Just wondering, when you "Techies" go for your deepest dive in NZ, what do you guys actually see that you can't see in shallower water? Is there anything worth it to bring your camera that deep.

I know in Indonesia most of the sharks such as Hammerhead, they try to hide from Scubadivers by being at 60 meters deep. So u/w fotographer would need to dive nearly that deep to get a good shot of these sharks.

I appreciate your inputs.

Firstly, I guess the question has to be how deep is deep. I’ll often go about 50% deeper than many of the recreational limits, however in the scheme of things; this really isn’t particularly deep, so at these depths, in terms of things to see, it’s not necessarily that different from life at 30 or 40 meters. Things that are more common at depth include barrel sponges, black coral and long finned boar fish. Is it worth taking a camera? Certainly, however light levels are lower, which makes snapshots a little more tricky.
Then again, most fish life appears to be in the top 15 meters anyway, so why go deeper? For me, it’s not necessarily about seeing anything in particular, (and not wanting to sound like captain kirk) its about being somewhere where many people have never been before; about using mental state, training, equipment and different gasses to spend just a little time in what is a fascinating but extremely unforgiving environment.

To date, all the shots I’ve taken below 40m look absolutely pants and in no way capture some of the panoramas I’ve seen down there…

Everything seems so much cooler at 55 meters. Im not sure if its just the narcosis or not. LOL

I limit myself to 55 meters due to use of air.
If I can afford and justify it I may do a trimix course in the nearish future and venture deeper.

PH, do you see anything interesting down there that you can only see at that depth which is worth bringing your camera down with you?

Na, all the cool things I see are in my imagination.
As Flipper said, black coral, long finned boar fish etc. There are some species that dont like the light so you will only find deeper. But if you thought it was hard composing a perfect pic at 3 meters then doing it at 55 narced out of you mind with a very limited run time it gonna be a hell of a lot harder!

At that depth PH, what was the highest Viz you ever experienced?

Seen the surface once at Freds Reef.

Photographic shots at tec depths are by very experienced divers and very experienced photographers.
I'm not a very experienced diver and i don't even think about using my cam below 30m. Even though i'm a reasonably experienced photographer. The only colour below about 40m is grey. Unless you have BIG lights photography as Flipper points out is a bit pants. Narcosis and the available light puts paid to any chance of a decent shot, as does the limited bottom time.
But the barrel sponges are bloody wicked, as is the sense of venturing where not many people have ventured before...

Do you think the sharks have worked out the recreational dive limits or is 60m just their natural habitat?

Unfortunately, most fishes in Indonesaia are afraid of divers cause lots of divers hunt them. I am surprised that in here especially in Goat Island the fish come to you especially Tripplefins.

Goat Island marine reserve has been a marine reserve for 34 years now, so that's why the fish there are friendly (that and the fact that people have been feeding them until fairly recently).

And there is always the RMS NIAGARA just off the Hen and chickens,
just a buggar for the 4 hr deco

I took this picture at 48 metres at the Volkner Rocks off White Island last year. These anemones were growing on the trunk of a black coral tree. There are things you can see at 50 metres that you can't see at 15 metres and I think it's worth taking a camera there. Do the training and be careful.

thanks for the info Ali. I will keep your suggestion in mind.

Excellent shot Ali...