Sony DSC RX100 - new model

[Interceptor121]

For video and ambient light shots the best entry level set up is panasonic lx7 in nauticam housing with a wetmate dome
Priced at $1500 in US and £1150 in UK because of VAT
The Sony is best for stills but at 1080p the additional benefit of the large sensor are not visible instead the sharper lens of the panasonic gives better corners
Plus with the lx7 you can take good close ups without any wet lens
Right now for me the LX7 is the best for video and the RX100 best for stills
I have tried both so I can speak from experience
I have few videos one youtube channel with both cameras and clearly the image quality is the same with the lx7 sharper and brighter
For stills the 20megapixels of the Sony and the small aperture used with strobes kill any other compact but the lens is basic and not bright when you shoot ambient light you can effectively shoot the lx7 at iso400 instead of the iso800 of the Sony
Another feature very useful for video with the lx7 is the neutral density filter so if you have to shoot the sunball is like you had f/22 not only considering the base ISO of the Sony is 125 and the lx7 is 80 you are talking about 2 stop and 2/3 darker for the lx7
If you can shoot at 1/100 ISO 80 f/8 with ND filter with the lx7 the rx100 would be 1/800 iso125 f/11 which means scatty footage
Sony has omitted an ND filter even on the MKII

 

[Tafflad]

Thanks for detailed reply, but that set up is about £1000 more than I want to pay. Simply don't take enough UW pics to justify.

 

[Interceptor121]

Am not sure what housing you think you can buy for peanuts but I would not risk ruining an expensive camera like the RX100 in a meikon housing let alone it can't control the trinav rear wheel which is essential with the RX100

 

[Tafflad]

There are now several acrylic housings, around £110
As I said above have had no problems with any previously.

BTW .. any view on Olympus ZX-2 ? the ZX-1 was well respected (evenwith acrylic housing) Esp the bright lens.

 

[Interceptor121]

Olympus cameras have poor video so I don't bother with those
Plastic housings are not serviceable and go dead around 100 to 200 dives depending on built quality
I take that amount of dives in a year or less but may work for a person doing two short trip per year
This is you don't get floods
I used several canon housings for longer but I could actually maintain the buttons orings

 

[Tafflad]

Olympus cameras have poor video so I don't bother with those
Plastic housings are not serviceable and go dead around 100 to 200 dives depending on built quality
I take that amount of dives in a year or less but may work for a person doing two short trip per year
This is you don't get floods
I used several canon housings for longer but I could actually maintain the buttons orings

I only do 60 or dives a year at most ... and nothing last year after 3 days in a Deco chamber in Thailand, followed by a PFO closure.


Last 2 OEM housings were both Fuji, never a problem, maybe it is dual o-ring design .... used them on many occasions to 40m.

I stayed away from ZX-1 as it did not do HD video, hadn't heard that they were generallu poor with video, (or in fact anything about Oly video good or bad)

 

[Interceptor121]

I think the best entry point decent compact is the canon s100 in canon housing performance is good costs £450 and for the little amount of diving you do it will be fine
The rx100 is more for people that near to DSLR levels and plan to have a full accessorised rig
With only camera and housing and so few dives the rx100 is a bit of a waste and will give you trouble at close ups that the s100 won't give
Plus the ergonomics of the rx100 are counterintuitive at best compared to the canon range
In terms of actual resolution the larger rx100 only gives you 20% more lines and the lens is quite soft too
The close up performance of the s100 is also excellent without additional lenses
There are many ways to spend a limited budget and the rx100 is not the best way forward

 

[Tafflad]

RECSEA have released housing for RX100II

Recsea announces housing for Sony RX100 Mk. II :: Wetpixel.com

 

[Tafflad]

I think the best entry point decent compact is the canon s100 in canon housing performance is good costs £450 and for the little amount of diving you do it will be fine
The rx100 is more for people that near to DSLR levels and plan to have a full accessorised rig
With only camera and housing and so few dives the rx100 is a bit of a waste and will give you trouble at close ups that the s100 won't give
Plus the ergonomics of the rx100 are counterintuitive at best compared to the canon range
In terms of actual resolution the larger rx100 only gives you 20% more lines and the lens is quite soft too
The close up performance of the s100 is also excellent without additional lenses
There are many ways to spend a limited budget and the rx100 is not the best way forward

Do you rate the S100 over the S110 ?

 

[Interceptor121]

There is little to no difference you can get good deals on the S100