I am excited and humbled to be reacquainting myself with Jacques Cousteau's best ever surfing invention - the underwater 35mm camera. OK I'm not talking his 1963 original "Calypso-phot" but the next model the Nikonos II - manual hyperfocal distance focusing, manual wind on, manual exposure released in 1968. Manual exposure???? Could be interesting given that I have been spoilt by the benefit of hand held lightmeters, flashmeters or meters built into the camera.
Nikonos V Bay of Granite Spring 1984?
After 19 cameras, I have travelled a meandering route that takes me back to learnings buried under a couple of decades worth of hype and sound bites. Back to Photo 101 class and the wonderful, left brain mathematicality of the Sunny 16 rule - on a sunny day F16 and 1/ISO or in my case and taking no chances with ISO400 film (a four pack and dirt cheap) exposure should be F16 and 1/400th sec.
Big Thanks to my brine brother and legend longboarder Tony Stewart for loaning me this camera. I'm truly stoked and humbled.
classic. great glass on dem puppies. flooded my friend's V the last time I was in CR. just got a IV for 30usd on the side of the road.
ReplyDeletecan't wait to see what kind of good stuff you come up with!
Cheers mate. Nikonos IVa? Black with red shutter button? 28 or 35 lens CR? Costa Rica? Ooooh noooo!! (in slo-mo Homer Simpson voice) - the downside of electronics and salt water. Happy shooting.
ReplyDeleteIts the Nikonos IV alright, currently outfitted with the 35. Looking forward to trying out some of the wider focal lengths in the near future, any experience with them above water? CR indeed, lived in tiquicia for a good run in Universtiy, ever been round those parts..?
ReplyDeleteSweet. No and no on the wider Nikonos lenses or CR, Have used 20mm, 28mm, 135mm and my 180 fisheye in housings. 28 would be my pick if I could get a sharp one cheap. Looking forward to seeing some of yours over at your site. cheers
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