Professional underwater photographer Norbert Wu, whose work from Antarctica has recently been featured on the Time magazine website, has had the opportunity to use a variety of housings with his Nikon D200. Currently, he owns Ikelite, Light & Motion, and Sea and Sea, and recognizes there are distinct advantages and disadvantages with each system.

In this detailed review and comparison, Wu examines each setup based on his personal experiences ”from a “real user’s” point of view...intended for photographers who may be in the market for such housings.” Included are many excellent example photographs, not only of the hardware but also from the underwater environment…

On August 25, 2007, Antonio Moreano, a naturalist in the Galapagos, photographed an albino whale shark at Darwin, the northern-most island of the Galapagos.  Continue reading for three of his rare photos.

If you missed the premiere of the new Discovery: Military series ”Quest for Sunken Warships,” don’t worry - Torpedo Alley will repeat on September 29 and 30, 2007, and the second episode, Operation Hailstone, detailing the battles near Truk, is set to air on October 3.

All underwater portions of the show were filmed with the professional version of the Amphibico Phenom by Dan Crowell, alongside dive team members David Ulloa and Becky Kagan. Visit Quest for Sunken Warships to learn more about this four-part series…

Here’s a sneak peak at one of Light & Motion’s new LED based video lights. The 18 LEDs combined with a peened reflector gives a light output of around 2000 lumens, or 35% brighter than Light & Motion’s 21w HID lights.

Instant on, solid-state lights that never have to have a bulb replaced?  We like it.

We have just returned from a 14-day Wetpixel expedition aboard the M/V Bilikiki in the Solomon Islands.  While on board, we held an informal photo contest judged by Cor Bosman, Julie Edwards, and Michele Gaut (Bilikiki manager).  The five winning entries were taken by Frank Baensch, Larry Chan, and Alexis Tabah, who will all receive a free year’s subscription to Wetpixel Quarterly.

I whipped up a slideshow to showcase all of the images submitted by the 19 participants…

For the January issue of Sport Diver Magazine’s IMAGES column, we’re planning to publish your best shots of 2007. We’ll be choosing from all of the entries we receive here at Wetpixel.com and over at our partner site, DivePhotoGuide.com.

The deadline is in early October. If you’d like to participate, head on over to our forums and post your best images taken in 2007!

FiNS Associate Editors Andrea and Antonella Ferrari were drawn back to the exceptional Raja Ampat region in Indonesia after visiting only a few months ago. Staying on Kri Island, they write:

Schools of fish, fish in the hundreds, in the thousands – jacks, surgeonfish, batfish, snappers, basslets, barracudas, emperors, giant bumphead parrotfish, spanish mackerels, rainbow runners – they’re all here...Indeed, on this, our second visit to these distant shores, the spectacular diving and marine life of Raja Ampat seem to us even more extraordinary than in the past.

Continue reading for the rest of the Ferrari’s report…

Congratulations to Wetpixel member Shannon Conway (blackbird) for winning the Underwater Category at the prestigious ANZANG Nature and Landscape Photographer of the Year 2007 competition with a photograph of a clownfish in an anemone. ANZANG is an organisation focused on the unique natural heritage of the bioregion of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea and its photographic competition is the largest in Australasia. Visit their website to see all the winning and highly commended images.

Underwater Photography Magazine Issue 38 is now available for download. The issue contains articles by Michael Wicks, Gearoid Lane, Mark Webster, Wetpixel’s Alex Mustard, Don Silcock, and Paul Carre on topics including the fish of Belize, abstract underwater art, and the techniques and trials of shooting with filters.

UWP Magazine is a free PDF magazine, published every two months.

Beneath the Sea 2008 is pleased to invite photographers and videographers to enter its annual worldwide underwater photo/video competition.

Underwater photographers will compete for the coveted David Doubilet award for excellence in underwater photography and a trip for one on the M.V. Telita in Papua New Guinea. Underwater Videographers will compete for the distinguished Stan Waterman award for excellence in underwater video and a one week trip for one aboard Fiji’s Nai’a. Underwater photographic artists compete for the celebrated Jim Church award for excellence in creative underwater photography and a trip for one aboard the M.V. Telita.

Submit your underwater photographic entry to the Beneath the Sea 2008 Worldwide Photo/Video Competition; the contest deadline is December 31st, 2007. Continue reading for more details…