RX100VII or A6400?

[Lewis88]

I went A6100 for a couple reasons. I wanted to be able to shoot true fisheye lens behind a dome for over unders which I couldn't do with a wet lens. I also was tired of waiting on the stock flash to recharge on my S95 and knew I wanted something with a hotshoe for TTL LED triggers. The only compact left with a hotshoe is the LX100 II and I didn't see spending that much for another compact.

I shoot in a seafrogs housing with the leak sentinal v5, and a TRT electrionics LED TTL trigger. For wide angle I shoot a Tokina 10-17mm canon mount fisheye on a Sigma MC-11 converter behind a 6in dome. I also shoot the 16-50 kit lens in the short macro port with a +7 diopter on a flip.

 

[UofO Scaup]

Another option I didn't mention is that I have a A7II that I don't use and would be willing to take underwater. If someone is aware of a good deal on a used A7II housing, preferably Nauticam, I might go that route.

 

[Lewis88]

Another option I didn't mention is that I have a A7II that I don't use and would be willing to take underwater. If someone is aware of a good deal on a used A7II housing, preferably Nauticam, I might go that route.

Have you considered seafrogs? Of course not the same as nauticam but inexpensive and surprisingly robust as well. They have a housing for your a7ii

Sony A7 II NG V.2 Series UW camera housing with 6" Dome port (Including Standard port) Black

 

[UofO Scaup]

Would be great if it were compatible with my strobes. I need something with optical trigger. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Barmaglot]

Would be great if it were compatible with my strobes. I need something with optical trigger. Thanks for the suggestion.

UW-Technics make a replacement optical bulkhead for SeaFrogs housings.

 

[Hoag]

@UofO Scaup you might find this interesting:
Best Underwater Housing for Sony Alpha a6500 | Mozaik UW

 

[UofO Scaup]

@UofO Scaup you might find this interesting:
Best Underwater Housing for Sony Alpha a6500 | Mozaik UW

Hoag, Thanks for your help in my quest to improve my underwater photography.
I don't know what came over me, but for a little while there I was obsessed with getting better underwater setup. In the process of trying to decide what would be the most practical setup for me I considered several options. But before I tell you what options I was considering I should provide a little background of my experience and current camera gear.
For a while I was a pretty active diver. At least until this whole COVID thing started. I have somewhere around 250 dives so far with about a third of my dives at the Oregon Coast Aquarium as a volunteer diver. I got a TG-5 underwater camera setup a few years back and have used it on one trip to the Caribbean and some dives here in the PNW. So my underwater photography is somewhat limited. I did however take up general landscape photography recently and my interest in underwater photography has been rekindled. You can see some of my pictures here.
My main reason for upgrading was to improve the quality of my pictures. After shooting with a Sony A7RIII and GM lenses I was coveting a underwater camera setup that could get me closer to the image quality of a FF with good glass. But I knew that I was not in a position to spend $10k for a high end FF setup so I was looking for a compromise between image quality and cost. Being as I'm a Sony shooter I wanted to stay on the same platform and I wanted a system I could build on. But then you mentioned the E-PL10 package so now I had one more option to consider. I narrowed down my choices to three different setups.
1. Sony A6400 with Nauticam housing, vacuum valve, 16mm lens and dome port. I planned to add macro later. $3,800
2. Sony RX100VII, Nauticam Pro Package, flip macro diopter. $3,600
3. Olympus E-PL10 Backscatter package with wet lens package (macro and wide). $2,900

If I were not already shooting Sony, the Olympus package would have been my choice for sure. But If I went with the Olympus camera system and I wanted to upgrade I would have to buy a dedicated wide angle setup and a dedicated macro setup (lenses and ports). I did not what to have two different lens mount systems. I wanted to stick to one lens mount so I could interchange my lenses on the different camera bodies. So I ruled out Olympus.

The RX100VII was very appealing because the size of the camera. The best camera is the camera you have with you. So if I had a camera I could carry in my pocket then the RX100 is the best camera because I would be more willing to carry around a compact with me all the time. But it's still only a 1 inch sensor. I really wanted a system I could build on and use the lenses I already had. So I ruled out the RX100.

The A6400 seem to be the sweet spot. Larger sensor, E lens mount system, compact size for travel and room to grow. I had all the items in my online shopping cart, was about to hit the "Buy" button, then I chickened out. I just couldn't justify the expense right now. I started thinking about what I was trying to achieve and whether new camera gear would accomplish it. I decided that what I needed to do first is get out and dive more with the gear I already have and improve my skills and technique first. Then once my skills advanced beyond my equipments capacity then I would upgrade to my dream system. So maybe in a couple years I will be better positioned to get high end equipment and take my photography to the next level.

I did purchase some upgrades to my TG-5 setup. I got a bayonet mounting system for my wet wide angle lens and a way to mount the lens on one of my strobe arms. I found that removing the lens underwater was a hassle so a quick release system would make it easier to shoot wide angle and macro on the same dive. I also got the LCD magnifier to help me with my aging eyes.

In a couple years when I'm ready to upgrade I think I know what I'll get. I've been looking at the new Sony A7C. It's the new full frame compact camera. I think Nauticam is coming out with a housing for it soon. And maybe they'll have a port system for my new FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for wide angle and I've been wanting to get the 90mm macro lens too. That to me would be the ultimate setup. Full Frame camera system the size of a APS-C camera system.

I will post an update after I get back from my dive trip to Hood Canal in a couple weeks. Hopefully I'll get my new parts by then.

Regards.

