eyu

Forum username: eyu
Real name: Elmer Yu
Posts: 953
Active years: 2007—2020
Location: United States (East Coast)
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, Trip Reports and Travel, Classifieds, Photo / Video Showcase
Specialization: Nikon macro photography, dive travel logistics, Philippines diving

Community Role

Elmer Yu, posting as “eyu,” was a steady and practical contributor to Wetpixel over a 14-year span. A Nikon shooter with a strong focus on macro photography, he participated primarily in gear discussions, travel planning, and equipment classifieds. His posts reflected an engaged amateur who invested seriously in high-end equipment and sought expert advice from the community. He was a regular at dive destinations including the Philippines, Lembeh Strait, Little Cayman, and Hawaii, and his threads on travel logistics — particularly airline carry-on policies for camera gear — became useful references for other traveling underwater photographers.

Elmer’s posting style was characteristically concise and question-oriented. He would frame specific technical questions clearly, drawing detailed responses from experts like Alex Mustard, Don Silcock, and others. His willingness to share his own gear progression and experiences, including honest assessments of problems and trade-offs, made his threads valuable to others facing similar decisions.

He also attended professional conferences at dive destinations, mentioning participation in the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society meeting at Little Cayman Beach Resort in 2013, suggesting a medical or scientific professional background (^[1]).

Gear History

Elmer’s gear progression traced Nikon’s DSLR evolution with notable commitment to macro capability:

• Nikon D2Xs in Subal N2 housing (2007—2010) — his primary system during his most active forum years. Used with Nikon 60mm AF-S ED, Nikon 105mm VR, and Nikon 70-180mm macro zoom (^[2])
• Tokina 10-17mm fisheye with Subal 4-inch mini dome for wide-angle work (^[3])
• Fisheye FIX Focus Light HG20DX — purchased two, sold the backup (^[4])
• Nikon D800 in Subal or Nauticam housing (2012—2013) — struggled with the massive RAW file sizes, once overwhelming a 500GB external hard drive (^[5]). Used the Nikon 70-180mm micro lens for jawfish photography at Little Cayman (^[6])
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 in Nauticam housing with multiple lenses (2014—2015) — purchased as a system for his wife, but sold it when she “feels it is too much camera for her.” The listing revealed a comprehensive Micro Four Thirds kit including Panasonic 8mm fisheye, Olympus 60mm macro, 12-50mm, and 12-40mm Pro lenses, plus both 45-degree and 180-degree Nauticam viewfinders (^[7])
• Additional accessories sold over the years included Stix and ULCS buoyancy arms, carbon float arms, and ReefNet SubSee +10 diopters (^[8], ^[9])

Notable Contributions

Nikon Macro Lens Discussion (May—June 2008)

Elmer started one of the most detailed macro lens comparison threads on Wetpixel when he asked for advice on choosing between the Nikon 60mm AF-S ED, 105mm VR, and 70-180mm macro zoom for Lembeh Strait. The thread drew 35 replies including contributions from Alex Mustard (who was actually in Lembeh at the time with “5 macro lenses”), Don Silcock (who defended the 70-180mm he had used for three years), and numerous other experienced shooters. Elmer’s follow-up questions about sharpness comparisons between the 70-180mm and fixed focal length lenses helped crystallize community thinking on the trade-offs between zoom flexibility and prime lens sharpness (^[10]).

Philippine Diving Travel Advice (2011)

His Philippine Diving thread (19 replies) became a useful resource for dive destination selection, with Stewart L. Sy providing local expertise on Anilao, Balicasag/Bohol, and Coron, and Drew Wong sharing notes on Samal Island/Davao. Elmer’s practical follow-up questions about water temperature and Philippine Airlines carry-on policies generated valuable travel intelligence (^[11]).

Airline Carry-On Policies

Elmer repeatedly sought and shared information about airline baggage policies for underwater camera equipment. His “Cathy Pacific with carry-ons” thread (18 replies) documented experiences across multiple Asian airports and airlines, including practical advice about Cathay Pacific business class allowances, airport-specific enforcement, and the value of the PAL Sportsplus Global card (^[12]). He also started a thread on Singapore Airlines carry-on limits (^[13]).

Practical Equipment Maintenance

Elmer’s “Stainless Steel Allen Wrenches” thread (17 replies) addressed the overlooked but practical problem of corrosion-prone tools for housing maintenance while traveling. The discussion yielded useful alternatives including chrome-plated sets and surgical-grade stainless steel options (^[14]).

D800 Macro and Diffraction

In a 2013 thread from Little Cayman, Elmer raised important questions about shooting the Nikon D800 with the 70-180mm macro lens and the relationship between diffraction and depth of field at small apertures. His concern about whether diffraction at f/22 or f/32 would negate the depth-of-field gains on the high-resolution D800 sensor prompted useful discussion about practical aperture limits for macro photography (^[15]).

Activity Profile

Elmer’s posting pattern was steady rather than bursty, with consistent participation from 2007 through 2020. His 57 threads started were weighted toward gear questions, travel planning, and classifieds. Peak activity was in the 2008—2013 period, corresponding with his Nikon D2Xs and D800 years. His later activity included selling the Olympus OM-D E-M1 system (2015—2016) and a final appearance in September 2020.

Activity Timeline

• 2007-01: First recorded forum activity
• 2008-05: Started Nikon macro lens comparison thread for Lembeh Strait trip (^[16])
• 2008-12: Listed Fisheye FIX Focus Light for sale (^[17])
• 2009-11: Stainless steel allen wrenches thread (^[18])
• 2010-07: Exploring Subal mini dome with Tokina 10-17mm on D2Xs (^[19])
• 2011-03: Philippine diving destination advice thread (^[20])
• 2012-12: Cathay Pacific carry-on policy thread; traveling with D800 system (^[21])
• 2013-01: Struggled with D800 RAW file sizes overwhelming storage (^[22])
• 2013-04: Photographed jawfish at Little Cayman with D800 and 70-180mm micro (^[23])
• 2015-04: Listed Nauticam E-M1 housing and Olympus system for sale (^[24])
• 2016: Listed ReefNet SubSee +10 and remaining accessories for sale (^[25])
• 2020-09: Last recorded forum activity