Raja Ampat photos with my new Sony RX 100 II

[YCW]

I have decided to upgrade my camera to Sony RX100 II from my old Canon G10 for this trip. Before I made the purchase I have read and got lots of information from this board. Finally settled in getting a Sony RX100 II mainly from reading the detail blog by Interceptor121 (thanks). This is also the first time I shoot wide angle with a dome unit. In my opinion the camera is as good as advertised. The focus is fast and sharp even in low light conditions (I hardly have to turn on my focus light). Overall a good investment I think. Thought I would share some of the photos here.

BTW, Raja Ampat is awesome!

My set up:
Camera: Sony RX100 II
Housing: Aquapazza (used)
Strobes: Two Inon D-2000
Wet lens: Inon UWL-H100 28LD + dome unit (bayonet mount is the way to go)

 

[lbussell]

Wow, we've got some cool things in common! I also have a Sony RX100 ii, and I'll be going to Raja Ampat on a live aboard next March.

I do have some white balance issues with this camera. I seem to always get error messages when I try to set the white balance underwater. I don't have this problem out of the water, though.

What company did you dive with?

 

[ggibson]

Very nice!

So I guess you have the optional LD port for the Acquapazza housing? I have thought of getting that for my own RX100 II housing. Worth it?

 

[lbussell]

Actually, I've got a Recsea housing. I am planning on taking mostly videos, but your beautiful stills inspire me! I wonder if I can use my very dive lights for some nice stills. I will be traveling quite far to Indonesia and I'd rather not bring even more weight in my luggage.

 

[lwang06]

I think your photos are great, I'm a beginner and have an rx100ii and my next purchase would be strobes, any particular reason you went with the d-2000. Most people I read have the ys-02 or the z240s, so I'm just trying to find pros and cons etc

 

[YCW]

Wow, we've got some cool things in common! I also have a Sony RX100 ii, and I'll be going to Raja Ampat on a live aboard next March.

I do have some white balance issues with this camera. I seem to always get error messages when I try to set the white balance underwater. I don't have this problem out of the water, though.

What company did you dive with?

I dived with Blue Dragon. Raja Ampat is amazing. The best dive trip of my life.

Since I used strobes, I just use AWB.

 

[YCW]

Very nice!

So I guess you have the optional LD port for the Acquapazza housing? I have thought of getting that for my own RX100 II housing. Worth it?

My Acquapazza housing was used with the thread port so I didn't bother to get a new port. So I just buy a 67mm to LD adaptor. Threaded mount is quite difficult underwater.

Acquapazza housing in my opinion is really well built, lighter than most aluminum housing. It is a Japanese brand and a real beauty. Well worth the investment.

 

[lbussell]

Thanks for the vote of confidence about Raja Ampat. By the way your photos are AMAZING!

 

[YCW]

Actually, I've got a Recsea housing. I am planning on taking mostly videos, but your beautiful stills inspire me! I wonder if I can use my very dive lights for some nice stills. I will be traveling quite far to Indonesia and I'd rather not bring even more weight in my luggage.

I think dive lights are fine for macros, if you have a more spread out type of light instead of those that has a hot spot. Personally I have not tried that on stills. However I did have a 1000 lumin wide beam light, that I use for the first time for on this trip, for a close up video of a rhinopias.


Judge for yourself to see if this is fine. Normal standard dive light would not have any effect on anything other than macro shots I think.

 

[lbussell]

My new lights are i-Torch Fishlite V25 (2800 lumen). And, yes, the beam is flood, not spot. I'm already taking too much stuff, so no more lights for this coming trip. Maybe I can trade some of my vids for some stills with another diver! Your rinopias clip is really cool.