2022

Key events

A landmark year that crystallized the end of the DSLR era and saw the underwater photography industry fully embrace mirrorless. Nikon was reported to be exiting the SLR market; Alex Mustard and Adam Hanlon convened a Wetpixel Live episode asking “Is the SLR Dead?” OM Digital Solutions rebranded their camera line as OM System with the flagship OM-1, the first camera under the new brand. Canon expanded its RF mirrorless lineup with the EOS R5 C cinema hybrid, R7, and R10 APS-C bodies, while Panasonic launched the GH6 and Sony the a7R V. Nauticam shipped a steady stream of mirrorless housings across all major systems, while newer entrants like Marelux received favorable reviews for their aluminum housings.

Three notable community deaths occurred: David Cheung (Scubacam), David Salvatori, and cinema pioneer Chuck Nicklin. The wreck of Shackleton’s Endurance was discovered at 3,008 meters in the Weddell Sea, captured by AUV footage. At CITES COP 19, protections were proposed for 113 marine species including sharks. The UN again failed to pass the High Seas Treaty — the fifth such attempt. The Guadalupe white shark aggregation lost its season due to permit issues. Wetpixel Live produced 41 episodes as international travel normalized and the series wound down from its pandemic-era pace. Backscatter announced the Mini Flash 2 at an accessible price point. Paralenz, maker of the dive-oriented action camera, filed for bankruptcy. The Philippines reopened to visitors after COVID closures, and the Tonga volcanic eruption in January impacted the Wetpixel community.

January

• 2022-01-02: Wetpixel Live kicks off the new year with Adam Hanlon outlining plans for 2022, including cenote photography workshops in Mexico. (^[1])
• 2022-01-02: Issue 124 of Underwater Photography Magazine (UwP) is released, featuring reviews of the Kraken Hydra 8000WRGBU and ONEUW ONE160X, and DPG/Wetpixel Masters and Anilao Shootout results. (^[2])
• 2022-01-17: The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption (January 14) generates tsunamis across the Pacific, with a 15-meter wave striking Tongatapu. Wetpixel notes the impact on community members who have traveled to and worked in Tonga. (^[3])
• 2022-01-17: A scientific paper documents tiger shark migration shifting 400 km poleward due to ocean warming, based on satellite tracking by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School. (^[4])
• 2022-01-19: Canon announces the EOS R5 C — an 8K/60p cinema-hybrid variant of the EOS R5 — at $4,499, bridging the gap between stills and cinema workflows. (^[5])
• 2022-01-20: Ocean Art 2021 results announced; Luc Rooman wins Best of Show for “Snoeken.” (^[6])
• 2022-01-26: Nauticam ships the NA-R3 housing for the Canon EOS R3 and the NA-A7IV housing for the Sony a7 IV. (^[7], ^[8])
• 2022-01-26: World Shootout 2021 awards ceremony announced for January 29; Hannah Le Leu wins. (^[9])

February

• 2022-02-03: The Philippines reopens to fully vaccinated visitors from visa-free countries, a significant post-COVID milestone for dive tourism. (^[10])
• 2022-02-03: World Shootout 2021 full results published. (^[11])
• 2022-02-12: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2022: Rafael Fernandez Caballero wins the overall title. (^[12])
• 2022-02-12: Sigma announces the 20mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary lens for Leica L and Sony E mounts, with a 94.5-degree field of view and 22 cm minimum focus distance. (^[13])
• 2022-02-15: OM Digital Solutions announces the OM-1 — the first camera released under the new “OM System” brand after the Olympus imaging division was spun off — at $2,199. The OM-1 features a stacked BSI sensor and on-sensor phase-detect AF, a significant step forward for Micro Four Thirds. (^[14])
• 2022-02-17: Nauticam ships the NA-Z9 housing for the Nikon Z9, priced at $7,223. (^[15])
• 2022-02-20: Tokina announces the 8mm f/2.8 SZ Fish Eye lens for Sony E and Fuji X mounts, with a 10 cm minimum focus distance — of interest for close-focus wide-angle underwater work. (^[16])
• 2022-02-22: Panasonic announces the GH6, offering improved video specs over the GH5 with ProRes recording and a new sensor. (^[17])

