2020
Key events
The defining story of 2020 was COVID-19, which shut down dive travel and canceled every major underwater photography event from March onward. Retailers offered steep discounts, manufacturers delayed launches, and the community pivoted to online engagement — most notably through the launch of Wetpixel Live, Adam Hanlon and Alex Mustard’s YouTube series, which ran over 100 episodes in its first year. On the gear side, Canon announced the EOS R5 (8K RAW, 45MP) and released it in July, triggering a cascade of housing announcements. The other historic camera story was Olympus’s announcement in June that it was exiting the camera business entirely — a shock to the underwater community that had long relied on its compact Micro Four Thirds bodies. Conservation stories were grim: a Galapagos illegal fishing fleet of 325 vessels, the Wakashio oil spill off Mauritius, and a global study finding sharks virtually absent from 69 of 371 reefs worldwide. The community lost two pioneers: UW filmmaker Jerry Greenberg and resort founder Max Benjamin.
January
- 2020-01-07: Canon announces the EOS-1D X Mark III at $6,499, featuring 191-point AF, 20fps burst, and improved video. ([1])
- 2020-01-07: Nikon unveils the D780 full-frame DSLR at $2,299 — a hybrid body with DSLR optics and Z-series mirrorless video features. ([2])
- 2020-01-07: DPG/Wetpixel Masters 2020 announced — a rebranding from “Our World Underwater” to reflect the partnership between Dive Photo Guide and Wetpixel. ([3])
- 2020-01-29: Retra begins shipping the Flash Prime (€799) and Flash Pro (€899) — featuring a circular flash tube, Bluetooth connectivity, and a redesigned reflector system compared to the original Flash. ([4])
- 2020-01-31: First COVID-19 travel update posted on Wetpixel as the emerging outbreak begins affecting dive travel to Asia. ([5])
February
- 2020-02-12: Nikon announces the D6 flagship DSLR at $6,499. ([6])
- 2020-02-12: Olympus announces the OM-D E-M1 Mark III at $1,799: improved sensor stabilization, live ND filter, IP53 weather sealing. ([7])
- 2020-02-25: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2020: Greg Lecoeur wins Overall with an image of crabeater seals in Antarctica. ([8])
- 2020-02-26: Blackwater Creatures by Linda Ianniello and Susan Mears announced — the first major book dedicated to blackwater diving photography. ([9])
- 2020-02-29: DPG/Wetpixel Masters 2020 results: Scott Portelli wins Overall with “Spurt,” an image of a sperm whale. ([10])
March
- 2020-03-11: Red Sea Diving Festival, Eilat — one of the last in-person underwater photography events before the COVID-19 shutdown. Wetpixel files live reports from the event. ([11])
- 2020-03-27: DEEP Indonesia 2020 results announced: Enrico Somogyi wins Overall. ([12])
- 2020-03-28: COVID-19 impact: Wetpixel calls on the community to support retailers, noting that dive shops and underwater photography dealers have lost nearly all revenue as travel halts. Retailers offer 20–50% discounts. ([13])
April
- 2020-04-01: Eric Cheng interviews Howard Hall, Michelle Hall, and Marty Snyderman — a conversation representing over 150 combined years of professional underwater filmmaking, produced as a COVID-lockdown community event. ([14])
- 2020-04-03: Martin Edge releases The Underwater Photographer, 5th edition — the most-read English-language UW photography manual, pre-order at a discount. ([15])
- 2020-04-04: Erin Quigley launches a COVID-era webinar series covering underwater image processing and workflow. ([16])
- 2020-04-20: Canon releases detailed specifications confirming the EOS R5 will shoot 8K/30p RAW internally — the most ambitious video specification in any production mirrorless camera to that date. ([17])
- 2020-04-20: Canon announces the C300 Mark III cinema camera at $10,999. ([18])
May
- 2020-05-15: Australian CSIRO team announces development of heat-resistant coral strains, offering a potential tool against bleaching under climate change. ([19])
- 2020-05-26: Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock retrospective published — celebrating three decades of work by one of underwater photography’s pioneering couples. ([20])
- 2020-05-27: New pygmy seahorse species, Hippocampus nalu, described from Sodwana Bay, South Africa — the first pygmy seahorse documented from the Indian Ocean. ([21])
June
- 2020-06-08: Retra Supercharger external battery pack ships — designed to extend Retra Pro strobe power in the field. ([22])
- 2020-06-09: Nauticam ships the NA-1DXIII housing for the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III at $5,635. ([23])
