The Nikonos Project shares classic cameras and stunning photos
Brandon Jennings has a deep affection for Nikonos, the renowned film camera series born from Jacques Cousteau's famous Calypso underwater camera. The Nikonos Project is the vessel through which Jennings shares his passion with the world. It's a simple idea: He owns hundreds of underwater cameras, and anyone can borrow one, free of charge. You just have to share the pictures you take.
The birth of The Nikonos Project was almost an accident. Jennings' proximity to the ocean -- he lives in San Clemente, California -- meant his interest in photography soon led him to the water. After buying various digital options, he decided to try out a Nikonos, and so began an extreme love affair. "To me, it's the best and really only option for 35mm in the water," he says. Jennings isn't alone in this opinion; there's a wide-held romanticism for Nikonos cameras. They were in production for four decades, allowing anyone to easily photograph underwater subjects long before you could pick up a $200 underwater point-and-shoot or a GoPro.