RX-100 vs G1X dilemma

[Average]

Hey guys

I have a dilemma. I need to decide, and I need to decide pretty soon. I want to buy a compact for my upcoming diving trip. I have a budget of about 1000 - 1500 USD, where 1500 really would mean "I went all out". This budget must include everything, so meaning the compact cam and the underwater housing - maybe even a flash.

So after consulting the interwebs, I narrowed down my choice to just 2 cameras… which is still 1 too many. But I have no idea, how to eliminate one or favour the other.

The cameras are:

Sony RX-100 (mark 1)
Canon G1X

Both cameras fit my budget. On the Canon I could get the Canon Housing - for the Sony, there's a affordable ikelite Housing. Both options would more or less total 1K (I live in Switzerland)

Now… feature wise, I know that some things are more important than others, when it comes to diving pictures and/or video. Unfortunately it seems that both have very strong arguments… I can't decide. Maybe some of you out there have some experience with both of them, or can put some of the features in perspective…

As far as I understand, these are the features that are the most paramount for diving fotography:

- Good battery life (with 700 shots, the G1X doubles the Sony)
- Large Sensor (light is rare. And if I don't have the money to afford a whole flash system, light is vital. So Sensor size might be the most important feature? or am I mistaken?) but then again:
- Wide aperture (RX100 f/1.8 vs f/2.8 wins… meaning more light?)
- BIGGIE: Macro Capability (this is the one that makes it a tie breaker. Macro photography is probably the most important for my diving… and here the G1X is far behind the RX100… 20cm vs 5cm)
- RX100 with double the ISO at 25,600… does that also mean more light in my pictures, when taking pics in sub 15m dives?

as a noob, I used this here to help me weed out the other cams (Canon G1X vs Sony DSC-RX100 - Our Analysis)
Until recently it was G15 vs G1X, but now that I've seen the RX100, I think it is just between the G1X and the Sony.

The Sony seems the first choice… but how much more awesome would pictures be with the G1X, in non-macro situation? how much more would the G1X with it's sensor excell?
Or do I overrate the sensor for my situation? I also thought G1X + Housing + Macro Lense… but that would mean the expensive G1X non-Canon Housing + Lense = very expensive. With the sony I could go for the ikelite housing plus a cheap strobe setup, with the motto: better than nothing. For example the Fantasea Nano Storbe at 100 Bucks, or the Intova ISS2000 ISTR Slave strobe around 130USD.

Would love some input from you guys! I'm stuck!

thanks


(I crossposted this on canonrumors as well)

 

[00wabbit]

I think you are looking in the wrong direction.

I own the RX100 and it is well known that it isn't the best platform for Macro. It doesn't focus as close as other cameras and can make macro a challenge.
I believe the G1X falls in the same category.

If macro really is your primary goal then the g15 might be the better option.

The rx100 is a great camera but it is also a harder camera to use. In auto modes in low light situations the camera defaults to f1.8. This lets in more light but gives a very short depth of field which can be undesirable. Because of this when I am underwater I almost always have to shoot in manual to keep the aperture higher where I like it and have control over the shutter speed so moving objects don't blur.

Now because I use manual all the time I need to make sure the housing gives good access to the manual controls. I originally bought the ikelite housing but for this particular camera I was not happy with the way it interacted with the controls. I ended up returning it and biting the bullet for the Nauticam housing. I am very happy with it. I can operate all the controls intuitively even with my dry gloves on.

regarding iso. It really doesn't matter how high the camera goes. As the iso goes high the pictures become more noisy. There will reach a point where the noise is too much for you. On the rx100 I don't like to go higher than iso800. Rarely I will kick it up to 1600 if I have to.
Now if we were talking about a 5d Mark3 you could probably go to iso3200 and have a similar amount of grain.

I haven't read a lot about the g1x but I do remember when I was researching cameras that I came across it and quickly ruled it out based on reviews for underwater photography. I don't remember all the details why at the moment though.
At any rate if you want to do Macro like you said then I think you need to do more research because these are known to be weak in that respect.

---------- Post added July 12th, 2013 at 11:01 AM ----------

Canon G1x review, specs, comparison with the G12|Underwater Photography Guide
Sony RX-100 review for underwater photography, including focus speed, wet lenses|Underwater Photography Guide

---------- Post added July 12th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ----------

You may be better off trying to find a used G12 with strobes. Strobes will be key for good looking macro shots.

 

[Interceptor121]

With that budget you should be looking at a canon s110 or G15 in a polycarbonate housing as your strobe and arm will cost at least 500-600
Maybe G15 in fantasea housing with sea and sea YS-01 and locline arm or s110 in ikelite housing and ball and clamp arm with the same sreobe

 

[Foxtrot16]

AFAIK the G1X macro capabilities are very poor and if that is one of your requirements then it wont perform as you want.

I would look at the G15 if it is a Canon you are interested in.

To throw another camera in have a look at the Olympus XZ-2 in an Olympus housing.

Karl

 

[Average]

Thanks for all that info guys... I guess I need to do some more reasearching then...

 

[AlMitch]

Given your list of requirements and budget I will echo what the others have said, Canon G15 in Fantasea housing. You can look at the Inon S2000 strobe, its fairly cheap and quite powerful considering its small size.

 

[Average]

Ok, so I started looking at the G15. A few questions:

a) Why the fantasea housing. Is the canon one (half the price) utterly worthless? 99% of the time I am going to dive no deeper than 35m... maybe 40...
b) I was looking at the two cheap strobe options I mentioned. I found two sets, one for the nano strobe and one for the ISS2000 strobe. Which would you guys recommend.

Nano: Fantasea Nano Flash Focus Licht-Set Universell kompatibles im TopD Online Shop kaufen

ISS: Strobe Set with base and 30 cm flex arm

G15+Canon Case + one of these sets would put me at 1K, that would be great for my budget...

 

[Foxtrot16]

A few years ago there was a bad batch of housings made by Canon which caused flooding - it appears that there was a really faint ridgeline where the 'O' ring sits that caused the problem, since then they haven't had a good reputation.

I personally have no experience with the Fantasea housing but a review in the latest Underwater Photogaphy mag Issue 73 rates it highly - www.uwpmag.com - it is free to join and download. Remember you get what you pay for and a little more spent on a decent housing may save you a lot of grief later on down the track.

With the strobes I have no experience with the either of those ones as I use Sea & Sea strobes; however, one of my mates had an Intova strobe and didn't like it. One of the main issues he had was the recycle time as it took between 20 - 30 sec to power up after each firing so by then even the slowest Nudibranch had moved away!! Also you may find those flex arms are not that flexible instead you would be better off using proper loc-line arms.

Something like this package may suit you better - Backscatter :: Underwater photo :: lighting& - you just need to add the tray.

Hope this helps.

Karl

 

[Interceptor121]

Buy at least a Sea and Sea YS-01 the strobes you mention are toys

 

[DuboisP]

Canon G1X : macro is bad
Canon G15 : raw mode is slow
Nikon P7700 : raw mode is slow

waiting for next generation....