help to choose an underwater compact camera

[lulazzdiver]

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a camera for underwater photo at the moment with no strobes or lights

after lots of research I am not sure what to do

I am not a photographer, I have a samsung nx100 that unfortunately has no underwater case

I have seen the canon s120 and g16 that are within my budget (I could maybe stretch to buy a g7x if it is worth the 200$ more) as well as the olympus tg-4 that I like because even if the case leaks there shouldn't be problems with the camera

I like the sony rx100 but it is out of budget because the case is quite expensive

Do you have any experience with these camera?

any suggestion on which one to buy or not?

thanks

lulazz

 

[PenPix]

Currently the best dedicated underwater camera is the Nikon AW1... which happens to be priced the same as the RX100 III.

You can also buy a used NEX-5 as those are cheap and underwater cases are available for it.

 

[Mark S Abeln]

A problem with many inexpensive, compact underwater cameras is that they don't perform well under dim lighting... such as under the water. They will only perform well in clear water in full sunlight, otherwise the results may be rather noisy and disappointing.

 

[Urmas Tartes]

Large sensors compacts with underwater housing should be a good starting point. I use G1x II with dedicated underwater housing for occasional underwater shots. Good price-perfomance ratio.

 

[MinAZ]

Currently the best dedicated underwater camera is the Nikon AW1... which happens to be priced the same as the RX100 III.

You can also buy a used NEX-5 as those are cheap and underwater cases are available for it.

I've read multiple reviews on the faulty sealing issue with the AW1 that steered me away from the camera - although I have no personal experience of course.

 

[Hen3ry]

The specs are terrific and it got a great write up in the DPREview comparison round-up last year (I think it was).

Apart from everything else, it has the lens where you could expect it to be -- in the middle of the front of the camera!

The only downside I can see is the color -- I want a brightly colored body so that if I drop it on the reef I can find it more easily.

I have the Panasonic FT4 and am stuck with that for the time being. It has a HUGE downside -- the position of the lens at the top left hand corner of the camera. I am forever putting my finger on it and smearing it with sunscreen.

 

[lulazzdiver]

I can get the s120 + canon case for about 480 € the g16 for 550€ and the g7x for 650€

The tg-4 with case is about the same as the g7x

The rx100 III is out of budget the only one that is in budget is the rx100 I that with the case cost the same as the g7xx or a bit more, depending on the case

At the moment I am thinking of buying the s120 unless it is worth spending the 170€ more for the g7x