Manado Shootout.

[lovells19]

extract from Scuba Diver Magazine

When: The shootout in Manado will take place from 7 to 12 April. There will be 4 to 5 days of diving, 2 at Lembeh Straits and the rest in Manado itself.

Cost: Accomodation and diving are provided by Murex. Cost is S$1,288, including airfare, transfers, accomodation and diving.

Vacancy: There will be 16 pax max Michael Aw and Mathieu Meur will be conducting workshops in half groups throughout the trip.

There will be some neat prizes to win (like Olympus cameras with housing), etc.

Please drop a line to Cassandra at cassandra@asiangeographic.org for more details.

[beivied]

hmmm. invalid thread wor. anyway i have read this on the Fins magazine... a bit ex for Manado itself... it does come with workshops if i dont remember wrongly ... hmm.. is it worth it? or a DIY trip will be better?

[waisj]

Originally Posted by beivied hmmm. invalid thread wor. anyway i have read this on the Fins magazine... a bit ex for Manado itself... it does come with workshops if i dont remember wrongly ... hmm.. is it worth it? or a DIY trip will be better?

yeah i think it has only nine dives
correct me if i'm wrong, anyway for the trip and amount of dives it offeres is a bit on the expensive side, but it does have two "world class" underwater photographers conducting workshops though...!!!!!!

two sides of the coin, depends on how you see it i guess

[beivied]

Originally Posted by waisj yeah i think it has only nine dives correct me if i'm wrong, anyway for the trip and amount of dives it offeres is a bit on the expensive side, but it does have two "world class" underwater photographers conducting workshops though...!!!!!! two sides of the coin, depends on how you see it i guess

thats what i am thinking about too... hmm... what is the cost difference of nine leisure dives at manado compared to this? 300? 400? is that worthwhile for the workshop? just wondering.. would the workshop be useful for people like me whose equipment can noooooooooooooooooooo way be compared to the top class photogs teaching? then i learn what?

i mean, it is very sian when your instructor or such keep telling you fascinating things and you find yourself limited, and the final answer always come to, "so, you should upgrade to this, you should buy that... " not helpful lo....

[kthan]

i think for shootouts like this, the plus side is that the sponsors will make available some equipment for you to try out. That is the diff btw a good one against a lousy uw photography camp. So u can try the equipment and decide if it is worth your money to upgrade. But of course, equipment avail. will be limited to who are the sponsors....

Sounds like the UWCS shootout is better. Can try Olympus, S&S and Inon, and it's considered DIY, cheaper than an organised digital shooutout with all it's limitations.

Hahahahhaaha!

[lovells19]

hahahaha true true,

but the price includes 2 separate work shops held by the 2 famous uw photographer lor.. depends on your own perception. but is workshops really that useful?

i think our gang here can conduct quite a reasonably high standard work shops already. the rest is still up to the photographer.

then someone have to pay for the lucky draw prizes mah..

norm manado trip including airticket and taxes will be around 900-1000
5d4n can even squeeze down to 800 if you willing to stay cheaper accomodation.

the other time i went i stayed on bunakan island.
no aircon, but 2 to a beach front chalet, attached toilet but no hot water, 3 meals included, free flow coffee and tea, not including dive its $17.50USD/pax/day, USD$25/guided dive.

but the island sits like 1km away from manado itself,
so water is crystal clear, 50m walk to the drop off, the house reef is facinating enough.

[Photosmart]

Originally Posted by waisj yeah i think it has only nine dives correct me if i'm wrong, anyway for the trip and amount of dives it offeres is a bit on the expensive side, but it does have two "world class" underwater photographers conducting workshops though...!!!!!! two sides of the coin, depends on how you see it i guess

This trip is a workshops and no purely for diving alone. In between dives, there will be workshop conducted by the pro.

[Tsangstudios]

Actually the workshop is nothing much really basic stuff. Micheal Aw is a bigger name so not sure what will he offer. Its more for the competition than anything else. have a look at David Dubilet's work. In my opinion I like his photog better. As for equipt you will be surprised all you really need is a strobe to take good shots. If you conciously avoid things like back scatter shooting within the range of your guide rating etc you will get decent photos.

[lovells19]

Originally Posted by Photosmart Pl note that this thread has been removed by the moderator on finsonline forum. This digital download is organised by Scuba Diver Mag and as such will be inappropriate to be listed on finsonline forum. Moderator ..you may wish to consider amending or removing this thread from this forum.

Ops!

didn't know that!

clashes of the mags, please remove if inappropriate. just sharing info

[Photosmart]

Originally Posted by lovells19 hahahaha true true, but the price includes 2 separate work shops held by the 2 famous uw photographer lor.. depends on your own perception. but is workshops really that useful?

My advise for those who wish to attend.

DSLR users - Useful. Opportunity to hear from the pro on how u can improve yr u/w photography and wins some price.

Consumers Cam user with full setup like strobe - Useful and gain exposure. Opportunity get some tips from the pro

Cam alone - don't bother..

Pl also note that all prices are sponsored.

[Photosmart]

Originally Posted by kenneth76 As for equipt you will be surprised all you really need is a strobe to take good shots. If you conciously avoid things like back scatter shooting within the range of your guide rating etc you will get decent photos.

so when r u getting yr 10D housed.

