Oympus Mju 725 SW

I have finally bitten the bullet and done it; gone ahead to buy an underwater camera system. This was an issue long considered both whether there was a need and also which system to get.

To shorten a long story, a digital system was decided on even though there was an initial temptation to get a dedicated underwater film camera. It was to expensive to get a professional housing to fit my digital SLRs. It was a futile attempt to get the canon underwater housing for my ancient powershot S30.. There was little choice but to get a newer camera together with the housing.

Though I have never considered thr Olympus line of cameras, closer research revealed quite a gem for my purposes and lifestyle. Intro the olympus mju ( prnounced mew). It is a compact point and shoot camera with 3x optical zoom and reasonable control of all functions. Most attractive is its built in ability to withstand shocks and water up to 5m in depth. Now I can take the camera out in the rain, spalsh it with mud, jump into a pool with it and even go kayaking with it, all without using the housing.

So now I proudly own a Olympus mju 725SW. With the underwater housing PT-033, the operational depth is extended to 40m.

Model: Olympus Mju 725SW
2 original Olympus Li-ion batteries
PT-033 underwater housing
1 GB and 512 MB xD cards

D200 and other paraphenalia

I once mentioned to a friend that changes to my photographic equipment occurs in shifts, not drifts, The last 2 weeks saw one of these shifts.


30 July 06

I have been think about this for a long time. I have had my D70 for quite some time now. It has followed me to most of my overseas trips. I love the camera but felt the need to further upgrade my basic piece of equipment. The launch of the D200 earlier in the year bridged the final gap between the amateur digital SLRs and the pro range of digital SLRS produced by Nikon.

After much heartache and mental calculations, i decided to bite the bullet and take the final step in upgrading my camera body.
Even at the shop, I hesitated a couple of times during the decision making, almost turning back just before forking out the cash.
Final gear bought:

1. D200 body
2. MB-D200 Multi-Power Battery Pack



The battery pack is so cool. Makes the camera approximate the look of the professionals as well as adding a vertical grip to the camera. This allows you to take vertical shots without contorting your hands and face in the process.




6 August 06

This weekend was the 2nd step in the evolution process that commenced the previous week. A light weight quality tripod capable of enduring the rigours of my travels has always been on my wishlist. After much deliberation, again, I finally settled on the following

Tripod: Manfrotto 055MF4 ( with a magfibre construction and carbon centre post)
Ballhead: Kang Rinpoche Ballhead

All in all, it was an extremely satisfying fortnight having made the necessary improvements to further develop my interest in photography. Heavy on the pocket but in my opinion, worth every single cent.