New to underwater photography, I'm lost! (Sony RX100 / A6500)

[PatW]

Underwater photography is not cheap.

I have used the Ikelite housing. It is a nice affordable housing. I have also used and currently use a Nauticam housing. The Nauticam housing is made out of aluminum and is designed for each and every camera which makes it expensive. Not that many housings are sold so all of the machining and development costs have to be put to a limited number of housings. The difference between the Ikelite and the Nauticam housing is that the Ikelite functions. The Nauticam housing has much better placement of the controls and the controls give you very precise control of the camera. It is a really big difference. Another advantage of the Nauticam housing is that you can have a vacuum lock system on it. A big problem in underwater photography is that sometimes you do not get a good seal when you close your housing. Water gets into the housing and there goes your camera. THAT IS NOT FUN. I got a vacuum seal system on my latest housing. I use the pump to get the seal (when the light goes from blue to green I am good to go. If it loses the seal, it goes from yellow (caution) to red (bad news)). When I have gotten a seal, I have never ever lost one. These things make floods go from being a fact of life to just not happening.

Another thing, you want to be able to shoot RAW. In RAW format, you do not have to worry about constantly shifting white balance while taking a photo, focusing, lining up your shot, keeping an eye out for the other divers, trying not to collide with the reef, checking your depth, air, and deco.... you get the idea. It is easy to get task loaded and white balance is something that you can handle in post processing.

A second thing, is you want to be able to shoot in manual mode with strobes. And with strobes, it is best to have 2. That way you have much more even light on your subject.

I would advise you to look at the web sites of Reef Photo and Video, Backscatter or Bluewater Photo. They have sample systems that one can buy. They have used housings. They have articles. If you can, go to one of these shops in person. You can handle the gear. You can get expert advice. I live in Florida so I do 90% of my work with Reef Photo.

By the way, something that really helps underwater photography is having very good buoyancy skills. A few inches one way or another can make a big difference.

Also as mentioned above, if you can, do some practice runs of photographing stuff underwater locally ... a pool, a pond anything so you get familiar with your system in real life.

Good luck to you.

 

[Hoag]

Incorrect, Sony introduced an entirely new sensor in A6300, which they reused (with, I believe, minor refinements) in A6500. Besides 4K video, this sensor improves (through larger individual pixels) low-light performance and has 425 (vs 179 on A6000) phase-detection AF points. A6300/A6500 also have (limited) weather sealing, a level gauge and a significantly improved EVF. A6500 adds IBIS and a touchscreen on top of that.

Thank you for correcting that. I thought that they were the same sensor but I do not want to give out bad information. BTW. I did mention IBIS in my post when I referred to "the A6500 has 5 axis in body stabilization and the A6000 does not".

 

[Barmaglot]

Unless you're pressed for time, I would suggest holding off until Meikon releases their interchangeable ports housing. It will be only a few dollars more expensive, but they're promising a viewfinder, paddle shutter, new latching mechanism, and of course the dry dome port option targeting the 10-18mm lens.

Regarding lights - I went with two Archon D36V LED lights for flexibility, but at the time, any strobe option was $400-500+, and I got both lights together (without batteries) for $469. They work well at short distances in daylight (half a meter or so), and they turn night into day after sundown, but in bright daylight, their light simply disappears anywhere beyond a meter or thereabouts. Since I bought them, however, Mcoplus/SeaFrogs ST-100 strobe came into the market, priced at less than $250 - if I were doing it again, I'd probably get one D36V and one ST-100.

 

[tursiops]

Unless you're pressed for time, I would suggest holding off until Meikon releases their interchangeable ports housing. It will be only a few dollars more expensive, but they're promising a viewfinder, paddle shutter, new latching mechanism, and of course the dry dome port option targeting the 10-18mm lens.

Regarding lights - I went with two Archon D36V LED lights for flexibility, but at the time, any strobe option was $400-500+, and I got both lights together (without batteries) for $469. They work well at short distances in daylight (half a meter or so), and they turn night into day after sundown, but in bright daylight, their light simply disappears anywhere beyond a meter or thereabouts. Since I bought them, however, Mcoplus/SeaFrogs ST-100 strobe came into the market, priced at less than $250 - if I were doing it again, I'd probably get one D36V and one ST-100.

