best underwater compact cameras 2013

Transcription

BEST UNDERWATER
COMPACT CAMERAS 2013
For the latest version of this guide, please visit Backscatter.com/compacts
Backscatter.com | Backscatter West +831-645-1082 | Backscatter East +603-432-1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1
OUR TOP PICKS FOR 2013
Best Entry Level Camera
2
Best Waterproof Camera
6
Best Point & Shoot Camera
9
Best Point & Shoot Camera Runner Up
12
Best Point & Shoot Camera Alternate Pick
15
Best Entry Level Mirrorless Camera
17
Best Advanced Mirrorless Camera
20
Best Advanced Mirrorless Camera Runner Up
23
HOW WE SELECTED: OUR 2013 TEST CRITERIA
Words & Underwater Images by Jim Decker & Sterling Zumbrunn
Cover Photo and All Product Photos by Sean Boone
Edited by Berkley White
All Content © Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo
28
BEST UNDERWATER COMPACT CAMERAS 2013
Introduction
As we do every year, Backscatter exhaustively searched and tested dozens of compact cameras to find
the best match between portability, price, and the goals of an aspiring underwater photographer.
From our own waters of Monterey, to the Caribbean, to the Coral Triangle, and Micronesia, we’ve
spent hundreds of hours shooting compact cameras underwater. Here are our picks for 2013.
As the field of compact cameras is changing extremely rapidly, we will update this article on a continuous
basis. Last updated in February 2013. Visit Backscatter.com/compacts for the latest version.
Today’s compact cameras are now able to deliver
high quality photos and video that come closer
than ever to matching that of higher end SLR
systems. All underwater imagery in this article
was taken with compact cameras, including this
image of a manta ray using a Canon S110 and
the ultra-wide Fisheye UWL-28 lens..
In 2013, we’ve studied a landscape that has changed considerably from previous years. Point and
shoot options are fewer and further between, but exciting new low-cost options such as the GoPro and
interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras like the Olympus PEN now provide alternate options for the
shooter who is not interested in traveling with a bulky SLR system. This year, rather than restricting our
review to just the point and shoot class, we looked at a broader range of cameras that include everything
from the GoPro, point & shoots, Micro 4/3 cameras, and the Sony NEX series. With this roundup, we’ve
put together options for every budget and every shooter from novice to pro.
We hope you enjoy reading this guide as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Our sales staff is
made up entirely of active divers who regularly shoot the gear featured here. We’re always just a
phone call away, and happy to discuss with you the system that will best meet your needs.
All content © Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo | Backscatter.com | Backscatter West +1 831-645-1082 | Backscatter East +1 603-432-1997
1
BEST ENTRY LEVEL CAMERA 2013
GoPro
The GoPro Hero3 with the Backscatter Flip3 Color Correction Filter
Camera & Housing starting at $200
GoPro Hero3
Flip3 Color Correction Filter for GoPro Hero3
Now in its third generation, the GoPro Hero is one of
the most exciting things to come along in underwater
photography and videography. In a very positive
development for divers, GoPro now includes a flat port
housing that is ready to shoot images underwater with
every version of the Hero3. The camera is available in
3 editions, White, Silver, and Black. The White Edition
is a low cost version with a more limited feature
set, the Silver Edition offers a balance of price and
performance, and the Black edition adds incredible new
high speed frame rates and 4K recording. The Black
edition’s 4K is of limited utility, as it only records at 15
frames per second, but it’s an interesting development
nonetheless. However, being able to record at 60p in
full 1080 resolution is a major step forward for shooting
underwater, as it will greatly smooth out camera and
subject movements. For this reason, the Black edition is
our favorite choice of the new Hero3 cameras.
The GoPro is a fantastic little camera, but it needs help
rendering a decent image underwater. GoPro cameras
have an issue with the monochromatic color that they
deliver underwater, below depths of about five feet. Color
and contrast are quickly lost, and the footage ends up
looking quite dull. The GoPro does not allow setting
exposure or custom white balance, but we found that
it responds quite well to color correction filters. For this
reason, we developed the Backscatter Flip3 filter that
works exclusively with the GoPro Hero3 cameras. This filter
works wonders in helping to make GoPro footage usable.
• GoPro Hero3 White Edition $200
• GoPro Hero3 Silver Edition $300
• GoPro Hero3 Black Edition $400
• Backscatter Flip3 Filter for the Hero3 $69
• Backscatter GoPro Hero3 Starter System with
Sola 500 $862
• Dive Housing for GoPro Hero2 $40
• Backscatter Flip2 for Dive Housing $49
2
Even as shallow as 10 feet, the effects of the Backscatter Flip3 filter dramatically improve the quality of the Hero3’s footage, saturating blue water,
making colors on the reef pop, and increasing overall contrast.
GoPro Hero3 Video
The GoPro is a great system for the novice shooter who
wants to start taking video and pictures underwater, and
doesn’t want to fuss with settings or lugging a bulky system
around. It’s also an awesome option for the still shooter
who wants to dabble in video, and can easily attach the
GoPro to their housing using an Ultralight ball mount.
GoPro Wide Angle Lens
One of the great features of the GoPro is its wide angle
lens. Designed for adventure sports, its field of view is nearly
equivalent to full-frame fisheye on SLR systems when used
topside. Underwater, some of the angle of coverage is lost
due to the housing’s flat port, but it is still plenty wide - much
wider than other typical underwater point & shoots. It’s
terrific to have these optics without the need to purchase an
accessory lens. The Hero3 camera also features the ability
to shoot in wide, medium, and narrow fields of view. While
this can be useful for situations where the wide setting is a
bit too wide, in our testing it appears that the Hero3 camera
is cropping out of the center of the frame to provide the
narrower angles of coverage.
The quality of video that GoPro delivers in the right
conditions is astonishingly good. However, manual control
is nonexistent, and an LCD Monitor Back must be purchased
in order to see your framing of the footage. The Flip3 Filter
can help restore color to your footage at depths of 10-50
feet, but below that, a light is essential equipment. In fact,
in our testing, we’ve found that leaving the light on all the
time can really make colors pop, even when using a filter.
