Photocatalytic　active　material　ZnS　was　grown　on　the　surfaces　of　magnetic　cores,　Fe3O4　and　NiCO2O4,　by　the　solvothermal　method　to　produce　magnetically　separable　Fe3O4@ZnS　and　NiCo2O4@ZnS　core-shell　photocatalysts.　These　hydrogen　production　photocatalysts　can　be　recycled　by　magnetic　force　for　repeated　hydrogen　generation.　The　morphology,　crystalline　property,　magnetic　property,　photocatalytic　activity,　and　magnetic　separation　capability　of　the　core-shell　photocatalysts　were　studied.　Fe3O4@ZnS　based　core-shell　photocatalysts　had　better　magnetic　separation　capability　than　the　NiCo2O4@ZnS　analog.　The　optimized　photocatalytic　hydrogen　production　rates　of　NiCo2O4@ZnS　and　Fe3O4　ZnS　core　shell　nanoparticles　reached　880　mu　mol　h(-1)　g(-1)　and　3900　mu　mol　h(-1)　g(-1),　respectively.　Both　photocatalysts　can　be　recycled　by　magnetic　force.　Recycled　photocatalysts　exhibited　good　hydrogen　generation　performance　after　being　recycled　for　three　times.　Copyright　(C)　2015,　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications,　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.