March

• 2022-03-01: Wetpixel Live: “Is the SLR Dead?” — Alex Mustard and Adam Hanlon debate whether mirrorless has rendered DSLRs obsolete for underwater photography. (^[18])
• 2022-03-02: Wetpixel publishes an urgent call for action against a proposed Goliath Grouper harvest in Florida. The FWC ultimately establishes 1,000-foot exclusion zones around three spawning sites, a win for the dive community and scientists. (^[19])
• 2022-03-02: Hugyfot announces housings for the Nikon Z6/Z7 and Z6/Z7 II, featuring their Cerakote thin-film coating and Hugycheck vacuum system. (^[20])
• 2022-03-07: Go Diving Show 2022 UK takes place. (^[21])
• 2022-03-08: Sea & Sea announces a vacuum system for MDX housings. (^[22])
• 2022-03-08: Marelux ships the Smart Optical Flash Tube accessory. (^[23])
• 2022-03-09: The Endurance22 Expedition locates Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance at 3,008 meters in the Weddell Sea, using Saab Sabertooth AUV vehicles. The wreck is remarkably intact after 107 years and is protected under the Antarctic Treaty. (^[24])
• 2022-03-16: Aquatica ships their housing for the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II at $3,199, with Surveyor vacuum system included. (^[25])
• 2022-03-18: Nauticam ships the NA-GH6 housing for the Panasonic GH6 at $4,503. (^[26])
• 2022-03-18: David Cheung, known online as “Scubacam” and a prominent contributor to the underwater photography community, dies of cancer. (^[27])
• 2022-03-20: Phil Rudin publishes a review of the Marelux MX-A1 housing for the Sony a1, noting Marelux as a promising new aluminum housing manufacturer focusing exclusively on mirrorless cameras. (^[28])
• 2022-03-25: Ikelite ships the 200DL housing for the Panasonic GH6 at $1,595. (^[29])
• 2022-03-25: Keldan ships the 8XR video light. (^[30])
• 2022-03-30: Adam Hanlon attends a Nikon Pro Services (NPS) event in Manchester for a hands-on session with the Nikon Z9. NPS confirms Nikon sees its future in mirrorless, with new SLR models unlikely. (^[31])
• 2022-03-30: Seacam ships its housing for the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II. (^[32])
• 2022-03-30: The USPS issues a Forever Stamp honoring shark biologist Eugenie Clark, featuring an image by David Doubilet. (^[33])
• 2022-03-31: Seacam ships its housing for the Atomos Ninja V/V+ recorder/monitor, rated to 80 meters, at EUR 2,450. (^[34])

April

• 2022-04-04: Webinar with David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes on underwater photography. (^[35])
• 2022-04-11: AOI ships the UCS-Q1RC strobe (GN 22) for the Japanese market, offering TTL via RC wireless mode with compatible Olympus cameras. (^[36])
• 2022-04-11: AOI announces a polycarbonate housing for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III with built-in optical trigger and vacuum leak detection. (^[37])
• 2022-04-20: Wetpixel “Under the Jungle” cenote photography workshop begins in Mexico with guide Natalie Gibb. (^[38])

May

• 2022-05-04: Wetpixel cenote workshop continues; live reports posted from the Yucatan cenotes. (^[39])

June

• 2022-06-08: United Nations World Oceans Day 2022, themed “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean,” features live events and the UN World Oceans Day Imaging Contest results. (^[40], ^[41])
• 2022-06-10: Canon announces two APS-C RF-mount cameras: the EOS R7 (32MP, 4K/60p, $1,499) and EOS R10 (24MP, $979), both inheriting the EOS R3’s AF system — Canon’s first APS-C mirrorless cameras. (^[42])
• 2022-06-27: Blackmagic Design announces the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2, an updated version of the popular cinema camera with improved battery and media options. (^[43])
• 2022-06-29: Nikon announces the Z30 APS-C mirrorless camera, a vlog-oriented body without an electronic viewfinder, expanding the Z-mount lineup at the entry level. (^[44])

July

• 2022-07-04: David Salvatori, an Italian underwater photographer, dies in a diving accident off the coast of Sicily. (^[45])
• 2022-07-13: An article claims Nikon is planning to exit the SLR market entirely, accelerating community discussion about the end of the DSLR era. (^[46])

August

• 2022-08-04: Guadalupe Biosphere Reserve is closed for the 2022 season due to permit issues, preventing the annual white shark aggregation dives. (^[47])
• 2022-08-04: AOI announces a housing for the OM System OM-1. (^[48])
• 2022-08-11: Nauticam announces the NA-R7 housing for the Canon EOS R7 at $3,377. (^[49])
• 2022-08-14: Nauticam announces the WACP-C — a more compact, lower-cost variant of the WACP wide-angle corrector port at $3,283, offering a 130-degree field of view with lenses up to 28mm full-frame equivalent. (^[50])
• 2022-08-27: The United Nations fails for the fifth time to reach agreement on a High Seas Treaty protecting international waters. (^[51])

