51 replies to this topic

[A.Y.]

With regard to the night scene shot above.
I would think the GX1 might do a better job at it with the excellent panasonic 20/f1.7 lense.
It's not all about the sensor.

You're absolutely right a camera system is not all about the sensor IQ, and Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 (40mm equivalent) is indeed an excellent lens.

Sony NEX 24mm f/1.8 Zeiss (36mm equivalent) has also received excellent review (wide open @ f1.8) and the 50mm f/1.8 OSS (75mm equivalent) seems like a good portrait lens that can deliver shallow DOF. Keep in mind that these are native NEX lenses so the CA in the sample photo will be removed automatically in camera by the NEX-5N and 7.

[chris_l]

You're absolutely right a camera system is not all about the sensor IQ, and Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 (40mm equivalent) is indeed an excellent lens.

Sony NEX 24mm f/1.8 Zeiss (36mm equivalent) has also received excellent review (wide open @ f1.8) and the 50mm f/1.8 OSS (75mm equivalent) seems like a good portrait lens that can deliver shallow DOF. Keep in mind that these are native NEX lenses so the CA in the sample photo will be removed automatically in camera by the NEX-5N and 7.

Wow, the link you provided shows that as a $1200 lens. quite pricey.
The NEX system has better sensors no doubt.
And maybe, someday, they'll catch up in the lens category.
But, right now, for me, the m4/3 has the best combination of IQ to price and size.
And, when you throw in the excellent Olympus housings available, it really changes the price/IQ game for underwater to an advantage for olympus.

[Puffer Fish]

Nex 7 great sensor, great viewfinder, images, 1080 video. Really not fair to compare the 2, totally different price points

Would agree. First because they have different lens, second because of price and lastly because of their directed target market.

Would suggest, for example, that if video was a main point, then one should be comparing the NEX-7 with the GH2, and not the GX1.

But it is the lens that define these camera's more than anything else, and if one likes shooting macro the difference is huge.

You have two actually very good macro lens, both can do 1 to 1 images, but after that, you can have a 30mm (for sony) that is roughly equal to a 45mm (full frame) versus a 45 mm that is equal to a 90mm. The Panasonic has very good edge sharpness wide open, the Sony really bad edge sharpness wide open (but fairly good when stopped down). Wide angle lens present a similar huge difference..with the 7 -14 PANASONIC being about as wide a flat field wide ange as there is.

I happen to own the panasonic 45 and where I dive, find the field of view a bit too narrow (I sometimes shoot thru a dome just to get a bit wider field of view) and would love to have something similar to the sony.

And I love the sensor in the NEX 7. However both cameras can take excellent images and even though I love the camera and that 30mm macro, will be getting a GX-1 because of size and cost.

[Edward Lai]

Edward and Jacqueline Lai have just left for the Philippines to test drive both the NEX7 and the GX1 cameras. They'll be back in a few days with some test shots and footage, I'll ask them to link to this thread when they are back.

As being reported by Alex, we tested both housings in Cebu during mid/late Feb. And here's the galleries:

NA-NEX7 for Sony Nex-7

and

NA-GX1 for Panasonic GX-1

I hope you enjoy watching them!

Edward

[Puffer Fish]

Very nice... thanks for posting. Both seem to work really well.

[Deep6]

As being reported by Alex, we tested both housings in Cebu during mid/late Feb. And here's the galleries:

NA-NEX7 for Sony Nex-7

and

NA-GX1 for Panasonic GX-1

I hope you enjoy watching them!

Edward

Yes indeed! Thank you. I have been waiting to see your work. I see you went for "super macro" with the NEX - 30mm + wet diopter, so I can't really compare to the GX1 - 45mm. the venerable Nikonos 15 holds up well, but the 7-14 seems more versatile and sharper. What is you opinion?

I think Oly will release a 60mm macro soon; this could be interesting. I hope to check out some Nauticam setups later this summer.
Bob

[Longimanus1975]

Edward, what did you think of the 2 cameras in general? What worked best for you?

Would really like some feedback on both if that is possible

[Edward Lai]

Hi Bob,

We could be too much addicted to shooting "super marco" the more we go to Cebu, because of the vast variety of smaller subjects available there. Well, at least we managed to shoot more than 1:1 magnification with the 30mm Sony E-mount marco lens (with add-on wet diopter), although at times we had to get extremely close to the subjects.

