Upcoming Sea & Sea DX-1G camera

[johnspierce 25]

Frankly, this should be taken for granted in 2007. Anything above supermarket $49 cameras can do this.

 

I agree totally, all cameras *should* be able to do 640x480. What is totally annoying about the current market is the lack of sophisticated point-and-shoot cameras which still have manual capabilities. I still use my Oly 5060 because my choices seem to be either nice and small and totally automatic or go to dSLR and lose the LCD real time view on the back and lose movies and lose Macro.

 

The DX-1G looks like a viable replacement for the high-end prosumer cameras available prior to the advent of the cheap SLR.

 

JP

[Islandbound 1]

Other than RAW I dont see the Sea&Sea doing anything that isnt already on the market now. The G7 will do everything except for the raw and can shoot 1024x768 at 15fps as well, has a hotshoe for TTL with an Ikelite housing and even has two custom C1,C2 settings so you can preset the camera for Macro and WA quickly. In addition to the Macro setting it also has optical telephoto presets at 1.4 and 2.3 you can use for very tight macro shots too.

 

If someone doesnt like Canon I would think that the Nikon coolpix would be a nice camera as well as the Olympus. With Casio already in the market with a 12.1 megapixel camera it wont be long for all the other companies push the technology envelope soon as well.

[johnspierce 25]

Yeah, the Canon G7 does look like a nice camera. Some of the pics posted here by G7 users are incredible and nobody can take anything away from them.

 

Of course, the DX-1G is just "vaporware", but if it is really just the Ricoh GX-100, I think it has a few features the G7 does not:

 

- 1/10 second shutter response in RAW mode

- 24mm standard lens vs. the 35mm in the Canon

- 16mm WA add-on lens vs. no add-on for the Canon

- plug-in optical attachment for S&S strobes ( I currently have a YS-90DX)

- fast Auto Focus (again based on Ricoh GX-100 reviews)

 

The biggest problem I have with the G7 is the slow shutter (I have that now on my 5060 and it drives me nuts) and the lack of RAW mode (I prefer making exposure modifications myself rather than the camera).

 

Based on the feature set, the DX-1G *might be* the P&S underwater camera of choice - we'll see....

 

JP

Edited July 9, 2007 by johnspierce

[derway 2]

Yeah, the G7 has marginal AF speed, and a terrible extra lag added in, when using flash.

 

If the DX-1G gives all the features, without any extra bad lags, plus RAW, it will be what many hoped the G7 should/would have been!

[oskar 6]

Accessories include: W/A conversion lens for equiv of 16mm, W/A lens caddy, additional DB-60 batteries and charger units.

 

 

How will the rebranded camera compare with the original Ricoch? I would assume that the changes would be superficial, and that it will be possible to use the Ricoch vifinder with the Sea&sea version (for instance).

 

Is this the experience from other sea&sea rebranded cameras?

 

 

/O

[james 0]

Yes.

[MikeO 5]

The DX-1G will be available in the US in early August with an MSRP of 1049.00 and a MAP of 999.95 for camera and housing. The set will be available in a variety of packages with the YS-27DX and YS-110 strobes. Yes, an LED accessory is in the works for the hotshoe.

Accessories include: W/A conversion lens for equiv of 16mm, W/A lens caddy, additional DB-60 batteries and charger units.

 

What about add-on lenses for macro?

 

Mike

[johnspierce 25]

What about add-on lenses for macro?

 

Mike

 

 

Will it need an add-on macro lens? In macro mode it focuses from 1cm to infinity.

 

JP

[james 0]

Well - at 1cm you'll be bashing whatever you're trying to photograph. An add-on macro lens lets you get the same magnification but move back a bit. It's easier to light and shoot the photo that way.

 

My guess is that if there is an add-on WA lens there will be add-on macro capability too.

 

James

[eatmor18 0]

Look back at my original specs... Not only can it focus at 1cm at wideangle, but it can also do 4cm at telephoto. So really, I don't think any diopter would be necessary or even make sense.

[johnspierce 25]

Well - at 1cm you'll be bashing whatever you're trying to photograph. An add-on macro lens lets you get the same magnification but move back a bit. It's easier to light and shoot the photo that way.

 

My guess is that if there is an add-on WA lens there will be add-on macro capability too.

 

James

 

 

I see -- that makes perfect sense. I use an Oly 5060 right now and the macro mode pics are excellent; probably the best thing that camera does, but you are correct, I have to get very close and be very careful.

[MikeO 5]

Look back at my original specs... Not only can it focus at 1cm at wideangle, but it can also do 4cm at telephoto. So really, I don't think any diopter would be necessary or even make sense.

 

It remains to be seen what that boils down to in terms of usability underwater. What does that correlate to in terms of magnification (1:1, 1:2, etc.)?

 

Whatever the case, this seems to be the first serious attempt in a while at a very capable compact underwater digital. Might make a nice complement/backup to an expensive DSLR system.

 

Mike

Edited July 11, 2007 by MikeO

[antacid 1]

yup, i'm eagerly awaiting the launch of this camera too. on paper the specs are impressive and seems like the answer to us non-DSLR users.

 

i hope it doesnt turn out like the Oly SP-550 again - impressive specs on paper, but less than satisfactory in real life.

 

one question: are S&S cameras usually rebadged Ricoh ones? If that's the case, I could probably get my hands on the cameras first to try them out.

 

Any difference between Ricoh and rebadged S&S cameras in terms of functions or fit?

 

Thanks in advance!

[MikeO 5]

yup, i'm eagerly awaiting the launch of this camera too. on paper the specs are impressive and seems like the answer to us non-DSLR users.

 

i hope it doesnt turn out like the Oly SP-550 again - impressive specs on paper, but less than satisfactory in real life.

 

one question: are S&S cameras usually rebadged Ricoh ones? If that's the case, I could probably get my hands on the cameras first to try them out.

 

Any difference between Ricoh and rebadged S&S cameras in terms of functions or fit?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

S&S has two lines of point and shoot cameras. What used to be the "thousand" series now the DX-1G has been Ricoh cameras. The lower models (what used to be the "hundred" series) were re-badged cameras of less distinguished heritage.

 

Should be almost exactly the same as the Ricoh if history is a guide.

 

Mike

[Draq 118]

Forgive my ignorance on such things, but could someone explain why a flat port will be a big disadvantage with this camera? (I have never used a dome)

 

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

[antacid 1]

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 6]

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 2]

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 2]

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

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/ricohgx100/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 0]

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

 

James

[antacid 1]

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 2]

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 1]

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 0]

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 1]

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?