Thinking about buying an RX100 V rig. Any Suggestions?

[Dave Bevan]

Hello guys.

Let me start by saying I am in no way a photographer above or below the water. I am interested in getting into it and learning. I am looking at options for my first set up. Above the water I currently use a Lumix TZ70 and a Canon D600 SLR. I have a little experience shooting with both. I shoot video with a Go Pro underwater just in its housing using my Canister light on a goodman handle or natural light.

I am particularly interested in Wreck Diving and Penetrating Wrecks as a Technical diver. I am interested in filming and taking pictures of me and my friends in and around the wrecks (sometimes in pitch black conditions). I am also interested in taking a photogrammetry course in the future to be able to build up 3d pictures of wrecks.

So my requirements are:

Easy to Use. Able to shoot in RAW.
High Quality (especially video)
Easy to transport (comparable)
Depth rated to 100m
Wide angle wet lens available.

With these considerations in mind what would your recommendations be?

I am currently thinking of a Sony RX100V with the Nauticam housing. Its the pro set with the handles etc. Then I'll get used to that taking some photos in the shallow before adding two high power lights for my video work. Eventually adding strobes for the photography and lenses etc.

If you have any other suggestion please go ahead but list the advantages and disadvantages.

Many thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[Katie Storm]

I bought the Sony rx100 Mach 5 back in April. I use the nauticam housing. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I added a sola on the cold shoe and two strobes from the get go.with one extra lens. I ended up extra floats it was an adjustment from the sea life mini I had been using. I'm not a big girl so it took some getting used to for several dives. I love the system highly recommend

 

[Dave Bevan]

Thanks Katie. I really have done my homework and the only thing I have found is people saying that you can't disable the pre flash which makes using the strobe a little fiddly. Any advice/experience on that front?

Dave

 

[Katie Storm]

Honestly the only problem is I have had have been operator error's.

 

[JackConnick]

Dave;

Yes, you can't turn the internal flash to full manual, it's not really pre-flash as much as it only works in TTL. So using the strobes in TTL is fine, but for manual you have to trick the camera by turning the flash ev way down to just be a trigger.

Glad you're enjoying your system Katie!

 

[Dave Bevan]

Thanks guys. Any more comments on the set up?

Dave

 

[bintang_shrimp]

I'll be the contrarian here and say don't buy the RX100 V. It's too expensive/overpriced for the needs of the average photographer, and many of the features it has to justify that price are of no use in diving, or pointless on a compact camera.

I went the route of RX100 model II instead, which you can get cheaply refurbished for around $300, and I use it in a $120 Meikon housing. Properly programming all the buttons and Fn menu will get you pretty much all the useability and quick access. Only thing you're missing is the back dial but it's a very rare isntance when I find I'm missing that functionality and I'm happier with the $800 I save over Nauticam

The reason I would avoid any RX100 over model II is there's no difference in image quality whatsoever. You can see for yourself by comparing DPreview image tests:
Image comparison: Digital Photography Review

Chose all the Rx100 models you want and see for yourself.

Second, the focal range of the III and higher models means you have to buy larger, heavier much more expensive wide angle wet lenses, like Nauticam WWL-1, because normal ones like INON etc... will vignette at the widest zoom. You will also lose the benefit of macro magnification at the zoom end, so you'll need stronger (therefore heavier, expensive) diopeters.

In the end the II model has all you need, 24p video and fast flash recycle time (under 4.5sec)....any other "improvements" are totally useless under water. The 4K video is pointless with anything but Pro-grade camera equipment, since you're limited by in-camera compression and relatively low image quality of the lens+sensor.

My setup is Rx100 II, INON UWL-h100, Saga +5 / +20 and two YS-d2 strobes. I use Meikon housing which works just fine and doesn't cost a fortune. The money you save can spend on better wet lenses and more diving

 

[Boaty McBoatface]

As bintang_shrimp said, the model II is a solid, affordable option, and the zoom range goes to 100mm equivalent instead of just 70. I would add that the battery life is a little better, too, but any of them last a dive or two, depending on how you use them.