Typically, it’s been a rule never to use lights and a filter at the
same time, but the GoPro has proven to be an exception.
GoPro Hero2 Support
Due to popular demand, we are also continuing support for the
Hero2 cameras with our Backscatter Flip2 Filter for the GoPro
Dive Housing. We’ve found that the Hero2 still delivers great
results underwater, and unless you need the higher frame rates
of the Hero3 Black Edition, your Hero2 should continue to serve
you well, and we can help you get the most out of it.
In particular, the narrow setting looks especially noisy and
should be used sparingly.
3
GoPro Hero3
While the GoPro can shoot decent stills, if photography
is your main goal, we suggest looking at options in the
next category as the GoPro has limited capability for
stills, especially since there is no way to make manual
adjustments. There is also no way to attach a strobe,
which is important for taking high quality photographs
underwater. So if your primary goal is underwater
photography, then it is probably worth stepping up
to a more sophisticated point & shoot camera that
offers manual control. But for just grabbing some
great footage of your dive adventures at an entry-level
price, the GoPro can’t be beat.
GoPro Hero3 Pros & Cons
Pros
• Most inexpensive underwater HD camera
system on the market today
• Wide angle lens a standard feature
• Backscatter Flip3 Filter restores color and
contrast in the right conditions
Cons
• No manual controls
• No ability to connect a strobe
• Video quality not as good compared to
higher end cameras, especially in low light
4
BEST ENTRY LEVEL CAMERA STATISTICS 2013
GoPro Hero3
GoPro Hero3 Vital Statistics
Model
White Edition
Silver Edition
Black Edition
Resolution
5 MP
11 MP
12 MP
Frame Rate (Stills Burst)
3 fps
10 fps
30 fps
Movie Resolutions/
Frame Rates
1080p/30 fps
960p/30 fps
720p/60 fps
1080p/30 fps
960p/30 fps
720p/60 fps
4K/15 fps
2.7K/30 fps
1080p/60 fps
720p/120 fps
WGVA/240 fps
LCD Size
2” (requires purchase
of LCD BacPac)
of LCD BacPac)
of LCD BacPac)
Raw Format
NO
NO
NO
Camera + Housing Price
$200
$300
$400
5
BEST WATERPROOF CAMERA 2013
Olympus TG-2
The Olympus Tough TG-2
Olympus Tough TG-2
The Olympus TG-2 is a fantastic splashproof pocket
camera, one that you can take snorkeling on its own, or
take it deeper while diving using the PT-053 Underwater
Housing. In addition, the TG-2 Tough lives up to its
name, as it is shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, and
dustproof. With a fast f2.0 lens, and an impressive depth
rating of 50 feet (without a housing), the Olympus TG-2
is a great camera to keep with you on the boat, and take
with you while swimming, or in any damp environment
without any concern for it getting wet.
The Olympus TG-2 is an update to the previous Olympus
Tough series line flagship, the TG-1. The Olympus TG-2 is a
splashproof pocket camera, one that you can take snorkeling
on its own, or take it deeper while diving using the same PT053 Underwater Housing as the TG-1. With a fast f2.0 lens,
and an impressive depth rating of 50 feet, the Olympus TG-2
is a great camera to keep with you on the boat, and take with
you while swimming, or in any damp environment without
any concern for it getting wet. The image quality looks quite
good, though we are disappointed that Olympus did not
include a raw file format.
• Olympus Tough TG-2 camera $380
• Olympus PT-053 housing $310
• Backscatter TG-2 Camera, Housing, and Sea
& Sea Strobe Package $1280
6
The fast frame rate makes taking low percentage shots a lot easier. This shot
was taken by placing the camera inches beneath the jellyfish, and doing a high
frame rate burst while blindly changing the camera position in the hopes that
one of the shots will make the cut. Shot with the Fisheye FIX UWL-28 wide angle
lens. ISO 800, 1/2000, F10
Snorkelers should be intrigued by the relatively inexpensive
FCON-T01 Fisheye Converter Lens that will mount directly
onto the camera for use underwater. But for most diving,
you will be better off using the PT-053 housing; in addition
to increasing the depth rating to 130 feet, it also allows the
easy attachment of strobes, making it a fully-featured rig.
This Japanese seaplane was shot with only natural light, a wide angle
fisheye lens, and a custom white balance. This technique works great when
shooting large objects in low vis when strobes would light up a lot of scatter
in the water and wouldn’t be able to cover such a large subject anyway.
The fisheye lens lets you get extremely close to the subject, minimizing the
effects of low vis. Olympus TG-2. Shot with the Fisheye FIX UWL-28 wide
angle lens. ISO 400, 1/160, F9
The focus and shutter are incredibly fast, making this one of the
quickest firing cameras in our roundup. Even macro shooting,
where most compact cameras have an issue with fast focus,
was quite fast. The PT-053 underwater housing has 52mm
aluminum threads on the front for attaching accessory macro
and wide angle lenses. The camera’s native macro capability is
very good, which just about eliminates the need for a macro lens.
The TG-2 has 2 custom white balance presets, allowing you to
get accurate colors in wide angle video with no artificial lighting.
The 1080/30p video looks good in shallower conditions, but a
color filter will be essential for use at deeper depths.
Olympus TG-2 Video
The video from the Olympus Tough TG-2 has great
looking color due to a custom white balance feature being
added to the Tough series. It works best in the shallows.
Any deeper than about 40 feet will benefit from a color
correction filter. Unlike most other compact cameras, the
TG-2 has live focus like a camcorder, and it’s super fast.
This occasionally led to a small amount of focus hunt
from time to time like a camcorder, but was not enough to
outweigh the benefits of live focus.
