Wednesday, May 10th, 2006

Wetpixel partners with DiveFilm for Video Podcasts

Wetpixel is proud to announce a partnership with DiveFilm.com, a website dedicated to showcasing underwater video. DiveFilm features underwater filmmakers and offers high quality video podcasts about the underwater world, available through a free iTunes subscription and other podcast subscription mechanisms. Contrary to the name, video podcasts do not require a video iPod, and you can watch the broadcasted video right on your computer monitor.

So far, DiveFilm has broadcasted video by numerous Wetpixel members, including Mary Lynn Price, Paul Wags, Eric Hanauer, Steve Douglas, and more! Check out DiveFilm’s podcast by clicking on “DiveFilm Video Podcast” in Wetpixel’s right-hand navigation menu!

Wednesday, May 10th, 2006

Digideep covers Sandisk RedSea Photo Competition

Our friends Lars Kirchhoff and Andreas Voeltz over at Digideep have published an in-depth webcast from the SanDisk/Red Sea 2006 Underwater Photo Competition. The winning images are stunning, and with a $10,000 cash prize plus a trip to Papua New Guinea, portfolio winner Noam Kortler must have gone home in absolute shock!

Tuesday, May 9th, 2006

RSMAS Underwater Photography Contest 2006 Winners

The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) has posted the winners of its 2006 Underwater Photography Contest. Congratulations to all of the winners—and to Wetpixel members Patrick Weir, Neil Hammerschlag, Tom Stephens, and Andre Seale (and others?) for placing!

Tuesday, May 9th, 2006

Aquarium reef fish trade to get new regulations

NOAA and the US Coral Reef Task Force have announced new conservation inniciatives aiming to reduce illegal trade of aquarium reef fishes:

“The resolution calls on the task force to examine the use of cyanide and other poisons in the collection of reef fish on the global market. Although illegal in most countries, the use of cyanide to capture reef fish alive is widespread. The U.S. is the number one market for coral reef fish for the aquarium trade. Previous studies estimate that most live reef fish entering into international trade and imported into the U.S. are collected with the use of cyanide, and thus are illegal.”

The agencies plan on developing detection tests to determine if the fish were collected with cyanide. In addition, NOAA announced that it supports the declaration of 2008 as the “International Year of the Reef”.

Tuesday, May 9th, 2006

More protection for Caribbean Corals

A new layer of protection has been added to Caribbean reef corals by NOAA:

“The NOAA Fisheries Service announced its decision to list elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn corals (Acropora cervicornis) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The final rule will be published next week, and the listing will be effective 30 days after that date. This will be the first time a coral has been listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. A species is considered endangered if it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.”

Friday, May 5th, 2006

Kenji Ohmura and Seatool Prototypes

Kenji Ohmura of Fisheye has been working on new housing prototypes, which will be built under the Seatool name. After seeing one of the prototypes at ADEX, we’re anticipating some nice, compact housings. Continue reading for some images of prototype designs for Sony HC3 and FX1 HDV camcorders…

Friday, May 5th, 2006

Sealux CD200 Underwater Housing for Nikon D200

Colin Gans reviews the Sealux CD200 Underwater Housing for the Nikon D200 digital SLR.

Excerpt: The first thing that struck me about the Sealux CD200 housing for the Nikon D200 camera is that it is actually no bigger than the Sealux CD70 housing for the Nikon D70 camera. In fact it is marginally smaller… Fitting a slightly larger and heavier camera into a marginally smaller housing is an interesting approach…

Thursday, May 4th, 2006

Microsoft Future Pro Photographers Photo Contest

Student photographers, compete to win $20,000 in cash, “digital workflow prize packages,” and more! Microsoft is soliciting images in the following categories: Nature & Landscape, People & Portraits, and Fine Art. The deadline is May 31, so get your entries in now. We really want a Wetpixel member to win!

Speaking of a Wetpixel member winning, I have to go;

~~I have an appointment at the enrollment office of the local community college.~~

*UPDATE* Microsoft has draconian statements in the contest rules that state that they own all rights to all submitted entries. So be forewarned: if you submit a photo, they can legally “exploit” [sic] the image and force you to sign paperwork granting them full rights. Evil!

*UPDATE 2* Microsoft has changed the wording in their contest rules to state, “Submitting an entry does not assign or transfer any ownership or copyrights to Microsoft; those rights remain with the creator of the original work. However as a condition of accepting a prize, you agree to grant Microsoft an irrevocable royalty-free worldwide license to reproduce and display the image, credited with your first and last name, in print and on the web for the purposes of promoting this contest.” I hope our post here was part of the reason for the change.

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006

Homebrew Moisture/Leak Detector

Wetpixel member Paul Carre (PRC) has posted a brief outline (schematics only) of a home-brew moisture alarm fitted into an Ikelite D70 housing. If you’re good with electronics, check it out.! Leak alarms are a must for every underwater housing. If you don’t feel like building your own, check out the Leek Detector, which we reviewed here on Wetpixel some time ago.

Monday, May 1st, 2006

Inon Artist of the Month - Keith C. Flood

This month’s Inon Artist is Wetpixel member Keith C. Flood. Keith is a firefighter from Santa Rosa, California, and really likes the compact size, and light ouput of his Inon Z220 strobes. This demonstrates that Wetpixel members are succesfully using their Inon products, Keith is the third member in a row to be selected as the artist of the month! Congratulations!

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