manatee19

60mm is a good choice as a macro/fish portrait lens and, as Joe mentions, it is an FX lens. The 40 would be interesting for subjects like large groupers or similar which are a tad too large for the 60.  We use the 35mm f/2 D for such subjects.

The 85 is a nice lens but it is only a DX optic.

The 60 will remain with you for a long time. Make sure you get the AFS version, far better AF performance.

Michel

I agree with Phil. Flip Schulke, Douglas Faulkner, Gerry Greenberg, Bates Littlehales, Bill Curtsigner and many others including David Doubilet, probably the best known one these days were pioneers and David is still pushing the envelope on a daily basis. Jim & Cathy Church taught us underwater photography, especially those like me who were living in remote "foreign" places where scuba divers were so few... let alone u/w photographers. They set the wheel in motion and inspired generations. All those who followed in their footsteps benefited from their innovative techniques or unique look on the u/w realm. Some tools may have seem primitive compared to contemporary imaging computers we carry in our housings. in the end, the only thing that matters, to paraphrase DD's book title: Water, Light, Time. Maybe Wetpixel could start a virtual gallery of iconic images... and the story behind them... food for thought.

Just want to share a recent discovery.  Most know that one of the fathers of u/w photography is French biologist Louis Boutan.

In 1900 he wrote one of the very first books on this specialty.  The French National Archives have digitized the book and it is available on the web.  For those interested it can be found at: http://gallica.bnf.f...8/bpt6k10250505

Enjoy,

Michel

Simon wrote : "It can be useful to remember the origin of the word amateur..French, meaning 'the love of' (or close - francophiles please correct me."

Amateur means in French: someone who loves/like something.  "Un amateur de vin" means "someone who loves wine".  Same for photography or football.... This is the first meaning of the word amateur.

"Sport amateur" means non-professional sport... ie. "amateur sport". Same for photography or other human activities where there is a distinction between a professional or a non-professional/hobby-like endeavour.

So, we can infer that in French or English "amateur" describes someone who engages in u/w photography for the love of the disciplin as opposed to someone who does it to make a living.

Having said that, many amateurs take pro-level images, they simply do not earn their living doing so... So we all start as amateurs and some become professionals, just like in golf, sailing, or astronomy...

This topic is interesting and the insight provided by distinguished members of the profession is great food for thought... And so is the quote about the change brought by image-making technology and the internet/telecommunication industry in the field.  Internet/IP-based technology  have been major disruptive technologies in so many fields... And we are in the infancy stage of that era.

Question: Who wants to go back to 36-exosure rolls... No instant feedback... 100 ISO slide film... Film processing... Snail mail communications and shipment of images..? Or flashbulbs for that matter :-)

Michel Gilbert