I've yet to see any S-100 reviews. Do you know of any?

 

[Hoag]

I've yet to see any S-100 reviews. Do you know of any?

Here is one.

 

[tursiops]

Here is one.

I was looking for the Sea-Frogs strobe ST-100 reviews.

 

[Pyndle]

Unless you're pressed for time, I would suggest holding off until Meikon releases their interchangeable ports housing. It will be only a few dollars more expensive, but they're promising a viewfinder, paddle shutter, new latching mechanism, and of course the dry dome port option targeting the 10-18mm lens.

I haven't booked my tickets yet, but I want to leave soon. Maybe I will have to wait post x-mas so the flights get cheaper, but I don't want to leave later than mid-Jan. I don't think I'll have a chance to get this case, by the time they release it, then actually deliver it to my place (I'm in France), it's going to take ages

 

[Barmaglot]

I've yet to see any S-100 reviews. Do you know of any?

Me neither - there are a couple here under the feedback section, but they're kind of light on details. It appears to be a clone of Inon Z-240 though, which is a reputable strobe. Maybe the Chinese outfit bought Inon's production line for it when they switched from Z-240 to Z-330 - the timing is quite close.

I don't think I'll have a chance to get this case, by the time they release it, then actually deliver it to my place (I'm in France), it's going to take ages

They use DHL expedited shipping - mine arrived from Hong Kong to Israel in less than a week. IIRC I ordered it on a Friday and received on Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Again, thanks for all the messages guys. It's getting clearer and clearer for me.

The more I think about it the more I rule out the RX100 option. It will be heavier, don't want to have to deal with 3-5 spare batteries for each camera with possibly different chargers etc.

As for the A6000 vs A6500, I did consider it but I saw an offer for the A6500 for 800eur second hand (A6000 brand new is 500eur). There's a lense I really want that is not stabilized (Zeiss touit 12mm), hence the need for the A6500. And I like the fact that it's weather sealed (the touit 12mm isn't but other lenses are). 4K is just a nice to have but I wouldn't overpay for it. If I can't find a nice second hand A6500 then I'll buy a new A6000 (and a 10-18mm sony for landscapes, which has stabilization).

I'm going to do some more research about wet lenses to see which one I want for now (just the macro) and which one I might want in the future (wide angle + dome) to consider cases and compatibility. But I might just start with the meikon/seafrogs at $250 for now (and whatever macro lense I can find for it), and worst case I can always sell it and upgrade (my camera/trays/strobes will still be compatible with another housing). What convinced me is the fact that the case doesn't affect picture quality (unless I find out that the only macro lens working for the seafrogs is really awful), and that people seem to say that the ergonomic is not that bad (Barmaglot + a few reviews on the internet).

Same with the strobes. You guys definitely convinced me to get a strobe. Now I need to decide whether I take 2 strobes (and all my videos won't get lit up), 2 video lights that can do strobe as well, one strobe and one light, or just one strobe. I don't even own a "normal" dive light (i.e. not specifically designed for photography) for now...

And thanks for the wisdom words on pre-dive preparation. Definitely something to keep in mind. I've seen shops where the organization is terrible, the whole boat is just a mess, you dive guide rushes you. One day I was still on the boat and my guide was already at 7m waiting for me... (and I'm not particularly slow). Or guides telling you "oh come on you don't need to do your safety check you're fine".

I will definitely keep you posted on what I decide to buy, and send you my first shots I manage to get when I get to the Philippines.

I’m glad we were all able to help. It’s very daunting and overwhelming when you are doing research and there’s so much to choose from. It’s an investment and I’m glad you feel better about your options now.

One more note...If you feel you will eventually sell your housing to upgrade, I would also think about the secondhand market. It may be harder to unload one option over another. I look at classifieds here as well as Scuba Swap and Shop and Buy/Sell UW Photography groups on Facebook and a few brands that have been mentioned here seem easier to unload over the others. It’s something to consider if that matters to you but not so important if you’re okay not re-selling it.

I can’t wait for your update on what you decide!

 

[rks]

If you haven't seen my comments on the A6500 in a Nauticam housing, mostly it has to do with the camera not the housing it might interest you: Sony a6500 shooting in a Nauticam housing