Rod Klein

Aliases: rhkdiver, rodklein, Rodger Klein
Role: Underwater photographer, videographer, gear reviewer, workshop leader, web designer
First appearance: 2002 (^[1])
Affiliation: Fathoms Magazine (Digital Editor); RHK Underwater Productions & Design; INON (Featured Artist); Aggressor Fleet (workshop leader); Kungkungan Bay Resort (guest photo pro / web designer)
Website: rhkuw.com (RHK Underwater Productions & Design)
Forum username: rhkdiver (2002–2004), rodklein (2009–2011)
Forum posts: 25+ (across both accounts)
Active years: 2002–2011

Biography

Rod Klein (also credited as Rodger Klein) is an American underwater photographer, videographer, and digital imaging workshop leader who was one of Wetpixel’s earliest and most prolific gear reviewers. He was a strong advocate for digital underwater photography at a time when the industry was transitioning from film, and he spent 16–18 weeks per year on the road leading digital workshops and conducting up to 400 dives annually (^[2]).

Klein operated RHK Underwater Productions & Design (rhkuw.com), through which he offered digital photography and videography workshops and web design services. He served as Digital Editor of Fathoms Magazine, writing a series of articles about digital underwater photography including “The Digital Revolution Rages On” in the Spring 2003 issue (^[3], ^[4]).

Before moving to digital SLR cameras, Klein spent a year shooting exclusively with Olympus 3030 and 3040 compact cameras in a Light & Motion Tetra housing (^[5]). He later transitioned through a series of camera systems: the Olympus E-20 in the Light & Motion Titan, the Nikon D100 in both the Sea & Sea DX-100 and the Titan D100, the Kodak SLR/n (awaiting an Aquatica housing), the Nikon D300 in a Sea & Sea housing, and ultimately the Nikon D3/D3X in a Sea & Sea MDX-D3 housing (^[6], ^[7], ^[8]).

Klein also had a professional background in video, shooting with a Sony VX2000 camera in a Light & Motion BlueFin housing (^[9]).

Contributions

Gear Reviews for Wetpixel

Klein authored three major equipment reviews for Wetpixel, establishing himself as one of the community’s most detailed early gear reviewers:

• Light & Motion Titan for Olympus E-20 (September 2002): A comprehensive review praising the ROC (Remote Optical Controller) strobe control system, which provided 12 manual power levels on TTL-compatible strobes. He highlighted the housing’s WetMate underwater lens-change system and magnetic focus ring. The review was accompanied by a portfolio of images shot in the Cayman Islands (^[10], ^[11]).

• Sea & Sea DX-100 for Nikon D100 (May 2003): Field notes from three weeks of digital workshops aboard the Bay Islands Aggressor IV. Klein praised the housing’s reliable controls, clear back panel, and AF/AE Lock button accessibility, but noted problems with buoyancy when using the fisheye dome port and criticized the four-latch closure system. He found the housing controls failed at depths beyond 110 feet (^[12], ^[13]).

• Light & Motion Titan D100 (November–December 2003): An extensive review written after four weeks of use (two weeks on the Kona Aggressor, two weeks on the Cayman Aggressor), covering the upgraded ROC system, moisture protection, optical glass 8-inch dome port, and bayonet port mounting. The review was notable for Klein’s candid admission that he flooded the housing twice — his first floods ever — due to a pinched port o-ring. He demonstrated that the housing’s coated electronics survived both floods without damage (^[14], ^[15]).

The Titan D100 review generated significant community discussion. Forum members questioned the flooding incidents and pressed Klein on his professional relationship with Light & Motion. Klein disclosed that he did field testing for L&M and had done website work for them in exchange for gear, listing them as a “client” on his website. He maintained his reviews were honest and based on personal experience (^[16], ^[17]). Alex Mustard praised Klein’s photography, noting images of a yellow seahorse against blue water in Lembeh and reflections on the Doc Polson Wreck in Grand Cayman (^[18]).

Digital Workshops

Klein ran digital underwater photography and videography workshops primarily aboard the Aggressor Fleet of liveaboards. Known workshop locations included:

• Bay Islands Aggressor IV (Honduras) — three-week residencies conducting digital workshops (^[19])
• Kona Aggressor (Hawaii) — two-week workshops with up to 5 dives per day (^[20])
• Cayman Aggressor (Cayman Islands) — workshops where he managed 6–8 guest housings alongside his own (^[21], ^[22])
• Ocean Rover (Thailand) — digital workshops in 2005 (^[23])

Steve, a fellow workshop leader who worked alongside Klein on the Belize Aggressor, confirmed Klein’s intensive schedule: “when he is on an Aggressor he is teaching guests and so often has 6 to 8 other housings to take care of as well as his own” (^[24]).

Kungkungan Bay Resort

Klein served as guest photo pro and web designer for Kungkungan Bay Resort in Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi. He spent five weeks at the resort in one year and two months the following year, conducting digital still and video workshops for guests. He designed the resort’s website (kbronline.com) and posted an 80-image all-digital portfolio on the site (^[25]). Alex Mustard later praised Klein’s Lembeh photography, noting that “Even in Lembeh he still manages to produce original shots” (^[26]).

Klein’s patient approach to underwater macro was documented in Scuba Diving Magazine, which published his photograph of a tiny octopus emerging from a wine bottle in Lembeh Strait. Klein described how he learned of the subject from Anna DeLoach, searched for it across three additional dives, and then spent over an hour photographing it to get the lighting right (^[27]).

