100 replies to this topic

[antacid]

i couldn't wait and got my hands on a Ricoh GX100 with the EVF kit and WA converter (19mm equivalent).

If the S&S one is going to be the same camera, boy it's going to be fun!
((=

AF speed was slow and insisted on refocussing everytime you took a shot, but was solved by installing firmware version 1.04. Now AF is much faster, and very accurate.

I'm just wondering how the housing will accomodate a very useful control feature on the camera: the "ADJ" button/toggle which controls the shutter speed in manual mode by pushing it to the left or right, and displays 4 programmable short-cuts when pushed.

can't wait to try out the housing with wet lenses!

Sea&Sea, if you need a tester in Singapore, please contact me!

[chris_l]

My Fuji F30 isn't quite wide enough to suit me. I realize this Sea and Sea isn't out so no one has used one, but theoretically, do you think this would be a good way to go, or should I just add an INON WA lens to my Fuji? I would like to be able to shoot RAW, but can live without that.

Thanks

I'm in the same boat here. I'm considering the Inon UWL-105AD and the base for the F30.

[samplin]

AF speed was slow and insisted on refocussing everytime you took a shot, but was solved by installing firmware version 1.04. Now AF is much faster, and very accurate.

I just brought the GX-100 and it came with the 1.16 firmware.. What firmware are we talking about.

I put the camera in movie mode, push the macro button and the play button and get a firmware screen that lists 1.16 as the main firmware..

Joe

[derway]

There is a brand new review of the gx-100 at dpreview:

http://www.dpreview....gx100/page3.asp

Alas, it is rated slow Autofocus, in dim light, and especially at close ranges, and macro - up to 2 seconds to focus!

I was very interested, but this has just about killed my interest.

Sigh...

Don

[james]

Phil at DPreview.com didn't like the image quality at all either.

James

[antacid]

I just brought the GX-100 and it came with the 1.16 firmware.. What firmware are we talking about.

I put the camera in movie mode, push the macro button and the play button and get a firmware screen that lists 1.16 as the main firmware..

Joe

AF speed is improved with firmware v1.14, and v1.16 fixes the problem with flash overexposure for outdoor shots. that's the most current so far, so i think you're good to go!

yup, i've read the review and i agree with it on some points. AF is not as fast as i would like, but still comparable to other compacts around (i've used canon A620/640, sony T9, W5 etc).

image quality in terms of noise isn't the best around as well, but still good enough for me. i don't expect it to give me the same noise levels as a D200 at iso400!

i'm willing to take a compromise because its got a 24mm lens, and a macro focus of 2inches at 72mm! here's an example:


EXIF: 72mm, iso400, 1/84s, F7.1

gives you more than 1:1 macro with the zoom on. all in all, i'm very happy with the camera
((=

[derway]

James, my take on DPR's review, was that the cam had noise image issues were at ISOs over 80. I have no trouble shooting at ISO 80... And I'm not looking for DSR like IQ.

Antacid, how did you get that underwater shot? Is it really with a gx100?

Don

[antacid]

James, my take on DPR's review, was that the cam had noise image issues were at ISOs over 80. I have no trouble shooting at ISO 80... And I'm not looking for DSR like IQ.

Antacid, how did you get that underwater shot? Is it really with a gx100?

Don

ah, sorry. should have clarified that this was on a beach. the housing isn't out yet, apparently.

[klee]

i tested the set uw for macro shots last sunday,

my setting is as follows:
iso 100
manual mode
macro on
f8
1/125
must flash on to trigger a ys 27

at some 10m uw with visibility around 5m, the lcd is so dim that i cannot even clearly see the subject, it will brighten again for 1-2 secs when you focus, this is hardly enough for composition.

i read the manual and found out that the lcd will go dimmer if yr setting is under, but my experience is that it is so too dim for any photography

i used to use the above setting for Canon A640 and Olympus 5060 and didnt come across this, a fd of mine told me that it may be due to bug

anyone has any insight on this plsssssss.

[eskasi]

You managed to get one already? I am itching to get the package with theYS110 strobe. Can't find anyone stocking it though. Where did you get yours?

I hope you fixed your problems....what firmware do you hwve on it?

[derway]

Klee, wow, that sounds like they forgot that you want to use the LCD for composing the shot, and not just for feedback on how good the exposure will be.

Most cameras turn up the LCD gain, when you turn on the strobe, since that is always supposed to induce proper exposure...

What does it do at on aperature priority mode?

