Peter Mooney

Forum username: pmooney
Real name: Peter
Location: Cairns, Australia
Posts: 1,198 across 901 threads
Threads started: 97
Active years: 2004–2019
Camera: Nikon D2X / Canon 7D
Housing: Subal / Aquatica
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique (363), Video Gear and Technique (215), The Galley: General Chat (127), Classifieds (108), Shooting Technique/Workflow (107)
Specialization: Magic Filter ambient-light technique, underwater video (professional and consumer), Australian Great Barrier Reef diving, equipment flooding experiences

Community Role

pmooney (Peter) was a Wetpixel contributor who bridged the still photography and video communities during the mid-2000s, when underwater video was rapidly professionalizing. With 363 posts in Photography Gear and Technique and 215 in Video Gear and Technique, he was one of the most active dual-discipline members. His contributions to Shooting Technique/Workflow (107 posts) and General Chat (127) round out a well-engaged community participant. A contributor in the “Sigma 10-20 / Subal - Magic filter combo” thread addressed him as “Peter” (^[1]).

Based in Cairns, Queensland — the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef — Peter had exceptional access to warm, clear tropical waters and used this advantage to test and document gear extensively. His peak activity came in 2006–2007 (261 and 241 posts respectively), coinciding with the golden age of DSLR and HD video underwater adoption. He maintained a meaningful presence through 2013 before tapering to occasional visits through 2019.

Peter was also notable for his honest documentation of equipment failures. His involvement in multiple “flooded equipment” threads — both sharing his own experiences and learning from others — provided the community with valuable cautionary tales and practical recovery information.

Notable Contributions

Magic Filter and Ambient Light Photography

• “Sigma 10-20 / Subal — Magic filter combo” (12 posts, 24 replies): Started a pioneering thread documenting his field testing of the Sigma 10-20mm wide-angle lens combined with Alex Mustard’s Magic Filter for ambient-light photography. Shot with a Subal D2X housing, FE2 dome port, and 20mm extension ring at various depths on the Great Barrier Reef, sharing results and receiving feedback from the community (^[2])

Video Systems

• “Gates Housing for Sony PMW-EX1” (6 posts, 175 replies): Participated in the community’s evaluation of the Gates housing for Sony’s professional XDCAM EX camcorder, one of the most discussed professional video housings on Wetpixel (^[3])
• “Amphibico Phenom FX1E Review & comments” (5 posts, 134 replies): Contributed to discussion of the Amphibico housing for Sony’s consumer HDV camcorder (^[4])
• “Red One Camera” (5 posts, 68 replies): Participated in the community’s excited discussion of the RED ONE cinema camera, initiated by Eric Cheng, exploring its potential for underwater cinematography (^[5])
• “Sony HDR-HC1/HVR-A1 and housings” (4 posts, 149 replies): Contributed to evaluation of Sony’s early consumer HD camcorder options (^[6])
• “A1-FX1 Screen grab” (4 posts, 74 replies): Compared video quality between Sony’s consumer and prosumer HDV cameras (^[7])
• “World Underwater Adventure Doco” (4 posts, 46 replies): Discussed underwater documentary filmmaking (^[8])

Photography Gear

• “Aquatica Viewfinder” (7 posts, 114 replies): Contributed to evaluation of the Aquatica viewfinder system, important for accurate framing in underwater housings (^[9])
• “Tokina 10-17mm FE test fotos I” (6 posts, 128 replies): Participated in the community’s extensive field testing of this landmark fisheye zoom lens (^[10])
• “Aquatica A7D housing for the Canon 7D” (6 posts, 96 replies): Discussed Aquatica’s housing for a camera he later adopted (^[11])
• “Seacams strobes” (4 posts, 7 replies): Evaluated premium Austrian strobe systems (^[12])

Equipment Flooding and Cautionary Tales

• “Flooded equipment show & tell” (6 posts, 17 replies): Contributed to a community thread documenting equipment flooding experiences — a valuable but often unspoken topic in underwater photography (^[13])
• “Flooded GATES EX1 housing” (5 posts, 134 replies): Participated in post-mortem discussion of a Gates professional video housing flood, providing practical information about causes and recovery (^[14])

Community and Regional Topics

• “Cyclone North Queensland” (4 posts, 18 replies): Reported on the impact of tropical cyclones on diving conditions near his Cairns base (^[15])
• “Rates Of Pay” (4 posts, 80 replies): Contributed to discussion of professional rates in underwater photography and videography (^[16])
• “More teeth and froth” (5 posts, 16 replies): Shared shark and marine life encounters from Australian waters (^[17])
• “Importing from Japan to UK” (5 posts, 23 replies): Discussed international equipment purchasing logistics (^[18])
• DEMA coverage and “Rebreather’s” (45 replies): Started discussions connecting rebreather diving technology with underwater imaging, and participated in DEMA Show coverage
• Copyright Issues forum (10 posts): Engaged with intellectual property discussions affecting underwater photographers

Activity Profile

• Peak year: 2006 (261 posts)
• Forum focus: 30% Photography Gear and Technique, 18% Video Gear and Technique, 11% General Chat, 9% Classifieds, 9% Shooting Technique/Workflow
• Additional forums: Photo / Video Showcase (91), Trip Reports and Travel (84), Lights/Strobes/Lighting (55), Beginner Forum (22), Copyright Issues (10), Conservation and the Environment (7)
• Dual-discipline: One of the most active members in both Photography Gear (363) and Video Gear (215) forums simultaneously
• Gear cycling: 108 posts in Classifieds reflect regular gear transitions as technology evolved

References