Sometimes the shorter Sony 30mm lens worked better in low visibility as we could get closer, and allowed us to shoot larger subjects. As Puffer Fish pointed out, we sometimes found the Panasonic 45mm a bit on the long side. But it was easier to use because of more room for lighting.

The Nikonos 15mm lens did amazed us in terms of color rendition and sharpness, thought it should perform much better in clearer water. Still looking forward to testing it and the Sea&Sea 12mm more in coming months, hopefully in better visibility.

Have to agree that lens choices are more versatile in the Panny/Oly clamp. The Oly 9-18mm, for example, works quite well in a smaller (4~ inches) dome port and provides quite a useful wideangle range.

As to Longimanus' question, it is difficult to compare the cameras as they are of different level. The Nex-7 seemed to be a little bit faster in focus acquisition, it has an electronic viewfinder, better video and higher resolution; and its more expensive. Other than these, the GX-1 holds up pretty well as one of the better m4/3 camera for underwater.

Edward

[chris_l]

As being reported by Alex, we tested both housings in Cebu during mid/late Feb. And here's the galleries:

NA-NEX7 for Sony Nex-7

and

NA-GX1 for Panasonic GX-1

I hope you enjoy watching them!

Edward

What lense for the whale shark with the GX1?

Thanks for posting the excellent galleries?

[Aliens]

I really enjoy the trinavi dials on the NEX7 quick to change speed, aperture and EV. It is a beautiful camera. Well worth the money for serious photography yet small. Happy with the macro and the pancake with a dome

[Edward Lai]

What lense for the whale shark with the GX1?

Hi Chris,

Those two photos were shot with a Panny 7-14 lens behind a 6" dome port.

Edward

[sweesin]

Hi Chris,

Those two photos were shot with a Panny 7-14 lens behind a 6" dome port.

Edward

Ed,
so when the GX1 housing will be ship out?
can't wait to test it

swee

[Edward Lai]

Ed,
so when the GX1 housing will be ship out?
can't wait to test it

swee

Hi Swee, that will be the end of March. Ed

[jgrjr777]

Edward

Could you elaborate on the NEX-7 GX-1 focus differences? Could you compare with some DSLRs so we could get a feel for the differences.

Here is a pargraph lifted from DPReview about the NEX-7.
With static subjects, the NEX-7's autofocus is generally fast and accurate. It's not as blisteringly quick as the latest Micro Four Thirds cameras such as the Olympus PEN E-P3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, but on the whole it's fast enough - there aren't many subjects that won't wait that extra fraction of a second for the camera to focus. Also, while it may be slower than many similarly-priced SLR/lens combinations, it's essentially immune from the front- and back-focusing problems that can affect the phase detection AF systems of SLRs.

Speed is not everything in AF.

You found the NEX-7 to be better than the GX-1. In what way? Focus tracking, focus aquisition ect...

I owned an Olympus EP1 for a while and could not deal with the bad AF. Now I own a GX-1 and find it an amazing improvment.

[Aliens]

Would agree. First because they have different lens, second because of price and lastly because of their directed target market.

Would suggest, for example, that if video was a main point, then one should be comparing the NEX-7 with the GH2, and not the GX1.

But it is the lens that define these camera's more than anything else, and if one likes shooting macro the difference is huge.

You have two actually very good macro lens, both can do 1 to 1 images, but after that, you can have a 30mm (for sony) that is roughly equal to a 45mm (full frame) versus a 45 mm that is equal to a 90mm. The Panasonic has very good edge sharpness wide open, the Sony really bad edge sharpness wide open (but fairly good when stopped down). Wide angle lens present a similar huge difference..with the 7 -14 PANASONIC being about as wide a flat field wide ange as there is.

I happen to own the panasonic 45 and where I dive, find the field of view a bit too narrow (I sometimes shoot thru a dome just to get a bit wider field of view) and would love to have something similar to the sony.

And I love the sensor in the NEX 7. However both cameras can take excellent images and even though I love the camera and that 30mm macro, will be getting a GX-1 because of size and cost.

Appreciate choice on cost. This was a major upgrade for me coming from a G12 in the Canon housing. I decided the best I could get/afford and hope to grow in to it as new lens come out

[Edward Lai]

Edward

Could you elaborate on the NEX-7 GX-1 focus differences? Could you compare with some DSLRs so we could get a feel for the differences.

