It’s one of the wonders of the diving world with big animal action and glorious walls and mega schools and exotic little critters. It has it all and we’re going there February 2007. It’s a customized trip with sites divers rarely visit. We have only 3 spots left! Check out the January 2007 issue of Scuba Diving magazine. Of the top 100 destinations chosen by readers, Palau got a perfect score of 100! For more on our trip to Palau, click here .

Just a few weeks ago, the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association, better known as DEMA, held its trade show in Orlando, Florida. This is the big annual event where all the manufacturers introduce their new products for 2007. I picked a few for you.

Two SLR Cameras Two new camera systems that made their debut are the Nikon D-80 and Canon Rebel XTi. Both cameras feature 10MP and similar features to the more expensive cameras such as the D-200 in the Nikon line and the EOS30D and 5D in the Canon line. Reports from the field give both cameras an A+ rating. Click here to learn more about the Nikon D80 and click here for info on the Rebel Xti.. I favor them because they have all the functions a serious underwater photographer needs without costing serious bucks. I am of the firm belief that more bells and whistles do not make a camera or its operator better. I go for a KISS: A Keep It Simple System.

So if you’re interested in housing an SLR, which system do you go for? I say buy the camera body compatible with the lenses you already have. Why change brands? Either camera will give you the maximum features required for professional results.

Click here to go to joeliburdi.com to read my April 2006 newsletter on “How to Select a Digital Underwater Camera System.”

Housings and Strobes for the SLR Camera Two of the most popular brands are the Sea & Sea and Ikelite. The system you choose depends on budget. Both systems are compact, user friendly, and carry a warranty backed by the manufacturer. The big difference in the housings is the means in which we get the camera to communicate with the TTL Strobe.

• The Ikelite housing has the TTL built into the housing. Once the camera is installed, it’s a simple matter of hooking up the sync cord within the housing to the camera’s hot shoe. The only drawback is that you must use Ikelite TTL strobes with the system. The strobe I recommend is the DS-125. Yes, you can also shoot in manual strobe if you wish. In the September issue of Scuba Diving magazine, in an article entitled “What the Pros Shoot,” 8 out of 15, including Chris Newbert, David Fleetham, and Paul Nicklen of National Geographic, use the DS-125 strobe. Click here for more info on Ikelite’s D-80 housing.
• For TTL flash exposure, Sea & Sea housings require an additional part called the TTL Converter. It’s a costly piece of equipment but once installed, it allows TTL flash with any strobe that offers a 5-pin sync cord connection between housing and strobe. There are two TTL converters, one specifically for Nikon cameras and one specifically for Canon. You must purchase the compatible one!
• The new hot strobe from Sea & Sea is the YS-110. It’s a multifunction, all-camera compatible strobe with DS-TTL technology. DS stands for Digital Slave. With a compact digital camera with a pre-flash function, DS-TTL auto exposure can be accomplished by dedicating the strobe via a fiber optic cable.
  
  TIP on how to use the Sea & Sea TTL Converter with Nikon and Canon cameras. If the TTL is not hooked up correctly, it will fail to operate. Click here for step-by-step on instructions on using the TTL Converter. (PDF format)
  
  
• For the first-timer to underwater imaging, a point-and-shoot system is the best choice. They are small, lightweight, have just the really necessary operating controls and functions, and don’t cost the equivalent of a mortgage payment in Southern California. They are uncomplicated and yield very good images. Sea & Sea has always made the best in this category. I like the new 6 megapixel DX860G.

While we’re on the subject of instruction, if you’ve been receiving my newsletter, you know that I give private lessons. The fee is $50 per hour, minimum three hours. The classes are one-on-one and conducted either at my home in Aliso Viejo or at Liburdi’s Scuba Center in Costa Mesa.

Now I’ve added phone lessons. It’s not a chat room. It’s not an interactive website or a blog. It’s you and Joe one on one ear to ear! We set up the date and time. The fee is $50.00 per hour, payable by credit card in advance. Most cell phones offer free long distance so talking an hour will only cost you my fee. Take advantage of this new service. Call or write for details.

Norm Vexler is the winner of the “How I Took This Image” contest. The reward for his expertise—and for submitting the fabulous picture and detailed instructions—is a JoeLiburdi.com t-shirt. Actually, the reward is that Norm has become an excellent photographer.

Norm wrote:

Joe...I really enjoy reading your newsletter each month. I appreciate all the information that you have in your articles! I decided to send you one of my macro shots in hopes of winning the "Joe Liburdi.com t-shirt." OK...here's my best take on how I shot this nudibranch.



My underwater system is composed of a Nikon N90 35mm SLR camera body housed in a Sea & Sea NX-90Z. I use two strobes which are the Sea & Sea YS120 and YS90. I used Kodak EBX 100 film for this shot. (All this equiptment will soon be in the Smithsonian)

1. For this photo I used a 105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor lens.
2. I had the camera set on aperture priority.
3. I set the aperture on f/22.
4. I had my strobes set on TTL.
5. The nudibranch was about 12" away from my camera lens. I took the photo at about a level angle to the subject. The coral behind the nudibranch makes a nice contrast to the brilliant colors of the subject.

You are cordially invited to our Kick Off the New Year Party. The holidays may be gone but the festivities continue. Join us Saturday evening, January 13, 2007 at 7pm at Liburdi’s Scuba Center for a gala potluck event featuring videos and digital slide shows from our Komodo and La Paz trips. We are quite proud of the photographers who travel with us and I can assure you will that you will enjoy some very excellent shows.

I couldn’t resist passing this on. Said Steve Blair, a marine biologist at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California regarding Steve Irwin’s death when a stingray barb pierced his heart: “This was an extremely unusual experience. It’s like hitting a bull’s-eye halfway around the world.”

What do you do about your mail when you go on vacation? Have a neighbor pick it up? Ask the post office to put it on hold? That’s what we do. It’s easy. We just fill out the yellow Authorization to Hold Mail card and bring it to the post office. Now we know an easier way. Don’t even have to leave home. Go to www.usps.com and follow the directions when you click on “hold mail.”