 

[Hoag]

Hoag, Thanks for your help in my quest to improve my underwater photography.
I don't know what came over me, but for a little while there I was obsessed with getting better underwater setup. In the process of trying to decide what would be the most practical setup for me I considered several options. But before I tell you what options I was considering I should provide a little background of my experience and current camera gear.
For a while I was a pretty active diver. At least until this whole COVID thing started. I have somewhere around 250 dives so far with about a third of my dives at the Oregon Coast Aquarium as a volunteer diver. I got a TG-5 underwater camera setup a few years back and have used it on one trip to the Caribbean and some dives here in the PNW. So my underwater photography is somewhat limited. I did however take up general landscape photography recently and my interest in underwater photography has been rekindled. You can see some of my pictures here.
My main reason for upgrading was to improve the quality of my pictures. After shooting with a Sony A7RIII and GM lenses I was coveting a underwater camera setup that could get me closer to the image quality of a FF with good glass. But I knew that I was not in a position to spend $10k for a high end FF setup so I was looking for a compromise between image quality and cost. Being as I'm a Sony shooter I wanted to stay on the same platform and I wanted a system I could build on. But then you mentioned the E-PL10 package so now I had one more option to consider. I narrowed down my choices to three different setups.
1. Sony A6400 with Nauticam housing, vacuum valve, 16mm lens and dome port. I planned to add macro later. $3,800
2. Sony RX100VII, Nauticam Pro Package, flip macro diopter. $3,600
3. Olympus E-PL10 Backscatter package with wet lens package (macro and wide). $2,900

If I were not already shooting Sony, the Olympus package would have been my choice for sure. But If I went with the Olympus camera system and I wanted to upgrade I would have to buy a dedicated wide angle setup and a dedicated macro setup (lenses and ports). I did not what to have two different lens mount systems. I wanted to stick to one lens mount so I could interchange my lenses on the different camera bodies. So I ruled out Olympus.

The RX100VII was very appealing because the size of the camera. The best camera is the camera you have with you. So if I had a camera I could carry in my pocket then the RX100 is the best camera because I would be more willing to carry around a compact with me all the time. But it's still only a 1 inch sensor. I really wanted a system I could build on and use the lenses I already had. So I ruled out the RX100.

The A6400 seem to be the sweet spot. Larger sensor, E lens mount system, compact size for travel and room to grow. I had all the items in my online shopping cart, was about to hit the "Buy" button, then I chickened out. I just couldn't justify the expense right now. I started thinking about what I was trying to achieve and whether new camera gear would accomplish it. I decided that what I needed to do first is get out and dive more with the gear I already have and improve my skills and technique first. Then once my skills advanced beyond my equipments capacity then I would upgrade to my dream system. So maybe in a couple years I will be better positioned to get high end equipment and take my photography to the next level.

I did purchase some upgrades to my TG-5 setup. I got a bayonet mounting system for my wet wide angle lens and a way to mount the lens on one of my strobe arms. I found that removing the lens underwater was a hassle so a quick release system would make it easier to shoot wide angle and macro on the same dive. I also got the LCD magnifier to help me with my aging eyes.

In a couple years when I'm ready to upgrade I think I know what I'll get. I've been looking at the new Sony A7C. It's the new full frame compact camera. I think Nauticam is coming out with a housing for it soon. And maybe they'll have a port system for my new FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens for wide angle and I've been wanting to get the 90mm macro lens too. That to me would be the ultimate setup. Full Frame camera system the size of a APS-C camera system.

I will post an update after I get back from my dive trip to Hood Canal in a couple weeks. Hopefully I'll get my new parts by then.

Regards.

It looks like you have given this a lot of thought. It never hurts to hold off for a little while and get what is truly the right purchase rather than rushing a purchase that you will forever wonder "What if I had only ...?"

Congrats on having the discipline to make the decision which you did.

 

[j0rd1]

One cheap extra upgrade to your current setup is to sell the camera and get the TG6. Has a big improvement in terms of usability for macro stuff as you can now focus close to the subject without using microscope mode. The TG6 will fit in your current housing.

I personally own an RX100 M7 and I can tell that the image quality is out of doubt. Probably very close to the A6XXX series, so I would not consider that as a key point to chose the system. Some pros/cons between RX100 and A6XXX:

PROS RX100

- Smaller camera
- Very versatile lens.
- Can shoot super macro and normal stuff in the same dive with a diopter and the flip. For true wide you need another port and ideally a WWL lens. With the A6XXX you need specific lens and ports making the whole package more expensive and less travel friendly.

PROS A6XXX

- Bigger battery life.
- The flash recycling time will not limit you as you can use one of the triggers plugged to the flash hotshoe. You don't have that option for the RX100 and takes 1 to 2 seconds to fire again, even you strobes are ready.

Similarities:

- Image quality, but I believe the A6XXX should have a slighter better quality.
- Rig size underwater. Although in land you may need more lens/ports for the A6XXX.
- Overall shooting experience should be similar, menus, custom settings...

At some point I was tempted to check out the A6XXX but it was impossible to find anyone in my area with that kit. I would like to test it out and compare it with the RX100 as the overall size is similar. Finally I gave up and upgraded the Nauticam housing of my ex RX100 M7 to the M7. My only real complaint for the RX100 system is not being able to adjust the flash power to the minimum (like you can do in the TG5) to reduce the recycling time and extend the battery life. I guess this could be fixed with a firmware update, but does not look like Sony will provide that.

jordi

www.jordilopez.com

 

[AlMitch]

This has been a very interesting thread to read. Thanks for the input.

I have the original RX100 and it has truly served me well, but it is starting to show its age.
Every time a new version of the RX100 has come out I have been tempted to upgrade....I have also like @UofO Scaup priced up the Sony 6XXX systems time and time again...but man the $$$'s climb quickly!

@j0rd1 I have heard that shooting macro with the M7 is quite unforgiving/ difficult, how do you find it? What macro wet-lenses do you have / use?
Also do you have the WA set-up for it?