Berkley White
Role: Backscatter founder, Digital Shootout creator, underwater photographer, equipment innovator First appearance: 2003 ([1]) Location: Monterey, California Affiliation: Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo (founder)
Biography
Berkley White is the founder of Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo in Monterey, California, and the creator of the Digital Shootout — the longest-running underwater photography workshop/competition series documented in the Wetpixel archive, running continuously from ~2002 through at least 2018 across Fiji, Bonaire, Palau, and Roatan.
Under White’s direction, Backscatter evolved from a retailer into an equipment innovator, producing the ND graduated filter system (2005), GoPro filters and custom housings (2012), the Airlock vacuum leak detection system (2013), the MF-1 Mini Flash and OS-1 Optical Snoot (2019), and M52 wide-angle wet lenses for Olympus TG cameras (2018–2019). Backscatter was also appointed North American and Caribbean distributor for Olympus underwater products in 2012.
White shot Canon 5D Mark II with Sigma 15mm + Kenko 1.4x teleconverter in Aquatica housing, diving with a KISS Sport rebreather. He worked closely with Jim Watt in the early years — the “Jim Watt Award” at the Digital Shootout (established 2008) honors his late co-instructor.
Contributions
Digital Shootout (2002–2018+)
Created and directed the annual event with co-directors including Dan Baldocchi (Light & Motion) and Gayle & Richard Todd. Key editions: Fiji 2004 (50 participants), Bonaire 2005/2007/2008/2013/2017, Palau 2006, Roatan 2018. Staff included Eric Cheng, Jim Watt, Erin Quigley, Sterling Zumbrunn, and Mary Lynn Price. See Digital Shootout.
Equipment Innovation
- ND graduated filter system (2005): Rotatable neutral density filter for controlling sunburst exposures, mounted on fisheye lens via zoom gear ([2])
- GoPro solutions (2012): Flip-up color correction filter + custom housing with 55mm filter threads and macro lens ([3])
- Airlock vacuum system (2013): Housing leak detection; generated 194 forum replies ([4])
- Wahoo HD monitor housing (2011): For Sony CLM-V55 monitor, rated to 450ft/137m ([5])
- M52 wide-angle lenses (2018–2019): For Olympus TG series cameras ($149–$399) ([6])
- MF-1 Mini Flash + OS-1 Optical Snoot (2019): Created the compact macro strobe category ([7])
Gear Testing and Reviews
Reviewed Sea & Sea DX-100 housing for Nikon D100 (2003), tested Nikon D300 on sailfish at Isla Mujeres (2008), published Canon 5D Mark II underwater video shooting tips (2009), produced Canon 7D underwater video with Aquatica housing review (2010), and filmed 200+ hammerhead sharks at Cocos Island using a KISS Sport rebreather (2014) ([8], [9], [10]).
Timeline
- 2003-02: Reviews Sea & Sea DX-100 housing for Nikon D100 ([11])
- 2003-05: Kararu Digital Photography Seminar in Komodo with Jim Watt ([12])
- 2004-05: Directs Digital Shootout Fiji; 50 participants ([13])
- 2005-06: Backscatter ND graduated filter system profiled ([14])
- 2007-09: Publishes strobe comparison measurements ([15])
- 2009-05: Canon 5D Mark II underwater video tips ([16])
- 2011-11: Wahoo HD monitor housing released ([17])
- 2012-10: Backscatter appointed Olympus distributor for North America ([18])
- 2013-03: Airlock vacuum system released ([19])
- 2014-08: Presides over Monterey Shootout judging ([20])
- 2014-10: Cocos hammerhead video — 200+ sharks, KISS Sport rebreather ([21])
- 2018-07: Digital Shootout Roatan at Coco View resort ([22])
References
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Feb 8, 2003: Backscatter Sea Sea Dx 100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 17, 2005: Backscatter Neutral Density Underwater Filter System ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 16, 2012: Backscatter Announces Filter Solution For Gopro ↩
- Forum thread: New Housing Airlock Vacuum From Backscatter ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 1, 2011: Backscatter Releases Wahoo Hd Monitor Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 25, 2018: Backscatter Ships Tg5 Wide Angle Conversion Lens ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 5, 2020: Review Mike Bartick On The Backscatter Mini Flash And Optical Snoot ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 8, 2003: Backscatter Sea Sea Dx 100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 13, 2009: Canon 5d Mk Ii Shooting Tips For Underwater Video ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 8, 2014: Video Cocos By Berkley White ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 8, 2003: Backscatter Sea Sea Dx 100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 27, 2003: Kararu Digital Seminar ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 7, 2004: Digital Shootout Fiji Webcast 2004 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 17, 2005: Backscatter Neutral Density Underwater Filter System ↩
- Forum thread: Backscattercom Strobe Comparison ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 13, 2009: Canon 5d Mk Ii Shooting Tips For Underwater Video ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 1, 2011: Backscatter Releases Wahoo Hd Monitor Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 17, 2012: Backscatter Appointed As Olympus Distributor ↩
- Forum thread: New Housing Airlock Vacuum From Backscatter ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 20, 2014: 2014 Monterey Shootout Winners Announced ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 8, 2014: Video Cocos By Berkley White ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 10, 2018: Backscatter Posts Report From Digital Shootout ↩
- Sea & Sea DX-100 review (2003) (article) ↩
- Digital Shootout Fiji (2004) (article) ↩
- ND filter system (2005) (article) ↩
- Canon 5D MkII video tips (2009) (article) ↩
- Airlock vacuum system (2013) (forum) ↩
- Cocos hammerhead video (2014) (article) ↩
- Digital Shootout Roatan (2018) (article) ↩