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. 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.
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. ([2])
- 2003-01-27: Light & Motion announces Titan D100 housing with electronic Smart Grips and ROC strobe controller. ([3])
February
- 2003-02-06: Light & Motion introduces Tetra 5050 housing for Olympus 5050 with new ROC system. ([4])
- 2003-02-12: Mauricio Handler publishes first in-depth review of Aquatica D100 housing on Wetpixel; priced at $1,895. ([5])
- 2003-02-15: Eric Cheng travels to West Palm Beach and Bahamas for shark photography expedition with Jim Abernethy and Dive Magazine UK. ([6])
- 2003-02-17: Wetpixel holds first bi-monthly photo contest (sharks theme). Mike Oelrich wins. ([7])
March
- 2003-03-02: Gates announces Sony F717 housing. Seacam announces housings for Canon EOS 1D/1Ds, Nikon D100, Fuji S2 Pro. ([8], [9])
- 2003-03-05: Olympus announces PT-014, PT-015, PT-016 underwater housings for C-50, C-5050, and Stylus digital cameras. ([10])
April
- 2003-04-27: Stephen Frink/Seacam USA begins accepting orders for Seacam D100, 1Ds, and 1V housings. ([11])
May
- 2003-05-04: Rod Klein publishes field notes on Sea & Sea DX100 housing after 3 weeks of workshops on Bay Islands Aggressor IV. ([12])
- 2003-05-06: Wetpixel reaches 1,000 forum members with 15,000 posts. ([13])
- 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. ([14])
- 2003-05-18: Wetpixel surpasses 250,000 unique visitors. ([15])
- 2003-05-31: Seaspace 2003 in Houston features unprecedented digital photography focus. Multiple D100 housings on display. James Wiseman covers for Wetpixel. ([16])
June
- 2003-06-02: Jonah ND100 housing for Nikon D100 begins shipping. ([17])
- 2003-06-03: Eric Cheng documents BBFS PIT tagging program at Bimini with Dr. Samuel Gruber, tagging juvenile lemon sharks. ([18])
- 2003-06-11: Craig Jones publishes suite of underwater video editing tutorials (directed fades, flash removal, color correction, channel mixer). ([19])
- 2003-06-18: Eric Cheng’s loggerhead turtle photo appears as Dive Magazine’s 2nd all-digital cover. ([20])
- 2003-06-29: Michael Aw reviews Aquatica D100 (rating 8/10), tested during Raja Ampat shoot for “Richest Reefs” book. ([21])
July
- 2003-07-06: UK-Germany ships first Canon 10D housings, becoming first manufacturer to house this camera. ([22])
- 2003-07-21: Craig Jones and Alex Mustard publish ambient light photography feature, introducing filter-based strobe-free technique to still shooters. ([23])
August
September
- 2003-09-08: Robert Delfs publishes detailed review of Subal FS2 housing for Fuji S2 Pro after 30+ dives in Indonesia. ([25])
- 2003-09-18: Herb Ko becomes Wetpixel moderator. ([26])
October
- 2003-10-06: Olympus announces PT-020 housing for C-5060 with wide-angle adapter and flash housing. ([27])
- 2003-10-09: 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. ([28])
- 2003-10-22: David Haas reviews preproduction Ikelite Canon Digital Rebel housing — first sub-$1,000 DSLR UW system. ([29])
- 2003-10-25: Eric Cheng attends Visions in the Sea 2003 in London. Alex Mustard and YUP receive Visions in the Sea Award. David Doubilet surprise guest. ([30])
- 2003-10-28: Eric Cheng attends Antibes Festival. ([31])
November
- 2003-11-01: Wetpixel.com wins Web Site of the Year at the Antibes Festival — one of the most prestigious underwater imaging awards. ([32])
- 2003-11-11: Nikon 10.5mm DX fisheye lens announced — first diagonal fisheye designed for digital SLRs. ([33])
- 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. ([34])
- 2003-11-27: Craig Jones and Herb Ko selected as first INON Artists of the Month. ([35])
December
- 2003-12-02: Aquatica announces A300 housing for Canon Digital Rebel, available early 2004. INON announces D-180S strobe. ([36], [37])
- 2003-12-10: Sea & Sea Japan announces quitting US distribution; TUSA (Tabata USA) takes over starting January 2004. ([38])
References
- 117 articles processed from the Wetpixel raw archive for this year.
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Jan 2, 2003: Backscatterd Slr Article ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 15, 2003: Subal D10 Housing For Nikon D100 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 27, 2003: Light Motion Titan D100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 6, 2003: Light Motion Tetra 5050 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 12, 2003: Aquatica D100 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 15, 2003: Echeng West Palm Beachbahamas 2003 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 17, 2003: Bi Monthly Photo Contest ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 2, 2003: Gates Announces Sony F717 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 11, 2003: Seacam 1d1ds D100 S2pro Housings ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 5, 2003: Olympus Announces New 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: 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 11, 2003: Directed Fades With Pixelan Spicemaster ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 18, 2003: Dive Magazines 2nd Digital Cover ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 29, 2003: Aquatica D100 Housing123 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 6, 2003: Uk Germany 10d Housing Ships ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 21, 2003: Feature Ambient Light Photography ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 19, 2003: Seacam Eos 1ds And D100 Housing Photos ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 8, 2003: Subal Fs2 Housing For Fuji S2 Pro ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2003: Herb Ko Moderator ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 6, 2003: Olympus Pt 020 Housing For C 5060 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 7, 2003: Dema 2003 Show Coverage1 ↩
- 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 28, 2003: Antibes Festival 2003 Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 1, 2003: Wetpixel Wins At Antibes ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 11, 2003: Nikon 105dx Fisheye ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 11, 2003: Birmingham Festival 2003 Coverage ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 27, 2003: Inon Artists Of The Month ↩
- 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 ↩