7
Olympus TG-2 Improvements & Downsides
The largest improvement for the photographer has been the
addition aperture priority. Getting consistent results was much
easier with shooting strobes on manual exposure. This also
allows for controlling depth of field and makes it easier to get
darker backgrounds in macro. Another benefit to stopping
the lens down is sharper corners when using wide angle
accessory lenses.
A downside we discovered is that Sea & Sea and Inon
strobes will not slave TTL properly with this camera--both
need to be shot in manual mode. The Olympus UFL-2
strobe will TTL in the camera’s RC mode. On the plus side
for topside adventures, the addition of GPS is great for
showing your photos on a map. For the price, the TG-2
performs great, and we love having a camera that we
can bring anywhere without fear. This camera is going to
survive your adventures.
When the camera’s aperture changes, you need to adjust your strobe output
accordingly. Having aperture priority and setting a constant aperture made
working with strobes in manual exposure a lot easier by not having to readjust
the strobe after it’s dialed in. After it’s dialed in you can concentrate on the
composition. Olympus TG-2. Shot with the Fisheye FIX UWL-28 wide angle
lens. ISO 400, 1/80, F9
Olympus Tough TG-2 Pros & Cons
Pros
• Aperture priority is a major upgrade
• Even better built in shockproofing and
waterproofing than the previous camera
make this the ultimate “take anywhere”
camera
• Very fast focus and shutter for a camera
in this class
Cons
• Aperture priority is a welcome change,
but full manual exposure would be better
• No Raw format
• Sea & Sea and Inon strobes will not slave
TTL properly
8
BEST POINT & SHOOT CAMERA 2013
Sony DSC-RX100
The Sony DSC-RX100
Sony RX100
Sony has created one of the most exciting compact
cameras in years with the RX100. This diminutive
camera is a remarkable piece of engineering that
delivers outstanding stills and full 1080p video in a
sleek, elegant package. Featuring a very large sensor
size, the Sony RX100 has the best of all worlds, with
class leading performance and extremely high image
quality. Thanks to that large sensor size, the RX100
sports a stunning resolution of 20 megapixels and still
maintains great low-light performance. Ergonomically,
the Sony RX100 resembles the tried and true designs
from the Canon S series, featuring a ring around the
lens that can be programmed to control aperture,
zoom, focus, and more. Similar to the S110 (our
alternate pick described on page 13, the camera also
has a rear dial that can control other functions, so the
shooter can independently control shutter speed and
aperture in manual mode. Unlike the S110, TTL flash
exposure is available while shooting the camera in
manual exposure mode. The lens is 28mm equivalent
at the wide end making it a great match for accessory
lenses such as the outstanding FIX UWL-28 Compact
Wide Lens. This lens allows an extremely wide angle
165 degrees of coverage, and is quite sharp across
the frame. Three housing options are available for the
RX100, from Ikelite, Recsea, and Nauticam. The Ikelite
housing represents an affordable option for housing
this camera, and the Nauticam is our favorite for its
balance of price and outstanding ergonomics.
9
Sony RX100 Macro
Sony RX100 Video
The Sony RX100 does not have a dedicated Macro
mode, and must be zoomed all the way wide in order
to achieve close focus. This provides a reasonable
option for shooting small critters, but most users
will find themselves hitting up against the limits of
the camera’s internal magnification. Fortunately,
accessory lenses such as the Subsee +5 and Subsee
+10 can be added to the front of the housing in order
On the video side, the Sony RX100 is an extremely interesting
camera. With a class-leading 60p frame rate at the full 1080p
resolution, the camera’s specs make even an SLR shooter
jealous. The footage can be slowed down to half speed at
30p, and with in-camera optical stabilization, the RX100
can deliver some extremely smooth looking footage. Video
capture can be initiated when shooting in any still camera
mode, but the RX100 reverts to Program mode and picks
to achieve closer focus. One downside of the RX100’s
large sensor is that focus must be much more precise.
But the RX100 makes it a simple matter to switch
between auto and manual focus, so it’s possible to
lock focus and then move the camera in order to
achieve maximum sharpness. Fortunately, the high
resolution screen makes it easy to see critical focus.
The camera’s front ring can also be configured to
drive “fly by wire” manual focus adjustments, but this
requires long turns in order to cover the camera’s full
focal range. Like Sony mirrorless cameras such as the
NEX-5N and NEX-7 (discussed later in this article),
The RX100 features focus peaking which can be a
useful aid when dialing in manual focus. In general,
sharpness in the corners when shooting macro is a
bit disappointing. But given the RX100’s incredible 20
megapixels, there is plenty room to crop.
the best settings for the current situation. A dedicated movie
mode allows complete manual control of shutter speed and
aperture, though this must first be configured in the menu.
Unfortunately, not only is one-touch white balance missing,
custom white balance must be executed while the camera is
in a still mode, and then can be assigned once back in movie
mode, which is a bit cumbersome. One of our favorite ways
to set white balance is to dial in the Kelvin temperature to the
maximum of 9900, and then customize the tint based on the
depth we are shooting. This worked pretty well, and delivered
good colors, especially with lights. The Sony RX100’s video
performance is so exciting, that Nauticam developed a
special version of their housing, the NA-RX100V, to allow the
attachment of an external monitor to allow a larger and more
detailed feed from the camera.
The Sony RX-100 performs very well when using the FIX UWL-28 wide lens,
allowing very close focus, thus eliminating water between you and your
subject. This image was shot with Keldan Luna 8 video lights, requiring
a higher ISO which the RX100 handled nicely. ISO 400, 1/160, f6.3
10
All in all, the Sony RX100 is one of the most interesting cameras
of the year, its main downside being its relatively high price.
Considering the performance it offers though, we think it’s the
breakthrough the compact camera market has been waiting
for. For the shooter that wants to go as streamlined as possible,
with manual control, and the best quality available today, the
Sony RX100 is our top pick.
