RX100VII or A6400?

[j0rd1]

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?

Hello @AlMitch

I'm using mostly the Nauticam CMC-2 wet lens (I had the SMC-1 and CMC-1 but I find the CMC-2 the easiest). Basically, you have to position the camera at 8cm from the subject and stay there. You have around 1cm you can move close or far, but not more than that. To make it 'easier' I use the focus peaking + manual focus. So I just move the camera close to the subject until I see the eyes, or the area I want 'red'.

The 'good thing' is that you can use the entire zoom range at those 8cm, so you can shoot really tinny stuff. You can check some of my pics from Anilao/Romblon using the RX100 M6 (no difference compared to M7):

https://www.jordilopez.com/anilaomacro
https://www.jordilopez.com/romblon

For wide angle, you need the short port from Nauticam. I'm currently using the WWC-L and very happy with the results. You can also see samples of the RX100 M7+WWC-L in the Red Sea last month.

https://www.jordilopez.com/reeefsandwrecks

I would love to hear opinions using the A6XXX for macro, specially compared to the RX100. But seems is difficult to find people that tried both systems.

regards

jordi

 

[AlMitch]

Thanks Jordi

I have a +5 and a +10 wet lenses and to get the tiny guys I stack the two. When I do that I'm probably about 5cm from the glass so 8cm is not too bad. With the RX100 focus peaking + manual focus is really the only way to go.

I was hoping that with the M7's fancy ability to focus on the eye of an object one would not have to use the manual focus method...but it seems for tiny macro that is not a possibility.

I suppose that would be the one benefit of a bigger system is being about to actually use the auto-focus.

 

[j0rd1]

Welcome @AlMitch

TBH, no difference in focus performance between the M6 or M7 for super-macro. Things I noticed is better auto-focus for wide angle and lower ISO (M7 can use 64 instead of 80). Video should be also better, but I don't shoot video most of the times.

 

[AlMitch]

@j0rd1 last question, when you are shooting macro what is your aperture setting and how narrow is your depth of field?

I find when I have both wet lenses one my DoF is absolutely razor fine even when i have closed down my aperture. Which leads to way too many pics where the scales behind the fishes eye are in focus but not the eye!!

Sorry to the rest for hijacking this thread!!

 

[j0rd1]

@j0rd1 last question, when you are shooting macro what is your aperture setting and how narrow is your depth of field?

I find when I have both wet lenses one my DoF is absolutely razor fine even when i have closed down my aperture. Which leads to way too many pics where the scales behind the fishes eye are in focus but not the eye!!

Sorry to the rest for hijacking this thread!!

I use the smallest aperture, I think is F11. But still the area in focus is really small.

 

[mattia_v]

I use the smallest aperture, I think is F11. But still the area in focus is really small.

Nature of the beast indeed. And the bigger the sensor, the thinner the DoF for the same framing. Far as I know, none of the Song cams have usable automated focus stacking - which is shame, though probably unworkable underwater with flash.