Buying new photo/video camera

[2ge]

Hi guys,

I am new to the forum, so first it should be right to introduce myself. My name is Brano, 34 years old, from Slovakia, living 5th year in Thailand. I like diving (among dozens of other stuff, like paramotor...) and I already shoot some pics and videos, check my page:

Brano Gege - YouTube
- most of underwater videos was filmed with nice small videocamera sanyo xacti hd2000 with red filter and no lights.

my pictures is here: Picasa Web Albums - Brano Gege - I was used Canon G11 without any external lights.

Now to my question, on my last trip in Bali, Canon G11 is broken (locked lens), and Underwater housing for Sanyo is leaking (this happens by time, it got around 150 dives, it was worth of the money...).

Now I am looking for (video) camera:
- my preference is shooting GOOD videos
- I was looking at the "best" video cameras here:Best HD camcorders - CNET Reviews and Digital Camcorders - Products and I can not decide, which is good value for underwater (availability of housings, lenses and so on).
- I am really interested also shooting photos, simply I need camera, so maybe it would be nice to invest just to camera. Recently there are new mirrorless cameras and they seems OK, but I am not sure how they perform underwater (problem with manual whitebalance, autofocus, videomode options), in this are I can not decide between OLYMPUS OM-D E-M5 vs SONY NEX 7 (or NEX 5). It seems SONY NEX 7 might be winner, but I read about problems with macro photo (which I really like to take).

One more thing, how one can compare difference between video shooting by mirrorless camera and camcorder? It is so big difference, I need to buy a camcorder?

Also I was looking for cheap solution for camcorder and I came with Canon WP-V4 underwater case, but I can not find, if I can set up manual white balance using this case.

 

[Interceptor121]

You will find it very difficult to replace your xacti
I have the same and I bought a broken housing just to use as spare part
2nd hand housing can be found on eBay and even new ones
Otherwise it's all about price point and how bulky the housing is
How much do you want to spend?
Micro four thirds don't allow wrtenses and will not be possible to shoot macro and wide in the same dive

 

[matdiver]

Micro four thirds don't allow wrtenses and will not be possible to shoot macro and wide in the same dive

Interceptor121 - are you absolutely sure about this? I'm in the process of trying to buy a Nauticam housing for my GH2 (although the dealer has told me they've just been discontinued by Nauticam....), and I specifically asked about putting a wet lens on the front of the power zoom port for the 14-42 "X" lens. The port has an M67 adapter. I was told this would be no problem. Now I've seen your comment, I'm worried!
Matt

 

[diversteve]

You can't do MWB with the WP-V4 since it doesn't allow touch access to the LCD screen. This is the entire control set:

At your fingertips are direct control buttons for record start/stop, telephoto and wide zoom, photo capture and preview.

If you do get one, the Canon HF M500, HF M50 and HF M52 models are what currently fit it. The HF M400 listed in your link is discontinued.

 

[Interceptor121]

Interceptor121 - are you absolutely sure about this? I'm in the process of trying to buy a Nauticam housing for my GH2 (although the dealer has told me they've just been discontinued by Nauticam....), and I specifically asked about putting a wet lens on the front of the power zoom port for the 14-42 "X" lens. The port has an M67 adapter. I was told this would be no problem. Now I've seen your comment, I'm worried!
Matt

The wet lens going in front of the port I guess is a diopter and not a wide angle. As far as I know Inon offers a solution with a wide wet lens all the others are diopters on a macro port. In general those solutions do not offer the same quality of a lens behind a dome port

 

[2ge]

Interceptor, oh yeah, Xacti was great camera. I did look at ebay(s), and I didnt found any suitable housing, I am not counting housing 2 years old, or new housing for 500 EUR. Also for sure I will miss changing lens underwater, I shoot often with wide lens, and sometimes I take it off to shoot without lens.

Diversteve, thanks for info, without manual white balance is filming for me unacceptable, it is really big difference with ambient light and no "underwater" mode can not save it.

Also I got few questions before I buy GH2:
- it is possible shoot in 3D underwater ? (just curious, I am shooting with gopro underwater 3D...)
- which lens and ports do you think is good to buy for shooting underwater ? I saw the video with wide angle lens, but it was too wide, I don't want it. I really like wide lens with my Xacti - DC20. Also I like to have some good macro lens. Please help
- this camera is sold as body only, or with expensive lens 14-140mm / F4.0-5.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. (HVS014140E) or 14-42mm/F3.5-F5.6 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. (H-FS014042E), I am new to lens photo above water, so any help is welcome, I don't want to buy some lens I will not use.

I think it is worth to contact Nauticam directly to find out if they really don't have housing fo GH2, thats hard to believe.

 

[Interceptor121]

There are new ebay housing never been in water for £270 and second hand xacti+housing at same price
If you go for a canon camcorder or a panasonic or sony and a proper housing you are around the $3,500-$4,500 mark
Frankly you are better off getting a Canon S100 and a photo housing and with a wide angle lens video quality is great and allows for manual white balance and filters

 

[2ge]

Interceptor, maybe you can search better than me, but I found only this ones:
New - 569 USD: Epoque Waterproof housing EHS-1000 HD /Xacti DMX-HD1000 | eBay
New : 289 GBP: New Epoque EHS-1000HD Underwater Housing For Sanyo HD1000 HD1010 HD2000 HD2000A | eBay

I can not find 2nd hand xacti+housing, but I would not even consider this, if used regurarly, that housing after 100-200 dives is dead for sure.

Anyway, I am trying to upgrade my gear, and move from P+S camera to something "higher". I think Panasonic GH2 is right way to go, specially for its unique video. While Canon s100 is great camera, I want something better, and my budget is around $4000

 

[Interceptor121]

If you go for a micro four third and a flat port all you can do is macro
If you go for a wide angle and dome all you can do is wide
In essence each camera that requires changing lenses DSLR or Micro 4/3 will mean you only take one type of shot in the dive
The actual videos will look awesome but you will be somewhat constrained in my opinion

 

[matdiver]

2ge,
the S100 is no doubt a fine camera, perhaps the best at its price point, but its sensor is approx. 7.5 x 5.5mm, whereas the GH2 sensor is 17.3 x 13 mm. For underwater video I tend to shoot wide angle and rely on manual white balance. I'm sure you will get better results with a larger sensor. I've noticed this even with my old PDX 10, which had no problems with MWB even at 30m (OK, it was Palau, on a sunny day, totally clear vis.) whereas a friend's modern high-definition HC9 struggled.
Lenses - yeah, I know what you mean by too wide. With the GH2 (which I haven't yet used underwater) I think the 14-42 would be fine. I got mine as a kit lens, i.e. it was the lens that was delivered with the camera (currently about 500 UK pounds on Amazon UK), but I also bought the power zoom version of the 14-42 too, for smooth zooming while videoing (about 280 pounds). 10 Bar are apparently going to do a port for the power zoom lens, which sounds good, and they already house the 14-42 kit lens. You can do some fun things with a hacked GH2, like filming 720p 50fps and then making really smooth slow motion clips in Vegas.
Matthew

---------- Post Merged at 10:59 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:48 AM ----------

If you go for a micro four third and a flat port all you can do is macro

HELP!!! I'm getting really close to buying a set-up that will probably involve a 14-42 lens behind a flat port. I absolutely hate that barrel distortion you sometimes see in videos with wide lenses behind a dome port. The distributor assures me that there is no vignetting when the lens is at the "14" position behind the flat port - that's not "macro" is it? or am I missing something??? For the last 7 years or so I've just been using a Sony 0.7 WA lens right behind a flat port (old USVH housing), and I've always though of it as wide angle!
Matthew