Sony RX100 Pros & Cons
Pros
• Large 1” sensor for superb image quality
and low-light performance
• Stunning 20 Megapixel Resolution
• Class-leading 1080/60p video with
optical image stabilization
Cons
• In camera-macro is limited; doesn’t focus
as close as other cameras in its class
• Large sensor leads to shallower and less
forgiving depth of field
The large sensor, super fast flash sync speed, and excellent image
quality makes it possible for the Sony RX-100 to capture SLR-like
sun ball shots. Shot with the Fisheye FIX UWL-28 wide angle lens.
Sony RX-100, ISO 400, 1/2000, F9
• No way to execute custom white balance
in movie mode, must jump to photo modes
11
BEST POINT & SHOOT CAMERA RUNNER UP 2013
Canon Powershot S110
The Canon Powershot S110
Canon S110
Canon S110 Video
With its fantastic image quality, superb video functionality,
and great housing options, it’s no wonder this little
powerhouse came very close to capturing our top pick.
The S110 is a fantastic stills camera, and its video features
are also quite good. The camera offers the ability to fine
tune exposure in video mode, something lacking in a lot
of point & shoot systems we looked at. Most importantly,
the S110 has class leading custom white balance accuracy
underwater. We’ve looked at tons of cameras, and none
can match the ability of Canon to take a good white
balance at depth, a crucial factor in delivering good quality
footage. The S110 makes it very easy to reassign its ring
function button to one touch white balance. In fact, it’s the
only camera in this review that allows one touch custom
white balance execution in both photo and video modes.
Unfortunately, the 1080p video is only available at a 24p
The S110 is a modest update from last year’s S100, which
was one of our favorite cameras in 2012. The S110 uses
a similar lens, sensor, and image processor as the S100,
which itself was a significant improvement from both the
S95 and G12. A notable change over last year’s specs
is the increased ISO range, now topping out at 12,800.
The camera feels quite responsive for a point & shoot,
and its tiny form factor belies the powerful features that lie
below the surface. The TTL flash exposure calculation is
incredibly accurate, and is available in Program, Aperture
Priority, and Shutter Speed Priority. However, TTL sadly is
still not an option in manual. We really wish Canon would
offer this functionality, and are disappointed that it didn’t
make it into the S110. That said, Aperture Priority mode
works very well, as it offers exposure compensation which
is a good workaround. The S110 captures raw files, and
the detail that is available through processing software
such as Adobe Lightroom is impressive.
• Canon Powershot S110 Camera $450
• Canon WP-DC47 Housing $350
• Ikelite S110 Housing $325
• Nauticam NA-S110 Housing $900
• Recsea WHC-S110 $945
12
With some careful timing, it’s possible to get quality photos of even moving
subjects using the Canon S110. The wide perspective of the Fisheye FIX
UWL-28 wide angle lens made it possible to get close enough this Napoleon
Wrasse to capture it with rich color and clarity. ISO 80, 1/60, f8
frame rate, which makes the video a little less smooth than
other cameras. And while exposure compensation is available,
there is no way to take complete manual control of the camera
in video mode as you can on the RX100.
Canon S110 Housing Benefits
The Canon S110 also benefits from having multiple
housings available at a variety of price points, from the
inexpensive Canon WP-DC47 polycarbonite housing, a
more advanced version from Ikelite, and custom aluminum
options from Recsea and Nauticam. The aluminum housings
in particular offer the shooter maximum flexibility with
outstanding wide angle and macro wet lenses available.
We love the S110 for its fantastic macro capabilities. This leaf fish was captured
using the camera’s macro mode without any additional lenses. With wet accessory
lenses, you can get even closer. ISO 80, 1/60, f8
Canon S110 Pros & Cons
Pros
• As with its predecessors, great image
quality, raw format, and four excellent
housing choices
• with one touch implementation in both still
and video modes
• Excellent macro capabilities, even without
the use of wet lenses
Cons
• Still no TTL strobe sync in manual mode
The Canon S110 has housings available from Canon, Ikelite, Recsea, and Nauticam.
• No complete manual control in video,
only exposure compensation
• Highest frame rate in full 1080p resolution
is only 24p in movie mode
13
BEST POINT & SHOOT CAMERA STATISTICS 2013
Point & Shoot Cameras
Best Point and Shoot Vital Statistics
14
Model
Olympus TG-2
Sony RX100
Canon S110
Resolution
12.0 MP
11 MP
12 MP
Image Size
3968x2976
5472x3080
4000x3000
Sensor Size
1/2.3” (6.17x4.55mm)
1” (13.2x8.8mm)
1/1.7” (9.5x7.6mm)
Lens (35mm equiv.)
25-100mm f2.0-5.9
28-100mm f1.8-4.9
24-120mm f2.0-5.9
ISO Range
100-6400
80-25600
80-12800
5 fps
10 fps
2.1 fps
Movie Resolution
1080p
1080p
1080p
Movie Frame Rate in full HD
30p
60p
24p
LCD Size
3” 460K px
3” 460K px
3” 461K px
RAW Format
NO
YES
YES
Closest Macro Focus
.39” / 1 cm
(telephoto)
1.97” / 5 cm (wide)
1.2” / 3 cm (wide)
$690
$1050-1750
$800-1350
BEST POINT & SHOOT CAMERA ALTERNATE PICK 2013
Panasonic DMC-LX7
The Panasonic LX7
Panasonic LX7
LX7 Underwater
The Panasoinic Lumix DMC-LX7 is an enthusiast
camera, with features like a dedicated aperture ring, a
throwback to older film cameras. It has a larger form
factor than either the RX100 or S110 which makes it
more difficult to pocket, but easier to hand hold topside.
It also has specialty features such as a dedicated dial
to change the aspect ratio of the images it captures,
including rectangular formats of 3:2, 4:3, widescreen
16:9, as well as a 1:1 square format. The LX7 sports
a fast f1.4 lens designed by Leica, popular with street
photographers who like to shoot wide apertures in
dimmer environments. Like the RX100, the LX7 shoots
an impressive 1080p/60p. The camera is supported by
housings from Nauticam and Ikelite.