There are good reasons to buy a new model, however. One is the lens -- it's shorter, yes, but it's also brighter. Also, the dynamic range/low light performance is a little better in the newer sensors. The difference is not large, but every bit helps. Boot times, cycle times, and AF are somewhat better. The better video on the later model is a big thing to some people and not to others. Auto ISO Minimum Shutter Speed arrived with model IV -- to me, that's worth the entire price of the upgrade to model IV (and it's even more valuable to me below water than above), but you may feel differently.

bintang_shrimp wrote, "you have to buy larger, heavier much more expensive wide angle wet lenses, like Nauticam WWL-1, because normal ones like INON etc... will vignette at the widest zoom."

Incorrect. You just have to buy the right Inon, made for the corresponding Sony. They cost the same, and you also get to take advantage of the wider 24mm field of view that you get on the wide end (vs 28mm on the models I and II) instead of 100mm on the long end. Diopter price differences aren't material.

There are other improvements, too, but I agree with bintang_shrimp that those mostly benefit the above water photographer who needs/wants/uses advanced features -- these are prosumer cameras, not just point and shoot models. If you intend to use the camera on land, too, these other features may matter.

The model II is a good choice if you strongly prioritize macro or cost, but in my opinion there are also good reasons to pick a newer model.

 

[bintang_shrimp]

"Incorrect. You just have to buy the right Inon, made for the corresponding Sony."

Can you please let me know which model that is? I'm kind of curious now, didn't know they have a newer wide lens. I just looked at their lineup and don't see anything that hasn't been around for 5+ years, so it's all geared towards compacts with minimum effective focal length of 28+ mm.
INON Attachment Lens [Lineup]

(btw I know their compatibility tables say the lenses work with M3-M5 models, but any -28 series wide angle wouldn't work with M5 at wide angle end of the zoom without heavy vignette) I even get minor vignetting at 28mm with my UWL-H100 on M2

They would vignette on RX100 4/5 and require zooming in to 28mm which negates much of the wide angle view.

Btw, my general view of cameras is you buy the cheapest tool to do the job properly. I get the feeling with many Sony cameras of late, they cram them with features which are akin to putting $500 racing tires on a minivan. $1000 for a compact is overkill because you can just step up to M4/3 for that price, or heck...I even got a Canon 6D body for that price and enjoy much nicer above water IQ

 

[YCW]

Btw, my general view of cameras is you buy the cheapest tool to do the job properly. I get the feeling with many Sony cameras of late, they cram them with features which are akin to putting $500 racing tires on a minivan. $1000 for a compact is overkill because you can just step up to M4/3 for that price, or heck...I even got a Canon 6D body for that price and enjoy much nicer above water IQ

I agreed with that totally. That's why I also opted for a RX100 mark II when I upgraded from a Canon G10 at the end of last year, even though mark IV and V were already available in the market.

With the technology moving so fast, we are bombarded with one new model after another within a much shorter time span. Many of the so-called new models are merely some small changes with added features that most of us will never use anyway.

To me the most important thing is the sensor. If a new model is still using the same sensor as the predecessor, there is a great chance I will stick with the old model.

On sensors I value the high ISO performance more than anything else. It was frustrating with my old Canon G10 when I couldn't go beyond ISO400 without the noise being too apparent to my liking. With RX100 II I can confidently shoot up to ISO3200. That is quite an improvement (new sensors keep improving in that department). To me if a new model has a new sensor with substantially better performance on ISO, I will definitely take a harder look even though the camera is a lot pricier.

The second thing I will look for is the lens. For P & S camera we are stuck with whatever is on the camera. With a Zeiss lens on RX100 series, you can't go wrong with any of the models.

Other things that I look for are focusing speed and low light focusing performance (can be compensated by adding a focus light I guess). Since I shoot very little video, the video feature is not that important to me. The megapixel number is one of the concern for many photographers. To me any camera with 10 megapixel or so is already good enough. Some may argue that with more megapixel we can crop more and maintain the sharpness. Personally I do not crop that much so that's not a problem to me.

Lastly I think if you are looking to buy an older model camera, make sure you can find a housing as well. Being an old model there may not be much choices available in the market.

At the end of the day we just need to find the balance. Knowing what we want and be honest to ourselves, then making a choice will be a lot easier.