Here is a pargraph lifted from DPReview about the NEX-7.
With static subjects, the NEX-7's autofocus is generally fast and accurate. It's not as blisteringly quick as the latest Micro Four Thirds cameras such as the Olympus PEN E-P3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, but on the whole it's fast enough - there aren't many subjects that won't wait that extra fraction of a second for the camera to focus. Also, while it may be slower than many similarly-priced SLR/lens combinations, it's essentially immune from the front- and back-focusing problems that can affect the phase detection AF systems of SLRs.

Speed is not everything in AF.

You found the NEX-7 to be better than the GX-1. In what way? Focus tracking, focus aquisition ect...

I owned an Olympus EP1 for a while and could not deal with the bad AF. Now I own a GX-1 and find it an amazing improvment.

Hi jgrjr777,

This is such a difficult question to answer! Do remember that AF performance has a lot to do with the lenses attached. In our case we could be biased comparing our 'feel' using the 30mm E-mount on the Nex-7, and the 45mm on GX-1. Not to say the Sony 30mm is better, it is likely it needs less mechanical movement focusing on similar sized subjects with its wider angle of view.

When shooting a moving subject underwater, for example a portrait shot of a swimming fish of say 6-8 inches long, the phase angle detection focusing system in DSLRs coupled with good lenses still seems to be more reliable than mirrorless cameras, including any contrast detection AF cameras for that matter. The only mirrorless camera we found to perform well (in good light) is the Nikon V-1 which has FA detection AF.

I haven't used focus tracking underwater so can't commend.

Both the Nex-7 and GX-1 are very much improved from the earlier models in their focusing speed. Again, all these are very subjective especially from one who are used to shooting DSLRs.

Edward

[jgrjr777]

Thanks Edward

You are right the 45 is a little slow to focus. I was not thinking of that. Ok for macro but otherwise not the fastest of the m4/3 system. Was the focus better on the 7-14?

I have been considering a compact system so your report was very helpful. I will wait to see how the new Olympus does.

I am trying to get a feel for how much you give up in AF performance on these mirrorless systems.

[rayhazelton]

Hi Edward. Can you tell me how you had the Nex7 set up.
I have recently purchased an NEX7 and my aim at present is to buy a Nauticam housing but I don't want to buy the wrong port and focussing parts.
I am very pleased with the NEX7 so far but I have my reservations about the likely image quality using the pancake lens with a fish eye or wide angle adapter.
Having paid £1000 for the camera body I want a lens that will do it justice underwater and a fast lens would seem a better solution.
What is your experience and what do you see as the ideal (almost) solution.
Just to say that macro is not my principal interest although it might be nice to do that as well

Apologese to everyone else if this is the wrong forum for this question. I have just joined the site and not entirely sure the best way to use it.

As being reported by Alex, we tested both housings in Cebu during mid/late Feb. And here's the galleries:

NA-NEX7 for Sony Nex-7

and

NA-GX1 for Panasonic GX-1

I hope you enjoy watching them!

Edward

[Edward Lai]

Hi Edward. Can you tell me how you had the Nex7 set up.
I have recently purchased an NEX7 and my aim at present is to buy a Nauticam housing but I don't want to buy the wrong port and focussing parts.
I am very pleased with the NEX7 so far but I have my reservations about the likely image quality using the pancake lens with a fish eye or wide angle adapter.
Having paid £1000 for the camera body I want a lens that will do it justice underwater and a fast lens would seem a better solution.
What is your experience and what do you see as the ideal (almost) solution.
Just to say that macro is not my principal interest although it might be nice to do that as well

Apologese to everyone else if this is the wrong forum for this question. I have just joined the site and not entirely sure the best way to use it.

Hi Rayhazelton,

We just used a flat port with 67mm thread at the front for the 30mm Marco, and focusing gear was not used. We do consider the AF capability of the camera good enough for most situation.

There are many good feedback in various forum discussions regarding the quality of photographs taken with the 16mm pancake lens, either using it alone or with the wide angle converter or fisheye converter.

The 18-55mm kit lens is also quite well accepted.

Thanks.

[sweesin]

Wow, finally nauticam annouced GX1 housing, looking good!!
but bad news is, according to our local dealer the shipment date is not end of march, but delay till mid of May.
could anyone confirm this?