Anyone gone from an APSC/Advanced Compact to a Point and Shoot?

[cleomagic]

Not OP but I suspect that he wants something compact and not leen on risking his topside unit.

Exactly - not looking to house my surface camera

 

[scubadada]

I have no experience with the TG6, but consider the Canon FX7-III. Compact point&shoot, 1" sensor, RAW, fully manual, quality housings available (I recommend the Fantasea with vacuum check).

Native macro might not be as great as the TG6, but external (wet) 67mm macro & wide-angle lenses are easily available for the housing.

Some shots with the FX-II:
Cozumel Dec 2023

G7X?

 

[cleomagic]

I have no experience with the TG6, but consider the Canon FX7-III. Compact point&shoot, 1" sensor, RAW, fully manual, quality housings available (I recommend the Fantasea with vacuum check).

Native macro might not be as great as the TG6, but external (wet) 67mm macro & wide-angle lenses are easily available for the housing.

Some shots with the FX-II:
Cozumel Dec 2023

I am currently diving with a Sony RX 100 in a Nauticam housing. I am not happy with the macro shots I am getting even with a sea&sea +10 diopter. Working range is very limited. I have had this camera for 10 years, and trying to decide if i could make thr TG-6/7 work or will the lack of manual control drive me nuts.... I do everything in manual mode, above and below the surface.

 

[David Haas]

My quick summary of compacts:

Olympus TG6 /7 - Macro and microscope mode for macro is great even with the small sensor and basically two f-stop choices. Certain strobes like AOI Q1 RC and Backscatter MF-2 can do RC controlled flash which is super accurate automatically. Can capture decent WA shots in good light. Easy set up with several videos out there help minimize menu confusion.

Sony RX100 V, VA, even VI / VII - 20 megapixel 1" sensor with great autofocus, all TTL flash (no manual flash choice to conserve battery power) but most small strobes pair well for very good flash control. Macro challenging even with diopters but good wide angle lens options make this choice a good one. Menus can be "challenging" but larger 1" sensor than Olympus TG-6-7 makes for better wide angle and medium fish shots in sharpness. Most models have great 4K video too.

Canon G7X (original if shooting JPEG as first G7X had really slow RAW processing improved on G7X II and III.) All original G7X, G7X II and G7X III have a 20 megapixel 1" sensor and fast 24-100mm f 1.8 - 2.8 lens producing nice images in macro, fish and wide angle. Some folks complain AF (autofocus) being contrast versus Sony's dual pixel AF is a little slower. In real world shooting it's not as big a deal as some make it out to be. Flash control choice of AUTO (TTL) which pairs great with any S-TTL (Slave TTL automatic flash) plus can do manual flash at low power to conserve battery if one chooses to set flash units manually. Easiest menus to learn and use. Also has best white balance for ambient light shooting color balance. Most housings have 67mm threads for adding SUPER macro lenses or a variety of wide angle options from low cost to expensive depending on housing.

I am biased as a lazy traveling warm water diver. I sold all my remaining SLR gear in 2016 and switched to compact shooting since then.

Recently I even leave behind tray, arms, etc. and only shoot one strobe (currently Inon S220) mounted on my Fantasea housing's cold shoe. Coverage is fine for me and set up and diving with a small rig is a breeze but that's my taste after diving 55 years.

As I frequently comment shoot whatever you want but I advise folks don't go with too much. Especially early on or even if wanting to downsize which I do recommend........

You can make great photos with a lot less gear these days

David Haas

 

[David Haas]

A few more from Raja Ampat Indonesia - November 2023

 

[David Haas]

 

[David Haas]

Last batch and my simple set up I used for all these pics

I also added a photo of my Fantasea "Air Lens" angling the one strobe up a bit works fine and even bounces backscatter away from the port / lens a bit.

I'm actually looking at this Inon YS Extension Bar that would raise my strobe just a teensy bit more without making the set up any bulkier: Inon - Rotatable YS Extension Bar

If I get one before leaving for Maldives 1/31 will give it a try and report back

 

[cleomagic]

My quick summary of compacts:

Olympus TG6 /7 - Macro and microscope mode for macro is great even with the small sensor and basically two f-stop choices. Certain strobes like AOI Q1 RC and Backscatter MF-2 can do RC controlled flash which is super accurate automatically. Can capture decent WA shots in good light. Easy set up with several videos out there help minimize menu confusion.

Sony RX100 V, VA, even VI / VII - 20 megapixel 1" sensor with great autofocus, all TTL flash (no manual flash choice to conserve battery power) but most small strobes pair well for very good flash control. Macro challenging even with diopters but good wide angle lens options make this choice a good one. Menus can be "challenging" but larger 1" sensor than Olympus TG-6-7 makes for better wide angle and medium fish shots in sharpness. Most models have great 4K video too.

Canon G7X (original if shooting JPEG as first G7X had really slow RAW processing improved on G7X II and III.) All original G7X, G7X II and G7X III have a 20 megapixel 1" sensor and fast 24-100mm f 1.8 - 2.8 lens and 1" producing nice images in macro, fish and wide angle. Some folks complain AF (autofocus) being contrast versus Sony's dual pixel AF is a little slower but in practice not as big a deal as some make it out to be. Flash control choice of AUTO (TTL) which pairs great with any S-TTL (Slave TTL automatic flash) plus can do manual flash at low power to conserve battery if one chooses to set flash units manually. Easiest menus to learn and use. Also has best white balance for ambient light shooting color balance. Most housings have 67mm threads for adding SUPER macro lenses or a variety of wide angle options from low cost to expensive depending on housing.

I am biased as a lazy traveling warm water diver. I sold all my remaining SLR gear in 2016 and switched to compact shooting only since then. Recently I even leave behind tray, arms, etc. and only shoot one strobe (currently Inon S220) mounted on my Fantasea housing's cold shoe. Coverage is fine for me and set up and diving with a small rig is a breeze, but that's my taste after diving 55 years.

As I frequently comment shoot whatever you want but I advise folks don't go with too much especially early on or even if wanting to downsize.

You can make great photos with a lot less gear these days

David Haas

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So, what are you diving with these days? Is this the TG-6?

 

[David Haas]

Settled on the Canon G7X II, Fantasea housing and Inon S220 strobe. Canon menus are more understandable to me as I shot Canon DSLRs for many years.

 

[cleomagic]

Settled on the Canon G7X II, Fantasea housing and Inon S220 strobe. Canon menus are more understandable to me as I shot Canon DSLRs for many years.


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Nice shots!

After reading everyones input and feedback, I am leaning towards keeping my setup - Sony RX100, Nauticam housing, YS D2J strobes. Even though it is the original RX100 (Mark I?), it is still going strong.