Equipment
 

Here's a brief run-down of the camera equipment that I use for taking my underwater photographs primarily, and my nature and landscape shots secondly.

bulletSea and Sea Motormarine

This is the system that I began with, and it represented a very sound place for me to start. I use (and still use from time to time) a Motormarine II with the matched YS50 TTL strobe. I now get best results using the 16mm lens, although good shots of static subjects can be obtained using either of the macro lenses. It was the limitations of the macro system that made me move to a housed camera (the Sea and Sea still shoots wide-angle that will almost match my housed camera).

You'll find technical details about this system on the Sea & Sea site.

bulletSubal Miniflex System

I now use a Nikon F90X camera in a Subal F90 underwater housing, and use a Nikon SB25 speedlight in a custom housing made by Kevin Cullimore (0181 529 6493).  I use a Nikkor 20mm for wide angle work, and a Nikkor 105mm Macro for close work, although I also have a Nikkor 24-50mm zoom which I use on occasions, and a Nikkor Fisheye 16mm (180 degree full frame fisheye!) which I use infrequently, mostly on clear-water wrecks.

I now have a second identical camera and housing which is mated to a YS120 strobe mounted on an Ultralight arm, and occasionally use a YS30 set as a TTL slave.

You'll find technical details about Subal housings on the Ocean Optics site, (as they are the UK distributors), or at Subal Austria.  Details of Nikon cameras, lenses and accessories can be found at  Nikon Imaging or at B&H Photo-Video, not forgetting of course the UK's premier Nikon shop,  Gray's of Westminster

bulletLand Photography

I use the Nikon F90X with the 24-50mm mentioned above, a Nikkor 70-210mm tele-zoom, and a Sigma 400mm fixed length lens.  I try and use a tripod whenever possible (Heather Angel would be proud of me!), and have a Benbo Trekker which does the job, but isn't quite man enough for a heavy telephoto lens.

That's really about it. I've got a few more bits that I haven't really got around to using properly yet - I expect that I'll put something here when I do.

This page was last updated on 19 October 2002.
Please address any comments to Mark Mumford