2003
Key events
Wetpixel wins the Antibes Festival prize for Best Website, validating Eric Cheng’s vision. The Canon EOS 10D brings Canon shooters into digital SLR underwater photography. The Canon Digital Rebel (300D) creates the first sub-$1,000 DSLR underwater system. Digital SLR housings become viable from multiple manufacturers — the Nikon D100 alone attracts housings from Subal, Nexus, Aquatica, Ikelite, Light & Motion, Seacam, Sea & Sea, Sealux, and Jonah. Article volume on Wetpixel jumps to 117, and the forum reaches 1,000 members with 15,000 posts. Dive Magazine UK publishes its first all-digital cover shot. Craig Jones emerges as a key Wetpixel contributor, publishing video editing tutorials and housing reviews.
January
- 2003-01-02: Backscatter publishes comprehensive article advocating digital SLRs (Nikon D100) for new underwater photographers. ([1])
- 2003-01-15: Subal D10 housing for Nikon D100 ships; first photos published on Wetpixel. David Burroughs provides user images. ([2], [3])
- 2003-01-15: Jim Watt reviews Sea & Sea Canon D60 housing on Scubadiving.com after a week in Bonaire shooting 1,000+ frames; praises balance and professional feel. ([4])
- 2003-01-20: Marine Camera Distributors sells out first batch of Nexus D100 housings; also stocks Subal D100. ([5])
- 2003-01-23: First production Aquatica D100 housing photographs published on Wetpixel; shares ports and gears with A90, A100, and A5 housings. ([6])
- 2003-01-27: Light & Motion Titan D100 housing with electronic Smart Grips and ROC strobe controller featured on Wetpixel. ([7])
- 2003-01-28: Korean company Jonah announces D60 and D100 housings, distributed in the US by Ocean Brite Systems. ([8])
February
- 2003-02-04: German manufacturer Sealux announces CD-100 housing for Nikon D100 with optional “grand viewfinder” and SB-80DX flash housing — offering a true TTL solution. ([9])
- 2003-02-06: Light & Motion introduces Tetra 5050 housing for Olympus 5050 with new ROC system. ([10])
- 2003-02-08: Berkley White (Backscatter) publishes in-depth review of Sea & Sea DX-100 housing for Nikon D100. ([11])
- 2003-02-10: Sea & Sea announces DX-S2 Pro housing for Fuji S2 Pro digital SLR. ([12])
- 2003-02-12: Mauricio Handler publishes first in-depth review of Aquatica D100 housing on Wetpixel; priced at $1,895. ([13])
- 2003-02-15: Eric Cheng travels to West Palm Beach and Bahamas for shark photography expedition with Jim Abernethy and Dive Magazine UK. ([14], [15])
- 2003-02-17: Wetpixel holds first bi-monthly photo contest (sharks theme). Mike Oelrich wins. ([16])
March
- 2003-03-02: Gates announces Sony F717 housing. ([17])
- 2003-03-03: Sea & Sea announces DX-3000, a new compact underwater camera system. ([18])
- 2003-03-03: James Wiseman publishes beginner guide on traveling abroad with digital underwater cameras — covering storage solutions, battery management, and packing tips. ([19])
- 2003-03-05: Olympus announces PT-014, PT-015, PT-016 underwater housings for C-50, C-5050, and Stylus digital cameras. ([20])
- 2003-03-11: Seacam announces housings for Canon EOS 1D/1Ds, Nikon D100, Fuji S2 Pro. ([21])
- 2003-03-23: Ocean Brite/Jonah announces Canon 10D housing alongside D100 and D60 housings. ([22])
April
- 2003-04-27: Stephen Frink/Seacam USA begins accepting orders for Seacam D100, 1Ds, and 1V housings. ([23])
May
- 2003-05-04: Rod Klein publishes field notes on Sea & Sea DX100 housing after 3 weeks of workshops on Bay Islands Aggressor IV. ([24])
- 2003-05-06: Wetpixel reaches 1,000 forum members with 15,000 posts. ([25])
- 2003-05-15: Aquatica shows pre-production photos of upcoming Fuji S2 Pro housing. ([26])
- 2003-05-15: Dive Magazine (UK) publishes first all-digital cover shot by Douglas David Seifert using Canon D60 (whale shark in Belize) — a landmark moment for digital UW photography legitimacy. ([27])
- 2003-05-18: Wetpixel surpasses 250,000 unique visitors. ([28])
- 2003-05-31: Seaspace 2003 in Houston features unprecedented digital photography focus. Multiple D100 housings on display. James Wiseman covers for Wetpixel. ([29])
June
- 2003-06-02: Jonah ND100 housing for Nikon D100 begins shipping via Ocean Brite Systems. ([30])
- 2003-06-03: Eric Cheng documents BBFS PIT tagging program at Bimini with Dr. Samuel Gruber, tagging juvenile lemon sharks with an international team of 22 volunteers. Keeps daily journal on Wetpixel from the field. ([31], [32])
- 2003-06-11: Craig Jones publishes suite of underwater video editing tutorials (directed fades, flash removal, color correction, channel mixer) — establishing Wetpixel as a video technique resource alongside stills. ([33])
- 2003-06-11: Nexus D100 housing reviewed on Wetpixel; praised for incredibly small and lightweight design with great ergonomics, though grips are small for big hands. ([34], [35])
- 2003-06-18: Eric Cheng’s loggerhead turtle photo appears as Dive Magazine’s 2nd all-digital cover. ([36])
- 2003-06-29: Michael Aw reviews Aquatica D100 (sub-ratings from 6/10 to 10/10), tested during Raja Ampat shoot for “Richest Reefs” book. ([37])
- 2003-06-30: Craig Jones and Alex Mustard publish comprehensive feature on filters and ambient light photography, explaining how water filters visible light and how red/magenta filters restore color without strobes. ([38])
July
- 2003-07-06: UK-Germany ships first Canon 10D housings, becoming first manufacturer to house this camera. ([39])
