Jason Hawkes

Working from a helicopter costing £1200 an hour, internationally acclaimed aerial photographer Jason Hawkes needs cameras that work at high speed and with the utmost accuracy – which is why he uses the FX-format D3 and new D3X to make the most of every precious second’s shooting. Jason, whose clients include Saatchi and Saatchi, Nike and the BBC, says the high resolution, high sensitivity, ruggedness and GPS compatibility of the FX-format system makes it ‘pretty much my dream kit’.

Jason Hawkes began his renowned career in aerial imaging in 1991, influenced by an impromptu microlighting trip just after finishing his photography degree. He has since clocked up thousands of hours of flying and produced 35 books for publishers such as the BBC and Harper Collins, with four more currently in progress. His work is in demand worldwide from clients such as Saatchi and Saatchi, DDB, the Sunday Times, Nike, Rolex and Mitsubishi. Last year he shot the book Britain From The Air to accompany the eponymous BBC TV series. He also runs an extensive stock library with over 100,000 images.

Current kit:
Two Nikon D3 FX-DSLR bodies
D3X FX-DSLR body
14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S
70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR