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New Cameras Releases 2012 | Best 2013 Underwater Cameras
I was trying to post about every new camera release when I just noticed there are many and maybe we should aggregate them all into one place. I will showcase the new models here by categories as these will be the top underwater cameras of 2013 and they are worth looking at and researching even before they even arrived to store or any camera housings have been announced for them.
2013 future Compact Cameras for underwater photography
1) Sony RX1
Sony just recently released 2 compact camera models , the RX100 and RX1.
The RX100 is already in the market for some time so I will not thoroughly speak about it yet, lets just say its an improved version of the Canon S100 and bundled with the 950$ Nauticam housing its probably the best compact package for this price at the moment. The Nauticam housing is shipping and has a crazy demand , this is definitely one worth looking at.
The RX1 sets the bar for a completely new league of compact cameras. While being a compact and appearing similar to the RX100 , this model is actually FULL FRAME!! Yes, you heard correctly , 35mm sized sensor on a compact camera which sets it on a price point of 2800$ , more than most DSLRs.
So why use such a camera ? As a backup for your DSLR, If you travel a lot and need Magazine quality shots or if you just have plenty of money , dont want to handle complex and cumbersome DSLR rig.
The specs for this camera are as follows:
Full Frame , 24MP | Dimension between a Canon S100 and Canon G12 | Carl Zeis 35mm prime fixed lens f/2.0 | 1080p 60 fps video | 3″ LCD 1,2M dots | Max ISO 25600
We expect Nauticam to release the first housing , will probably retail for about 1400$ which will put this bundle at a 4200$ price point for underwater use. If you are a professional photographer shooting Nikon D4 or even D800 or Canon 5D Mark III, this investment is not crazy for having a full frame backup camera.
The RX 1is available on Amazon:Sony DSC-RX1/B Cybershot Full-frame Digital Camera
2) Canon G15
After more than 2 years , Canon has released a successor to its very popular G series of cameras. The G12 was probably one of the most widely used cameras digital underwater ever.
G15 looks similar to the G12 in terms of size , weight and manual controls. It has the same size sensor and generally it looks like a model that just wants to keep the series alive , very similar to what Nikon is doing with the P series.
If you ask me , there is no reason to buy this camera when others , much more compact ones like the S100 or Sony RX100 are in the market.
The specs are as follows: 12.1MP 1/1.7″ Sensor | 28-140mm lens F1.8 – F2.8 | 3″ 0.922M LCD screen Fixed | 2fps continuous shooting | 1080p video 24fps
The camera will retail for 500$ and Canon housing is the first to be released , I am sure Ikelite will follow and the bundle will go for 800$ – 1200$.
3) Canon S110
The Canon S100 is a very popular underwater camera, the main reason it that it offers all the G12’s manual controls but with a much wider lens and half the size and weight. I like it especially as it has very accurate color balancing and I found its shots to be the sharpest of all compacts I’ve shot with before.
The S110 will be it successor , hopefully , will even fit in the same housing ( or is that wishful thinking ) . It looks like these are very similar and not much have been updated other then touch on the LCD screen and WIFI support.
The specs are as follows: 12.1MP 1/1.7″ Sensor | 24-120mm lens F2 – F5,9 | 3″ 0.461M LCD screen Fixed w/Touch |1080p video 24fps |WIFI
The camera will retail for 500$ and Canon housing is the first to be released , I am sure Ikelite will follow and the bundle will go for 750$ – 900$.
4) Nikon P7700
The Nikon P7700 is a successor of the previous P7100 which was a very popular choice for underwater due to Fantasea’s excellent ergonomic and inexpensive housing.
Assuming Fantasea release a similar housing for this model , we expect it to be quite popular for underwater use.
The changes from the P7100 are quite significant , better lens ( same focal range ) , 1080p video , 12MP , 8fps continous mode , much faster processor, Full articulated LCD, more ergonomic front dial.
The specs are as follows: 12.1MP 1/1.7″ Sensor | 28-20mm lens F2.0 – F4.0 | 3″ 0.99M LCD screen fully articulated |1080p video 30fps | 8fps continuous shooting | Faster performance
The camera will retail for 500$ and Ikelite housing is probably the first to be released. We are hoping Fantasea will release a housing soon and we will get a new improved 900$ bundle.
The Nikon P7700 is available on Amazon here:Nikon COOLPIX P7700 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 7.1x Optical Zoom NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and 3-inch Vari-Angle LCD
5) Fujifilm XF1
Fujifilm is following the steps of Sony taking the Canon S100 style cameras and making them with a larger sensor and better optical performance.