- 2020-06-16: Adobe adds local hue and saturation controls to Lightroom and Camera Raw — a long-requested feature for color-grading underwater images. ([24])
- 2020-06-24: HISTORIC: Olympus announces it will divest its camera and imaging business to Japan Industrial Partners, exiting after 84 years of camera manufacturing. The news shocks the underwater photography community, where Olympus Micro Four Thirds bodies (OM-D series) are widely used. ([25])
- 2020-06-29: Five Deeps expedition photographs a dumbo octopus at 6,957m depth in the Mariana Trench — the deepest cephalopod observation on record. ([26])
July
- 2020-07-09: Canon formally announces the EOS R5 (45MP, 8K/30p RAW internal, IBIS) and EOS R6 alongside a new RF 85mm macro lens — immediately recognized as the landmark mirrorless announcement of the year. ([27])
- 2020-07-10: Wetpixel Live launches on YouTube — Adam Hanlon and Alex Mustard’s near-daily video series covering gear, technique, and community discussion, created as a COVID-lockdown engagement tool. ([28])
- 2020-07-16: Max Benjamin, founder of Walindi Plantation Resort in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, dies. Benjamin was instrumental in opening Kimbe Bay as a world-class dive destination. ([29])
- 2020-07-21: Nikon announces the Z5 full-frame mirrorless at $1,399 — an entry-level body joining the Z-mount system. ([30])
- 2020-07-22: Nauticam announces the EMWL (Extreme Macro Wide-angle Lens) system — an internal wet-lens concept for shooting both extreme macro and wide-angle with a single housing port. ([31])
- 2020-07-28: Sony announces the Alpha 7S III: 12.1MP, 4K/120p, ISO 409,600 maximum, and the first camera to use dual CFexpress Type A card slots — immediately positioned as the premier underwater video camera. ([32])
August
- 2020-08-14: Nauticam ships the NA-GFX100 housing for the Fujifilm GFX100 medium-format camera at $11,894 — the highest-resolution underwater photography system available at the time (102MP). ([33])
- 2020-08-22: A fleet of approximately 325 mostly Chinese fishing vessels is documented near the Galapagos Marine Reserve, raising alarm in the conservation community about shark finning and overfishing.
September
- 2020-09-02: Panasonic announces the S5 full-frame mirrorless at $1,999 — a compact, video-oriented body targeting the hybrid shooter market. ([34])
- 2020-09-16: GoPro ships the HERO9: 5K video, 20MP stills, front-facing display — the first GoPro with a forward-facing screen for vlogging and self-monitoring. ([35])
- 2020-09-18: Jerry Greenberg, pioneering underwater photographer who began shooting underwater film in the 1940s and helped establish Islamorada, Florida as a dive hub, dies. Wetpixel Live pays tribute. ([36])
- 2020-09-23: Florida becomes the 14th U.S. state to ban the sale of shark fins, following California, New York, and others. ([37])
- 2020-09-25: Nauticam ships the NA-R5 housing for the Canon EOS R5 at $3,965. ([38])
October
- 2020-10-04: Nauticam ships a housing for the RED Komodo cinema camera. ([39])
- 2020-10-14: Nikon announces the Z 6II and Z 7II — incremental updates adding dual card slots and a secondary EXPEED processor to the original Z 6 and Z 7. ([40])
November
- 2020-11-18: Ernest H. Brooks II (Ernie Brooks), celebrated black-and-white underwater photographer and co-founder of Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, dies. ([41])
- 2020-11-18: Sony announces the FX6 full-frame cinema camera at $5,999 — a compact cinema body targeting documentary and underwater filmmakers. ([42])
- 2020-11-23: Wetpixel Live reaches episode 100 — Adam Hanlon and Alex Mustard mark the milestone of the near-daily series launched in July. ([43])
- 2020-11-28: Colombia announces a ban on shark fishing in its Caribbean and Pacific waters. ([44])
December
- 2020-12-09: Nauticam ships the NA-R6 housing for the Canon EOS R6. ([45])
- 2020-12-30: Scubalamp announces the D-Max strobe — a Chinese-manufactured underwater strobe entering a market long dominated by Japanese brands Inon and Sea & Sea, signaling increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers. ([46])
References
- [47] — articles processed for the 2020 timeline