September

• 2022-09-12: Panasonic announces the 18mm f/1.8 full-frame wide-angle lens for L-mount with 18 cm minimum focus distance. (^[52])
• 2022-09-16: Fujifilm announces the X-H2, its highest-resolution APS-C camera to date at 40MP. (^[53])
• 2022-09-16: GoPro ships the Hero 11, offering a larger 8:7 aspect ratio sensor and improved stabilization. (^[54])
• 2022-09-19: AOI releases the UCL-90PRO macro close-up wet lens with +18.5 magnification and anti-reflective coatings on all surfaces. (^[55])
• 2022-09-20: Nikon announces the Z 17-28mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom for Z-mount, with a minimum focus distance of 19 cm. (^[56])
• 2022-09-25: Alex Mustard publishes a field review of the Nauticam EMWL with 160-degree lens, tested at God’s Pocket, British Columbia. (^[57])
• 2022-09-27: PADI/Scuba Diving “Through Your Lens” 2022 results: Boaz Johnson wins the grand prize with a flying fish reflection image. (^[58])
• 2022-09-29: Seacam announces a housing for the Leica SL2/SL2-S at approximately EUR 4,350. (^[59])

October

• 2022-10: Wetpixel Live Ep 253: Adam Hanlon discusses his heart attack on the show, sharing his recovery experience with the community.
• 2022-10-04: Abi Smigel Mullens covers the CMAS Underwater European Championship and 1st Madeira Underwater Photography and Video Open in Madeira, Portugal, with teams from 13 countries competing in Photosub format. (^[60])
• 2022-10-04: Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022 results: Ben Thouard wins the overall title; Tom St. George wins the Adventure category. (^[61])
• 2022-10-12: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022: Tony Wu wins the Underwater category for an image of a spawning sea star; Laurent Ballesta wins the Portfolio Award. (^[62])
• 2022-10-18: Paralenz, maker of the dive-oriented action camera, files for bankruptcy. The company announces it is working on a solution to restart but the outcome is uncertain. (^[63])
• 2022-10-18: Luke Inman publishes Sea Lions of Los Islotes, a photographic book with how-to guide for safe sea lion interactions. (^[64])
• 2022-10-27: Sony announces the a7R V: 61MP, a major AI-driven autofocus system, and improved viewfinder — positioned as a studio and wildlife camera with strong mirrorless credentials. (^[65])

November

• 2022-11-01: Mike Bartick publishes The World of Blackwater, a book documenting blackwater diving photography, available as eBook and iBook. (^[66])
• 2022-11-03: Canon announces the EOS R6 Mark II with improved sensor and video specifications. (^[67])
• 2022-11-03: Fujifilm announces the X-T5: 40MP APS-C sensor in the compact X-T body. (^[68])
• 2022-11-03: Fujifilm announces the Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 Macro lens with 10 cm minimum focus distance, at $599. (^[69])
• 2022-11-03: Backscatter announces the Mini Flash 2 at $399 — an updated and accessible entry strobe. (^[70])
• 2022-11-08: DEMA 2022 runs in Orlando. Tom St. George covers for Wetpixel, visiting booths from Marelux, Backscatter, Nauticam, Shearwater, Aggressor Fleet, Fourth Element, and Seacraft; Adam Hanlon is unable to attend. Wetpixel Live produces 7 extra DEMA 2022 episodes featuring Aggressor, Backscatter, Fourth Element, Marelux, Nauticam WACP-C, Seacraft, and Shearwater. (^[71], ^[72])
• 2022-11-08: RED Digital Cinema announces the S35 V-RAPTOR Rhino, an 8K/120fps S35 sensor variant of the V-RAPTOR at $19,500, with a portion of sales going to wildlife charities. (^[73])
• 2022-11-22: Nikita Atriyu and Nicholas Kouvaras publish a feature on underwater modelling and photography, combining freediving, mermaiding, and underwater fashion photography. (^[74])
• 2022-11-24: CITES COP 19 proposes protections for 113 marine species, including multiple shark and ray species, pending plenary ratification. (^[75])
• 2022-11-29: Underwater Technics ships a TTL circuit board for Canon cameras in Marelux housings, offering optical and electrical strobe triggering with HSS support. (^[76])

December

• 2022-12-02: Inon ships the UWL-95S wide conversion lens with switchable M52/M67/XD mounts and 95-degree underwater field of view. (^[77])
• 2022-12-08: Chuck Nicklin, pioneering underwater cinematographer known for work on The Deep (1977), The Abyss (1989), and James Bond films, dies peacefully in his sleep. He founded The Diving Locker and co-founded the San Diego Underwater Photographic Society. (^[78])
• 2022-12-08: Nauticam ships the NA-A7RV housing for the Sony a7R V. (^[79])
• 2022-12-15: Seacam announces a housing for the Nikon Z9. (^[80])
• 2022-12-15: Mantis opens pre-orders for the RS360 housing for the Insta360 One RS 360-degree camera, depth-rated to 250 meters, at $1,530. (^[81])
• 2022-12-20: Underwater Tour Awards 2022 results: Jake Wilton is awarded the Grand Guru prize. The competition was judged by Darren Jew, Amanda Blanksby, William Tan, Dr. Richard Smith, Russell Ord, and Brett Lobwein. (^[82])

References