Asian Diver and Scuba Diver Issue 02-2019 (115) | Page 5

ADVERTORIAL
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III:
Your Reliable Diving Companion
By: James Costello
Brunei is more likely to conjure images
of oil fields and grand mosques, but
the tiny sultanate is also home to some
of Southeast Asia’s most surprising
dive sites. Wreck lovers and macro
enthusiasts have plenty to occupy them,
with numerous shipwrecks and a plethora
of tiny critters to choose from. On some
deep dives in unfavourable visibility, it’s
an ideal destination to put your camera’s
autofocus and low-light capabilities to
the test.
On my recent trip to the country to
do some teaching at one of the local dive
centres, I was given the opportunity to try
out the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III.
The first Canon zoom compact camera
to boast a large APS-C size sensor,
the PowerShot G1 X Mark III features
24.2-megapixel resolution, a useful
24–72mm (equivalent) built-in lens,
and the Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus
system found in Canon’s DSLRs and
mirrorless cameras. Partnered with the
company’s dedicated underwater housing
(WP-DC56), the camera seemed to have
all the specifications needed to tackle
Brunei’s challenging waters.
Depth-rated up to 40 metres (130
feet), compact, and comfortable to hold,
Canon’s underwater housing puts the
PowerShot G1 X Mark III’s important
controls within easy reach of your right
thumb, with your index finger easily
accessing the zoom and shutter buttons.
Adjusting for flash, macro shooting, and
white balance are just one press away.
I found I only had to move my hand when
I wanted to adjust the aperture, by rotating
the knob on the front right of the case.
During my dives, the visibility was
rather challenging due to a recent full
moon, and there were plenty of suspended
particulates in the water, making
photography more difficult. However, even
with the tough diving conditions, the
PowerShot G1 X Mark III was still able
to produce some great shots of the macro
life around the wrecks. Many of the
wrecks are from wartime and have to be
approached with care.
Making use of the camera’s macro
mode, I was able to get in close to small
animals like gobies and nudibranchs to
nicely fill the frame, with the camera’s
impressive autofocus system locking
Whip coral goby, Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III, f/4.5, 1/60s, ISO100
onto subjects with ease. With its large,
high-resolution sensor, the PowerShot
G1 X Mark III produced shots with a
level of detail and dynamic range unlike
other high-end compact cameras,
and I was able to crop images without
sacrificing quality.
Back on the boat, I loved the
PowerShot G1 X Mark III’s ability to
transfer photos via Wi-Fi to my laptop
or phone, which made it a breeze to
closely review images and share images
with my fellow divers aboard. Encased
in the WP-DC56 underwater housing,
the PowerShot G1 X Mark III offers
impressive performance and a wide
range of features that make it ideally
suited to the most difficult underwater
scenarios – and proved to be more
than capable of taking on Brunei’s tricky
photo subjects.
To find out more visit:
Canon Underwater
Housing WP-DC56
(sold separately)
https://goo.gl/hXFf2R
• 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF
• Up to 9 shots/sec (One-Shot AF),
up to 7 shots/sec (Servo AF)
• 24–72mm lens (35mm film equivalent)
• ISO 100–25600
• Underwater Macro Mode
• 3-inch Vari-angle LCD with touchscreen
• 60p Full HD video
• Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth low energy
Discarded live rounds, American Wreck, Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III, f/5.6, 1/60s, ISO100
h t t p s : // s n a p s h o t.c a n o n -a s i a .com
3 | SDAA
https://asia.canon