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Jan 7, 2020: Canon Announces The Id X Mark Iii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 7, 2020: Nikon Unveils The D780 Full Frame Slr Camera ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 7, 2020: Announcing The Dpg Wetpixel Masters Underwater Imaging Competition 2020 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 29, 2020: Retra Ships Prime And Pro Flashes ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 31, 2020: Coronavirus Travel Updates ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 12, 2020: Nikon Announces The D6 Slr Camera ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 12, 2020: Olympus Announces Om D E M1 Mark Iii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 25, 2020: Results Upy 2020 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 26, 2020: Announcing Blackwater Creatures By Linda Ianniello And Susan Mears ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 29, 2020: Results Dpg Wetpixel Masters 2020 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 11, 2020: Live Reports Red Sea Diving Festival ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 27, 2020: Results Announced Deep Indonesia 2020 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 28, 2020: Covid 19 Retailers Need Your Support ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 1, 2020: Interview Marty Snyderman With Howard And Michelle Hall By Eric Cheng ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 3, 2020: Pre Order Discount The Underwater Photographer Edition 5 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 4, 2020: Erin Quigley Announces Webinar Series ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 20, 2020: Canon Releases Details Of Eos R5 Video Performance ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 20, 2020: Canon Announces C200 Mark Iii ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 15, 2020: Australian Team Develops Heat Resistant Corals ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 26, 2020: Burt Jones And Maurine Shimlock 3 Decades Of Inspiration ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 27, 2020: Welcome Hippocampus Nalu ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 8, 2020: Retra Announces Supercharger Battery Pack For Retra Pro ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 9, 2020: Nauticam Announces Housing For Canon 1dx Mark Iii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 16, 2020: Adobe Adds Local Hue And Saturation Controls ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 24, 2020: Olympus To Exit Camera Business ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 29, 2020: Expedition Captures Images Of Octopus At 7000 Meters ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 9, 2020: Canon Announces Eos R5 And R6 Cameras Along With R Mount 85mm Macro Lens ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 10, 2020: Announcing Wetpixel Live ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 16, 2020: Rip Max Benjamin ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 21, 2020: Nikon Announces Z5 Mirrorless Full Frame Camera ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 22, 2020: Nauticam Announces Emwl Lens System ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 28, 2020: Sony Announces Alpha 7s Mark Iii Mirrorless Camera ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 14, 2020: Nauticam Releases Housing For Fujifilm Gfx100 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 2, 2020: Panasonic Announces S5 Full Frame Mirrorless Camera ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 16, 2020: Gopro Ships Hero9 Action Camera ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2020: Wetpixel Live Rip Jerry Greenberg ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 23, 2020: Florida Bans Sales Of Shark Fins ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 25, 2020: Nauticam Ships Na R5 Housing For Eos R5 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 4, 2020: Nauticam Ships Housing For Red Komodo ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 14, 2020: Nikon Announces Z 6ii And Z 7ii Mmirrorless Cameras ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 18, 2020: Rip Ernest H. Brooks Ii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 18, 2020: Sony Announces Fx 6 Cinema Camera ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 23, 2020: Wetpixel Live Turns 100 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 28, 2020: Columbia Announces Ban On Shark Fishing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 9, 2020: Nauticam Ships Housing For Canon Eos R6 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 15, 2020: Sea And Sea Announces Mdx Housing For Eos R5 ↩
- raw/articles/2020/ (unknown) ↩