While on paper the Panasonic LX7 specs sound fantastic,
many of these features are of limited use to the underwater
shooter, and the lens in particular is problematic. The
wide 24mm focal length, and the long lens barrel make
working with wide angle wet lenses difficult, as the lens
must be zoomed significantly in order to avoid vignetting,
thus reducing the effective angle of coverage. Of the
best point and shoot cameras we tested, the LX7 was
definitely the least wide with top notch underwater optics
like the FIX UWL-28. The ergonomics of the Nauticam
NA-LX7 housing were also not quite as nice due to knob
based controls for shutter speed and aperture, instead
of dials as found on both the NA-RX100 and NA-S110
housings which allow easier one-handed operation. It’s
also disappointing that the camera’s front dial can only
change aperture, it can’t be reprogrammed to perform
other camera functions such as manual focus.
• Panasonic LX7 Camera $450
• Ikelite Housing for LX7 $550
• Nauticam NA-LX7 Housing $950
This image was taken with the wider 16:9 aspect ratio thanks to the LX7’s
dedicated dial. Taken with the FIX UWL-28 wide lens in the Nauticam NALX7 housing. ISO 100, 1/80, f5.6
15
LX7 Video
Perhaps even more problematic was the LX7’s performance
with video. While the LX7 improved both the resolution and
frame rate over its predecessor, the LX5, the custom white
balance looks simply awful underwater, as it did with the
LX5. Auto white balance at depth also performed poorly. For
shooters wanting to use the LX7 for underwater video, we
strongly recommend the use of dedicated lights, as they offer
the only reliable way of getting good color with this camera.
One of the brighter spots for the LX7 is its macro performance,
as the lens focuses all the way down to 0.39 inches, while the
autofocus, shot to shot lag, and internal flash recycle time,
and overall image quality are all excellent. The 1080/60p
video with lights also performs well in macro, as the higher
frame rate helps to smooth out camera wobble. If you’re
primarily focused on shooting macro, the LX7 is certainly
worth considering.
The Panasonic LX7 is a very capable camera for shooting macro. Its close focusing
abilities combined with excellent shot to shot speed, and quick flash recycle time
make capturing subjects like this anemonefish a breeze. ISO 80, 1/160, f8
Panasonic LX7 Pros & Cons
Pros
• Nice enthusiast camera with fast f1.4 lens
and dedicated aperture ring
• Solid overall performance with fast shot to
shot time, very good image quality
• Excellent macro performance
Cons
• Wide angle performance is compromised
with vingetting on most wide lenses
• Front aperture ring only controls aperture
and cannot be customized
• Custom white balance in video looks
terrible
16
BEST ENTRY-LEVEL MIRRORLESS CAMERA 2013
Olympus PEN Series
The Olympus PEN Series
Olympus PEN Series
Olympus changed the underwater compact camera
world forever with their launch of the PEN series of
cameras with underwater housings which we first
reviewed in 2010. Now in its fourth generation,
the PEN is better than ever with the new E-PL5. The
16MP sensor of the E-PL5 comes from the Olympus
OM-D E-M5, which performs excellent in low light
and higher ISO’s. We love the PEN cameras for their
quick autofocus, snappy performance, and great
image quality. Continuous shooting speed has been
improved to an amazing 8 frames per second. Raw
files delivered by both the E-PL5 are rich and detailed.
Startup time is quick, and shutter lag is non-existent.
Shooting with a PEN feels like using an advanced
camera. With the Olympus housing at $749, this is
the most affordable interchangeable lens underwater
camera system in our lineup.
In addition to wet lenses, there are wide variety of lenses
for the Micro 4/3 system make the PEN series a platform
that you can build on for the future. This is one of the
major advantages of choosing an interchangeable
lens camera over other compacts. The PEN cameras
support a large selection of lenses from both Olympus
and Panasonic, covering a variety of focal lengths.
Custom ports for micro 4/3 lenses are available from
Zen Underwater that work with the Olympus branded
housings, including versions for the Olympus 9-18,
Panasonic 7-14, Panasonic 8mm, and Panasonic 45mm
Macro. These are our four favorite lenses to shoot
underwater, so it’s great to have them all covered.
• Olympus E-PL5 PEN Camera with 14-42 Lens $700
• Olympus PT-EP10 Housing for the E-PL5 $747
• Olympus E-PL5 & Strobe Package $2118
17
Olympus PEN Series
The Olympus PEN Series
Olympus PEN Series Customization
One of our favorite features of the Olympus PEN cameras is
the ability to customize them. On all of our cameras, from
compact to SLR, we like to separate the shutter function from
focus. This way, we can acquire focus, recompose the image,
and the camera is not going to “hunt” to re-acquire focus
at the moment we choose to trip the shutter. Fortunately,
the PEN cameras are equipped with customizable function
buttons which can be programmed to be the equivalent of
an “AF-On” button found on many SLRs.
Two custom white balance settings are available.
Unfortunately it can only be captured in photo mode, but
can be set in both video and photo modes. We preferred
to change the record button function to Custom WB. While
pressing and holding the record button, and the pressing
the shutter, we were able to quickly capture custom white
balance and then have the option of assigning it to one of
the two presets. After capturing in manual photo mode it is
easy to bump the mode dial over 1 notch to the video mode
setting, and is an easier process than setting white balance
in some of the larger SLRs.
Olympus PEN Video
While shooting splits with a small dome is challenging, having 8 frames per
second made getting the shot a lot easier. We were also impressed with the high
ISO performance. Taken with the 8mm Panasonic Fisheye. ISO 1600, 1/160, f18
18
The E-PL5 is definitely capable of shooting some great
video, and supports full 1080p HD resolution. Full manual
exposure is available and is our preferred way to shoot
video. While we’ve found natural light video works best in
the shallows (about 30 feet), the E-PL5 was able to white
balance significantly deeper. At about 50 feet it would
still consistently take a manual white balance, although
the colors looked a little unsaturated and flat. With a little
saturation in post, the color perked right up and looked
great. Many cameras have problems executing a proper
white balance below 30-40 feet without a color correction
filter, so being able to do one with no filter at 50 feet, is a
big bonus. If you know in advance you’ll be dedicated to
shooting natural light video for your dive, we recommend
using a color correction with a manual white balance which
will allow for more color saturation at deeper depths.
