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

[SlowSBC]

Hello I'm a newbie on this site yet I've been reading it for some time now. I have spent the past few weeks looking at videos on Youtube, reading reviews and getting more confused by the minute.

Let me cut to the chase. I'd like an underwater setup that I will mostly be shooting video with. My wife is happy with her underwater camera (Sea & Sea 2G) and I flooded mine (GoPro and bought and Intova when GoPro flooded) last year in Palau. Although the video is decent, I'd like something a little better. It seems there are a lot of good reviews on the Sony RX100 II & Canon G15. I have seen some good reviews on the Sony NEX6 (mirrorless). I have roughly a $3000 ($4000 with camera) budget and would like something turnkey (with video lights and all).

We have a trip planned to the Philippians and Indonesia for the month of December and need to purchase something rather quickly.

My opinion seems to lean towards the Sony RX100 II but understand the G16 may be a better fit. Problem is Canon is the only manufacture of the underwater housing and the housing isn't all that great. Seem Fantasea has a housing due out December 10th but that's a little too late for me.

Any advice, insight or video samples to compare would be a huge help.

Thanks in advance to everyone and ScubaBoards for this website!!

 

[PatW]

I am strictly a still guy.

There are three retailers of underwater photo systems that I know pretty well. They all have good web sites with articles on the hobby. They also have recommended systems.

They are Reef Photo and Video in Fort Lauderdale, Backscatter in NY and CA, and Bluewater Photo in CA.

 

[SlowSBC]

Thanks for the reply Pat. I did research those sites and they seem more focused on the photo end more than the video end. I was able to find some great videos on Nauticams site and the S110 seems to take great video. Also I was impressed with the Ti4 video they shot on that site. It's really hard to tell from behind a computer and kind of wanted some real world experience opinions from members here. Thanks again for your reply.

 

[matdiver]

Hi,
the problem nowadays in answering this question is the sheer number of cameras to choose from. I get the impression that very few indeed could be described as "bad". However, since you say your main interest is video I'll give you one piece of advice: if you can't get a decent manual white balance underwater you'll always be struggling in terms of nice image quality. It's not always possible to shine incredibly bright lights on marine life for 10 seconds and expect it to hang around and smile! You'll have to use ambient quite a bit. So, I would start by narrowing down the search for cameras that have this function in a way that you can actually use, in video mode, underwater. I'm not sure the RX100 does - check out Interceptor121's site.
You can have a look at the videos in my signature to see some stuff where the colours came out quite nicely.
Good luck!
Matt

 

[Interceptor121]

$3000 gets you a panasonic LX7 with two sola 1200 in nauticam housing with a wetmate dome a close up lens and an ultralight tray with handles and locline arms
You can have a look at the rig on my blog
Panasonic LX7 Video Rig | Interceptor121 Underwater Video
http://interceptor121.wordpress.com/panasonic-lx7-video-rig/
You don't need the tripod parts unless you do super macro
The Sony rx100ii is a great choice but you will need to spend around $700 dollar more for the camera and for a wide angle lens as the 28mm port is not wide enough for use

Shopping list:
- Panasonic Lumix LX7 $399
- Nauticam housing for LX7 $950
- Nauticam Wet mate $250
- Ultralight TR-DM $34.95
- Ultralight TR-DUP $30
- Two Ultralight handles without ball $29.95 each
- Locline arms 12 segments x2 $28 each
- Sola dive lights 1200 x2 $699 each

Total $3178

To reduce it you can try two Sola 800 that will take $400 off

 

[SlowSBC]

Hi,
the problem nowadays in answering this question is the sheer number of cameras to choose from. I get the impression that very few indeed could be described as "bad". However, since you say your main interest is video I'll give you one piece of advice: if you can't get a decent manual white balance underwater you'll always be struggling in terms of nice image quality. It's not always possible to shine incredibly bright lights on marine life for 10 seconds and expect it to hang around and smile! You'll have to use ambient quite a bit. So, I would start by narrowing down the search for cameras that have this function in a way that you can actually use, in video mode, underwater. I'm not sure the RX100 does - check out Interceptor121's site.
You can have a look at the videos in my signature to see some stuff where the colours came out quite nicely.
Good luck!
Matt

Thanks a ton for the great information, Matt!!

---------- Post added October 26th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ----------

$3000 gets you a panasonic LX7 with two sola 1200 in nauticam housing with a wetmate dome a close up lens and an ultralight tray with handles and locline arms
You can have a look at the rig on my blog
Panasonic LX7 Video Rig | Interceptor121 Underwater Video
Panasonic LX7 Video Rig | Interceptor121 Underwater Video
You don't need the tripod parts unless you do super macro
The Sony rx100ii is a great choice but you will need to spend around $700 dollar more for the camera and for a wide angle lens as the 28mm port is not wide enough for use

Shopping list:
- Panasonic Lumix LX7 $399
- Nauticam housing for LX7 $950
- Nauticam Wet mate $250
- Ultralight TR-DM $34.95
- Ultralight TR-DUP $30
- Two Ultralight handles without ball $29.95 each
- Locline arms 12 segments x2 $28 each
- Sola dive lights 1200 x2 $699 each

Total $3178

To reduce it you can try two Sola 800 that will take $400 off

Thank you so much for your reply. I have a total budget of 4K when including the camera. I looked at your blog and seen the sample video of the LX7. How does that compare to the videos shot with an S100/110 or G15/16? I have read a lot of your posts and know you are very knowledgeable in underwater photography and video so I value your opinion a ton. If you feel the LX is the best choice for video.. I am all over it.. Just want to make sure before spending the money. Thanks ton for the information!!

 

[Interceptor121]

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

 

[matdiver]

This thread over on wetpixel might interest you:

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

Decisions, decisions......

Matt

 

[JackConnick]

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.

 

[Interceptor121]

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.

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