What setup do you use most often? I currently am limited to a 20mm lens, a 35mm lens, the standard framers for macro.
Do I need a close-up kit? If so, can I get one on the island? Any idea how much?

As our trip to BON will be our first dive travel out of the country, I am very excited. BON sounds like paradise on earth.

The beauty of Bonaire is that every dive is different, even on the same site. You will be fine with the macro framers, I always seem to have the wrong framer on for what I see on my dive. You just never know until you are down below but you will always fine something great to photograph. When will you be on island?

Arriving Aug. 14. The need for the framers seems to be one of the drawbacks of the Nik, but I'm only learning, so I am very happy with the results.
Any suggestions about good places for wide angle?
It sounds like the entire island is a macro paradise. I can hardly wait.

I got my best pictures at Invisibles with a Ni-V. I am very much a beginner, but was absolutely shocked at the results. Using a wide angle with very limited instruction, I had 5 or 6 winners on the first roll (had used a MK5 before). Incredible pictures, but have to give the credit to both the camera and the island. The water was all but gin clear, and the double reef system at Invisibles lent itself well for a variety of both backlit and macro type shooting. The wide angle lens is very versitile it turns out. I am returning in October and will be doing a bunch of experimentation this trip. Have fun and shoot like crazy, too much in the water to worry about roll count.

Cheers

You really don't need a close-up kit. The 20mm will let you get as close as you need to anything that will fit in the framer and the results will be similar. There are a lot of medium size fish that the 20mm works fine for. Just remember to let the fish come to you, if you try to chase them all you will get are tail pics. The French Angels and Yellow Tail Snappers are great to practice on, as they will come up close to check you out if you are quiet.

There are all kinds of macro sized stuff there; Peterson's shrimp, various cleaner shrimps, feather duster worms, corals (especially at night) and on and on. With the macros, set them up just like you would normally at 22 and 1/4 power and as long as you don't stir up the bottom you will get great shots.

Thanks for the tips. Is any type of processing on the island? I would like to check and make sure everything is working well(plus stare at the wondrous world beneath the sea while sipping on a nice libation)
Thanks for all the great responses.

Many (most?) of the resorts offer at least some photo processing, plus there's a Kodak place in the center of town.

In Bonaire, I tend to use the 1:2 macro setup or the 20mm lens. Dan uses 15mm lens or (when I"m using macro) the 20mm. We tend to do reefscapes with the wide-angle lenses -- they're great for that sort of thing. Get a good near-range subject (sponge, interesting critter, etc.) and an interesting background above and beyond it, and sometimes magic happens...

Someday either we're going to get a second 20mm lens or else Dan's going to quit using the Nikonos and leave it all to me...

Faith

I've never shot slide film. What are the primary differences? I have only shot 100 speed print film.
Also, with macro you only use 1/4 power for the strobes? I was using TTL when I last shot. Is 1/4 power better?

With the 1/4 power with an f-stop of 22 on manual, you get the most consistent results with the greatest depth of field. I use 100, 200, or 400 depending on the ambient light. 100 for bright days at shallow depths, 200 for cloudy or deeper dives, and 400 for night dives. Just watch your film speed setting, if you decide to use different speeds. There is no real difference between slide and print film during shooting, just the cost of developing and the ease of showing off your pics.

There's a little difference between print (negative) and slide (transparency) film. I've been a commercial photog in law enforcement, news, fashion, advertising and industrial areas for too many years, shooting on 4x5 to 35 mm formats.
Primary difference you'll need to concern yourself with is that print film has a bit more latitude in the exposure...in other words, you can "miss" the exact exposure by up to two f/stops (depending on the film/speed)and still obtain a "printable" picture. In slide films of ASA 100, the latitude is much less. You'll either end up with a washed out slide (over exposed) or a dark slide(under exposed.
If your transparency film is properly exposed, it will deliver better reproductions than print film. Print film, too, depends on the desire of the lab and the individual printer as to the color and density of the prints. Take an individual negative to five different labs. You're likely to get five different looking prints, some darker than others, and, many will be different colors than others. Trasnparency film, if you want prints, gives the printer and lab something to match the prints to.
Either way...good luck and good shooting.

I will have to let Steve read this board and he can comment since he does all the Photography...He has a few lens' 20, 15, 35, and 80...which is the newest. He brings the macro attachements and has produced great shots....Angel city is a great site for wide angle....He also always used 100 speed and this past trip got slide film which we made into slides when we got home....we have a hook up on our computer scanner that (I think) will process the slides to disc....I have not looked into the workings of that program yet.....We love the camera but with digital and the announcement that the Nikono's is going to stop manufacturing cameras and parts will make us obsolite in the near future.....pretty poopy since alot of money has been invested in the camera and its components.