I always used an Olympus OM1 with a variety of flashes usually connected to the camera FP socket with a made up lead. I would set the self timer so as to be able to include myself in the frame, as without a figure a lot of underground pictures lack a sense of scale. I am well known for working and exploring solo, and carried a variety of bits and pieces to support this practice. I used Kodacolour Gold 400 up to the very last, most pictures being taken with a 28mm lens. I have seen huge advances in the quality of colour print film over the years, as you may well believe. My biggest regrets are that I did not take up photography earlier in life. I bought a new Brownie 127 about 1957, but used it little. I still have it, mint condition in original box.
I went digital early 2006 and purchased a Fujifilm S9500. My choice was due to the built in 28mm to 300mm focal length equivalent zoom, the robust construction, and the other features. Having no lens to remove as in the digital SLR cameras keeps the dust out, this is my opinion. It is quite a large camera compared to others, but has stood the course underground being dropped onto a rock pile in Brownley Hill and having water dripping onto it in Temple mine. It has an external flash socket, essential for me, a self timer up to 10 seconds, gives me all the time in the world to get into position, and shutter speeds up to 30 seconds open. I have just found ways to take advantage of this being able to fire multiple flashes from a single unit and move around in the dark with caplamp off without printing to the frame.
To answer questions; yes the pictures are much sharper and of better quality than with the film camera.
Now here is a thread. I have explored mines all over the country but have never been in a purple mine. Sorry, maybe its my eyes, but a lot of the other peoples photos although of very high quality have purple casts, my Fuji does not do this, and the white balance is at default settings
Opinions?
My avatar is a poor likeness.