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DSLR
"It's also nice to see from the cover shots that Steve Warren, owner of Ocean Optics and a regular visitor to Gibraltar, still knows what to do from behind the lens'.
John Liddiard reviewing Philip Smiths and Darren Fa's book "UnderwaterGibraltar' for Diver Magazine
Ocean Optics - Steve and Mark's advice is both fantastic and very patient. They also put on alot of underwater photography workshops and talks from various presenters.
Helen Rushton
Thank you for your advice about a new compact and housing: star-class as always.
Robin Offord
60mm loan port enclosed. Bubble pack not a towel this time.
Thanks for the great service once again!
Jason
My thanks to AJ for a very interesting, enjoyable, knackering and instructive day. I really feel that I gained a great deal and I'm sure the opportunity to practice the skills will make me a better and, more importantly, a safer diver.
Best regards
Jeff
Hi Steve
Really glad that I did the buoyancy course with you a few weeks back. Just spent a week in the Red Sea and was able to go on 3 canyon dives the longest lasting 30 minutes - all your skills came into play and I really started to feel comfortable in those tight places.
Karl Thomas
I purchased my first underwater camera in December 2003. This was an Olympus C5050 compact camera and I was forced to replace it eight monthslater after failing to correctly fit the underwater housing's o-rings. My Olympus C5060 compact camera fared better than its predecessor and was only "retired" in June 2006 when I purchased my present camera, a Nikon D200 digital SLR. I found the transition from a compact camera to a digital SLR far from easy and must thank Steve Warren of Ocean Optics, Basildon, Essex UK as well as Alex Mustard and Martin Edge for their advice and much tested patience.
If you are considering purchasing an underwater camera system and are UK based I would strongly recommend that you contact Steve. Ocean Optics is renowned for its impartial advice and fantastic after sales care. I know many of the satisfied clients who have left testimonials on the Ocean Optics website and concur with every comment made. Steve regularly organises underwater photography events and talks and to ensure that you do not miss any, you can subscribe to Steve's newsletter through the Ocean Optics website.
I am fairly careless so my SLR is housed in a robust Subal ND20 housing and I also use two Inon Z-240 strobes held by Inon arms. I have found Inon strobes to be very reliable and I prefer to have two strobes rather than one as I consider this gives me more lighting options.
Malcolm Nobbs
I have bought all my housings, strobes, arms, connectors and other assorted necessities from Ocean Optics Along the way I have had much good advice from Steve and Mark, who are always ready to discuss the most appropriate options with no pressure or hard sell.
Alan Larsen
To Steve
Just a quick note to say a huge big thank you for running the camera course for our students. They all thoroughly enjoyed themselves and learnt something new.
Angie
Manager, Newhaven Scuba Centre
The Precision Buoyancy Workshop is a must for every diver at any level. I have never before experienced such individual and personal tuition on a diving course.
The pool facilities are second to none, the depth being a huge advantage over other venues!
During the day Steve watches and reviews your performance and offers advise and support that will improve your diving ability.
I have definitely come away with skills that will make me a better and safer diver.
Many thanks again to Steve and co for an excellent day.
James Aquilina
Hello Mark,
Just a quick line to thank you so much for spending the time with me yesterday. Goodness only knows what I was thinking in Gangga (or not thinking!), so I am feeling back on track now. I will be in touch after my hols to do some practice in the pool.
Best wishes, Isabella
Hi Steve and Mark,
just wanted to thank Mark for spending so much tim
with me yesterday, and hope it was not too tiring.
Cheers, John Leslie.
Mark & Steve,
Thank you for an outstanding service. The housing and all 3 ports worked perfectly for the first 20+ test dives that I have managed with them. You may be interested to know that the new Nikon 60mm macro lens also works perfectly well (I recall that this was the first time that you had set one up in a Subal housing and thought that you might appreciate the feedback).
Best wishes
Paul Colley
Thank you!
I realy enjoyed meeting you and Sue at the weekend, and although it was rather tiring I found the whole experience was brilliant the hospitality was next to none especially the constant supply of coffee, I felt not so much like a customer but like I'd met some more new friends who had so much knowledge and information and was willing to share it with me, and I bought my housing, I am looking forward so much to using it and just hope that everything you told me has actually sunk in.
Elaine White
Hi Steve/ Mark
Thanks for organising the camera trials the other day, everyone enjoyed the evening and learnt a lot from it. I hope you got what you wanted from it as well, I'm sure you'll see them again in the near future! I can't wait to get out in the channel again (slight exaggeration!) and try some of the stuff I practiced in the pool. It's a great facility and the effort you put in to set up the props was much appreciated.
All the bestDave Wood
Mark & Steve
Thank you for an outstanding service. The housing and all 3 ports worked
perfectly for the first 20+ test dives that I have managed with them. You may be interested to know that the new Nikon 60mm macro lens also works perfectly well (I recall that this was the first time that you had set one up in a Subal housing and thought that you might appreciate the feedback).Best wishes
Paul Colley
Hi guys just a quick note of thanks the housing delivered ok and I'd like to let you know how impressed I was with the service I received. . . wonderful.
