ATJ (Andrew)

Forum username: ATJ
Real name: Andrew
Posts: 619
Active years: 2007–2012
Location: Australia
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, Lights/Strobes/Lighting Technique, Photo/Video Showcase
Specialization: Nikon DSLR systems, Ikelite housings and strobes, iTTL troubleshooting

Community Role

Andrew, known on the Wetpixel forums as “ATJ,” was an active community member from 2007 through 2012, contributing 619 posts primarily focused on Nikon DSLR underwater photography with Ikelite housings and strobes. He joined the forums in June 2007 and quickly became a regular contributor, sharing detailed technical problem-solving posts that served as valuable reference material for other Ikelite and Nikon users (^[1]).

ATJ’s posts were characteristically thorough and methodical, reflecting his analytical approach to troubleshooting underwater photography equipment. His most-discussed threads documented real-world equipment issues in detail, including systematic diagnosis of housing leaks and strobe exposure problems, making them useful reference threads for the community.

Biography

Andrew learned SCUBA diving in late 1978 while studying Marine Biology. He acquired his first underwater camera — a Nikonos III — in early 1980, also his first camera of any kind. He used various SLRs over the years on land but none housed. He went digital in 2003 with a Nikon Coolpix 4500 in an Ikelite housing with an Ikelite DS50 strobe. In early 2005 he purchased a Nikon D70, and in May 2006 he bought an Ikelite housing for the D70 along with an Ikelite DS-125, which he used alongside the DS50. He added a second DS-125 in April 2007. He later upgraded to a Nikon D300 in an Ikelite housing (^[2]).

He primarily used the Nikon 60mm f/2.8D macro and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II for underwater shooting (^[3]).

Notable Contributions

• Minor Housing Flood (2009): ATJ’s most significant thread documented a housing leak incident with his Ikelite D300 housing during a dive to 18 meters. He methodically diagnosed the problem through a test dive with an empty housing, identifying the sub-command dial (aperture) control shaft as the culprit. The thread generated 54 replies and became a comprehensive reference on Ikelite housing leak diagnosis, with contributions from Ikelite experts including dhaas. ATJ’s systematic approach — testing controls one at a time, documenting the failure mode, and contacting Ikelite for support — made this thread exceptionally useful for other Ikelite users. He also noted that the leak detector and a sanitary napkin placed under the camera tray likely saved his camera (^[4])
• Ikelite Dual Sync Cable (2008): Detailed thread documenting the failure of an Ikelite dual sync cable after 80+ dives, with intermittent firing issues escalating to near-total failure. The thread generated 37 replies including repair instructions from community member scuba_si, who provided step-by-step cable repair guidance. ATJ learned the cable was not covered under Ikelite warranty and was “not worth repairing” according to Ikelite (^[5])
• Overexposure iTTL Issues (2007): Technical thread investigating intermittent overexposure problems when using iTTL with the Nikon D70 and Ikelite DS-125 strobes. ATJ conducted systematic testing including home copy-stand experiments to isolate the issue to specific lenses (worse with 60mm macro than zoom lenses) and close subject distances, suggesting TTL quench speed limitations. The thread drew 15 replies with technical analysis from multiple users (15 replies) (^[6])
• Longnose Hawkfish (2007): One of his first posts, sharing macro images for critique in the Photo/Video Showcase (8 replies) (^[7])

Diving

Based in Australia, ATJ dived local sites that featured weedy sea dragons, giant cuttlefish, nudibranchs, grey nurse sharks, and squid. He mentioned diving to depths of 18-30+ meters regularly with his Ikelite housing setup. His dive log cross-referenced image timestamps with dive computer data to display depth information alongside photographs (^[8], ^[9]).

Activity Profile

ATJ was most active between 2008 and 2010, with his peak contribution period coinciding with the Nikon D300 era. He started 26 threads during his time on the forums. His posting decreased after 2010, with his last recorded activity in November 2012. His contributions were concentrated in the Photography Gear and Technique and Lighting forums, reflecting his primary interest in the technical aspects of underwater photography.