[hkfrankie]

i also bought one set of DX-1G with wide angle lens, but unfortunately i have same problem with klee at M mode, though i turned on the int. flash....


i have 5 yrs UW photo experience, no same case found in the past

my comment is if sea and sea doesn't change the firmware for M mode, DX-1G is not a perfect DC for underwater user,

my firmware is 5.16

Edited by hkfrankie, 05 September 2007 - 07:37 PM.

[antacid]

i also bought one set of DX-1G with wide angle lens, but unfortunately i have same problem with klee at M mode, though i turned on the int. flash....
i have 5 yrs UW photo experience, no same case found in the past

my comment is if sea and sea doesn't change the firmware for M mode, DX-1G is not a perfect DC for underwater user,

my firmware is 5.16

how much did you guys pay for it? camera + housing?

according to my friend, apparently the sea & sea distributor in Singapore only sells the housing together with the camera.

is this true in other countries as well?

i paid S$1000 for the camera, EVF, WA lens and adapter with hood. That's about US$650-700 for the camera alone.

would really love to get my hands on the housing soon!

[hkfrankie]

how much did you guys pay for it? camera + housing?

according to my friend, apparently the sea & sea distributor in Singapore only sells the housing together with the camera.

is this true in other countries as well?

i paid S$1000 for the camera, EVF, WA lens and adapter with hood. That's about US$650-700 for the camera alone.

would really love to get my hands on the housing soon!

i bought it from Japan of sea and sea version, housing with camera was us$810

[samplin]

i bought it from Japan of sea and sea version, housing with camera was us$810

I was looking at this combo from B&H.. Ricoh Caplio GX-100 Looking to lighten my load of complete DSLR outfit to a small
rig like this.. I have the Ricoh Caplio GX-100 camera already as spare. So Far the camera is really nice.

Could you explain a little more about the dark screen? I notice that the screen goes black right after the exposure, but comes right back with the preview. The only thing that i did not like about the camera is, I am used to setting the flashing pixels on the image preview to come on so I can see right awy if i am blowing out anything.. With the GX-100 you have to push a separate button to the the blown pixels..

Joe in Arizona

[oskar]

i bought it from Japan of sea and sea version, housing with camera was us$810

That sounds like a good deal, was that with shipping? What company did you order from?

Cheers
Oskar

[hkfrankie]

other user explain the dark screen

" mentioned this problem also a few weeks (or months) ago in the dpreview forum. As I often use the M-Mode it's really nerving, that the display changes it's brightness with different exposure setting. A possible reason for this could be that the live histogram uses the displayed picture for generating the histogram curve, but I doubt that.
I found out that if you point the camera in M mode on a dark subject and have an underexposed setting, the display will get brighter very slowly.

But I agree with you, that the darkening is not a logical feature. The exposure indicator bar works very well and I think, nobody who uses the M mode needs a live "exposured preview" of the scene. Especially with an external flash it's absolutel'y senseless as you can use the flash with up to 1/2000 s shutter speed.

That sounds like a good deal, was that with shipping? What company did you order from?

Cheers
Oskar

sorry ! my japan friend help me to bought

[derway]

Hi Joe.

With P&S small cameras, you really want to shoot in the lowest available ISO you can. Image quality degrades quickly with increasing ISO.

Now you have to use the LCD to compose shots, but a large percentage of P&S camera makers think it is a good idea, to have the LCD brightness indicate the approximate exposure level.

So, as the lighting gets darker, the screen gets darker, trying to tell you it will underexpose, even though you know it would be fine, WITH FLASH, duh. But the stupid dark screen won't let you compose the shot.

Most cameras these days have some alteration of the screen brightness, when you turn on the flash, to let you compose on LCD at night. It seems often, they behave differently, depending on the exposure mode!

Almost all the cams have live histograms too, so you can judge your exposure off that, and leave the LCD just for composing the shot.

I am surprised that a high end camera like this would have the problem so badly.

[antacid]

so i went down to the local Sea&Sea distributor looking to get a DX1G housing for my Ricoh GX100 (same camera, just rebadged).

however the guy told me that they only sell the housing together with the camera, and i'd have to buy them both!

is this the normal practice for Sea&Sea compact housings? would any of you be able to help me get a housing for my camera? any help is much appreciated! have one on me!

[DesertEagle]

Sea & Sea's recent products have been sold as a combo. A few years back they had a couple of high-end p&s housings. Since they started rebranding cameras with their name, it's always been a combo.

Edited by DesertEagle, 10 September 2007 - 11:29 AM.