International Judging

Klein served as a judge at several major international underwater photography competitions in Asia:

• Layang Layang Underwater Photo Shootout 2006 (Malaysia) — judged alongside Junji Takasago, William Tan, and Stephen Wong for this inaugural digital-only competition at the coral atoll resort (^[28])
• Ocean Odyssey Digital Photo Shootout 2007 (Indonesia) — held seminars and judged entries at Eco Divers’ Kungkungan Bay Resort and Tasik Ria Resort alongside Mathieu Meur, Wolfgang Polzer, Stephen Wong, and Takako Uno (^[29])
• Layang Layang Underwater Photo Shootout 2008 (Malaysia) — selected winning images from 34 competitors representing 10 countries, alongside Settimio Ciprianni and Stephen Wong (^[30])

Speaking and Trade Shows

• DRT Show Hong Kong 2010 — listed as a featured underwater photography presenter alongside Stephen Wong, Takako Uno, and David Hsiung (^[31])
• Beneath the Sea 2010 — present at the show, speaking with Eric Cheng about the Arenui luxury liveaboard alongside Luigi Russo (^[32])

Competitions

• EPIC 2004 (Environmentally aware Photographic Image Competition): 2nd place in the Digital category, behind Don Hughes and ahead of James Wiseman, both shooting DSLRs while Hughes won with an Olympus consumer camera (^[33], ^[34])
• INON Featured Artist of the Month (April 2004): Recognized for his underwater photography, described by Wetpixel co-founder Eric Cheng as “a huge proponent of digital underwater imaging” (^[35])

Controversies

Disclosure and Review Objectivity

Klein’s Titan D100 review sparked a community debate about reviewer disclosure and industry relationships. Forum members discovered that Klein listed Light & Motion as a client on his website and had a professional relationship with the company. Klein clarified that he did field testing and website work for L&M in exchange for gear, but maintained his reviews were independent. The discussion, led by community members scorpio_fish (George), craig, and kasey, called for standardized disclosure of reviewer–manufacturer relationships — a practice that became more common in the underwater photography community (^[36], ^[37]).

Anonymous Posting Incident

In December 2004, Klein posted a negative review of a prototype Aquatica housing for the Kodak SLR/n under a different forum username, despite never having taken the housing underwater. After being identified, he publicly apologized in January 2005, stating the post was “a knee jerk reaction” and acknowledging that his comments about the prototype housing “were unduly harsh.” He apologized to Aquatica, Wetpixel, and the forum community (^[38]).

Underwater Etiquette Incident

In 2007, a Wetpixel forum discussion referenced an incident reported on a Singapore photography forum (ClubSNAP) in which Klein allegedly prodded another diver with a pointer stick to prevent them from stirring up silt, reportedly leaving a bruise. The incident was cited in a broader discussion about underwater photography etiquette (^[39]).

Gear History

Strobes used: Sea & Sea YS-90DX (with DX-100), various TTL-compatible strobes via ROC system. Also used Inon viewfinders, wet diopters, and Ultralight arms (^[40], ^[41]).

Video: Sony VX2000 in Light & Motion BlueFin housing (^[42]).

Timeline

• 2002-09: Authored detailed review of Light & Motion Titan housing for Olympus E-20, with Cayman Islands portfolio on Wetpixel (^[43], ^[44])
• 2002–2003: Served as guest photo pro at Kungkungan Bay Resort, Lembeh Strait, spending months on-site conducting workshops and designing the resort’s website (^[45])
• 2003-01: Posted all-digital portfolios from Cayman, Tahiti, and Indonesia shot with E-20/Titan on Wetpixel forums (^[46])
• 2003-05: Published field notes on Sea & Sea DX-100 housing from three weeks of workshops on the Bay Islands Aggressor IV (^[47], ^[48])
• 2003-07: Fathoms Magazine digital photography articles series announced; Klein described as “photographer and videographer” (^[49])
• 2003-11: Published comprehensive review of Light & Motion Titan D100 housing from four weeks of testing on Kona and Cayman Aggressors (^[50], ^[51])
• 2003-12: Defended Titan D100 review in forum discussion, disclosed professional relationship with Light & Motion (^[52], ^[53])
• 2004-04: Named INON Featured Artist of the Month (^[54])
• 2004-04: Placed 2nd in EPIC 2004 Digital category (^[55])
• 2004-07: Purchased Kodak SLR/n for higher-resolution underwater work; identified as “Digital Editor, Fathoms Magazine” (^[56])
• 2005-01: Publicly apologized for anonymous negative post about Aquatica SLR/n housing prototype (^[57])
• 2006-07: Judged Layang Layang Underwater Photo Shootout 2006 in Malaysia (^[58])
• 2007-11: Judged and held seminars at Ocean Odyssey Digital Photo Shootout 2007 at Kungkungan Bay Resort and Tasik Ria Resort, Indonesia (^[59])
• 2008-07: Judged Layang Layang Underwater Photo Shootout 2008 alongside Settimio Ciprianni and Stephen Wong (^[60])
• 2009-04: Listed Nikon D300 bodies, Sea & Sea D300 housing, and lenses for sale (forum username: rodklein) (^[61])
• 2010-03: Present at Beneath the Sea 2010, discussing the Arenui liveaboard with Eric Cheng and Luigi Russo (^[62])
• 2010-07: Featured as underwater photography presenter at DRT Show Hong Kong (^[63])
• 2011-03: Listed Sea & Sea MDX-D3 housing and accessories for sale (forum username: rodklein) (^[64])

References