[Tsangstudios]

Originally Posted by Photosmart so when r u getting yr 10D housed.

Actually there are pros and cons, I might but there are only a few extra techiniques I can do with a housed 10d. Perhaps some rear sync shots and of course no shutter lag. But other than that my 5050 is serving me fine

In fact there is a very good reasonswhy I would not house my 10d its bloody hard to look through a view finder of a 10d uderwater. More argaration needed but wiht a high end prosumer the LCD really helps with the composition of your shot and it much more manoverable to use a pt15 housing compared to a subal or johnal housing.

I only get a gain in image quality but the 5050 is good enough just a littel nosiy but not really visible even on 8r prints

[Tsangstudios]

Actually even on super 8r prints. So unless I want to blow my pictures up any bigger then that 5050 is in my opinion the best buy for now till technolgy cathes up like reduced noise and shutter lag. And a 4 to 5 times optical zoom would be a perfect range.

[lovells19]

hehe SLR or Proconsumer, in the end its still up to the user's imagination to create what he/she sees on the picture.

[Tsangstudios]

Originally Posted by lovells19 hehe SLR or Proconsumer, in the end its still up to the user's imagination to create what he/she sees on the picture.

Fully agree with you, but since sombody broght up the idea of housing the 10d I just decide to share my 5 cents worth why 5050 may be sufficent to get good shots. Anyway heading for the competition again anybody going?

[lovells19]

think i'll have to let the chance to next one.. until now i haven got chance to shoot uw with my 5050 leh..
well unless you consider my friend's aquarium is uw kekeke :P

sigh.. to house a SLR.. my backside will tear,, haven include the tray,arms,strobes..

[lanxx]

Day 1 Apr 07, Wed Arrive Manado

Transfer to Murex on arrival. Safety briefing and equipment check followed by shore dive. Overnight

Murex Resort. (D)

Day 2 Apr 08, Thu Manado - Dive Bunaken MP

3 dives Bunaken and 1 night shore dive. Diving interspersed with DD workshop. Overnight Murex

Resort. (BLD)

Day 3 Apr 09, Fri Manado - Lembeh Resort

Transfer to Lembeh. 3 dives + 1 night dive. Diving interspersed with DD workshop. Overnight at

Lembeh Resort. (BLD)

Day 4 Apr 10, Sat Lembeh Resort - return to Manado

3 dives – return to Murex; night shore dive on own. Overnight Murex Resort. (BLD)

Day 5 Apr 11, Sun Manado - Dive Bunaken MP

2 morning dives Bunaken. Afternoon – images submission and competition judging. Overnight Murex Resort. (BLD)

Day 6 Apr 12, Mon Depart Manado
Transfer to airport for departure flight. (B)



Programme cost: SGD1,288 per diver



Cost includes:

• Return airfare on Silkair

• Accommodation on twin-share basis in MUREX and Lembeh Resort

• Up to 06 boat dives in Bunaken Marine Park, up to 06/07 dives in Lembeh Straits plus free/unlimited shore dives in Murex house reef. Diving includes tanks, weight belt and weights only; limited equipment for rental (please advice in advance should rental of dive equipment be needed)

• All meals starting with dinner on Wed night

• All land and boat transfers

• Digital Photography Workshop** and practical instruction by Mathieu Meur

• Pro shooting tips with digital cameras by Michael AW

• Digital Photography Competition with attractive prizes to be won

• Goodie bag



**There will be no formal presentations, just interactive sessions with the participants. Sessions will be based on the following themes: strobe techniques, exposure control, current state of digital photography, image re-touching, etc. Limited to 16 participants max.



Cost excludes:



• All airport/security taxes

• Insurance

• Cameras and u/w housing: participants expected to bring their own

• Laptop/notebook computers & related digital photography paraphernalia: participants are expected to bring their own

• Diving equipment; limited equipment for rental

• ** The Bunaken Entrance Fee for foreign visitors are Rp 50,000 per daily ticket (approximately US$6) or Rp 150,000 (approximately US$17) for a waterproof plastic entrance tag valid for the full calendar year.





** Tags must be carried at all times when the guest is within park boundaries and can easily be affixed to guests' diving or snorkelling gear or on backpacks.

All proceeds from sales of the entrance tags and tickets are managed by the Bunaken National Park Management Advisory Board. The BNPMAB will utilize these funds to finance a number of high-priority conservation programs in the park, including patrols and enforcement to abolish destructive fishing practices such as blast and cyanide fishing, village improvement programs within the park, collection and disposal of plastic and other wastes entering the park's waters, marine conservation education of village children and adults, and reef and mangrove rehabilitation.

Please visit the websites www.north-sulawesi.com and www.north-sulawesi.org

[lanxx]

Last heard from Mattieu, only like 4-5 seats left, about 2 weeks ago.

If you go for this one, got discount on the next digital download.
The next one will be ard Sept 2004, Puerto Galera.

[lanxx]

Originally Posted by waisj yeah i think it has only nine dives correct me if i'm wrong, anyway for the trip and amount of dives it offeres is a bit on the expensive side, but it does have two "world class" underwater photographers conducting workshops though...!!!!!! two sides of the coin, depends on how you see it i guess

actually, they include unlimited shore dives, frm what I heard

[beivied]

good info lanxx! very detailed and very helpful!