sony rx100 m2 first set up

[fish80]

Dear Snappers,

I am investing in my first underwater camera set up (after a gopro) and thinking to get the sony rx100 mark II after reading numerous posts on here and the reviews by interceptor. I am interested in video and stills, but I am not a good photographer, even though I would like to improve. I am more like a diver who likes to have some videos and pictures to show friends, and the occasional good lucky shot. So no strobes at the moment, but maybe in the future. I am thinking to go for a relatively cheap (but expandable) rig at the moment:

sony rx100 mark II. About 400$ on ebay
meikon housing + cam dive red filter. About 180$
a decent light + tray: maybe a sola 2000 or something: 400$

From the reviews I believe this should be a good rig for a good price... any feedback?

Is this ok for video? The meikon housing seems much cheaper than the others, does anybody know why I should pay more for another type of housing like ikelite? If I do not add macro or WA lenses, will the camera perform well I really need those even as a beginner?

Thanks a lot!

 

[KeithG]

since you are not buying a strobe for stills, why buy a sola for video?

does the meikon housing have a 67mm thread? to mount wet lenses...

 

[fish80]

does the meikon housing have a 67mm thread? to mount wet lenses...

Ehm not sure, in the picture near the lenses is written 67mm so my guess is yes? :-D

Sony DSC-RX100 II 40m/130ft Meikon Underwater Camera Housing

Getting the light because if I am close enough I will take a picture with the video light only, it won't be as good as with the strobes but not too bad I think.

 

[KeithG]

...Getting the light because if I am close enough I will take a picture with the video light only, it won't be as good as with the strobes but not too bad I think.

it will be worse than you think...There are lots of threads here about using video lights to capture stills.

if you really want to go cheap, drop the sola and start with ambient light only for both video and stills. You may find that your first light purchase will be a strobe and not a video light.

 

[fish80]

it will be worse than you think...There are lots of threads here about using video lights to capture stills.

if you really want to go cheap, drop the sola and start with ambient light only for both video and stills. You may find that your first light purchase will be a strobe and not a video light.

Dude... you are making me want to just stick to my gopro and forget about a better camera.. :-D

but look at these tg4 review pictures:

Olympus Tough TG-4 Review

they are shot with just a sola 2000. If the tg4 can do this, also the sony rx100 should be this good no? Am I missing something? Thanks!

 

[KeithG]

Dude... you are making me want to just stick to my gopro and forget about a better camera.. :-D

but look at these tg4 review pictures:

Olympus Tough TG-4 Review

they are shot with just a sola 2000. If the tg4 can do this, also the sony rx100 should be this good no? Am I missing something? Thanks!

maybe? look closely at the over all color balance of the pics.

The goliath grouper shot is a good example. The color real close is good, color every where else is washed out. This actually works with this shot since it is CFWA (Close Focus Wide Angle) shot with a fisheye lens.

The video at the bottom of the page contains a good example of how close your subject needs to get for the video light to provide proper color balance.

 

[KeithG]

maybe? look closely at the over all color balance of the pics.

The goliath grouper shot is a good example. The color real close is good, color every where else is washed out. This actually works with this shot since it is CFWA (Close Focus Wide Angle) shot with a fisheye lens.

The video at the bottom of the page contains a good example of how close your subject needs to get for the video light to provide proper color balance.

p.s. the majority of the images in the review depend upon ambient light.

 

[fish80]

maybe? look closely at the over all color balance of the pics.

The goliath grouper shot is a good example. The color real close is good, color every where else is washed out. This actually works with this shot since it is CFWA (Close Focus Wide Angle) shot with a fisheye lens.

The video at the bottom of the page contains a good example of how close your subject needs to get for the video light to provide proper color balance.

Sure, but colors cannot just be adjusted in post production? I have done only videos so far with a gopro, and I can adjust colors to be pleasant (at least for me) up to even 70ft with no lights at all if I use a red filter. Of course if I go even deeper blues are creeping in, but hey it's life. I am not arguing with your comment, I am just trying to understand if this reasoning applies only to videos or it will be ok for pictures too.

 

[KeithG]

i am not knocking the sola. i am trying to say that you can very likely get great pictures without it. buy it later, if you feel you still need it. (i think you will buy a strobe first!)

post production color adjustment only works if the complete picture needs the same adjustment. using ambient light and filter will mean the whole pic needs the same adjustment. easy to do.

using a light changes your world. the light only hits part of the image. that area will be fine. the rest of your image will need color correction. how do you plan to color correct half of the image?

underwater lights generally have a very limited range, think 1 to 2 feet. how many pictures / videos do you take of subjects that close?

 

[fish80]

Ok sounds good man. Also I have already a cheaper video light from bigblue which I can use for subjects I can get closer too like a eel or something like that... but that was my idea with the sola, use it only for those type of pictures. Shall I invest that money in wide angle lenses then, or without a strobe it makes no sense?