GoPro vs Compact Advice

[samcohenpty]

I'm torn about making a decision right now. Not taking budget into consideration, what would you say is a better option:

GoPro 3+ Black +
Backscatter Flip3.1 +
Ultralight tray and arms system +
2 x ITorch Pro6

or

Sony RX100 +
Nauticam RX100 housing +
WA110 Wide Angle Lens

Which would you say will get me better images or video and a better future investment?

Thanks.

 

[Interceptor121]

The second and spend money on a Inon lens with bayonet instead of the epoque
Also try to get a mark II not I

 

[diversteve]

If by images you mean photos definitely the RX100. The GoPro has a fixed focus, 170^o wide angle lens. And no zoom. It also won't drive a strobe since it's primarily an action cam.

 

[samcohenpty]

The second and spend money on a Inon lens with bayonet instead of the epoque
Also try to get a mark II not I

Do you mean the Inon S100 ZM80 lens?

 

[Interceptor121]

No same lens with LD mount

 

[Ran Mozaik]

Hey Sam,

These are two quite different systems.
Using GoPro for stills is OK, but not more than that. You can't really get amazing still shots with a GoPro, mainly because of its small, fixed lens and inability to use a strobe.
The RX-100 series is amazing for still images, and very good for videos as well, so in all it is a better system for sure.
If you get the RX-100, consider getting a strobe and a video light so you can enjoy both worlds. Perhaps add another strobe / another video light in the future but one of each is enough to get you started. In the future you can add just the GoPro itself to take videos while shooting stills and position it on the RX-100 cold shoe.
There are many possible upgrades and uses for the RX-100 while the GoPro is mainly shooting the same types of videos every time.
Strobes are possibly the most important element in underwater photography so you don't want to miss out on those. (Read about it here)

 

[doctormike]

Totally agree about strobes. If you want to do still images (and budget is no object, since there is a big cost difference between the two systems), then the GoPro isn't for you.

The GoPro can occasionally take a halfway decent underwater shot, but only if you are shallow and have good ambient light on the subject, especially if you want to illuminate a diver's face.






On the other hand, above water it is actually a pretty good still camera on a sunny day: