Backscatter best 2013 compact and mirrorless

[Interceptor121]

Underwater Camera Articles: Best Underwater Compact Cameras for 2013

Maybe I disagree on few points regardless it is an interesting read

 

[Hetland]

Looks exactly like the 2012 version to me.

I'm in the market for an upgrade to my beloved G11, but I'm mostly underwhelmed with the current crop.

The Sony's are too expensive, or, their trade-offs are too steep. Most of the stuff I see shot with the Sony compact is too soft, and the NEX cams are just ridiculously-expensive, better off going SLR maybe.

Canon has a great compact for macro (G15) and a great camera for wide (S110), but the battery is too weak on the S, and the wide on the G is disappointing, despite my initial excitement at hearing about the new INON lens that compensated for it's weird zoom range. I'd maybe settle for the S if it had decent battery life.

The EM-5 looks pretty sweet, perhaps a bit larger than I'd like, but closer to reasonable price-wise, and performance looks acceptable across the board. I'm spoild for those compacts though.

The LX7 seems to be the front-runner. Good, fast glass, close focus, reasonable zoom, good battery, reasonable cost, even with the Nauticam housing, but I'd like to see more actual wide shots and some video. Backscatter seems to poo-poo the system though, especially on those two points..........

 

[Interceptor121]

The LX7 seems to be the front-runner. Good, fast glass, close focus, reasonable zoom, good battery, reasonable cost, even with the Nauticam housing, but I'd like to see more actual wide shots and some video. Backscatter seems to poo-poo the system though, especially on those two points..........

Backscatter have tested the original Nauticam housing that had an issue with the port being too long and essentially any wide lens vignetting. This is now resolved there is a new shorter port and the LX7 does not vignette with the Inon UWL-H100 at 28mm. Can't comment on the fisheye lenses as I don't have the dome for the UWL and have no access to a fix UWL lens, but the vignette with any lens issue is resolved
The aperture dial is a matter of preference for me having it fixed is better as in reality you are not changing settings every time the camera has two custom memory modes to help

One thing that worries me is the white balance I wonder where is this coming from. Have not tested it in water however on land color accuracy is good so am not sure what the issue is there but I will soon find out. I have had the RX100 and I still have an S95 so I believe I know what those cameras can or not do. I agree the RX100 is the best for stills but required diopters as a start and on a single strobe you need either a sea and sea YS-D1 or an Inon Z240 less powerful strobes will produce poor results as you need f8 to shoot wide with this camera
The S100 is a good camera but the battery sucks I will not upgrade the S95 until something really different comes up. The S100 barely does 2 dives with a full battery

 

[Hetland]

I usually shoot in green, turbid water, or crystal-clear spring water with zero ambient light, so I hardly ever find a use for video wb, and do corrections with software when necessary, but it's still a concern, and I do want something with a decent auto WB for video. Glad to hear about the corrected port length though. I guess I'll sit on the fence a bit longer and see real-life results form the current crop of cameras before pulling the trigger.

-ap

 

[Nemrod]

Backscatter have tested the original Nauticam housing that had an issue with the port being too long and essentially any wide lens vignetting. This is now resolved there is a new shorter port and the LX7 does not vignette with the Inon UWL-H100 at 28mm. Can't comment on the fisheye lenses as I don't have the dome for the UWL and have no access to a fix UWL lens, but the vignette with any lens issue is resolved
The aperture dial is a matter of preference for me having it fixed is better as in reality you are not changing settings every time the camera has two custom memory modes to help

One thing that worries me is the white balance I wonder where is this coming from. Have not tested it in water however on land color accuracy is good so am not sure what the issue is there but I will soon find out. I have had the RX100 and I still have an S95 so I believe I know what those cameras can or not do. I agree the RX100 is the best for stills but required diopters as a start and on a single strobe you need either a sea and sea YS-D1 or an Inon Z240 less powerful strobes will produce poor results as you need f8 to shoot wide with this camera
The S100 is a good camera but the battery sucks I will not upgrade the S95 until something really different comes up. The S100 barely does 2 dives with a full battery

Can you further explain the f8 limitation reference as it could save a friend of mine some costly mistakes.

