Below are the details of the cameras I currently use.  As you will see I prefer manual cameras because they give me complete control.  Because of the age of them they are probably regarded as "Classic Cameras".  Many of my photographs were taken with a compact camera, 2 out of the 3 images used in the header for this website were taken with one.  It is a great  belief of mine that you do not need a sophisticated camera to be able to enjoy photography and take good photographs - Photography should start from the soul not from the camera...

Hasselblad 500cm

The 500cm was one of the V series cameras designed by Victor Hasselblad.  It uses 120 roll film that offers superior image quality over the 35mm format.  To prove the good design, versions of this camera were produced between 1957 to 2005 - 48 years! with the 500cm being the model produced between 1970 to 1994. The earlier 500c model was used by NASA on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions before being replaced by the 500EL which  had motorized film advance.  The quality and the reliability of these Hasselblads are second to none.

Simply one of the best cameras ever made.

Pentax MX

Entering the market in 1976 the MX was in production up until 1985 and was their flagship 35mm SLR for much of that time.  It is fully mechanical and totally manual, only relying on its batteries for the through-the-lens (TTL) exposure metering which is indicated by a series of traffic light coloured LEDs in the viewfinder.  The selected shutter speed and aperture are also indicated in the viewfinder.  Although  solidly built it is not to the standard of the Nikon FM, but it does have the advantage of being smaller and lighter.

This was my first serious camera and has been my main workhorse over the years.

Nikon FM

The FM was produced by Nikon between 1977 and 1982 and was marketed along side the renown F2 as a more compact alternative.  This is another fully mechanical manual camera, only relying on its batteries for the TTL exposure metering which is indicated by three red LEDs in the viewfinder.  The selected shutter speed and aperture are also indicated in the viewfinder.  Over time the Nikon FM has proven to be one of the finest and most reliable 35mm SLR cameras ever made.

A good solid camera which is a joy to use.

Olympus OM-1n

Designed by Yoshihisa Maitani, the Olympus OM-1 was produced to challenge the Nikon F range of cameras by producing a smaller, lighter and quieter 35mm SLR.  It was first launched in 1972 as the M-1, but after a complaint from Leica it was renamed the OM-1: the OM-1n is a later version that has extra flash functions.  This is an all mechanical manual camera with the batteries only required to power the TTL exposure metering, this being indicated by a needle in the viewfinder.  There is no other information in the viewfinder i.e. the selected shutter speed and aperture, unlike the Pentax MX and Nikon FM which have indicators for these settings.

A true "classic" camera helped by the range of excellent Olympus Zuiko lenses.

Olympus XA2

Another design by Yoshihisa Maitani, it was introduced in 1982 as a simplified version of the XA.  This range of very compact range finder cameras are designed around a sliding clam-shell case which acts as a cover for the lens and viewfinder when not in use.  It has a fixed Zuiko 35mm f3.5 lens capable of producing very fine results.  It is reliant on two button cells for the programmed exposure system, which can be unofficially overridden by changing the film speed setting to under or over expose.

I use this camera in situations when it would be difficult to carry one of my SLRs.

Sony DSC-W17

Introduced by Sony in 2005,  It is a 7.2 Megapixel digital compact camera with a 7.9 - 23.7mm (equivalent to 38 -114mm in 35mm terms) Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens: Carl Zeiss also produce the lenses for Hasselblad.  It has various automatic exposure modes, but can be used manually.  The large 2.5" screen on the back is still usable in bright sunlight.  Its metal case gives it a very solid feel and it has a retro look about it.

This camera continues to amaze me with the results it is capable of producing.

A camera is just a tool, and like any tool the correct one must be chosen for the job.  I don't often have the chance to just go out and take pictures as the main object of the day.  I usually combine picture taking with other activities i.e. fell walking and aircraft marshalling.

When fell walking, I will take a medium format or 35mm SLR camera with me and a tripod if I have a specific shot in mind  - otherwise I will just carry one of my compact cameras with me, especially if the weather is bad, because I have found even the waterproof camera bags let in the rain eventually.  Then, if I am lucky enough to see a ray of light through a stormy sky I can usually capture the scene quickly before it disappears.  These extreme lighting conditions are normally transient and therefore do not last for long.

At North Weald I am a volunteer aircraft marshal for the fly-ins.  This gives me a great opportunity to take pictures when I am not working, but it also means that I cannot carry much equipment.  In this situation I find that the compact cameras come into their own again.

I don't want to be laden down with equipment - I find by keeping it simple opens up the mind to the subject.  In fact too much equipment can end up getting in the way of producing images.

Most of my pictures have been taken with a 35mm or 50mm lens (or equivalent depending on the format), a Pentax 100mm macro lens is also a favourite.  I sometimes will use a 28mm wide angle or up to 150mm telephoto, but never anything wider or longer.

I use Photoshop to process all my images More: the ones taken on film being scanned first using a Canon 9950F scanner More.  I still like using film and I will continue to do so More, along with  digital capture – using what I feel is best to suit the situation.