m43 vs rx100 + wet lenses

Hi guys,

I wonder if anybody of you has used both and could give me some ideas about how big of a difference one can expect between m43 vs an rx100 with wet lenses (for WA and for Macro).

I have been leaning towards m43 but now I also would love the flexibility of wet lenses. Besides the fact that there is quite a difference in cost (even though I already own some m43 stuff for land photography).

Are any of you using both?

I am a hobby and vacation diver and I am mostly interested in differences in regards of a) flexibility and b) image quality.

Would a em1 with 12-50 be any better IQ than a rx100 with a +5 or +10 wet lens?

Do any maybe even use sometimes wet lenses on m43?

Thanks for any ideas,

Tom

Ive just swapped from an s95/twin strobe to a m43(em10) setup. Havent dived it yet but will let you know!

Ive just swapped from an s95/twin strobe to a m43(em10) setup. Havent dived it yet but will let you know!

thank you!

Which reasons did you make the switch? And which lens you plan to use?

I am still undecided. The rx100 is flexible but how often does one really switch wet lenses underwater.

I did like the flexibility of the wide angle and macro options on one dive ill admit. I like doing close focus wide angle, and found that shots taken upwards i couldnt get rid of the turquoise halo on sunballs, as the aperture wouldnt reduce sufficiently. Also i got sick of fiddling through menus and missing shots. With the m43 o just have two dials and thus much more ergonomic

Currently just have the 14-42mm, but will save for a wide angle soon.

Sunburst by Interceptor121, on Flickr

I am not sure what you were doing but sunbursts are one of the strenghts of the RX100 with the 1/2000 sync speed of the flash you can do whatever you like and get the sunball to be either very dark as above

or light like here (torquoise halo I guess you called it)

Turtle in the sky by Interceptor121, on Flickr

I had an s95 not an rx100

The S95 syncs at 1/1600 that is good enough like here

Photo Rig by Interceptor121, on Flickr

The halo problem can depend on the lens flare Glass domes don't flare of the others only the Fix UWL-04 gives good results the others Fix UWL28 and Inon UFL165 are not good for shooting into the sun

Would agree that a good Micro 4:3 is much better than an S95 but so is the RX100 and the gap between RX100 and a Micro 4:3 is not huge at all in fact only few micro 4:3 have better IQ

True, but as I also mentioned, I prefer the ergonomics of the M43 (I have fairly large hands) and found it fiddly going through menus etc. Just having to twist separate dials is far more comfortable

OK to the original question is there a huge difference between an Olympus OMD-E1 with the 12-50 lens and an RX100 with the wet lenses the answer comparing pictures and sensor data is no. There is not much difference

However you can use real macro lenses on the micro 4:3 and those do produce better results for macro

At wide end the difference is almost none if you use high quality wet lenses on the RX100 however the cost of housing camera and ports doubles for a good micro 4:3 in aluminum housing and port system

If you instead go into a cropped sensor camera like the A6000 or a Nikon D7100 the difference shows but those cameras in my opinion beat the micro 4:3 as well not just the RX100

Those are personal opinion based on a recent trip I have done where in water on the same sites there were OMD-E1 OMD-E10 RX100 D7100 and D800 no massive difference between the first 3 but gap with the other two and the D800 going really far away from the others