Richard Wait

Forum username: thetrickster
Real name: Richard Wait (from profile website/email)
Location: Spain
Posts: 1,051
Threads started: 66
Active years: 2013—2023
Primary forums: Video Gear and Technique (519), Photography Gear and Technique (254), Shooting Technique/Workflow/Editing (116)
Specialization: Panasonic GH-series videography, 4K workflow, 3D printing for underwater rigs, video delivery optimization

Community Role

thetrickster was a dedicated underwater video contributor on Wetpixel whose activity centered firmly in the Video Gear and Technique forum (519 posts — nearly half of all posts). Arriving in late 2013 just as the Panasonic GH4 was about to bring affordable 4K video to the underwater world, he became one of the most prolific Panasonic GH-series advocates in the community.

Peak activity was 2014—2015 (257 and 250 posts), coinciding with the GH4 release and the broader 4K revolution. He maintained sustained engagement through 2019 (114 posts) before activity dropped sharply during 2020—2023. His approach was methodical and practical — testing gear, sharing results, and building custom accessories — rather than theoretical or spec-sheet oriented.

thetrickster was also notable for bringing 3D printing into the underwater photography community, designing and sharing custom Nauticam accessories on Thingiverse and offering to print parts for fellow community members.

Notable Contributions

• “Getting the best results from YouTube / Vimeo” (70 replies): Started what became the forum’s definitive thread on optimizing video delivery for online platforms. Raised the fundamental question of “what are the best settings / encoder to use, to get the best possible results when I upload a movie to YouTube or Vimeo?” The thread evolved into a deep technical exploration of x264 encoding, VP9, Handbrake workflows, and codec differences between Final Cut Pro X and legacy iMovie, with heavy contributions from interceptor121 (^[1])
• Upcoming Panasonic GH-4K (348 replies total): One of the most active contributors to this landmark thread, which tracked the camera from CES announcement through release and real-world underwater testing. Among the first to post, writing “I’m praying they keep the form factor of the GH3 — saves buying another housing!!!” (^[2])
• 3D Printed Nauticam Float Arm Bayonet Holder (27 replies): Designed and 3D-printed a custom mount for the Nauticam CMC bayonet system that attached to float arms, sharing the design on Thingiverse for free download. Described the iterative process — “probably 90% of your prints are incorrect so you have to keep reprinting until it’s right” — and offered to print parts for other community members: “We are a small bunch, underwater photographers. So happy to share” (^[3])
• Nauticam HDMI cable fragility (31 replies): Started a thread documenting reliability problems with Nauticam HDMI cables for external monitor connections on GH5 rigs, with the internal micro-to-full-size cable going “intermittent.” The thread revealed widespread reliability issues, with multiple users reporting similar failures (^[4])
• LOG footage — opinions on underwater use (22 replies): Started a forward-looking thread asking whether LOG gamma profiles (V-LOG-L, S-LOG2) from cameras like the GH4 and RX100 IV were worth the post-production overhead for underwater shooting. Investigated LUT workflows and x264 encoding for final delivery (^[5])
• Deeproof Housing Carrier with FlexiTray (21 replies): Practical rig configuration discussion for underwater video setups (^[6])
• Started threads on Nauticam GH3 housing accessories, Atomos Ninja housings, Neat Video noise reduction profiles, FCPX color correction, and DPV camera mounts
• Active contributor to the ^[7] thread with Simon Spear, asking about the value of grading versus “a correctly white balanced baked file”
• Engaged with ^[8] discussions, noting IBIS limitations in video mode

Activity Profile

• Video specialist: 49% of posts in Video Gear and Technique, 11% in Shooting Technique/Workflow
• Maker: One of the few community members to bring 3D printing into underwater photography accessory design
• Panasonic loyalist: Primary camera system was GH-series throughout entire active period

References