My Thanks again. . . . . Daniel
Just a short note to thank you for all you help in spending my money !!! I really appreciated the time on Saturday going over the ND30 kit and I already feel confident of the key features and how to put the kit together. It was a long day but very worthwhile and certainly justifies my patience in waiting to buy it through you guys.
It was also great to have the availability to get into the pool and actually try out the rig.
Anyway will see you around no doubt and thanks again for all your help. I'll let you know how I get on !!!
Keith Lyall
"Underwater photography is a demanding pastime. I have endless admiration for the brave souls who have made it their profession and who continue to inspire me. As an amateur, however skilled, I am indebted to Steve Warren at Ocean Optics who has supplied the right equipment at the right time. I use Nikon cameras in Nexus housings with Inon underwater flashes".
Tim Priest
Ocean Optics are , INMHO, unbeatable for advice on whatever underwater photography kit you want and will spend as many hours, days or even weeks as you need to talk about your requirements. They never push anything you don't want and will offer advice even if they don't stock it but it suits your needs. The aftersales service is completely faultless - in my experience anyway.
Alex, Dive Magazine Underwater Photography Forum
"I purchased my Subal housing from Ocean Optics in the U.K. Their advice and service was excellent and I thoroughly recommend the
organisation".
Guido Del Guidice
Why I have stayed loyal to Ocean Optics
I was such a beginner when I first approached Ocean Optics! Well – I had a little Sea and Sea MX10 which actually took some very good pictures But I was keen for something with more scope. I don’t remember who actually recommended Optics, but I know we finished up at Visions about 6 years ago, bought a Nexus housing which was right for us, especially as we already had a Nikon F90X which fitted inside. We bought flash gun and arms, the set up was heavy on land, but this was to share with my sturdy farmer husband so that was OK! It was – and still is - very comfortable to handle underwater. We’ve had a lot of success and enjoyment out of it.
I think the reason I’ve stayed with the company has to be Steve and his staff mostly. A couple of years ago a friend bought a small light digital set-up and my husband said “Go on - get yourself something which doesn’t need film. ” I phoned Steve who said “Wait! I know the quality you’re looking for and they haven’t quite made it yet in your price range!” Fair enough! I waited.
Last month I phoned again “David can’t dive any more and the big set-up’s a bit heavy for me to carry, also, I think it’s high time I went digital.”
“OK”, says Steve “Come down, I’ve something now which I think you’ll like......”
The answer to the question above is simply faith. And also helpfulness. And friendliness. The atmosphere over a coffee at the desk in the old shop was always more like a small club, customers are friends and are introduced to one another – no standing on ceremony, just a correct assumption that we all have interests in common – of course! And I don’t know anyone who would not go back there for any reason.
I’m very pleased to see that in the new shop there are even comfy chairs and a coffee table! Well, I stayed all morning!
And this time, getting a bit long in the tooth as I am, I was shown, demonstrated and encouraged to play with a little light digital set up which would go very easily into hand-luggage, with the option of a few accessories. No rushing, no pressure, no sales talk, just the importance of understanding what I’m getting and that I feel it’s right for me. I didn’t buy the accessories - yet, that’s OK, I can go back again if I want them.
There must be other underwater camera suppliers out there! I haven’t enquired, I’m happy where I am!
Cheers!
Julie England ARPS DAPAG AV-AFIAP
(all credits gained with sub-marine photography).
Hi Steve & Co
Just a quick e-mail to say a big thanks for all the attention you gave me on Saturday. As I said before your customer care is superb and I will recommend your services highly to any divers I meet who are interested.
I 'played' with the Subal all weekend, (much to Diana's annoyance) tried out various settings and configurations and I'm confident I will get some excellent photos when we go to Irian Jaya and Lembeh Strait next April. We hope to take a liveaboard in the Red Sea to get some 'pre big trip' practice. I will send you sample photos when I have some.
Please could you re-remind me of the dates of the 'event' in London in October that you mentioned.
Trevor Syrett
PS - The 'welcome to the Subal fraternity' books were are very nice and unexpected touch.
From Simon Reid, shooting freediving championships with Emma Farrell, author of "One Breath"
Hi guys,
No broadband available here in sunny (very sunny) Kalymnos so no pics to upload to Flickr, but just a quick note to say that the fisheye lens is awesome and after realising that if you have freediver fins on they WILL be in the shot like it or not! Jeez that lens is w-i-d-e. I've got the hang of it now though and the pictures are wonderful. The half & half shots have been coming out fine. I've taken loads of photos of Emma for her website and she is delighted with them.
Regards
Simon
Sent from my Trčo (TM) handheld.
To Ocean Optics with my very best regards and many , many thanks for their help, assistance, kindness and professionalism
Alexandre Gries