The XF1 is a compact camera , vintage styled with a 2/3″ sensor ( somewhere between the Canon S100 and the RX100 in size ). I personally think these are the best options for underwater photography and am excited to see Fujifilm enter the game. The biggest highlight here is the 25mm wide lens, this makes this camera , perhaps a better choice than the Sony’s RX100. This camera also has full manual controls.
The specs are as follows: 12MP 2/3″ Sensor | 25-100mm lens F1.8 – F4.9 | 3″ 0.46M LCD screen fixed |1080p video 30fps | Max Shutter 1/40000 | 10 fps continuous shooting |
I hope Nauticam will release a housing for this camera soon , I expect it to be a very good underwater camera.
6) Olympus XZ-2
The XZ-1 was a very popular camera for underwater , mainly due to its bundle price with the olympus housing.
The XZ-2 is the Olympus version of the Sony RX100 or Canon S110 series of professional compact cameras , it features a fast F1.8 – F2.5 lens and improved performance with full manual controls
The specs are as follows: 12MP 1/1.7″ Sensor | 28-112mm lens F1.8 – F2.5 | 3″ 0.92M LCD screen fixed |1080p video 30fps | Max Shutter 1/2000
We expect the Olympus housing to be available first for a less than 1000$ bundle price and Nauticam to follow for about 1100$ bundle price.
2013 future Mirrorless Cameras for underwater photography
1) Olympus E-PM2
The Olympus Micro 4/3rds series of cameras became very popular for underwater use due to their affordability compared to the Sony NEX series and popular choice of lenses that are good for underwater photography.
The E-PM2 features a better image resolution 16MP, higher max iso and faster better RAW processing.
The specs are as follows: 16MP 4/3″ Sensor | 3″ 0.46M LCD screen fixed |1080p video 30fps | Max Shutter 1/40000 | 8 fps continuous shooting |
We expect an Olympus housing to be released first and Nauticam to follow. Bundle will be between 1200-1600$ for body only.
2) Olympus E-PL5
The E-PL5 as with the other E-PL series is the same as the E-PM but with an articulated LCD and a touch screen.
The specs are as follows: 16MP 4/3″ Sensor | 3″ 0.46M LCD screen w/touch fully articulated |1080p video 30fps | Max Shutter 1/40000 | 8 fps continuous shooting |
We expect an Olympus housing to be released first and Nauticam to follow. Bundle will be between 1200-1600$ for body only.
3) Sony NEX-6
The NEX-6 is the successor of the very popular NEX series that Sony started manufacturing about 3 years ago. I can say with confidence this series of cameras is what started the steep decline in sales of DSLR housings. These were the first cameras that gave photographers a DSLR feel but in half the price and a third of the size and weight.
The NEX-6 is essentially a NEX-7 only more affordable. As in the NEX-7 , it has 2 dials and thus full manual controls.
The specs are as follows: 16MP APS-C Sensor | 3″ 0.921M LCD screen tiltable |1080p video 60fps | Max Shutter 1/40000 | 10 fps continuous shooting
The NEX-6 is already on sale on Amazon:Sony NEX-6/B 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 3-Inch LED – Body Only (Black)
2013 future DSLR Cameras for underwater photography
1) Canon 6D
This is considered the full frame version of the Canon 60D , it is comparable to the Nikon D600 but has wifi and GPS built in it.
The spec are as follows: 20.2MP FULL FRAME sensor | 3.2″ 1.08M LCD screen Fixed | 1080p 30fps video | 4.5 fps continuous shooting | Wifi and GPS |
Ikelite will most probably be the first to accommodate this camera and Nauticam will follow, we hope Aquatica will also support this model.
2) Nikon D600
The first proper compact full frame DSLR which essentially is a smaller version of the Nikon D800 and at a price point much more affordable of 2099$.
The spec are as follows: 24.3MP FULL FRAME sensor | 3.2″ 0.977M LCD screen Fixed | 1080p 30fps video | 5.5 fps continuous shooting | 2 SD card slots.
Ikelite will most probably be the first to accommodate this camera and Nauticam will follow, we hope Aquatica will also support this model.
The Nikon D600 is available on Amazon Here:Nikon D600 24.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
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As soon as a housing will be available for these cameras , it will show up at our store at the dedicated category page of each camera or at the links below:
Compact Underwater Camera Housings
Mirrorless Underwater Camera Housings
DSLR Underwater Camera Housings
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1 comment
I personally like canon c300. All canon cams are excellent. I like your blog full of information about new camera releases.