The ultimate underwater photography DSLR housing... Underwater housings are basically tools that allow a specific camera to be used underwater. But, to get the most out of that camera the housing needs to be very well designed, robust and allow intuitive use of all the important controls. My first real housing was the Subal Miniflex N8 for the Nikon F801. Which I bought back in 1989 and for those of you not even alive back then… The F801 was the film camera that launched the overall concept of housing a land camera to use underwater. The F801 was the Nikon SLR that brought auto-focus to the masses. It was very successful, as it was …
Camera Equipment
Camera equipment reviews
Ultimate Underwater Photography DSLR
Ultimate Underwater Photography DSLR... For such technical gadgets, cameras are surprisingly emotive objects. And I learned a long time ago to avoid discussions on the pros and cons of the various brands. Which at that point were really just two – Nikon and Canon, or should that be Canon and Nikon? Then the great disruptor Sony came along. Wedging the Canikon duopoly so well that there should really be a health warning on camera bodies these days… I think that the intense emotion comes from the fact that we are bombarded by the camera manufacturers marketing gurus in so many ways (consciously and sub-consciously). And then, when we do …
ONEUW One160X Strobe Review
ONEUW One160X Strobe Review... This is a first impressions review of my personal experience with this new Italian strobe. As explained below, I bought the strobes myself through my diving buddy and fellow underwater photographer Filippo Borghi. And the purpose of this review is to share my initial experience with some new and really excellent technology. ONEUW One160X Strobe Review - The Background... It’s no secret that Italians are, by nature, passionate and enthusiastic people… So when the first message arrived from my great friend Filippo Borghi extolling the virtues of the new strobes he had been testing - quite frankly I took it all …
Nikon D500 First Impressions
The Nikon D500 Underwater... Why Nikon never released a D400 follow-up to the successful D300 “prosumer” DSLR will probably never be known. Certainly though, the internet forums have plenty of theories! My opinion is that a D400 never saw the light of day is because Nikon had a carefully calibrated strategy. Nikon wanted to get as many photographers as possible to embrace it’s full-frame FX cameras before it replaced the D300. Nikon has a long history of releasing slimmed down versions of their top of the range professional cameras. In the film days that was personified by the F100, which had much of the technology from the …
Photographing Great White Sharks
Great White Shark cage diving is one of those "must do" experiences for most underwater photographers. My first trip however was not exactly a qualified success, as we spent 7 days out at the Neptune Islands in South Australia and did not see a single shark. But I really enjoyed the overall experience and was determined to go back. That was back in 1996 and it turned out to be another 7 years before I actually did so, but over the next few years I did several trips and experienced numerous up close & personal encounters with the "apex predator". It really is a unique …
Wide Angle Macro Underwater Photography
Underwater Photography Magazine - Dec 2009 Imitation, as they say, is the sincerest from of flattery…. so let me start off this article by thanking Alex Mustard for sharing his experiences pioneering the technique of using wide-angle lenses to shoot macro type subjects. I really like trying new techniques to produce images that are “different” and Alex’s excellent results with the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens coupled with a teleconvertor (TC) made me want to experiment and see what I could produce. The basic concept behind the technique is to use the close focusing capabilities of the 10.5mm fisheye, but adjust it’s field of view using a …