G15, G16, RX100, Mirrorless, GoPro.. Need help please..

[JackConnick]

He said his budget was $3000 plus the camera, $4,000 total.

Jack


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[Interceptor121]

$2,700 for camera and port + $1,100 for lights + $200 for tray and flex arms = $4,000 and all you can shoot is 27-82.5mm behind a dome
No wide and no macro just fish portraits???
You need another $500 for a flip diopter adapter and a mid range close up lens to start doing macro and the quality you get at long focal lengths behind a dome port is not great
I have been looking for some time to the whole range of Nex, Panasonic GH that do offer good video but once you factor in all the optics and the tradeoffs you need to make I am still pretty happy to stay with a high profile compact

 

[SlowSBC]

Unfortunately the canon cameras do not offer any decent control for video only full automatic with no choice of exposure control/ISO etc
With $4000 I would change the LX7 to a Sony RX100M2 however with that camera you also need a wide angle, a close up lens
All those items with an Inon UWLH-100 and a UCL165LD with a fix LD bayonet adapter and a red filter take you to around $4,117
This is pretty much the best compact set up you can get you can expand it further with an additional UCL165 for super macro or a red filter
In my opinion the RX100M2 is a better camera but it requires additional investment in lenses than the LX7

I don't have comparable video of the mark2 (will have it mid december as I have a trip planned) my youtube channel should give you an idea of what the lx7 and Rx100 mark I can do Interceptor121 - YouTube

Thanks again for your help. I really like the LX7 video you have as well as the comparison (fireplace) sample you shot for low light conditions. Wow what a difference!! Thanks for the information on the Canons. The S100/S110 videos I seen looked good but so do some GoPro videos LOL..

---------- Post added October 27th, 2013 at 10:53 PM ----------

This thread over on wetpixel might interest you:

RX-100mk2 vs G16 vs LX7 - Consumer Digicams/Housings - Wetpixel :: Underwater Photography Forums

Decisions, decisions......

Matt

Thank you for the link. I read it earlier today and will keep an eye on it. I'm looking to get something soon so I hope more members provide their opinions.

---------- Post added October 27th, 2013 at 10:59 PM ----------

Of the cameras you describe for mostly shooting video, one of the NEX cameras may well be your best choice with the Nauticam housings. The NEX 6 is a very nice camera with most of the quality of the NEX 7, a bit smaller, good controls and a decent price. With a wide angle port and arms and video lights you should be at about $3000. There's also the NEX 5R & now 5T that are available for a little less. All of which will give you much better video than a compact, with better lens choices and future system expansion.

For video lights we prefer either the iTorch Pro 5+ (1500 lumens) at only $265, or the new Fish-Lite with 2400 lumens (also has red light) for $499. If you want better quality, a fully adjustable output, along with a really nice display, wet charging (like the Solas), and interchangeable batteries; then check out the new Fix NEO 1200 or NEO 2000. Each comes with 4 mounts too, so that they work out to be $85 less than the respective Solas.

Send me a PM/email if you'd like to get a system quote, we can help you weigh the differences.

Those cameras look very interesting and when I originally was looking at different reviews for point and shoot cameras several sites talked about mirrorless cameras in which many showed very good video reviews for the Sony NEX5/6. Do you have any video from the NEX6 so I can compare it to videos show with the LX7?

---------- Post added October 27th, 2013 at 11:07 PM ----------

The fix lights are interesting however am not sure we are in the same ball park here. Assume you keep the same tray and lights the cheapest NEx5R with Nauticam a dome port and zoom gear is $2,100 on your site plus $600 for the camera with a 18-55 lens you are at $2,700 and your 35mm is 27-82.5 which really is not any good for any wide plus even with a diopter optical quality is not great behind the dome.
The Rx100M2 with nauticam costs $1,700 even adding an Inon wide angle you are at $2,200 but now you have 18-100mm with a diopter. A set up that is definitely more versatile and you can shoot a 10 feet Manta and a nudibranch in the same dive

If there is one thing I like about taking a compact underwater is that I can do all range of video shots a bit like having a camcorder. I can do wide, medium, close, super close at good level of quality at a shooting distance where my lights actually work. When you try to do that with a DSLR/Mirrorless you are confined to 24-100mm best case and you have to choose a dome port that at long focal distance does not really give you great image quality

I have checked this avenue several times and yet have to find something that really give me the same flexibility vs quality compromise

Interceptor, you actually hit on a very important point in this post. I like to enjoy my dives and shoot video while doing so. I do not want to deal with having to continually change something on the camera, be it settings or hardware, when moving from place to place underwater. I'd like to dive light with maybe just one wide angle lens. I hope that makes sense..

---------- Post added October 27th, 2013 at 11:11 PM ----------

He said his budget was $3000 plus the camera, $4,000 total.

Jack


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That is correct! But if a little more than 4K needs to be spent I am willing to spend it. I just do not want to spend another $1000 to get something that doesn't make much difference on video quality. Video is really my main goal for a camera with the occasional picture.

 

[JackConnick]

I can't seem to find any uw NEX 6 videos right now, but have asked a couple of customers. But with it's larger sensor it will perform much better in low light than a compact. Controls are very nice. The best w/a lenses are the Zeiss 12mm and the new Sony 10-18.

As in all things uw, your best investment is in lenses and port and lighting. The bodies and housings change...