kit. (I should also note that I have paid for all my gear)

I recently upgraded from the Canon 50D to the 7D for two reasons: The increased focus point selection giving improved focus and the ability of the camera to shoot HD video.

Canon 7D: While I have not used the 7D in the video setting underwater, I have used the cameras video option topside and have loved the ability to capture a unique situation like a polar bear walking on the floe edge ice. Because I am focused on my photography currently, and I am a strong proponent that you need to maintain a single photographic mind on a dive (not be switching around from wide angle to macro) I feel the same applies to the use of the video component of this camera. But, it does give you the ability to flick the switch over to video should the unique underwater situation present itself to you that you just can’t pass up.

GoPro HERO HD video. Now, why do I have the GoPro HERO HD video camera mounted onto my housing? I like it because I can switch it on and forget about it. Great way to show friends and family what a dive feels like and you can then edit down the footage to any of the most interesting parts of the video. For my cold water dives I added (actually Peter Rowlands helped me add) the Magic Filter for green water diving. A great addition to the GoPro, which helps bring out the colors underwater in the shallows with proper sunlit conditions.

Dome ports: I should first mention that I do not have the 4” (100mm) Aquatica mini dome because it was not available at the time I decided on the 6” (150mm) version. I had previously owned the 8-inch dome port but the Lemon Sharks of the Bahamas decided that it would look best scratched and gouged and hence hanging on my wall. That said, I wanted a port that was versatile for many conditions and allowed good CFWA possibilities. This port fits the bill for me. It fits in my ThinkTank Urban Disguise bag and allows me to carry it onto the plane with me as a result. (I prefer the ThinkTank products for traveling with my kit)

I have the Mega Dome from Aquatica to supplement the 6” dome because I realized whilst using my previous housing, that a 6” dome is not going to allow me to capture split shots at the surface on a consistent basis. This is something that I struggled with recently in British Columbia while photographing Sockeye Salmon inland. I watched Alex Mustard utilize a larger dome in situations that I was not able to tackle with the smaller one. The small dome makes horizontal splits almost impossible where there is any water movement. (The Adams River is a rushing river) For my trip to the Canadian high arctic I took the Mega dome, leaving the 6” dome at home. (As a funny side story, Jean Bruneau from Aquatica had emailed me laughing that most people get their smallest dome to go to the warmest locations while I go to the coldest destination with their largest dome). I did not get the exact image I had visualized for the split use but I did accomplish a few others, which would have been a challenge with the smaller one.

Fiber Optics: I have fiber optic cables instead electronic cables, purely to reduce a potential source of failure. I have had cables fail in the past on trips and do not want to miss rare opportunities as a result. In addition, the fiber optics allows me to utilize TTL through the internal flash of the camera and works well with macro. These cables also make it possible to utilize TTL for CFWA but I feel for wide-angle imaging, manual will still provide the best lighting results.

Inon Strobes: I have had these strobes for quite awhile now from Reef Photo. My original selection of them was based on their size. They are small but pack a good punch for lighting. I have no issues with them and they continue to be my “go to” strobes for most situations. I recently did see a new smaller version of the Inon Strobes, which look fantastic for macro and I will put them onto my Christmas list. Their small size appears to be a benefit, not only for travel, but also for getting into tight up close macro situations.

Sola 600: I feel this is a great new light from Light and Motion. My trip to British Columbia was my first trip with it and it was awesome. The multiple selections for lighting control works well including the red light option. Fish seem less irritated by the red light and it allows me the ability to approach subjects closer and, grab that quick frame before they flit off. The light is very small therefore it also helps keep your total travel weight down. One minor point to mention is that the light can go into sleep mode (or the battery can) if the light is not used for an extended period of time between trips. You need to tap the back connections repeatedly to bring the light back awake. (Thanks to Light and Motion for their fast response to me about this the day before I was scheduled to depart for British Columbia)

The Aquatica 60mm macro port is, in a word, compact. Made specifically for the Canon 60mm lens it is compact and travels well in the carry-on. The Canon 60mm with its 1:1 also allows me the ability to capture minute subjects and portraits of larger fish. I find this lens to be very versatile opening up additional shooting options on my dives not previously available to me.

ULCS arms: I recently added these arms due to a competition win. They hold well above the water, which I find helps me protect my strobes from flopping to the ground when handed to the boat crew. I couple these with my TLC clamps from Aquatica and everything moves well underwater to adjust my lighting to the positions I select.

My kit list: