What the Pro's Say About Us

Black Rock Dive Centre - Dahab

We'd like to say a BIG thank you to Steve and Mark for once again coming over to teach the INON Instructor Course. The new instructors were totally overwhelmed by the amount of gadgets they got to play with and the overall high standard of tuition,
you're the best!

Until next time guys x

www.blackrockdivecentre.com

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Jeremy and Amanda Cuff

Supplier of our underwater camera housings, London based Ocean Optics is run by Steve Warren, who we've found to be extremely helpful and friendly. Steve is also the organiser of the annual Visions of the Sea underwater photography and film event in London.

Jeremy and Amanda Cuff

www.ja-universe.com

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From Rachel Horsfield

Dear Steve

Many many thanks for the call last night and for talking a beginner through all the nobs and wires on her new camera! I feel better about it all now!

Kindest regards
Rachel
Rachel Horsfield
Deputy Manager, Divequest

Assignment White Sharks

Dive Quest has long been the leading tour operator for discerning underwater photographers seeking the best opportunities. They work with trip leaders drawn from among the most accomplished underwater photo pros in the business. " The Underwater Photographer" author Martin Edge, "Dive Magazines" senior correspondent Charlie Hood and marine biologist and full time underwater photo - journalist Alex Mustard  are just three of Dive Quests all star  team - soon to be joined by Optics' Mark Koekemoer and Steve Warren.

Owned by Rachel Horsfield, this is her account of her experiences researching an expedition to encounter great white sharks off the Island of Guadalupe. Rachel uses a Canon Powershot S-90 and INON lenses, including the UWL100 -28AD and  INON Z-240 strobes supplied by Ocean Optics:
www.divequest.co.uk

Rachel Horsfield
MD Divequest

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From Duncan Murrell

Hi Steve/Mark

I've just returned from an extended trip to Palawan in the Philippines. My Subal housing has served me very well helping me to build up a tremendous portfolio of images of whale sharks. Some of them will be published in a special feature on the best sites in the world for diving with whale sharks in the next issue of Scuba Diving Magazine. It will be the first time that this great new location will be publicised to the international diving community.

Duncan Murrell
 

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From John Bantin

A nice postscript to this report was the fact that, two months after I first received the housing, Ocean Optics was kind enough to exchange the small dome port originally supplied for a larger 23cm- diameter port.

That meant that I could do away with the hated auxiliary dioptre lens and get back to using my wide-angle as its Nikon designer had intended.

John Bantin
Diver Magazine
 

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From John Liddiard

For years I used a succession of cheap and short lived cameras in equally cheap plastic housings to take mostly awful underwater snaps. Eventually I began to take photography more seriously and, after many visits to Ocean Optics with much pawing and pondering and testing of Steve Warren's patience, I invested in a Subal housing and a Nikon 801 SLR.

John Liddiard
 

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From Stuart Keasley

If you're looking for Subal, give Steve Warren a bell at Ocean Optics, he's the UK importer, he's very fothcoming with lots of good advice.

Stuart Keasley
Bottlefish
 

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From Alex Gries

Ocean Optics are the best professionals you can find when looking for underwater imaging equipment. Not only are they remarkable professionals but they are also the friendliest and most dedicated team you will ever meet. A big thanks (again) to Steve and Mark who provided my full underwater photo gear.

Alex Gries

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From Jamie Watts, Marine Ecologist, Expedition Leader and Author

Steve - My new Inon S - 2000 strobe - wow!  It covers the angle of my fisheye lens with smooth even light and still manages to soften down the levels for gentle macro lighting.  I don't need to go above 100ISO (Good job 'coz I'm on a compact that produces stunning stuff at 100 and utter crap above 200).  I'm getting to grips with avoiding 'snowstorms' even with low viz.  My percentage of useable photos per dive has just quadrupled.  Steve - you've finally found a bit of kit that's Jamie- proof.  I can also run faster, jump higher, am more attractive to women and I swear bits of me are growing. I just don't like the colour (of the strobe, the colour of the bits is normal).

Jamie Watts

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From Alex Mustard

Steve.

I buy all my kit at Ocean Optics, but that isn't the point. Optics, as they are known to their customers/friends (the words are interchangeable), isn't a shop in the traditional sense. It is not a place that you go to, buy something and leave. The people who work there are friends. And more often than not I won't pop in because I need something, but just to chat. Optics is a meeting place and I have, on occasion, been there for several hours and become so occupied talking to other photographers that it is time to catch my train home even before I have said hello to Steve and the gang!

Optics don't have to make the hard sell because they have selected on the very best product lines. Subal, Subtronic, Inon and Olympus all sell themselves. So not having to be salesmen means that the team at Optics always have the time to pass on all their detailed knowledge on how to look after and get the best from your kit. Unlike normal shops the service that you get from Ocean Optics does not end with the swipe of a credit card. That is merely the beginning of being an Optics customer.

Alex Mustard

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From The Underwater Channel

The Underwater Channel salutes Steve Warren of Ocean Optics for his
enormous support - sincere thanks.

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From ‘Realm of the Pygmy Seahorse’

A book project is a daunting task, particularly when it is one’s first... Steve Warren was the first person who expressed his appreciation for my potential in underwater photography. I thank him for his genuine friendship. The pioneer underwater photographer, Colin Doeg, consistently succeeded in restraining my Mediterranean temperament with his good sense...

The Ocean Optics team in London: Andrew Bell, Matt Crowther, Andrew Pugsley, Sidarth Thaker, were in the unenviable position of trying to satisfy my photographic needs and supporting me in this field.

Constantinos Petrinos

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From ‘The Diving Guide to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia’

I would like to offer my thanks to Steve of Ocean Optics in London, UK for providing me with all the equipment and knowledge to achieve my objective within my water world and for patiently accepting the torture of my questions on their supplies. Thank you Steve for your valuable advice and knowledge shared.

Antonio Mancini

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From ‘ The Underwater Photographer ’

My pursuit of underwater photography has depended on the help, support, advice and friendship of a number of people, and I would like to thank them all for helping to make the ‘Underwater Photographer’ so successful...

Steve Warren, Colin Doeg and all the staff of Ocean Optics, thank you for your continuous support.

Martin Edge

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From ‘ Underwater Gibraltar – A Guide to the Rocks Submerged Sites ’

We would like to thank … Steve Warren for letting us use so many of his wonderful pictures.

Phil Smith and Darren Fa

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From ‘The Art and Technique of Underwater Photography’

Over the years many kind souls and companies have helped and supported me in my efforts to produce some superb images either for pleasure, competition or publication. I would like to take this opportunity of extending my thanks as they have all played a part in the production of this book… Steve Warren at Ocean Optics, London, UK…

Mark Webster

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From ‘Great White Shark’

In London, Steve Warren at Ocean Optics deals with all my underwater photo requirements and supplies me with great equipment and great advice.

Thomas P Peschak

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From ‘ Reef ’

We would like to thank the following... Ocean Optics - Steve Warren... for their generous help and support”

Scubazoo

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From ‘ Wild Seas Secret Shores ’

Ocean Optics, Steve Warren and Mark Koekemoer, for again and again going beyond the call of duty when looking after my underwater photographic needs.

Thomas P Peschak

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From ‘ Cool Waters Emerald Sea ’

While one finger presses the shutter on the camera, many hands support an underwater photographer. I am grateful to Steve Warren of Ocean Optics...

John Collins

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From ‘ Elephant ’

This book is a result of the collective enthusiasm of a large team of people to whom I am in debt. For their practical help in the United Kingdom, I thank Steve Warren...

Steve Bloom

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Most divers are well aware of the beauty and fragility of the marine environment and underwater photographers in particular often have a sympathetic understanding of fish behaviour and habitats - they have to, in order to get their shots! At Fish4ever, we’re campaigning with divers to create more marine parks in the world’s oceans and to prevent the appalling destruction wrought by industrial fishing. We’re therefore extremely grateful to Steve Warren and Ocean Optics for their support for our campaign, and we look forward to working together in the future.

Nick Hanna, Founder Fish4Ever

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From ‘Dive in Style’

There is so much that goes into this hobby that I could do no better than refer you to experts. Ocean Optics of London will give you totally unbiased advice, and while I am the first to look for a discount, this was one time I was happy to pay sticker price: they know their business and will give honest advice, even to the extent of losing themselves a sale.

Tim Simond

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From ‘ The Art of Diving ’

I am particularly grateful to Ocean Optics, London, who supply and maintain all my underwater equipment.

Alexander Mustard

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As an on land photographer Nick Meek was commissioned to do an underwater shot for Ericsson, the last of twelve shots for a worldwide campaign.

With no experience of underwater photography Steve at Ocean Optics showed us a wealth of options and helped us ascertain which equipment would be right for the job. He organized diving lessons and PADI courses for us and even helped us test the equipment in a dive pool. Thanks to Steve’s help the commission was a great success and has since been made into one of Europe’s largest posters, measuring 90m long at a Barcelona expo.

Nick Meek

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From the production ‘ The Straits ’ Author: Gregory Burke
Paines Plough would like to thank Steve Warren for all his expert help with costumes.

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From ‘ Going Down ’

My heartfelt thanks go to Steve Warren at Mavericks Diving for reading the manuscript.

Amanda Ursell

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