Stewart L. Sy

Forum username: stewart l sy (also: scubastu, Stewart L. Sy)
Real name: Stewart “Stu” Sy
Posts: 913
Active years: 2003—2021
Location: Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, Photo / Video Showcase, Conservation and the Environment
Specialization: Canon full-frame underwater photography, Philippines dive destinations, housing modifications

Community Role

Stewart L. Sy was one of Wetpixel’s longest-active community members, contributing consistently across a remarkable 19-year span from 2003 to 2021. Based in Richmond, BC (a suburb south of Vancouver), he brought a distinctive perspective as a dedicated Canon full-frame shooter, Philippines dive trip leader, and later an authorized Aquatica dealer. His forum posts combined hands-on technical depth with a generous, approachable style — he frequently signed off as “Stu” and offered practical advice drawn from extensive real-world testing.

Stewart introduced himself to the Wetpixel community in September 2003, describing his background as a diver since 1994 who had progressed from a Sea & Sea MMIIex to a housed Canon EOS A2e in a Subal housing, and then to the Canon EOS 10D. By profession, he owned a digital mapping, scanning, and drafting service, and had branched into commercial photography including a cookbook, parts catalogs, and billboards. He also co-founded Final Frame Stock Images with other local underwater photographers (^[1]).

His expertise in Canon full-frame cameras made him a valued voice during the critical transition years when underwater photographers debated the merits of crop-sensor versus full-frame DSLRs. He was among the early adopters of the Canon 5D for underwater use and consistently demonstrated its advantages, particularly for sunball photography.

Gear History

Stewart’s gear progression traced the evolution of Canon’s DSLR line:

• Canon EOS A2e in Subal housing (film era, pre-2003)
• Canon EOS 10D in Subal C10 housing (2003) — his first digital underwater setup (^[2])
• Canon EOS 5D in modified Subal C10 housing (2006) — converted from 10D housing by a machinist friend (^[3])
• Canon EOS 40D — used alongside the 5D for comparison testing (^[4])
• Canon EOS 5D Mark II in modified Subal C10 (2008) — squeezed a third Canon body into the same housing (^[5])
• Canon EOS 7D in Aquatica housing (2010) — used for wide-angle alongside the 5D Mark II (^[6])
• Canon EOS 5D Mark III in Aquatica A5Dmk3 Pro housing (2013) — with Tokina 10-17mm and 1.4x teleconverter (^[7])

He used Sea & Sea YS-120 strobes for years, later switching to YS-D1 units. His lens arsenal included the Canon EF 15mm fisheye, EF 16-35L, EF 100mm USM Macro, EF 28-105mm, Tamron 90mm macro, and Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom.

Notable Contributions

Subal C10 Housing Review (November 2003)

Stewart authored one of the earliest detailed user reviews of the Subal C10 housing for the Canon 10D. His 10-point evaluation covered ergonomics, port compatibility, zoom gear issues, and lens performance behind different dome ports. He noted that the 15mm fisheye did not vignette behind the 6-inch dome and that the 16-35L required a +4 diopter. His practical observation that he could fill the frame with a 1-inch subject using the EF 28-105 with Woody Mayhew’s diopter sparked technical discussion with Craig about achievable magnification ratios (^[8]).

Canon 5D Sunball Photography (April 2006)

Stewart’s “5D Sunball, Best Ever” thread became an influential demonstration of the Canon 5D’s full-frame advantage for sunball photography. Shot in the Sulu Sea with the Aquatica housing (borrowed for a test dive), his images showed clean sunballs without the cyan fringing from sensor bloom that plagued crop-sensor cameras. He made the important distinction between sunballs and sunbursts, noting that “one can get decent sunburst shots with any DSLR, but getting a sunball without the major cyan fringing from sensor bloom is altogether different.” Alex Mustard agreed that the 5D was “the best sunball digital camera I have seen so far” (^[9]).

Canon 5D vs 40D Comparison (February 2008)

Stewart posted a blind comparison test between the Canon 5D and 40D using identical macro setups (EF 100mm USM, modified Subal C10, dual YS-120s). The community struggled to identify which camera took which shot, demonstrating that at web resolution the difference was minimal. He revealed detailed technical parameters — 5D at ISO 200/1/100th versus 40D at ISO 400/1/125th with HTP enabled — and noted that only pixel-level examination of high-resolution files or large prints (20x24 inch) revealed the 5D’s advantage (^[10]).

Subal C10 to 5D Conversion Kit (June 2006)

Stewart promoted a housing modification kit developed by a machinist friend that allowed Subal C10 owners to use the Canon 5D in their existing 10D housings — saving thousands over purchasing a new housing. The conversion involved a new base tray, button extensions, and minor dial modifications, with the ability to revert to a 10D “within minutes.” He later extended this conversion to accommodate the 5D Mark II as well (^[11], ^[12]).

Adams River Salmon Run (October 2010)

After a hiatus from underwater photography while raising a child, Stewart returned to shooting in 2010, documenting the sockeye salmon run at Adams River in British Columbia’s Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park. He obtained a permit from Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans to shoot in-water with the spawning salmon. He compared the Aquatica 7D and 5D Mark II housings side-by-side, noting the 7D with Tokina 10-17mm behind a 6-inch dome was easier to handle in strong current than the 5D Mark II with 16-35L behind an 8-inch dome (^[13]).

Philippines Expertise and Dive Leadership

Stewart regularly led groups of underwater photographers on dive trips to the Philippines, particularly to Anilao (which he called “the nudibranch capital of the world”) and Puerto Galera. He shared local knowledge including travel tips on Philippine Airlines baggage policies and resort recommendations. His Philippines slideshow galleries and trip reports were popular community posts (^[14], ^[15]).

Conservation Advocacy

Stewart was vocal on conservation issues, particularly shark fin soup bans. In 2012, he drew attention to a Richmond, BC restaurateur who refused to support a shark fin ban, writing: “As one of Chinese descent, I wholeheartedly support a worldwide ban on sharks fin” (^[16]).

Aquatica Dealership

By 2010, Stewart had become an authorized Aquatica dealer, selling display units and providing hands-on guidance to prospective buyers. His dealer status was accompanied by transparent disclosure in forum posts (^[17], ^[18]).

Activity Timeline

• 2003-09: Joined Wetpixel; introduced himself as a Richmond, BC diver and commercial photographer (^[19])
• 2003-11: Published detailed Subal C10 first impressions; headed to Philippines for two weeks of shooting (^[20])
• 2004-09: Active in Philippines diving discussions, promoting Puerto Galera and Tubbataha (^[21])
• 2006-04: Posted “5D Sunball, Best Ever” from the Sulu Sea (^[22])
• 2006-06: Promoted Subal C10 to 5D conversion kit (^[23])
• 2008-02: Published Canon 5D vs 40D blind comparison (^[24])
• 2008-12: Reviewed Canon 5D Mark II initial impressions, fitted into modified Subal C10 (^[25])
• 2010-10: Returned to active underwater photography; documented Adams River Salmon Run with Aquatica 7D and 5D Mark II housings (^[26])
• 2011-03: Provided Philippines travel advice as a local expert (^[27])
• 2012-07: Advocated for shark fin ban in Richmond, BC (^[28])
• 2013-05: Shooting Canon 5D Mark III in Aquatica housing at Anilao (^[29])
• 2013-10: Selling Aquatica AD800 housing as authorized dealer (^[30])
• 2021-10: Last recorded forum activity