johnspierce

Forum username: johnspierce
Posts: 525
Active years: 2007–2017
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, Lights/Strobes/Lighting, General Chat
Specialization: Gear philosophy discussions, Nikon systems, strobe techniques, community engagement topics

Community Role

johnspierce was a thoughtful and analytically-minded member of the Wetpixel community from 2007 through 2017, known for starting discussion threads that explored broader questions about underwater photography gear, technique, and diving philosophy. Rather than seeking simple answers, his threads typically posed questions designed to generate community-wide debate, often incorporating polls and inviting members to “show your work.” His discussions frequently attracted responses from Wetpixel’s top contributors including Adam Hanlon, Alex Mustard, and Drew Wong.

johnspierce was a Nikon shooter who followed the brand’s product evolution closely, and his analysis of the DX-to-FX transition proved prescient. He was also a liveaboard diver who shared practical insights about real-world challenges of underwater photography trips.

Notable Contributions

”Is Full Size DX Done?” — Industry Analysis

johnspierce’s most significant thread (69 replies, September 2012) analyzed the trend of underwater photographers selling their Nikon D7000 kits to buy Nikon D800 systems, arguing that Nikon was deliberately forcing a shift from DX to FX by not releasing a D300s successor. He predicted Nikon would release a DX mirrorless camera rather than a traditional D400, and that “traditional DX cameras in Nikon’s line will simply be sunsetted over the next couple of years.” The thread generated substantive responses about the future of sensor formats, with Adam Hanlon later contributing his extensive analysis of DX vs. FX trade-offs for underwater use. johnspierce also noted the Olympus OM-D E-M5 as a potential alternative for underwater photographers wanting smaller systems (^[1]).

TTL vs. Manual Strobe Survey

In October 2007, johnspierce started a poll thread asking whether underwater photographers used TTL or manual strobe control. He deliberately kept the poll “super-simplistic” to test his hypothesis that most photographers ended up shooting manual despite placing heavy emphasis on TTL capability when purchasing equipment. The thread drew 38 replies with detailed responses about camera/housing/strobe combinations from photographers using systems from Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Sea & Sea, Ikelite, Subal, and Subtronic (^[2]).

Housing Flood Survey

johnspierce started a practical thread in March 2008 asking community members how their camera housings had been flooded. He hypothesized that rinse tank incidents were a major cause, and shared his own experiences of crew members damaging his equipment — including a scratched port from careless handling and a full flood of his Olympus 5060 housing when someone inadvertently popped a latch in a rinse tank. Alex Mustard contributed observations from witnessing many floods over the years (^[3]).

Dome Port Selection and Travel Challenges

In 2014, johnspierce discussed mini dome versus full-size dome ports for a Tonga humpback whale trip, shooting a Nikon D7000 with the Tokina 10-17mm. The thread explored the practical trade-offs between optical quality and travel/handling convenience for open-water big animal photography (^[4]).

BCD Preference Survey

johnspierce started a popular diving equipment discussion (48 replies) asking whether underwater photographers preferred back-inflation or jacket-style BCDs, generating a wide-ranging community poll and debate about the practical considerations for camera-carrying divers (^[5]).

Equipment

• Camera: Nikon D7000, previously Olympus 5060
• Lens: Tokina 10-17mm fisheye
• Dome ports: 8-inch dome and 4.3-inch mini dome (Zen glass)
• Strobes: Used both TTL and manual, preferred manual bracketing for important shots
• Other: Nikon V1 mirrorless (topside)

Timeline

• 2007-07: First appearance on Wetpixel forums ([source: person_matrix.json])
• 2007-10: Started TTL vs. Manual strobe use poll and discussion (^[6])
• 2008-03: Started housing flood causes survey, shared liveaboard rinse tank experiences (^[7])
• 2012-06: Started BCD preference poll — back inflation vs. jacket style (^[8])
• 2012-09: Posted “Is full size DX Done?” analysis of Nikon’s format strategy (^[9])
• 2014-07: Discussed mini dome vs. full dome for Tonga humpback whale trip (^[10])
• 2017-05: Last recorded Wetpixel forum activity ([source: person_matrix.json])