Starbuck

Forum username: Starbuck
Real name: Michael Palasz
Posts: 454
Active years: 2004–2010
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique
Specialization: Nikon DSLR systems, housing modifications, lens testing

Community Role

Starbuck (Michael Palasz) was a prolific and technically knowledgeable Wetpixel contributor during the early DSLR era of underwater photography, active from 2004 through 2010. Along with his wife Keri, he was an avid underwater photographer who documented the transition from compact cameras to DSLR systems. His detailed trip reports and gear testing posts — particularly around the Nikon D70 — made him a valuable resource during the formative years of digital underwater photography.

Starbuck was known for his willingness to experiment with gear configurations, including fitting the Nikon D80 into a Nexus D70 housing, and for sharing comprehensive reviews of his results. He used both Ikelite and Nexus housings, providing comparative insights that helped other photographers make purchasing decisions.

Notable Contributions

• Nikon D70 pioneering: Starbuck was among the early adopters of the D70 for underwater photography. His detailed Cozumel trip report documented lens performance (10.5mm fisheye, 60mm micro, 18-70mm zoom), workflow tips (NEF vs. JPG processing), and practical observations about housing buoyancy and ergonomics. He identified that Nikon’s own Capture software produced far superior RAW conversions compared to Adobe Camera Raw at the time (^[1]).

• NEF vs. JPG workflow discovery: His thread comparing RAW and JPEG processing with the D70 sparked an important technical discussion with Alex Mustard and James Wiseman about the limitations of Adobe’s RAW converter versus Nikon’s proprietary software, particularly for underwater color reproduction (^[2]).

• D80 in Nexus D70 housing modification: Starbuck demonstrated that the Nikon D80 could be fitted into a Nexus D70 housing with minor modifications, though with limited control access. This discovery generated significant community interest and some consternation from housing manufacturers (^[3]).

• Telephoto lens discussions: His thread seeking telephoto lens advice for whale photography at Silver Banks generated extensive community input on the Nikkor 70-200 VR and teleconverter options (^[4]).

• Digital Shootout interest: Starbuck commented on the Digital Shootout Bonaire 2007 coverage, engaging with the competition community (^[5]).

Activity Profile

• Peak activity: 2004–2007
• Started 33 forum threads
• 6 article comments
• Equipment: Nikon D70 (later D80), Ikelite housing with DS125 strobes, Nexus D70 housing, Nikon 10.5mm fisheye, 60mm micro, 18-70mm zoom, 12-24mm
• Dive destinations: Cozumel, Bonaire, Truk Lagoon, Galapagos, Socorro, Silver Banks