N

 

[Interceptor121]

Can you further explain the f8 limitation reference as it could save a friend of mine some costly mistakes.

N

I compared the RX100 to a Canon S95 for close focuse wide angle. With the Canon S95 and an Inon UFL165AD step zoomed to 35mm at f/5.6 I would get everything in focus in the background like a diver or a boat 15 meters away.
With the RX100 and the same situation I needed to shoot at f/8 so that the background would be in focus and not blurred
Of course this is with this specific lens and a lens like the fix uwl28 designed for 28mm would do better however I estimate that with that lens you are probably looking at 1 f/stop less and considering the RX100 has incredibly soft corners I would take no risks and shoot at f/8 at least
So while with my S95 a Sea and Sea YS-01 does just fine as I shoot at f/5.6 for the RX100 this is definitely weak.
This if of course best case scenario with a lens with 0.4x magnification, if you shoot with a flat wide angle lens you need to step back at two feet or more or the background will be blurred no matter what

So in short I would not go all the way to get an RX100 and then save on a strobe, I would get a powerful strobe so that I can use small f-numbers. I also do not consider true the nominal power of the strobes and when it says guide number 20 I take 20% off.

So on this basis for the Rx100 shoot at f/8 and want to illuminate 1 meter at ISO 100 you need GN 8 in water this becomes >24
With the S95 shooting at f/5.6 same condition I need 16 --> Sea and Sea YS-01 is great don't need more

So if you want a larger sensor camera you need to deal with less depth of field and spend $$ on strobes and fisheye lenses if you want good CFWA

 

[Nemrod]

I compared the RX100 to a Canon S95 for close focuse wide angle. With the Canon S95 and an Inon UFL165AD step zoomed to 35mm at f/5.6 I would get everything in focus in the background like a diver or a boat 15 meters away.
With the RX100 and the same situation I needed to shoot at f/8 so that the background would be in focus and not blurred
Of course this is with this specific lens and a lens like the fix uwl28 designed for 28mm would do better however I estimate that with that lens you are probably looking at 1 f/stop less and considering the RX100 has incredibly soft corners I would take no risks and shoot at f/8 at least
So while with my S95 a Sea and Sea YS-01 does just fine as I shoot at f/5.6 for the RX100 this is definitely weak.
This if of course best case scenario with a lens with 0.4x magnification, if you shoot with a flat wide angle lens you need to step back at two feet or more or the background will be blurred no matter what

So in short I would not go all the way to get an RX100 and then save on a strobe, I would get a powerful strobe so that I can use small f-numbers. I also do not consider true the nominal power of the strobes and when it says guide number 20 I take 20% off.

So on this basis for the Rx100 shoot at f/8 and want to illuminate 1 meter at ISO 100 you need GN 8 in water this becomes >24
With the S95 shooting at f/5.6 same condition I need 16 --> Sea and Sea YS-01 is great don't need more

So if you want a larger sensor camera you need to deal with less depth of field and spend $$ on strobes and fisheye lenses if you want good CFWA

Since I have not used this camera with a Inon lenses or either of my two Fisheye lenses I cannot argue. It is, however, unusual for a fisheye lens not to be in focus from the dome to nearly infinity regardless so I suspect there is something else going on. My friend shoots two Z240s, I have two D2000 strobes, f8 is not a problem. But, until these cameras have a full range of f stops all the way through at least f 16 and an instant shutter I will stay with my S90. I figure two more generations will get there or something else .

N

 

[Interceptor121]

I think the fact that the camera has a large sensor and fixed lens creates issues of sharpness in the corners and those go away only when you close
With the S95 I have some good ambient light shots at f/2.5 with the RX100 even at close range I have blurry corners at the same aperture
Now I am nearly a maniac when it comes to detail however I check other people picture with other lenses and the situation is the same
However once you have two +6 diopters a fisheye and a powerful strobe the shots are impressive
The camera is much less forgiving than a canon S series you need to put thought into each shot

 

[lenscraft]

Canon has a great compact for macro (G15) and a great camera for wide (S110), but the battery is too weak on the S, and the wide on the G is disappointing, despite my initial excitement at hearing about the new INON lens that compensated for it's weird zoom range.

What weird zoom range? What INON lens?