Craig Ruaux

Forum username: craig ruaux
Real name: Craig Ruaux
Posts: 765
Active years: 2003–2009
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, General Chat, Photo/Video Showcase
Specialization: Nikon DSLR systems, Sea & Sea housings, gear analysis and debate, wide-angle photography
Website: ruaux.net
Articles authored: 1

Biography

Craig Ruaux was one of the most knowledgeable and articulate gear discussants in the Wetpixel community during the critical 2003-2009 period when digital SLR underwater photography was rapidly evolving. With 765 posts and 77 threads started over seven years of active participation, he was a respected voice in technical debates about camera bodies, lenses, housings, and the Nikon-vs-Canon controversies that dominated the era.

Ruaux was a committed Nikon shooter who used Sea & Sea housings. His gear progression went from Nikonos film cameras and an F100 in a Sea & Sea housing through the D100 and D70 era, culminating in the Nikon D200 in a Sea & Sea DX-D200 housing — which he reviewed for Wetpixel in 2006. He also maintained experience with the Olympus C-3040 as a compact system. His location appears to have been somewhere with access to both diving and rugged coastline (threads reference northern Australia and the Pacific Northwest).

Notable Contributions

Sea & Sea DX-D200 Housing Review

Ruaux authored one of Wetpixel’s detailed user gear reviews: a comprehensive topside and ergonomics review of the Sea & Sea DX-D200 housing for the Nikon D200, published in May 2006. The review covered construction quality, camera mounting, control access, port compatibility, and ergonomics with thoroughness and good humor. His writing demonstrated deep knowledge of housing engineering, noting details like the hammered-metal finish replacing the chip-prone paint of earlier F100/F5 housings, the stabbing guides for housing alignment, and the clearance issues for larger lenses like the AF-S 105mm VR macro.

He tested whether a D70 could fit as a backup body (it could not, due to the D200’s deeper grip), and documented the control layout with detailed photographs. The review is notable both for its technical depth and for Ruaux’s dry wit — the article includes a photograph of a rocky, forbidding coastline with the caption “I’m sorry, I’m not going in there just now” (^[1]).

Gear Debate Leadership

Ruaux was deeply embedded in the major gear debates of his era:

• Nikon vs. Canon debate — He wrestled publicly with the question of switching from Nikon to Canon during 2004-2005, when Canon’s 1Ds Mark II offered full-frame advantages that Nikon could not match. His thread “Spin off thread to keep Alex’s Canon lens thread on topic” captured the agonized deliberations of a dedicated Nikon shooter weighing a system change, drawing responses from Alex Mustard, James Wiseman, and other prominent members. He argued passionately for the importance of a big viewfinder and snappy autofocus, citing his F100 film experience (^[2]).

• D3X pricing controversy — In December 2008, Ruaux broke the news on Wetpixel that the Nikon D3X would have an estimated street price of $7,995.95, generating a 62-reply thread with reactions ranging from shock to resignation. The discussion drew in James Wiseman, Mike Veitch, Alex Mustard, and dozens of other community members debating the economics of high-resolution full-frame digital photography (^[3]).

• “A voice of reason among a pandemonium of parrots” — Ruaux shared a Thom Hogan essay from DPreview urging photographers to “use what you got” rather than endlessly chasing new gear. The thread generated 28 replies and a thoughtful debate about whether gear limitations truly mattered, with David Haas citing Lazaro Ruda as an example of excellent results from modest equipment (^[4]).

• “I’m just sayin, that’s all…” — Started a speculative discussion about whether Nikon would use the F6 chassis as the basis for a digital SLR, arguing that its big pentaprism viewfinder would make it an ideal underwater camera. Drew responses from Alex Mustard, Ryan (Reef Photo), and others (^[5]).

• D70 and Digital Rebel reviews — Shared Thom Hogan’s reviews of both cameras, sparking technical discussion about their relative merits (^[6]).

Active Article Commenter

Ruaux left 15 comments on Wetpixel articles across a wide range of topics, including gear announcements (Nikon D300 and D3, Olympus E-500, Ikelite D100 housing), industry events (SeaSpace 2007, DEMA 2006), and accessories (Backscatter ND filter, Sea & Sea MDX Pro Mark III housing). His comments were consistently knowledgeable and often provided additional context or perspective on the subject at hand.

Diving and Travel

Ruaux’s threads reference diverse diving experience:

• Cocos Island and Galapagos — Described having been to both destinations and provided detailed comparative advice, favoring Cocos for “pure pelagic action” while noting Galapagos for diversity and interesting reef diving at sites like Cousin’s Rock (^[7])
• Northern Australia — Planned landscape photography shoots in far northern Australia followed by diving in Tulamben, Bali (^[8])

Notable Forum Threads

• “Hooo-eeee! The D3X price has been announced” (62 replies, 2008) — Breaking news thread on Nikon D3X pricing (^[9])
• “A voice of reason among a pandemonium of parrots” (28 replies, 2004) — Gear philosophy discussion (^[10])
• “Spin off thread to keep Alex’s Canon lens thread on topic” (27 replies, 2005) — Nikon vs. Canon switching debate (^[11])
• “I’m just sayin, that’s all…” (26 replies, 2005) — Nikon F6-based digital SLR speculation (^[12])
• “Mr Hogan reviews the D70 and the dRebel…” (24 replies, 2004) — Camera review discussion (^[13])

Activity Profile

• First post: March 12, 2003
• Last post: March 13, 2009
• Peak years: 2004–2008
• 77 threads started
• 15 article comments
• 1 article authored: ^[14]
• Activity score: 1,041

Ruaux’s activity ended abruptly in March 2009, coinciding with a broader decline in forum activity among many long-time members as social media platforms began drawing attention away from traditional forums.