Simon Walsh:

It all started many years ago with the versatile and simple to use Sea and Sea MM2. Which, once I added the 15mm wide angle and macro framers, took some very nice shots. Along the way I learnt much about composition, bouyancy tricks and patiience. However frustration was always part of the picture when trying to get close to skittish subjects, no matter how long I took to approach they did not like that framer!

Around this time I got the opportunity to purchase a Nikon V with SB103 strobe and Framers in a divorce induced fire sale! So I got better optics, but still the same frustrations. My main reason for even buying this system was simply to learn the camera well enough to advise/teach customers.

All this time I yearned for a housed system. Then one day.....In the early days of Ebay I came across a Nikon 8008s body, an Iklelite housing and port, best of all it was going for a steal! Over the years I picked up a used Ikelite 400, and Nikon 105mm macro lens and port, another SB105 and a 20mm wide angle. This is the system I use today and happiness is mine at last, despite a few minor floods and malfunctions I have had no complaints. Ok well....just one....I wish I could switch the autofocus on and off underwater....

I began attempting underwater photos in 1984 with a Minolta Weathermatic (it imploded), graduating to my first Nikonos V in 1989; however living and diving in the UK at the time made for a step learning curve, perseverance paid off.

Results in trying conditions got better and slowly some images began being used by dive shops to advertise the areas I dived reguarly, North Wales and Northern Scotland to name two.
Inwardly I wanted a housed camera but the systems were changing faster than I could save. So I bided my time, bought new lenses including a Sea and Sea 15mm, then a twin strobe system, photographic results got better (or was it just experience).
After many years and two Nikonos V’s each with twin strobes and an array of lenses and tubes, it was decided that digital was the way to go.

First one, then another Olympus 5050 with housings were bought, and then close up lenses and finally an adapter for the Nikonos strobes lying dormant in their cases, this did involve a certain modification to one of the housings which now seems to work very well with twin strobes on TTL. For topside photography I use the Olympus 5050, a Nikon D-70 or a Nikon N90s.

I am a past member of both the British and International societies of Nikonos flooders.