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Superb image quality - slow Raw

Started Apr 19, 2020 | User reviews thread
bartjeej Regular Member • Posts: 416
Re: Superb image quality - slow Raw

kelpdiver wrote:

Press Correspondent wrote:

Agreed. SeaLife DC2000 delivers the best image quality underwater without an enclosure. Naturally this mostly applies to snorkeling, which is a large market. The camera also takes great images above water with a very versatile focal length of 31mm. So you don't need to take two cameras on a snorkeling trip.

Snort. 31mm is hardly versatile above water. You absolutely need a second camera. And if we're only talking about snorkeling depths, then the smaller sensor on the otherwise superior TG cameras (microscope mode and 4k video) will hold up. It's in the deeper waters as the light drops that a 1" sensor becomes valuable.

Snort... I think you havent been paying attention. "31mm is hardly versatile above water" lol... Fun challenge: name me one fixed focal length camera which is not an action camera or made by Sigma, with a focal length other than 28mm equivalent,  35mm equivalent, or inbetween.

Ricoh GR: 28mm

Leica Q: 28mm

SeaLife DC2000: 31mm

Sony RX1: oncpaper 35, in practice 32ish

Leica X / X-U: 35mm

Fuji X100 series: 35mm

And... That's it! So apparently every manufacturer of fixed focal length compacts (apart from Sigma who make a range of 4 compacts with 4 focal lengths, one of which is 28mm) agrees that this focal length range is the one to go for if you have only 1 focal length to choose from.

I am only a novice scuba diver with open water license so the 18m rating suits me to a T. The 5 second delay is what has kept me from buying the SeaLife - everything else strikes me as exactly what I need. Although I'd like it even better if they added OIS, and went the Sigma route and did a range of cameras with different focal lengths.

One of the other 1" sensor camera manufacturers making a natively waterproof version of their fast lens zooms would float my boat as well, though... Just keep it more compact than the hideously clumsy housings that exist for them now. Yes, underwater it is fine, but when canyoning or spelunking I'd also appreciate a high quality waterproof camera, that is actually compact

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