*** lx7 or g15 or rx100*** need some advices please

[PiggyRun]

:cool2: hi all,

Im a new diver, wanted to go for uw photography but having dilemma, and need you guys to figure and advise.need it urgently because I m going to take aow in aug and Sipadan Island in Sep 2013. Rushhhh rushhhhh
I have viewed and read lot of reviews on the 3cameras (lx7, g15, rx100), the more I read, the harder I can decide. ((
Knowing rx100 mark II is coming, love the wifi so that I can control through smartphone, but afraid that the housing might come late( because I m going to take aow in Aug, and I will train my buoyancy and UW as well, so I need to get the camera by Aug)
Below are my criteria and budget, hope all the Pro Pro Sifu can help me:
1. I know the basic for land photography, not a really good on theory but I m good in taking angle and nice snap : ) , not getting waterproof camera (tg2 /ts5) because I want to use it on land as well.

2. The currency is differ, after convert, my budget is about 1300-1600usd , (camera , housing,wide angle wet lense) knowing my budget is kinda low to get camera+housing+wide lense ; ( I will not get strobe for now, maybe in future time but not now. Dont wanna to bring a big big strobe like a pro during my diving.

3. I m more towards for wide angle shooting, and especially over-under split shot, I know it is depends on the photographer skill, however lense and dome play big role and i do believe practice makes perfect. So this is the reason I wanted to get wide angle lense/fisheye so much. During underwater, I will prefer more photography and some video (minor), because the colour might gone as deeper I go, so mostly I will take photo around 10metres without strobe.

4. Not really want to get olympus tg2 or panasonic ts5 , because I not sure are they good for over-under shot, and advanced point and shoot like g15, lx7, rx100 has more manual/setting and better quality picture (blue sky with underwater split shoot &#9825
Tg2 do have wide lense, but ts5 not.

5. Macro is lovely but not for now, not really going so much for macro due to no strobe, build in flash only, so just normal close-up shooting will do.

6. G15 with oem and fantasea fits my budget with wide lense but no idea on the vignetting or quality. Lx7 is very nice but as expensive as rx100 so I might get rx100 at but the rx100 mark2 is coming, makes me dont feel to take the older version if there is better spec with WIFI! But the problems come back again, because I need to get my camera before mid of aug, so that I can have a try. Dont mind to spend more if rx100 mark2 is available with housing


Though I m a new diver, I m comfort and doing very well in the water , and buoyancy doing good too ( born to be a diver haha), but still have to be careful, down there is unpredictable.
Need you guys to help me. Thanks in advance.sorry for the bad english, hopes u guys get what I mean.
I M COMING SIPADAN!

 

[Sully3]

if macro isnt your focus, then the rx100 is definitely the way to go. i wouldnt wait for the housing for the new one if it isn't already out unless the wifi is a huge upside for you

 

[Interceptor121]

I have been to sipadan
With a 1300-1500 budget the rx100 and wide angle lens is out of reach the G15 will offer little field of view (the inon Wide lens only works well with strobes and the fantasea dome only gives 75 degrees)
Panasonic lx7+nauticam housing+wetmate comes at 1500 it is a great option for all purpose as the lens is 84 degrees and has the brightest lens of the 3 considering you don't have a strobe this is the most important consideration

 

[AlMitch]

For you to get the shots you are looking for your budget is very very slim.
If you went with the LX7 and Ike housing you could then afford a Bluewater WA-110 lens. (I would love to know where Interceptor is getting his prices as I've only seen the Nauticam priced at $950 and the camera at $500 so that is your budget blown. The WA lens is another few hundred.)
The WA lens for the G15 is supposedly better for close focus WA shots and apparently that is not your cup of tea. And it needs strobes as pointed out above.
The RX100 is more expensive, but better image quality than LX7 & G15, but not as user friendly. Pros and cons.

Nauticam housing's are much much better than Ike housings but twice the price. In my opinion they are worth the extra, BUT you would then only be able to afford the camera and housing.
I would suggest you get the LX7 or RX100 in the nauticam housing. Dive with this during this trip and get used to the camera, then next trip when you have saved up some more cash by a good WA lens and strobe. A strobe is essential to WA photography, even for split level shots as you often need to throw some extra light underwater to brighten it up. In the end all three cameras are great and you will get great shots from any one of them.

