TaxiDiver14

Forum username: TaxiDiver14
Posts: 313
Active years: 2015–2020
Primary forums: Video Gear and Technique, Photo/Video Showcase, Shooting Technique
Specialization: Sony full-frame underwater videography, 4K travel films, Indonesian dive destinations

Community Role

TaxiDiver14 was an active underwater videographer on Wetpixel from 2015 to 2020, primarily contributing to the video-focused sections of the forum. He was a dedicated Sony full-frame shooter who used the Sony A7R II (later transitioning to the A7 III) in a Seacam housing to produce polished 4K travel films from dive destinations around the world. His video productions were among the most praised in the Photo/Video Showcase forum during this period.

Notable Contributions

• Tiger Beach 4K film: His 4K video from Tiger Beach, Bahamas, featuring close encounters with tiger sharks, was well-received by the community for its composition, lighting, and audio editing. He shared practical observations about the challenges of shooting at Tiger Beach, including variable visibility affected by wave-churned sand and the difficulty of using lights during bright midday hours (^[1]).

• Komodo 4K film: He produced a popular 4K film from Komodo using the Sony A7R II with the Sony FE 16-35mm for wide angle and FE 90mm macro at 135mm equivalent (using APS-C crop mode). He shared the practical technique of shooting macro in APS-C mode with AF-C for greater magnification without close-up lenses (^[2]).

• Ring of Fire 4K film: His crossing cruise from Sorong to Flores was documented in a well-produced 4K film that earned praise for color rendering. He used Divepro G18PLUS video lights (a pair) with the Sony FE 12-24mm G wide-angle lens and FE 90mm macro. This was noted as potentially his last trip with the A7R II before upgrading to the A7 III (^[3]).

• Sony A7 III community discussion: He was among the first to flag the Sony A7 III as a significant option for underwater videographers when it was announced at $2,000 for a full-frame body. He contributed practical knowledge about white balance performance (reporting no issues with the A7R II) and shooting frame rates (preferring 25p for full sensor readout without crop) (^[4]).

• Equipment sales: He also participated in the classifieds, selling Divepro G18PLUS video lights when upgrading his setup (^[5]).

Activity Profile

• Peak activity: 2018–2019
• Started 29 forum threads
• Equipment: Sony A7R II (later A7 III), Seacam housing, Sony FE 12-24mm G, Sony FE 16-35mm, Sony FE 90mm macro, 2x Divepro G18PLUS (18,000 lumen) video lights
• Shooting style: 4K at 25p, ambient light balanced with powerful video lights, no filters
• Dive destinations: Tiger Beach (Bahamas), Komodo, Sorong-Flores crossing, Ring of Fire region