which housing allows the best and easiest camera control?

[Chris Ross]

How super do you want your macro to be? have a look at this reviews on the RX-100 which explains some of the limitations of compacts using macro wet lenses. Sony RX100 VI Underwater Camera Review - Underwater Photography - Backscatter

If you use a more standard compact with a 70/100mm lens you probably won't reach 1:1 depending on exact camera. It will be easier doing this sort of thing with a real macro lens plus wet lens and the most economic way to do this is probably with a m43 camera plus the 60mm macro lens.

 

[Searcaigh]

The Isotta looks nice for the RX100. I was considering that or a Canon G7X

Both my daughter and my best buddy use the Canon G7X in an Isotta housing, and they find them very good, using a flip adaptor with a +5 or +10 dioptre for more macro capability.

I normally shoot with Nikon DSLRs in Sea and Sea housings but I have a TG5 in a Nauticam 100m housing, which is excellent.

 

[lizardqueen]

Hi to Mod63 and scubadada.

Using an older Canon G16 in a Nauticam housing and a Oly EM1-Mk2 in an Isotta housing, both solid housings with a good placement of buttons and dials and each with it's particularities.

I'm interested to hear what these particularities are that you've experienced with the Nauticam and Isotta, especially if it's about the housing and not the camera. My issues pressing the buttons were most often at depth, I had to jam my knife against them to press but in my opinion the Ikelite is a cheap plastic piece of merde.

I have an old Canon G7X in a Nauticam housing with a vacuum check, it is fantastic

Do I need a vacuum check to make it work with my weak wimpy sensitive fingers? Your opinions are saving me pain everyone, huge thanks!

 

[scubadada]

...Do I need a vacuum check to make it work with my weak wimpy sensitive fingers? Your opinions are saving me pain everyone, huge thanks!

Vacuum check gives you an indication that the housing is watertight and not leaking, nothing to do with the buttons. Nauticam Vacuum Check and Leak Detection System

 

[Mod63]

I'm interested to hear what these particularities are that you've experienced with the Nauticam and Isotta, especially if it's about the housing and not the camera. My issues pressing the buttons were most often at depth, I had to jam my knife against them to press but in my opinion the Ikelite is a cheap plastic piece of merde.

First, one is placement of buttons. On my Nauticam I'm in constant danger of unwittligly changing the ISO; it's a combination of the placement of the scroll dial and my way of holding the housing. Another is usage of (build-in) flashes. The Isotta for my Oly has the optical connection fixed in the housing, the corresponding Nauticam dos allow for using the small flash, as the connection can be removed. Both work flawlessly down to 40m without any issues of pressing the button.

 

[Chris Ross]

Hi to Mod63 and scubadada.

I'm interested to hear what these particularities are that you've experienced with the Nauticam and Isotta, especially if it's about the housing and not the camera. My issues pressing the buttons were most often at depth, I had to jam my knife against them to press but in my opinion the Ikelite is a cheap plastic piece of merde.

Do I need a vacuum check to make it work with my weak wimpy sensitive fingers? Your opinions are saving me pain everyone, huge thanks!

You won't have any button issues with Nauticam housings, everything works on them. Get a vacuum check system - it pulls a vacuum equivalent to being 2m underwater this pre loads the o-rings, they need to be loaded to seal and makes it near impossible to open the housing, also warns you if the housing is not sealed properly.

I would be more concerned about the flexibility of the various models you are considering. Yes you can do quite close macro with one of the newer RX-100 models with the 200mm lens, you need to check you chosen housing will allow full zoom, not all do. with a strong macro lens installed you can do really small stuff only as the focal range is really quite small and close to the camera. Then there is a significant gap to the closest thing you can shoot with the bare lens and the maximum mganification actually occurs in the middle of the zoom range due to the combination of focal length and closest focus distance changing throughout the zoom range.

If you were to use a dedicated macro lens it would give you full rnage from infinity to 1:1 (fill frame with 18mm subject on m43 for example. Then you can dd a closeup lens to get a closer still.

 

[Hoag]

For what it is worth, very happy with the epl10 and Aoi housing

Backscatter had some very favourable things to say about that camera/housing combo.
Olympus E-PL10 Underwater Camera & Housing Review - Underwater Photography - Backscatter