Simon Spear

Forum username: simonspear
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,366
Threads started: 61
Comments on articles: 11
Active years: 2005—2015
Primary forums: Video Gear and Technique (612), Shooting Technique/Workflow/Editing (450)
Specialization: Professional underwater videography, Sony professional video cameras, Blackmagic cameras, post-production workflow

Community Role

simonspear was one of Wetpixel’s most important video-focused contributors, with 612 posts in Video Gear and Technique and 450 in Shooting Technique/Workflow — together accounting for 78% of his total output. This made him, alongside Drew Wong and jonny shaw, one of the pillars of Wetpixel’s underwater video community.

Active from September 2005 through July 2015, simonspear’s peak years were 2007 (219 posts) and 2010 (215 posts), tracking the transition from dedicated HDV cameras through DSLR video to professional large-sensor camcorders and cinema cameras. His expertise spanned the full Sony professional video lineup (HDR-FX7/HVR-V1, PMW-EX1, FS100, FS700) as well as the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and RED Scarlet-X.

Simon was known for sharing practical field-test results rather than theoretical specifications. His BMPCC underwater test video, shot in Lembeh with a Nauticam housing, included an ungraded/graded comparison that demonstrated the value of ProRes recording for underwater color grading. He noted there was “not really a single image from shooting that I would not have been able to use if I’d had enough knowledge to grade it correctly” (^[1]).

Notable Contributions

• Green Screen underwater (27 replies): Started an innovative thread asking whether green screen compositing could work underwater, investigating practical challenges of material movement in water, lighting requirements, and pool filming. The thread drew input from jonny shaw on lighting considerations and the broader professional underwater film community (^[2])
• Atomos Ninja HDMI recorder (27 replies): Started the thread on this external recording device, evaluating its potential for improving underwater video quality through ProRes recording. Pre-ordered one despite concerns about fitting it in existing housings. The thread tracked the evolution of external recording for underwater videography (^[3])
• BMPCC Underwater Test (27 replies): Shared a comprehensive field test of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera in a Nauticam housing from a 3-day/8-dive trip. Provided detailed comparison of ungraded vs. graded footage, discussing ProRes workflow and the “massive flexibility in post.” Noted he was “learning Resolve now” for color grading (^[4])
• Red/Blue Ring Octopus (26 replies): Started a marine biology thread after filming a blue-ring octopus in Lembeh that was an unusual deep red color rather than the typical yellow/beige. He documented the sighting with video stills and engaged the community in identifying whether this was normal color variation. Also reported seeing a similarly-colored Hairy Octopus with “the same red colour with black bands” (^[5])
• “Water Baby!” (24 replies): A popular community thread sharing underwater imagery (^[6])
• Active in Sony professional camera threads: PMW-EX1 (10 posts), HVR-V1 (12 posts), NEX-FS700 (13 posts)
• Contributed to the “Do you shoot video with your SLR” thread (9 posts), a key community discussion about the DSLR video paradigm shift
• Final Cut Studio 2 workflow discussions (10 posts)
• Documented European shark diving opportunities in Trip Reports

Activity Profile

• Video specialist: 78% of posts in Video Gear + Shooting Technique forums
• Professional focus: Thread topics indicate a working videographer, not a hobbyist
• Conservation interest: 15 posts in Conservation and the Environment, including shark diving and shark attack discussions
• Active commenter: 11 comments on Wetpixel articles

References