The PEN is lightweight and easy to travel with, so much so
that we often see customers “crossgrade” into a mirrorless
system just to avoid traveling with the weight of heavier SLR
housings. And the price is difficult to beat - for any class of
camera. With such great low light performance, 8 frames
per second, super fast focus, and no shutter lag, we feel this
camera and housing combination is the best “bang for your
buck” in underwater photography.
Quick focus and no shutter lag allow capturing the moment easier to do. Without
any shutter lag, I was able to time the shot just as the turtle took a bite. Olympus
PEN E-PL5, Olympus 9-18mm lens, ISO 200, 1/250, f9
Olympus PEN Series Pros & Cons
Pros
• New sensor with extremely good low light
and high ISO performance
• 8 frames per second continuous shooting mode
• Extremely snappy autofocus performance
compared to any camera, compact or SLR
Cons
The Olympus 9-18 lens wide angle zoom lens is a great lens for shooting
pelagics by allowing you to shoot a tighter shot when you can’t get super
close. Olympus PEN E-PL5, Olympus 9-18mm lens, ISO 200, 1/125, f8
• Ports on Olympus polycarbonite housings
require some elbow grease to remove initially
• Custom white balance deeper than about
40 feet should be done with a color filter
• Slightly more expensive than the previous
generation model, but still a smashing deal
19
BEST ADVANCED MIRRORLESS CAMERA 2013
Olympus E-M5
The Olympus E-M5
Olympus E-M5
In a class of its own, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 brings
professional level quality in a tiny package. Don’t want
to lug around an SLR, but must have the best possible
image quality and camera performance? Then the
OM-D E-M5 is for you. This camera has even made the
professionals sit up and take notice. With its diminutive
housing size and great low light capability, the OM-D
E-M5 is the ultimate travel rig, a great system for
chasing after pelagics. The E-M5 features all of the
advantages of the PEN series, and much more. When
shooting with the kit including the 12-50mm lens, it is
completely weatherproofed - perfect for shooting on the
decks of boats and other wet situations. The camera’s
dual dials offer ergonomics and usability rarely seen
in a compact system. Unlike the PEN series, you can
directly access both shutter speed and aperture at the
same time with dedicated controls. ISO can also be
assigned to a function button. When you are changing
ISO, the meter stays active so you can see your shutter
speed, aperture, and EV value as the ISO is changed.
This is huge for advanced shooters who tend to live in
manual mode and need to make quick ISO changes in
the middle of fast action situations.
• Olympus O-MD E-M5 with 14-42 Lens $1100
• Olympus O-MD E-M5 with 12-50 Power Zoom
Lens $1300
• Olympus PT-EP08 Housing $960
• Nauticam NA-EM5 Housing $1350
20
Olympus E-M5 Features
The E-M5’s 16 Megapixel sensor is truly impressive,
delivering gorgeous files even at higher ISOs. It’s a
great match for the excellent lineup of Micro 4/3 lenses
available from Olympus and Panasonic. This camera can
also deliver some great looking video, but will generally
require the use of a color correction filter below about
30 feet. If you can dedicate a whole dive to ambient
light wide angle video, you can get some very impressive
results with great color. The video files hold up well in
color correction in Final Cut X, so you can push it a little
bit before introducing too much noise in post.
The E-M5’s breakthrough five axis image stabilization
makes a gigantic impact on delivering steady footage definitely a feature that will make SLR shooters jealous.
Stable video is a hard thing to do underwater and we’ll
take all the help we can get. This same stabilization also
makes it possible to shoot stills at unheard of slow shutter
speeds if you have a static subject. The stabilization is in
the body, making the stabilization completely independent
from the lens. Right now this is the best stabilization we
have seen yet in a camera we have taken underwater.
The OMD-EM5 allows for excellent image quality with smooth transitions in blue
water backgrounds and plenty of surface detail. Taken with the 8mm Panasonic
Fisheye. ISO 200, 1/200, f8
21
Olympus E-M5
The Olympus E-M5
Olympus E-M5 Housing Options
Two options are available for diving with the E-M5; the PTEP08 housing from Olympus, and the NA-EM5 housing
from Nauticam. Both housings offer an interchangeable
port system, giving you several options for lenses. The
Nauticam housing is crafted from aluminum, quite small,
and is aggressively priced compared to the company’s other
mirrorless housings. The NA-EM5 housing allows the use of
an electronic strobe connection, which is great for shooting
rapid sequences of images as you are not relying on the
camera’s flash to recycle.
Most people who have picked up an E-M5 agree on one
thing - this is a fun camera to shoot. Backscatter CEO Jim
Decker had a chance to take the Olympus OM-D E-M5 for
a spin at the Digital Shootout this year, and he liked what he
saw. Be sure to check out his impressions over on The Digital
Shootout website http://www.thedigitalshootout.com.
