Larry C

Forum username: Larry C
Posts: 249
Active years: 2005–2020
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique
Specialization: Olympus compact systems, Nikon DSLR, TTL strobe testing, film-to-digital transition

Community Role

Larry C was one of Wetpixel’s most enduring community members, with an active span of 15 years from 2005 to 2020. His forum career traced the full arc of underwater photography’s digital evolution — from Olympus compacts through Nikon DSLRs, and even back to film cameras. Based in Northern California (“NorCal”), he was a hands-on experimenter who documented his gear testing with methodical detail, particularly around strobe TTL compatibility and focus system optimization.

Notable Contributions

• Olympus SP-350 expertise: Larry C became the forum’s leading voice on the Olympus SP-350 compact camera system. His extensive “SP-350 Update” thread documented real-world testing of the camera with dual strobe setups, including an Olympus FL-20 hot shoe flash and Sunpak slave strobe. He shared detailed findings about TTL preflash behavior, strobe synchronization at different power settings, and practical solutions for backscatter reduction by positioning strobes wide and using only the edges of the light beam (^[1]).

• Olympus SP-350 vs. Canon S-70 comparison: He provided practical comparisons between the two compact systems, helping other photographers evaluate their options in the mid-2000s compact camera market (^[2]).

• Film camera TTL testing: In a fascinating late-career thread, Larry C documented his attempts to use a modern YS-110 strobe with a Nikon F100 film camera in a Sea & Sea NX100 Pro housing. He devised an ingenious testing method using a cardboard box, a Costco milk carton, and his Nikon D300 to photograph the strobe output at different settings, ultimately discovering that the strobe fired at full power regardless of TTL settings when connected to the F100 (^[3]).

• Nikon D500 focus optimization: His later posts explored the D500’s advanced autofocus system for underwater use, seeking advice from Adam Hanlon and others about AF-C vs. AF-S, 3D tracking, and focus priority settings. Adam’s response recommending AF-C with 3D tracking and back-button focus became an important reference for D500 users (^[4]).

• Viewfinder comparison: He participated in discussions comparing Inon and Nauticam 45-degree viewfinders, contributing to gear evaluation threads that helped other photographers choose accessories (^[5]).

Activity Profile

• Peak activity: 2006–2007, with consistent participation through 2020
• Started 18 forum threads
• Equipment history: Olympus SP-350 with FL-20 flash and Sunpak slave strobe, Nikon D300, Nikon D500, Nikon F100 film camera, Sea & Sea NX100 Pro housing, YS-110 strobe
• Diving location: Northern California
• Notable for bridging the film-to-digital and compact-to-DSLR transitions