- 2003-07-21: Craig Jones and Alex Mustard publish ambient light photography feature, introducing filter-based strobe-free technique to still shooters. Mustard demonstrates using D100 with red filter and custom white balance in Egypt. ([40])
- 2003-07-24: Sea & Sea announces DX-1Ds housing for Canon’s flagship 11-megapixel EOS 1Ds. ([41])
August
September
- 2003-09-06: James Wiseman publishes “Why Go Digital?” — an evangelical article for the Houston Underwater Photographic Society explaining instant feedback, email sharing, and cost savings. Also publishes guide on professional printing via Fuji Frontier photo kiosks, showing digital prints are indistinguishable from film. ([43], [44])
- 2003-09-08: Robert Delfs publishes detailed review of Subal FS2 housing for Fuji S2 Pro after 30+ dives in Indonesia. ([45])
- 2003-09-18: Herb Ko becomes Wetpixel moderator. ([46])
- 2003-09-25: David Haas publishes review of Ikelite D100 housing — polycarbonate front with aluminum back, MD-size platform. ([47], [48])
- 2003-09-30: Ikelite posts first photos of upcoming Canon Digital Rebel housing, slated for November. ([49])
October
- 2003-10-06: Olympus announces PT-020 housing for C-5060 with wide-angle adapter and flash housing. ([50])
- 2003-10-07: DEMA 2003 in Miami: Canon Digital Rebel housing debuts from Ikelite and Aquatica (prototypes). Canon 1Ds housings from multiple manufacturers. Digital has become the dominant theme. Eric Cheng and James Wiseman report. ([51], [52])
- 2003-10-17: Andre Smith reviews UK Germany Canon 10D housing after 26 dives in Fiji over 9 days; converts from film, finding 10D prints outperform scanned Fuji Provia slides. ([53], [54])
- 2003-10-22: David Haas reviews preproduction Ikelite Canon Digital Rebel housing — most affordable DSLR underwater system at the time. ([55])
- 2003-10-25: Eric Cheng attends Visions in the Sea 2003 in London. Speakers include Amos Nachoun, Espen Rekdal, Pete Atkinson, David Doubilet. Alex Mustard and YUP receive Visions in the Sea Award. ([56], [57])
- 2003-10-28: Eric Cheng attends Antibes Festival. ([58])
- 2003-10-31: David Haas reviews HydroOptix MEGA -4.5d mask, which provides nearsightedness correction through dome lens refraction, dramatically widening the field of view underwater. ([59])
November
- 2003-11-01: Wetpixel.com wins Web Site of the Year at the Antibes Festival — one of the most prestigious underwater imaging awards. ([60])
- 2003-11-01: Jim Chambers wins Popular Photography prize for his digitally-shot Nassau grouper eating a blue tang. ([61])
- 2003-11-11: Nikon 10.5mm DX fisheye lens announced — first diagonal fisheye designed for digital SLRs. ([62])
- 2003-11-12: Birmingham Dive Show / Image 2003 Festival: Biggest UK dive show yet. Alan James wins “Best of British” prints with D100 shot. Alex Mustard receives prize. Paul NG covers for Wetpixel. ([63], [64])
- 2003-11-27: Craig Jones and Herb Ko selected as first INON Artists of the Month. ([65])
- 2003-11-28: Ikelite revamps Nikon D100 housing into smaller polycarbonate mold (same as Digital Rebel housing). ([66])
- 2003-11-30: Rod Klein reviews Light & Motion Titan D100 housing, praising its ROC strobe control system and calling it “a work of design art.” ([67], [68])
December
- 2003-12-02: Aquatica announces A300 housing for Canon Digital Rebel, available early 2004. INON announces D-180S strobe. ([69], [70])
- 2003-12-10: Sea & Sea Japan announces quitting US distribution; TUSA (Tabata USA) takes over starting January 2004. ([71])
Also this year
- Nikon D100 housing explosion: At least 9 manufacturers ship D100 housings — Subal (D10), Nexus, Aquatica, Ikelite, Light & Motion (Titan D100), Seacam, Sea & Sea (DX-100), Sealux (CD-100), Jonah (ND100)
- Canon EOS 10D enters the market, quickly housed by UK Germany (first), Jonah, and others
- Canon Digital Rebel (300D) announced, creating the first sub-$1,000 DSLR platform for underwater use
- Ambient light photography with red/magenta filters popularized by Alex Mustard and Craig Jones
- ROC strobe control system from Light & Motion expands to Tetra compact housings
- Film-to-digital conversions accelerate as reviewers declare digital prints match or exceed scanned slides
References
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Jan 2, 2003: Backscatterd Slr Article ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 15, 2003: Subal D10 Housing For Nikon D100 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 15, 2003: Subal D10 Housing Links ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 15, 2003: Watt And Sea Sea Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 20, 2003: Mcd Has D100 Housings In Stock ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 23, 2003: Aquatica D 100 Housing Photos ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 27, 2003: Light Motion Titan D100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 28, 2003: Jonah D60 And D100 Housings ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 4, 2003: Sealux Cd 100 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 6, 2003: Light Motion Tetra 5050 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 8, 2003: Backscatter Sea Sea Dx 100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 10, 2003: Sea Sea Dx S2 Pro ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 12, 2003: Aquatica D100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 15, 2003: Echeng West Palm Beachbahamas 2003 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 15, 2003: Shark Photography Expedition Bahamas ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 17, 2003: Bi Monthly Photo Contest ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 2, 2003: Gates Announces Sony F717 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 3, 2003: Sea Sea Announces Dx 3000 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 3, 2003: Diving Abroad With A Digital Underwater Camera For Beginners ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 5, 2003: Olympus Announces New Housings ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 11, 2003: Seacam 1d1ds D100 S2pro Housings ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 23, 2003: Ocean Britejonah D100 D60 And 10d Housings ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 27, 2003: Seacam D100 1ds 1v Orders Accepted ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 4, 2003: Sea Sea Dx 100 Housing For Nikon D100 ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 6, 2003: Wetpixels 1000th Forum Member ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 15, 2003: Aquatica S2 Pro Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 15, 2003: Dive Magazine First Digital Cover ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 18, 2003: Wetpixel Surpasses 250000 Unique Visitors ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 31, 2003: Seaspace 2003 Show Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 2, 2003: Ocean Brite Systems And Jonah Housings Announce Nd 100 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 3, 2003: Bbfs Pit 2003 Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 21, 2003: Bbfs Pit Journal 2003 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 11, 2003: Directed Fades With Pixelan Spicemaster ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 11, 2003: Nexus D100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 13, 2003: Nexus D100 Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 18, 2003: Dive Magazines 2nd Digital Cover ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 29, 2003: Aquatica D100 Housing123 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 30, 2003: Filters And Ambient Light Photography ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 6, 2003: Uk Germany 10d Housing Ships ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 21, 2003: Feature Ambient Light Photography ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 24, 2003: Sea Sea Dx 1ds Canon 1ds Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 19, 2003: Seacam Eos 1ds And D100 Housing Photos ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 6, 2003: Why Go Digital ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 6, 2003: Professional Printing For Digital Images ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 8, 2003: Subal Fs2 Housing For Fuji S2 Pro ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2003: Herb Ko Moderator ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 25, 2003: Ikelite D100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 2, 2003: Ikelite D100 Housing Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 30, 2003: Ikelites Digital Rebel Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 6, 2003: Olympus Pt 020 Housing For C 5060 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 7, 2003: Dema 2003 Show Coverage1 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 8, 2003: Dema 2003 Show Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 17, 2003: Uk Germany 10d Housing For Canon 10d ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 22, 2003: Uk Germany Canon 10d Housing Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 22, 2003: Ikelite 300d Digital Rebel Housing Preproduction ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 24, 2003: Visions In The Sea 2003 Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 25, 2003: Visions In The Sea 2003 Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 28, 2003: Antibes Festival 2003 Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 31, 2003: Hydrooptix Mega 45d Mask ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 1, 2003: Wetpixel Wins At Antibes ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 1, 2003: Jim Chambers Popular Photography Prize ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 11, 2003: Nikon 105dx Fisheye ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 11, 2003: Birmingham Festival 2003 Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 28, 2003: Birmingham Image 2003 Festival Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 27, 2003: Inon Artists Of The Month ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 28, 2003: Ikelites New D100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 30, 2003: Light Motion Titan D100 Housing1 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 3, 2003: Light Motion Titan D100 Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 2, 2003: Aquatica A300 Digital Rebel Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 2, 2003: Inons New D 180s Strobe ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 13, 2003: Sea Sea Usa Tusa ↩
- Antibes Festival win (article) ↩
- DEMA 2003 coverage (article) ↩
- Dive Magazine first digital cover (article) ↩
- Ambient light photography feature (article) ↩
- Filters and ambient light (article) ↩
- Why Go Digital (article) ↩
- BBFS PIT tagging journal (article) ↩
- Nexus D100 review (article) ↩
- Light & Motion Titan D100 review (article) ↩
- Ikelite D100 review (article) ↩