You are going to hate me for saying this BUT personally I think it should be illegal for anyone to get an underwater camera till they have done at least 50 dives. Reason 1: is safety, there are so many things that can go wrong underwater and only time underwater allows you to really become used to all the things the ocean can throw at you. Things like current, surge, poor viz, etc etc It takes hours underwater to work through them and get properly used to how everything happens and works etc. Reason 2: is environmental. You say your buoyancy is "doing good" BUT when new divers (and even some "experienced" divers) have a camera in their hands and are concentrating on getting the shot they become target focused and completely forget where their fins are and how close their knees/ body/ dangling pressure gauge etc are to the reef and end up really damaging the reef. Throw in some surge or current and the reef is toast!! Again buoyancy takes time to develop properly and a few dives is not enough.
That is just my personal feeling and it is certainly not going to stop you from getting a camera, BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't take your camera in on the first dive when you get to Sipadan, take a dive or two to settle in. And then please remember no shot is worth taking if it means there is a possibility of you damaging the reef (intentionally or unintentionally). Sermon over, enjoy Sipidan.

 

[Interceptor121]

The epoque DCL30 or WA110 does not work with the lx7 ikelite combination the only lens working with the ikelite is the inon UWL-H100 type 1
The ikelite housings lacks the manual focus and ND button
How I came to the prices
LX7 $376 (it has been on amazon for less before 330)
Nauticam housing $950
Nauticam wetmate $240
Total $1566 (1546)

For what concerns the consideration around being a new diver and having a camera the best at the beginning is to have a gopro on your hand as having an expensive camera with limited diving skills is not only tricky but will shorten your dive considerably
Consider getting a DVD from one of the video operators as a safer option!

 

[PiggyRun]

Thousands thanks for the reply.
There is reason why I m rushing so much for the camera, the reason behind is due to my gf and I took the ow, after it she found that she dont really like the diving but we had booked sipadan in year 2012, so she will still go for the sipadan dive (reduce 3days dive to 1day) and after the dive in sipadan, she might not (90%) going any other dive anymore, thats the reason why I wanted to get a camera and take her photo while diving as a memory. Hah, sorry for the idiot and noob thinking, but I still think getting the camera and take diving photo with her is most important.

In my case, which I m prefer wide angle so much, what is the price I have to pay to get a rx100 +suggested housing+suggested WA lense? Is it possible to get below 1800?

Thanks Interceptor121 for suggesting lx7 with the wetmate. However it is not a wide angle but do help in adjusting the angle back to normal. Will it allow me to shoot a enough angle for over-under split shot? Besides that, gopro is good but if really have to go for gopro, I rather take tg2 with wide lense / ts5.

Thanks Almitch for the remind and warning, will promise that not to spoil any lovely corals n reefs down there. Ikelite and nauticam always the dilemma but now I know which housing to get.

Yes, wifi is important for me, as I love to backpack around and most of the time I really need a remote control for the shutter. But rx100 mark2 with housing seems like will be late, so, I will forget abt the rx100 mark2.

Appreciate the replies, thank you so much. Appreciate the kindness of you all.

 

[Sully3]

Nauticam NA-RX100 Underwater Housing for Sony RX100 there is the cost on backscatter for nauticam housing, wide angle lens, and wide angle lens adaptor so you can attach it to the housing. just scroll down and check off what you want and itll update the price. if you searched around you could easily find a used rx100 for about 500 so thatll put you in the 1800 dollar range

 

[Interceptor121]

The ideal set up for sipadan is one or two close up lenses for kapalai and mabul with a strobe and a flat wide angle lens for schooling fish and turtles at sipadan that for most you will shoot with ambient light (except maybe turtles)
A fisheye lens is not mandatory for sipadan
With a Sony and the fix lens you don't cover any of the two scenarios hence I suggested the lx7 with wetmate
Close up without lens is good and the wetmate is sufficient for the turtles and schooling fish

 

[Sully3]

haha i will defer as i have never been to malaysia

 

[Onewolf]

snip....

You are going to hate me for saying this BUT personally I think it should be illegal for anyone to get an underwater camera till they have done at least 50 dives. Reason 1: is safety, there are so many things that can go wrong underwater and only time underwater allows you to really become used to all the things the ocean can throw at you. Things like current, surge, poor viz, etc etc It takes hours underwater to work through them and get properly used to how everything happens and works etc. Reason 2: is environmental. You say your buoyancy is "doing good" BUT when new divers (and even some "experienced" divers) have a camera in their hands and are concentrating on getting the shot they become target focused and completely forget where their fins are and how close their knees/ body/ dangling pressure gauge etc are to the reef and end up really damaging the reef. Throw in some surge or current and the reef is toast!! Again buoyancy takes time to develop properly and a few dives is not enough.
That is just my personal feeling and it is certainly not going to stop you from getting a camera, BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't take your camera in on the first dive when you get to Sipadan, take a dive or two to settle in. And then please remember no shot is worth taking if it means there is a possibility of you damaging the reef (intentionally or unintentionally). Sermon over, enjoy Sipidan.

Best reply so far.

I hate to be the Olympus shill, but for $500 you can get the E-PM1 package (camera, 14-42 lens, housing, zoom gear) and add $500 for the Zen 9-18 (14-42) port and you have a nice starter package (although I can't fathom (har har) an UW camera system without a strobe).