Arnon Ayal

Forum username: arnon_ayal
Posts: 1,765
Threads started: 136
Active years: 2002–2010
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique (31%), Photo/Video Showcase (29%), General Chat (12%), Shooting Technique/Workflow/Editing (9%), Lights/Strobes/Lighting (8%)
Specialization: Nikon DSLR systems, Ikelite housings, Red Sea photography

Community Role

arnon_ayal was one of Wetpixel’s most active early-era community members, with 1,765 posts across 1,474 threads concentrated almost entirely between 2002 and 2008. With a first appearance date of January 29, 2002, they were among the earliest Wetpixel forum participants, joining when the community was less than a year old.

Their activity peaked sharply in 2005 (440 posts) and 2006 (395 posts), placing them among the most prolific contributors during the early DSLR revolution in underwater photography. The breadth of their thread participation (1,474 threads at 1.2 posts per thread) indicates they were a frequent commenter across many discussions rather than a deep single-thread contributor — more community connector than subject-matter specialist.

Their presence in the Photo/Video Showcase (29% of posts) shows they actively shared their own work, while their Red Sea focus — including participation in the Eilat Red Sea 2008 and Epson/SanDisk Red Sea shootout threads — suggests they were based in or frequently dived Israel’s Red Sea coast.

Notable Contributions

Gear Discussions

arnon_ayal’s posting pattern reflects a photographer who progressed through multiple camera systems during the rapid DSLR adoption era:

• Nikon D70 era: Active contributor helping community members with focus, exposure, and Ikelite housing questions. Participated in threads on D70 focus issues and macro lens options (Woody’s diopter vs. dedicated macro lenses)
• Nikon D200 adoption: Engaged in early D200 discussions and housing prototype threads
• Nikon 10.5mm fisheye debate: Started a notable thread “Why not to buy the Nikon 10.5?” (33 replies) — a contrarian take on one of the era’s most popular underwater lenses
• Moisture alarm discussion (25 replies) — contributed to the important topic of housing leak detection technology
• Olympus E-1 thread (20 replies) — early Four Thirds system discussion

Ikelite Housing Expertise

Contributed to multiple Ikelite housing threads: D70 housing, D200 housing prototype, and dome port sizing discussions. Their experience bridging Canon compacts and Ikelite-housed Nikon DSLRs made them a useful voice for photographers making the transition from compact to DSLR systems underwater.

Photography and Travel

• Shared Red Sea photography and participated in Eilat shootout events
• Posted work from Palau (including Jellyfish Lake), Komodo, Hong Kong, Philippines, and Socorro
• Participated in regulator selection discussions (ScubaPro equipment, 23 replies), showing engagement beyond photography into dive equipment

Community Support

With 89 posts in the Beginner Forum (5% of total), arnon_ayal helped newcomers with compact camera setups. They also left 9 article comments and contributed to community discussions on RAW processing workflows (RawShooter, Nikon Capture) and image recovery techniques.

Activity Profile

• Peak year: 2005 (440 posts)
• Active window: 2002–2008 (99.9% of all posts); essentially inactive after 2010
• Forum focus: Gear (31%), Showcase (29%), Chat (12%), Technique (9%), Lighting (8%), Beginner (5%)
• Thread participation: 1,474 threads, averaging 1.2 posts per thread (136 started)
• Gear progression: Canon S40/S50 compact to Nikon D70/Ikelite to Nikon D200
• Activity score: 2,191
• First appearance: 2002-01-29 (among the earliest Wetpixel forum users)
• Last appearance: 2010-08-10

References