CeeDave

Forum username: CeeDave
Real name: Chris White
Posts: 401
Active years: 2003–2008
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, Shooting Technique
Specialization: Underwater optics, dome port theory, Nikonos film systems, DSLR transition

Community Role

CeeDave (Chris White) was a knowledgeable and articulate Wetpixel community member active during the critical transition period from film to digital underwater photography (2003–2008). A former Nikonos V film shooter with experience at world-class destinations like Cocos Island, he brought both practical field experience and strong technical understanding of underwater optics to the forum. His most lasting contribution was co-authoring a landmark article on dome port optics that was published on Wetpixel.

Notable Contributions

• Dome port optics article: CeeDave co-authored the influential article “Proper Dome Size and Placement” with Jean Bruneau, published on Wetpixel in February 2005. Bruneau contributed optical diagrams while Chris White wrote the explanatory text, creating one of the most accessible explanations of dome port optics for the underwater photography community (^[1]).

• DSLR upgrade journey: His thread “My shorter, cheaper, and as yet incomplete upgrade story” documented a common migration path of the era — from a Nikon Coolpix 5000 to the Nikon D70. The thread generated valuable community input from Starbuck, Matt Segal, and Ikelite (who announced their upcoming 8-inch dome port), plus practical advice about dome port sharing across lenses from Aquatica and Ikelite users (^[2]).

• Supermacro techniques: He explored pushing compact camera magnification limits by combining the Nikon TCE2 teleconverter with diopters on the CP5000, seeking to photograph subjects smaller than 3 inches. The thread generated discussion about alternative approaches including Inon wet macro lenses (^[3]).

• Sharks at Cocos Island: His thread sharing a dramatic hammerhead schooling shot taken at Alcyone Pinnacle with a Nikonos V and 20mm lens sparked detailed technical discussion about strobe limitations at distance, blue filtering, and exposure challenges with silhouetted subjects. The image demonstrated both the capabilities and limitations of the Nikonos system for wide-angle shark photography (^[4]).

• Strobe technology discussions: He contributed to discussions comparing optical versus electrical strobe sync systems, and Nikon D3 rumor threads, showing engagement across both photographic technique and industry news (^[5]).

Activity Profile

• Peak activity: 2003–2006
• Started 49 forum threads
• 2 article comments
• Equipment history: Nikonos V with 20mm lens and SB105 strobe, Nikon Coolpix 5000 with Ikelite housing, Nikon D70
• Dive destinations: Cocos Island (Costa Rica), Mapelo
• Notable for combining hands-on experience with strong understanding of optical theory