tshepherd (Tom)

Forum username: tshepherd
Real name: Tom (surname Shepherd, per username)
Posts: 862
Active years: 2002—2005
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, General Chat
Specialization: Canon DSLR systems, lens selection, wide-angle underwater photography

Community Role

tshepherd was one of Wetpixel’s earliest and most active community members, joining in late 2002 and contributing heavily through early 2005. Despite only four years of activity, he accumulated 862 posts — an exceptionally high rate of participation that placed him among the forum’s most engaged contributors during the foundational years of the digital underwater photography revolution.

Tom was a Canon shooter who used a Canon D60 with an Ikelite housing, later upgrading to a Canon 1D Mark II. He was based in the United States and regularly dove Truk Lagoon and other destinations. His posting style was practical and collegial — he offered detailed gear advice, shared trip planning insights, and engaged in thoughtful philosophical discussions about underwater photography as a hobby versus an art form.

He was an active participant during the January 2004 Wetpixel site migration, praising the work done by Eric Cheng, James Wiseman, and Craig on the platform transition (^[1]).

Notable Contributions

• Canon 1D Mark II leak (January 2004): tshepherd was among the first to report leaked specifications for the Canon 1D Mark II on Wetpixel, citing information from Canon France that appeared briefly on DPReview. The thread drew 49 replies and became a major discussion about the camera’s potential for underwater use (^[2]).

• Lens selection discussions: Started multiple influential threads on lens choices for Canon DSLR housings, including discussions of the Sigma 14mm f/2.8, Canon 17-40mm L, and Canon 16-35mm L for wide-angle underwater work. His “Lense choice” thread (30 replies) debated fixed focal length versus zoom options for a Truk Lagoon trip, with input from James Wiseman and others (^[3]).

• Wide-angle lens compatibility: Started early threads investigating which lenses would work with Sea & Sea D60 housings and Ikelite housings, contributing to the community’s shared knowledge base about port and lens compatibility (^[4], ^[5]).

• Rig buoyancy and trim: Sparked a 30-reply discussion about camera weight concerns, arguing pragmatically that the extra pound of a 1D-series body was insignificant compared to other factors. This prompted debate about handling characteristics versus raw weight (^[6]).

• Art vs. memories: Started a thoughtful thread about the tension between curating a portfolio of one’s best work versus sharing all trip photos with non-photographer dive buddies. The discussion explored the evolving philosophy of underwater photography in the digital age, with contributions from David Haas and others (^[7]).

• Gear advice: Provided detailed equipment recommendations across hundreds of threads, covering topics from housing choices to CF card pricing to strobe selection, drawing on his experience with Canon D60, 1D Mark II, Ikelite housings, and Sea & Sea systems.

Equipment

• Canon D60 with battery grip, later Canon 1D Mark II
• Ikelite housing (D60), also explored Sea & Sea DX60 housing
• Sigma 14mm f/2.8 (wide angle)
• Canon 17-40mm f/4 L (wide angle zoom)
• Various Canon macro lenses

Activity Profile

• Peak years: 2003—2004
• Threads started: 36
• First post: 2002-10-27 (^[8])
• Last post: 2005-03-04
• Forum focus: Overwhelmingly Photography Gear and Technique, with contributions to General Chat and trip-related threads