Pete L

Forum username: Pete L
Posts: 556
Active years: 2010–2021
Primary forums: Video Gear and Technique, Shooting Technique/Workflow/Editing
Specialization: Underwater video, Sony AX100 color correction, dedicated video camera systems, Sydney marine life

Community Role

Pete L was a dedicated underwater videographer and active Wetpixel community member from 2010 through 2021. Based in Sydney, Australia, he contributed 556 posts focused almost exclusively on underwater video production, making him one of the more specialized voices in the forum’s video section. His expertise centered on dedicated video camera systems (as opposed to DSLRs or mirrorless cameras used for video), color correction workflows, and the practical challenges of shooting underwater video in temperate Australian waters.

Pete was a strong advocate for purpose-built video cameras over hybrid photo/video systems, arguing that dedicated camcorders offered superior ergonomics, autofocus, neutral density filters, flip color-correction filters, and smoother aperture control for underwater video work. He used L&M Bluefin housings in his earlier years and later worked closely with Gates Underwater, co-authoring a technical article with Gates’ John Ellerbrock.

Notable Contributions

Sony AX100 Underwater Color Correction (2016)

Pete’s most significant community contribution was a co-authored article with John Ellerbrock of Gates Underwater on achieving acceptable white balance with the Sony AX100 camera underwater. Published as a PDF on the Gates website, the article addressed the well-documented color cast issues that Sony cameras exhibited underwater — a problem that affected cameras across the Sony lineup from the RX100 compact through the A7S II mirrorless. The accompanying forum thread (52 replies) became a reference point for AX100 users, with Pete providing follow-up support to community members struggling with color correction in post-production. He advised applying the same principles to other Sony cameras experiencing similar magenta cast issues ([1]).

L&M Bluefin Housing Modifications (2011)

Pete started a thread seeking a top handle for his L&M Bluefin video housing, ultimately planning to fabricate one himself from aluminum with foam padding. The discussion revealed his hands-on approach to gear modification and his use of the Bluefin housing system, which was popular among serious underwater videographers using dedicated Sony and Panasonic camcorders ([2]).

Sydney Macro Video — Pygmy Pipehorses

Pete documented the cryptic marine life of Sydney’s Botany Bay, producing a video of Pygmy Pipehorses at Bare Island. He highlighted that Sydney, despite being a major tourist hub, hosted diverse marine life right on the doorstep of its international airport. His macro video work demonstrated the use of diopters for close-up underwater filming in temperate waters ([3]).

Video Community Advocacy

Pete proposed organizing a dedicated underwater video group trip, noting that “the photo guys seem to do it ok so why not a video group trip somewhere?” This reflected a broader sentiment in the Wetpixel video community that videographers were underrepresented in the dive trip culture that photographers had built ([4]).

He consistently advocated for dedicated video cameras in discussions about camera selection, noting the advantages of camcorder ergonomics, ND filters, flip filters, and better autofocus over DSLR/mirrorless video capabilities ([5]).

Equipment

Activity Profile

Sources

  1. Forum thread: Underwater Colour Correction With The Sony Ax100 ↩
  2. Forum thread: Lm Bluefin Top Handle ↩
  3. Forum thread: Pigmy Pipehorses Of Bare Island ↩
  4. Forum thread: Fiji Highlights Pmw200 ↩
  5. Forum thread: Dslr Vs Designated Video Camera ↩
  6. Underwater Colour Correction With The Sony AX100 (forum) ↩
  7. L&M Bluefin top handle (forum) ↩
  8. Pigmy Pipehorses of Bare Island (forum) ↩
  9. Fiji Highlights - PMW200 (group trip proposal) (forum) ↩
  10. DSLR vs. designated video camera (forum) ↩