Freediver asks for your opinion RX100 vs S100

[pallse]

Good day all,

I am a freediver (I have once dived with scuba tank and it was fun) since my very early age. I am not a spearfisher (never hunt). I like the purest form of connection with the sea, thats all.

I really need your advice as you have more time to set up and shoot while you are submersed. Freedivers dont have much time for this during shooting so it is very challenging. I have read many threads in scubaboard about the rx100 and s100.

During the last two years I started taking photos with a gopro. Then I have upgraded (after reading threads in here) to S100 with a Meikon housing (no flash) for a start. I really think I have talent to what I do. You can visit a see my portfolio here pallse . All photos with no flash. I use the fisheye uwl-04.

But last weekend the Meikon housing broke. I've noticed a little crack on the securing clip so I didnt want to risk and dive with this again. I've started looking for a patima housing but then the idea of upgrading to rx100 with a patima housing raised up. I was thinking to give the s100 to my wife for shooting on land and go for the upgrade rather than taking a patima housing for the s100.

The question is if it is worth or not. Remember, I am a freediver and I want fast shutter speed while shooting freediving action with a high number of F and the smallest iso. Flash is an option but because of the slow recycle time I will only limited to one or maybe two shots during a dive and wait for the next. With no flash I can take 4 or 5 or more good shots.

My field of interest is shooting freediving sessions, training, competitions, pool training, pool artistic, sea artistic and snorkeling.

These photos are with the S100 with Meikon and uwl-04 no flash. If you think I am gonna have much better results with the RX100 would love to hear.

Ear of the Depths ? pallse
Hydrating ? pallse
Down under ? pallse
I am ok! ? pallse
Magic blue ? pallse
Back from the depths ? pallse
CO2 exhalation ? pallse
Grassy bed ? pallse
Threw my ring of life ? pallse
Curius homodelphinus ? pallse
Training ? pallse
Training ? pallse
Dynamic No Fins ? pallse
In white ? pallse
Dynamic ? pallse

Side note I have a DSLR Canon 600D with a 10-22 lens, 18-55 and 55-250 but I dont want to invest on bulky housing etc I prefer to stay compact but I am just looking for the best one.

Thank you in advance for your responses!

Dimitris

 

[pallse]

Well, almost 100 views and no single response. Definitely no help.

Thanks anyway.

 

[plok]

Impressive pictures! But I cannot comment on cameras of your choice.

 

[danilocesar]

"I prefer to stay compact but I am just looking for the best one." - In that case you should definitly go to Rx100.

 

[rastko]

his is a bit late but let me give it a try. i still own an s95 which is not that different from the s100 you have. i also own rx100. i can sum up the differences in this fashion: rx100 has significantly higher picture quality, particularly at high ISO. i don't use video too much, but i think that video on the rx100 is of higher quality even though you don't have as many fps choices. you may or may not care for this but i find the ability for rx100 to take quick panoramas in-camera quite nice on occasion. of note is that the lens on rx100 is not as wide as the one on s100. this may be an issue for you, given your style

note that with rx100, aside from spending more money on the camera, you'll need to spend more on the housing. the meikon variety is not great, as it doesn't give you access to the real wheel. the ikelite is rather bulky, and nauticam and recsea and others are quite expensive (USD800+) will the results be better? probably. will they be appreciably better depends on how you shoot and what you do with your images. rx100 has a big advantage on usable high iso settings as well as a significant bump in resolution (+8MP), so that's really good for underwater shots without a strobe. if you'd like to print your images in larger format, the increased resolution is certainly nice.

so, if you have the money and don't mind spending it, rx100 will yield better results, particularly if you can pair it with a wide angle add-on lens. whether the whole thing is worth the money is really up to you to decide.

great photos, btw...

 

[AlMitch]

I'd echo exctly what Rastko says above.
RX100 definitely the better camera, but you pay for what you get. I had the S95 in a canon housing and it worked great but the wife was jealous of me taking pics so she took the S95 and I got the RX100 in a Nauticam. The Nauticam is an amazing housing, but Aquapazz and Recsea are the other choices. Aquapazza is the smallest of the three. All are $$$.
Given your skills, I'd say go with the RX100 for sure.

 

[pallse]

Damn, everyone suggested the RX100 but it is a bit late now. Due to an unexpected forthcoming change in my life I must save some money so it was one way road to stay on S100. So I bought a new steady and serious housing Patima which is as strong as a bullet. I have just also bought a used D2000 strobe from a friend to complete my package. So thanks everyone for your kind words about my photos and suggestion which I'll keep in mind (first wallet opportunity I might upgrade to Rx100).