Olympus E-M5 Pros & Cons
Pros
• Performance and image quality on par
with SLRs
• Dual dials make it easier to adjust shutter
speed and aperture independently
• Great wide angle options
Cons
• External flash requires housings to be
larger than they could potentially be due
to necessity of fiber optic connection
• Electronic viewfinder still not as usable as
a dedicated SLR prism-based viewfinder
The 45mm Panasonic Macro lens is sharp and versatile optic that allows shooting
slightly wider macro scenes all the way down to tiny subjects. Olympus OM-D
E-M5, ISO 200, 1/160, f11
22
• Macro lens options do not offer long
working distances
BEST ADVANCED MIRRORLESS CAMERA RUNNER UP 2013
The Sony NEX Series
The Sony NEX Series
Sony NEX Series
Sony has developed a really compelling alternative to the
Micro 4/3 system, based on an APS-C sized sensor found
in many SLRs. This large sensor delivers outstanding image
quality, resolution, and low light capabilities, while the
cameras themselves maintain a very small footprint. The
NEX-5R and the NEX-6 are the latest iterations of Sony’s
camera bodies for this series, and though we haven’t had
a chance to test them yet underwater, we have tested their
predecessors extensively. The NEX-5N, like the NEX-5R after
it, is an inexpensive entry into the system with housings
available from Nauticam and Aquatica. The NEX-7 is a
powerhouse of a camera featuring a 24 Megapixel sensor
and Sony’s “Tri-Navi” system that allows independent
adjustment of Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO when using
manual mode. The Nauticam NA-NEX7 housing gives
complete access to all of these controls in a very ergonomic
layout. Both cameras shoot an impressive 1080p/60p
video, but unfortunately the white balance suffers at depth.
We have every reason to believe that the NEX-5R and NEX-6
will perform similarly in terms of white balance.
• NEX-5R Camera $750
• NEX7 Camera $1350
• Nauticam NA-NEX5R Housing $1350
• Nauticam NA-NEX7 Housing $1850
• NEX-7 Camera, Housing and Strobe Package $4406
The NEX series is the ultimate rig to swim with when chasing pelagic animals.
Its tiny size makes it incredibly streamlined in the water, and its large sensor
size delivers great performance at higher ISOs. Sony NEX-5N, 16mm lens
with wide adapter, ISO 800, 1/400, f6.3
23
The Sony NEX Series
The Sony NEX Series
The NEX Series Lens Choices
The NEX series offers some great lens choices, though not
as diverse as Micro 4/3. The 18-55 kit lens offers a great range
to shoot everything from semi-wide scenics, fish portraits, and
macro with the use of an adapter that allows the use of closeup lenses such as the Inon 330. The 16mm pancake lens is
unique in that you can essentially get three options from one,
all of which can be shot through the same dome port. The
16mm can be shot on its own, for an equivalent of a 24mm
mm lens on a full frame camera, or if you need to go wider,
there is a wide attachment and a fisheye attachment. Both of
these screw onto the lens. We were at first skeptical about this
design, but after testing in a variety of settings, we found that
the fisheye option delivers edge to edge sharpness that is just
as crisp as options available for SLRs.
The NEX Series Macro
On the macro end of things, in addition to using a wet
diopter with the 18-55 lens, there is also a 30mm macro
lens available from Sony that allows focusing down to 1:1.
But lens selection remains the Achilles heel of the NEX series,
especially in macro. While the 30mm E-Mount lens delivers
excellent results for subjects such as fish portraits, its working
distance is far too short to work well with skittish subjects,
and doesn’t lend itself to use with external diopters. We’d
love to see Sony introduce a 100mm macro lens, but thus far
there is no such optic on their roadmap. Sony has opened
up the NEX E-Mount to third party lens manufacturers such
as Sigma and Zeiss, so we remain hopeful that better macro
options will become available in future.
24
The Sony 30mm Macro lens is a great choice for fish portraits, but for smaller
subjects, its working distance is extremely short. Sony NEX-7, ISO 100, 1/160, f7.1
A note about macro shooting with compact and
mirrorless cameras
For now, if you’re a serious macro shooter who prefers
photographing the tiniest of creatures, or likes using our
MacroMate, then an SLR is probably going to be your best
option. The longer working distance of SLR macro lenses
allows you to be further away from skittish creatures,
allowing you to get shots that unfortunately can’t be made
with compacts. The mirrorless cameras offer more hope and
we know that Olympus has some longer macro lenses in the
works. Currently, there really is no better route than to go
with an SLR if you’re really serious about macro. There are
reasons why the compact class hasn’t taken over the entire
underwater photography industry, after all. But the strides
that have been made in recent years are very impressive
indeed, and the gap is now the closest it has ever been.
BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERA STATISTICS 2013
Mirrorless Cameras
Mirrorless Camera Vital Statistics
Model
Olympus E-PL5
Olympus OM-D E-M5
Sony NEX-7
Resolution
16.1 MP
16.1 MP
24.3 MP
Image Size
4608x3456
4608x3456
6000x4000
Sensor Size
4/3” (17.3x13mm)
4/3” (17.3x13mm)
APS-C
(23.5x15.6mm)
ISO Range
200-25600
80-25600
100-16000
8 fps
9 fps
10 fps
Movie Resolution
1080p
1080p
1080p
Movie Frame Rate in full HD
30p
30p
60p
LCD Size
3” 460K px
3” 610K px
3” 921.6K px
RAW Format
YES
YES
YES
$1492
$2505 - $3450
$3620 - $4010
25
BEST UNDERWATER COMPACT CAMERAS 2013
How We Selected:
Our 2013 Test Criteria
Target Users
Wide Angle Lenses:
1. New underwater photographer wanting an easy
point & shoot camera with growth potential.
2. Advanced underwater photographer wanting a
compact camera solution.
We eliminated many cameras because they were incompatible
with underwater wide angle lenses. Most of these cameras
featured a 5X or greater zoom lens. While this might be
attractive for topside photography, long zoom lenses
require underwater housings designs with long lens ports.
Accessory wide angle lenses must mount to the end of these
ports and suffer from severe vignetting (dark corners) when
the camera is zoomed wide. You can zoom in the camera
lens to clip out the dark corners, but an extreme zoom
will negate any benefit. Our point & shot camera finalists
in this review offer great wide angle lens solutions by the
original manufacturer or a high quality third party solution.
Camera Feature Requirements
1. Great to excellent image quality.
2. Camera must be compact and lightweight when used topside.
3. Camera must be point & shoot easy, but offer
intermediate to advanced controls.
4. Underwater housing must offer wide angle potential.
As in our 2012 review, more cameras seemed to meet
our minimum criteria, and the best cameras quickly
bubbled to the top of the list. To help you understand
our criteria, please review the following concepts.
