Canon G1 X

[jbg]

I was wondering if people who has the Canon G1 X could give me their views/comments on it.

I am thinking to buy the camera with and Ikelite housing. I have so far been using a Panasonic DMC-TZ10 together with Ikelite housing and results has been quiet good, but would like it to take a step further but i don't want a DSLR as to big for me underwater.

Looking at Canon G1 X it has the features i want libut reading the earlier forum about G1 X people mentioning the Macro part as not very good and now i got second thoughts.

Please let me have your comments on the Canon G1 X

Thank you very much

Brgds
Jesper from Denmark

 

[Interceptor121]

My comments on the Canon G1X: buy a Panasonic or an Olympus

 

[azscubadude]

I was wondering if people who has the Canon G1 X could give me their views/comments on it.

I am thinking to buy the camera with and Ikelite housing. I have so far been using a Panasonic DMC-TZ10 together with Ikelite housing and results has been quiet good, but would like it to take a step further but i don't want a DSLR as to big for me underwater.

Looking at Canon G1 X it has the features i want libut reading the earlier forum about G1 X people mentioning the Macro part as not very good and now i got second thoughts.

Please let me have your comments on the Canon G1 X

Thank you very much

Brgds
Jesper from Denmark

Although I don't own one I do own half a dozen other Canon cameras (I'm a professional wildlife photographer). I did extensive research on the G1X to replace my pristine G-12 in an Ikelite housing. The G-12 is a fabulous underwater camera. Macro down to 1/2 inch. Video is 720p but unless you are doing professional video 720 will be all you need.

Here are photos from the G-12 (and video).. Cozumel-March-2011 - Prescott Outdoors' Photos | SmugMug

Now, back to the G1X. I really really wanted to purchase one but after doing my research what I ended up thinking is that the G1X is a fabulous camera on land but not much for underwater. If it was as popular as the G-12 (or all past G-series cameras) the internet would be flooded with photos and video. I don't see that many posted anywhere.

It is an expensive camera. It is a heavy camera (compared to the other G-series). The detail (on land) from the photos is phenomenal but it is also slow to focus on land. There is a huge space between normal settings and macro. You end up with a space out to about 4 feet that marginal for focus because the macro is lacking and normal range doesn't kick in until you reach about 3 plus feet, so you will be constantly switching back and forth from macro to normal mode.

I'm not saying it wouldn't work for you but why invest in a (minimum) $1,500.00 camera and housing only to be disappointed. If you just want it for land use, go for it. If you are a serious UW photog.. not so good.

The G1X does have beautiful features, I played with one (a friend had it) on my last dive trip. He had already decided the same thing so he used his older setup for UW and the G1X as a walk around camera.

I am going to wait for the 2nd generation and hopefully they will do a better job on the macro end.

One telling thing.. Normally when a new camera is introduced Canon will take the older one off the market. They didn't do this with the G1X as they still promote and sell the G-12. In my opinion this tells me they might not be as confident in the G1X (and the almost double price) and don't want to kill the older model.

All just my opinion.. Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

[jbg]

Dear Chris

First of all, some very nice pictures from Cozumel you have taken.

And thank you very much for your comments on the G1 X. Basis your comments i dont wanna take the chance buying the G1 X. Will be looking for something different, but think i might wait for 2nd generation if that comes with picture/macro quality as the G12 and full HD as you write.

Brgds Jesper

 

[Interceptor121]

Canon is 3 years late with micro four third
Last year they developed the Digic V processor their first compact CMOS and the S100 is a great little camera however they do not have the autofocus logic for mirrorless camera
Maybe in two years they will get there for now micro four third is business of someone else when it comes to underwater cameras. Personally I am not even a fan of MFT for underwater use

 

[P Stickman]

I was excited about the g1x before it came out. when i got my hands on it i realized it would not make a great uw camera. the problem is the zoom mechanism. When the camer is in full zoom, the lense barrel is really long (meaning a housing will need a long barrel). however, when on wide angle (which is where we usually shoot) the barrel is at its shortest. this unfortunate combination means lots of vignetting at wide angle.

 

[Wossa]

I own a Canon G1 X and I have dived with it quite a lot, a couple of times in the Maldives and on a recent trip to Galapagos. I will be upfront, I am by know means a serious photographer, I understand very little about photography so my view of the G1 X will probably mean very little to you and your decision, but will share my thoughts.

Before I purchased the G1 X I used a Canon S90, loved it, great little camera for my needs, I then got a wide angle wet lense and a macro lens and it was, and still is great for my needs and I still take the S90 on all dive trips.

Bored, surfing on-line one night, I decided to upgrade to the G1 X, drawn into this large sensor, and I was swept away with all the Canon sales patter and of course not really knowing what I was reading about, I thought it was the next obvious step to upgrade too and took the plunge.

At first I hated it, I found the AF slow, it seemed to take a long time to focus on anything moving, and the macro, just forget about it, there are no macro capabilities. I have since taken advice from this forum and also from other forums where members have been very kind to share advice and tips and I changed a few settings and it has helped in regards to the slowness of the AF, only slightly, but every little helps.

I now quite like using it, the image quality is really nice when you get everything set correctly and it produces really nice pictures....

Here are a link to the diving pictures I have taken with it....( I know these are mostly crap because I am a novice and not pretending to be anything other than that ).....but I know there are not many examples of underwater G1 X around. Hope this is of some help.

Galapagos G1 X photos;
www.warrenssite.com/Galapagos/Galapagos/17943285_qPTFzs#!i=1924655437&k=zp2fVxS

Maldives G1 X photos;
www.warrenssite.com/Maldives/Maldives-2012/22254057_J4GnHN#!i=1783418074&k=69g5D38

 

[dhaas]

Amigos,

I agree with Wossa's assessment you need to USE the camera and experiment.

But once you figure out what works the pics can be great

I just posted some images from last week's Bonaire trip in the general UW photo thread list.

Check 'em out

David Haas
wwwhaasimages.com

 

[nealbruton]

As an enthusiastic amateur I've been using the G1X for underwater photography since May this year and agree with Wossa's assessment. When you get it right the G1z produces photographs with stunning resolution and colour and provides great images for post dive editing BUT the macro is appalling, (non-existant!!), and very frustrating. On video the same goes, If evething is right, including visibility etc, one can get great video but when conditions slightly off the camera really battles dealing with high contrast scenes and inevitably tends to overexpose videos - again very frustrating and I've tried everything. Also you cannot rush this camera underwater for stills or videos. Geat camera but a mistake to buy it for underwater photography. I'm currently looking seriously at the Sony RX100 - any comments or suggestions?