G10 or DX-2G or DX-1G

[Crinoid]

I am looking at getting a new system and want ease of use and good quality photos. After basic research I am looking at the G10, Ikelite Housing, Ikelite DS-51 TTL strobe or a Sea & Sea DX-2G or DX-1-G package with the Ys-110a strobe or Ys-27 strobe. Your Advice Would be Greatly Appreciated! Overall is one setup better over the other? I know you get true TTL with the Ikelite setup vs. Simulated TTL with the Sea & Sea?

 

[FrankPro1]

The G10 will write RAW files quicker and has the option of TTL when using the Ikelite housing. Beyond that they are very similar cameras. The 2G might correct the problem the 1G had with slow RAW writing, but I don't know. The 1G and 2G both have bayonet mounts on their housings for external wet lenses, while the G10 doesn't. The G10 Ikelite does have a "sort a" wide angle lens but other direct mount wet lenses are few. A go around for that is by using a Reefnet Subsee adapter to fit any wet lens of your choosing to the Ike housing. Both are great systems. I was in the same dilemma and in the end went with the G10/Ikelite system.

 

[scottfiji]

Frank made some good comments..

the G10 is considered a better topside camera than the Ricoh.

I believe the S&S setup will do TTL in manual mode, where the G10 setup definitely will not. the G10/Ike setup will not do what I would consider wide-angle, but you can get a wide-angle lens for the S&S setup.

good luck!
Scott

 

[Splash-X]

I would strongly suggest NOT getting a DX-1G. I currently own one and am very disappointned. If you use the built in Sea & Sea mode for underwater use the only format you can write in is RAW and there is roughly a 10 second write delay before you can take another picture. This delay is also present in Manual mode when writing in RAW format.


The specs on the DX-G2 say they built in a 5 picture memory buffer so you wont have the delay like the 1X did but I haven't seen a 2X to comment on that.

I myself am looking to get out of my DX-1G and in to possibly a Canon G10.

 

[mikemill]

I have the DX-1G and am quite happy with it. Splash-x is wrong about the SS mode being raw only. The options are: RAW, RAW 3:2, JPEG Fine 3648, JPEG Nice 3648, Fine 3:2, Nice 3:2, Fine 1:1, Nice 3264, Nice 2592, Nice 2048, Nice 1280, and Nice 640.

There is a noticeable delay when writing RAW files for sure. The 1G only has a buffer large enough for 1 RAW image. The 2G is spec'd to have a buffer for 5 RAW images.

The 2G looks to be the next step from the 1G as it doesn't have really anything new just improvements.

The 1G has an excellent battery life, has pretty easy to understand controls, and takes some very nice pictures.

The only bad thing I have to say about it is that a few months after getting mine I've got some hot pixels showing up in RAW. I've already talked to my LDS and they told me to bring it in so I'll see what happens.

I really enjoy having the wet mount wide angle. I've been on a few dives where I went down thinking macro and saw something that I wanted to get as a WA.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I've been very happy with my DX-1G. The U/W images from Wreckreational Diving - First Dives At Anacapa Island are OK for a point and shoot. I tend to shoot in manual mode most of the time, avoiding the Sea&Sea mode. The delay in RAW processing doesn't bother me, as I usually shoot nudis or slow moving/stationary subjects. I'm never in a hurry to get off a lot of shots.

 

[gustele]

I agree with Mikemill and Maxbottomtime. The DX-1G is a very good camera. The setting for RAW or JPG is independent of the setting of Sea-mode. In my opinion it doesn't make sense to shoot RAW in Sea-mode because RAW means that the unprocessed image will be stored; just the JPG-copy will be processed for the white balance in Sea-mode.
The delay in writing the RAW-file depends also on the speed of the memory card. I timed mine and measured a delay of 4 - 5 seconds. That never bothered me.
It took me several months before I learned working sufficiently with this camera to appreciate it. Now I am always shooting RAW in manual mode with a TTL-strobe. For pictures check the websites in my signature or my picasa-website.

 

[Crinoid]

Great photos with the Dx-1G. What strobe did you shoot the photos with?

 

[gustele]

I use the Sea&Sea YS-110 (the original one) in TTL-mode and the flash-output on full. Most of the time I am shooting with F/5.7 and 1/125sec (ISO 80); the opening goes to about F/10 by zooming in fully and for macro I tend to adjust it to F/14.1 for more depth of field.

 

[Splash-X]

I stand corrected about the features of the camera. There is no way to go back and edit my comments to remove them so they will stay.

While the S&S DX series may take good pictures I havent had the luck of that yet. When using it side by side with my Canon a650 I get much better results with the Canon. Though that may not help you in your decision making I am just sharing my experience.