To capture the big picture or a unique perspective, compact cameras require an
accessory wide angle lens. The image above was taken with an Olympus PEN E-PL5
and a Panasonic 8mm fisheye lens, and a custom dome port from Zen Underwater.
26
In recent years we have seen more cameras have a 28mm
equivalent (to film) lens and some even having a 24mm
equivalent lens. As the lenses on the cameras get wider,
optically it becomes harder to design an underwater
wide angle lens. While 24mm may sound wide to a land
based shooter, we generally consider an angle of over
100 degrees to be the starting point for an underwater
wide angle setup. This will allow the photographer to get
very close to the foreground subject, but still maintain an
expansive background. On most 24mm lens cameras, you
may need to zoom to 28mm for use with a wide angle lens
to avoid vignetting.
Finally, the new class of mirrorless cameras offer a whole
new dimension of wide-angle photography, similar to
what’s available in SLRs. These advanced compact cameras
offer interchangeable fisheye and wide lenses on the
camera which can be matched up to a dome port for some
seriously wide coverage up to 180 degrees. While these
lenses can’t be changed underwater, they offer optically
the best solution for wide angle photography.
Some manufacturers have resorted to an air dome on
these wider lens cameras to bring back the above water
angle of coverage. If you remember from your basic scuba
class, your mask reduces your field of view by about 25
percent. The same thing happens with your camera lens
behind a flat lens port. The air dome will restore the angle
of coverage to what it is above water. However, the angle
for a 28mm is 75 degrees, and a 24mm is 84 degrees,
making it harder to photograph very large objects like
large reef scenes and shipwrecks.
All cameras in this review are point & shoot easy, but a few offer more growth potential. Auto exposure cameras can take great snapshots, but
adding a strobe and selecting a camera with manual exposure options will provide more rich and saturated colors.
27
How We Selected:
Our 2013 Test Criteria
(Continued from page 25)
Manual vs. Auto Exposure:
Highlight Warning and Histograms:
We remain surprised (and aggravated) with the lack of
manual exposure control on the many low priced cameras.
We applaud automation, but even a new user will benefit
from the creative options of manual exposure controls.
It’s disappointing to download photos from a great dive
only to learn they are too dark or too bright. Better to be
warned of errors while we’re still in the water and able
to correct our mistakes. Professional SLR cameras offer
highlight warning and histogram feedback displays to
help pro shooters dial in their exposure on the spot. A few
of the point & shoot cameras in this review also feature a
simplified version of these essential exposure guides. The
Highlight Warning will blink a warning color in areas that
are overexposed. The Histogram is simply a bar graph of
the tones in the image and provides refined feedback to
help you on the ultimate digital exposure goal--to make
the exposure as bright as possible without losing too much
detail in the highlights.
Cameras with manual exposure allow the photographer
to independently control shutter speed and aperture. This
might sound complicated to a new photographer, but with
a little guidance most new shooters quickly pick-up the
rewarding technique of manual exposure. Cameras without
manual controls can still produce good results with (+/-)
exposure compensation adjustments. We recommend auto
shooters try out (-1) or (-2) exposure compensation settings
to get richer color on upward angle shots.
Highlight warnings alert the photographer of over exposure. Histograms are a bar graph of tones in the image and
can guide the photographer to the ultimate goal of a proper exposure.
28
Slave TTL Strobes:
Custom White Balance
In recent years strobe manufacturers have developed
what is called slave TTL. When set to slave TTL mode,
the underwater strobe simply mimics the camera’s built-in
strobe to produce an automatic strobe exposure. While no
automatic system will yield perfect results 100% of the time,
this system works reasonably well and can help someone
who is just starting out to get some good shots in the can
In order to shoot good looking video, getting an accurate
white balance is crucial. A custom white balance is the
user telling the camera what area of the picture is white
and the camera building the rest of the colors off of that
baseline recording. Correct white balance makes the
video look more natural, and helps to bring back colors
that are filtered out by water when shooting at depth.
Even when using a color correction filter such as Magic
Filters, a custom white balance setting can yield superior
results. Unfortunately, getting an accurate white balance
is not a given on a point and shoot camera. On some
cameras it is a convoluted process, on others an accurate
reading is not even possible underwater. Choosing a
camera that makes it easy to get an accurate reading is
a must if you’re planning to use it for shooting video. We
gave additional points to cameras that have an easy to set
and accurate white balance. White balance in video is so
critical in natural light shooting that it is more important
than what video resolution the camera is capable of. The
best resolution doesn’t matter if the colors look bad.
on their first trip. Understanding how TTL systems work,
how to judge exposures, and working within a camera
system’s limitations will be a photographer’s best tools for
getting the picture you want.
HD Movie Mode
One of the most important trends in recent years is the
advent of HD video in virtually all of the serious contenders.
All of our favorite cameras saw their video clips receive a
much needed bump up to 1080p HD resolution. While on
some cameras the video quality is not that of a dedicated
HD camcorder, on others the quality of the footage
easily surpasses all but the highest end camcorders for
professional use. Many of the cameras in our lineup
produce video that is surprisingly good for the cost and
what is a secondary feature of a camera. However, great
video requires great white balance, something that is not
easily achieved on all point and shoot cameras. Also,
camera ergonomics and menus are designed for the still
shooter, not the videographer, making an HD camcorder
still a good choice for the dedicated video shooter. We
hope that the addition of HD video to most cameras will
inspire more shooters to take a try at video.
Questions?
We hope you have enjoyed this in-depth survey of the
underwater compact camera market. At Backscatter, our
team is staffed with active divers who get out and shoot
with all of the equipment that we sell. Our sales staff have
direct experience with the gear you purchase with us, and
are just a phone call away if you ever need help. It’s that
level of expertise that we put into this annual roundup of
compact cameras so that we can share with you what we’ve
learned, and why we recommend certain cameras over
others. Please support the development of more content like
this by purchasing your gear from us.
29
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best underwater compact cameras 2013

Transcription

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