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

[Interceptor121]

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).

The E-PM1 has slightly less resolution than the LX7 and significantly less resolution than the RX100. Am not talking about pixels here but actual resolution of lines and detail.
The stock lens is slightly sharper than the RX100 but less sharp than the LX7
Video mode of both LX7 and RX100 are far superior than the E-PM1 and any olympus mirrorless plus you can't use the E-PM1 just with the internal strobe and the stock lens is not good for wide angle unless behind a dome, once behind a dome it become useless when zoomed

The E-PM1 sensor is now 3 years old and that is the reason Olympus is clearing out stock

For a beginner a mirrorless is too complex to handle and getting an obsolete product as a starter is a no go for me. I would rather get the Inon UWL-H100 on top of it than a dome at least you can change lenses during the dive and put a close up when you need

Still optical and image quality lag behind the LX7, G15 and RX100

 

[iDreamOfBubbles]

Hello,

I hate to say this, but I suspect that pretty much all of the gorgeous over-unders that you're used to seeing in dive publications are taken with DSLR's equipped with ultra wide angle fisheye lenses (the Tokina 10-17, the most popular choice for DX cameras, has a ridiculous field of view of something like 170º) mounted behind massive 10" domes. It's not completely impossible with compacts, but it is much harder. If you're looking at getting a wide angle lens with a field of view of 100º or less, be prepared not to be able to get much of either side of the surface in the frame. The RX100 would probably be the easiest to do them with because it has such a large sensor (I know nothing about the size of the LX7's sensor).

Once again, it's not completely impossible to shoot over-unders with a compact, but it does make an already extremely difficult technique even harder. Just thought you should know this so that you can adjust your expectations and not come away completely disappointed if you don't get the shot you're looking for.

PS: There WILL be other people with cameras there who I'm sure will be more than happy to take a picture of you and your girlfriend together for you. Just sayin' I do understand the appeal of wanting to do it yourself, though.

-Chris

 

[PiggyRun]

Why my comment keep missing and it says need moderator to approve it

---------- Post added July 20th, 2013 at 12:13 AM ----------

Trying again : (

Eagle ray : ) , can you share more about rx100+ikelite+ w30, u said it does not work together. Lx 7+wetmate is a good choice but idreamofbubbles did share about larger sensor will much easier to get over-under split shot, makes me feels to go for rx100.

Idreamofbubbles, yes, I do know about the amazing over-under shots are taken with big dome, but worth to gv a try, I saw an article , it is shooting with rx100 , worth a try ( this time I dont post the link over here, afraid of voiding tc maybe)

Besides that, I did read about tg2 do have wa/fisheye lense, but hard to find the diving review of tg2+lense. Is it good for diving, and after apply the fisheye, does it works good? Correct me if I m wrong about the lense can be sttach wihout the housing, not getting a housing as I m just chilling around 15m at most. (If the wa lense works well with the camera, will consider to get the housing )
Thanks

 

[Interceptor121]

Over under shots are not for wet lenses but for domes so you need a micro four third or a DSLR with a sealed dome
With a wet lens the water behind the lens shows up in addition to the water in front of the lens
Obviously this can be somewhat avoided if you do it at the start of the dive
Anyway as this is your first camera you most likely won't attempt any of those shots for years so don't let it be a deciding factor

 

[PiggyRun]

Real.... hard ... to make a decision. Interceptor121, if given budget up to 2000, should i go for rx100 or epl5? Because rx100 nauticam is about 950, I was thinking why dont I take epl5, save abit in the housing but spend it to lense?

 

[Interceptor121]

The E-PL5 will require few lenses a dome and flat port. Not for beginners. Image quality wise is not better than the RX100 on a side by side comparison and the video mode is poor not for me

 

[Enrico S.]

Here is a picture from a Panasonic LX3 in a 10bar Housing with Dome(6 zoll) and with a Sony Fisheye Konverter( VCL-ECF1 for a Sony 16mm lens).I have adapted the Konverter on the Step up Ring for a Panasonic Wide Angel Lens. This gives you a Angel of View near 170 degrees. The Corner is very sharp. Sharper then with the Original Sony16mm Lens for Micro Four Thirds! The Bad Thing is, this Konverter works only with the Panasonic LX3. Not with the LX5(i test it).Because the Lens on the LX5 is slightly bigger. Thats why you become much vignettings in the Corner. I think(?) its the same with the Panasonic LX7.
Sorry for my english!

---------- Post added July 22nd, 2013 at 10:14 AM ----------

file://localhost/Users/enricosomogyi/Desktop/Bilder%20Unterwasser%20Auswahl/unbenannt%20(1%20von%201)-5.jpg

---------- Post added July 22nd, 2013 at 10:24 AM ----------

Tulamben.jpg

---------- Post added July 22nd, 2013 at 10:26 AM ----------

---------- Post added July 22nd, 2013 at 10:28 AM ----------

file://localhost/Users/enricosomogyi/Desktop/Bilder%20Unterwasser%20Auswahl/Tulamben.jpg

 

[Damselfish]

If you are rushing so much and making decisions based on getting a picture of your girlfriend UW, I second the suggestion above to ask someone to take a picture for you. It would be rare if there's not someone with a camera who is more than willing to take your picture and give it to you. Good chance you will get a better picture too, from someone with strobes and experience with their camera.

 

[Enrico S.]

Sorry i can't upload the picture from my laptop . What i doing wrong?

 

[PiggyRun]

Thanks all for the ideas and suggestions. Still in the hard decision dilemma. I think I will go for the one who has dome on it, something not too big( 4" dome) .. thanks again