17 replies to this topic

[PCDiver]

Hi chaps,

I'm looking to upgrade my Z1 to a new camera. I'm considering the new Panasonic Ag-AF100. At the boot show I spoke to a german housing manufacturer who said he can build a housing for it at a reasonable price. Depending on final specs it will be in between 3500€ and 5000€.
The housing are designed to go down to 160 meters, what is necessary for our deep wreck stuff.

Since I have no experience at all with this camera, apart from doing research via the net, I would like to get your opinion. Would this camera be suitable for underwater work? Do you see any major problems? What lense would you go for?

Thanks a lot,

Peter

[jonny shaw]

Great camera, I would buy the Birger mount which enables you to use Canon lenses and then buy the Tokina 11-16mm perfect underwater set up if
a) You can get a decent housing
b) A decent port to accomodate the lens
c) Also get some sort of nano / ninja / aja to capture at a higher bit rate

[PCDiver]

Great camera, I would buy the Birger mount which enables you to use Canon lenses and then buy the Tokina 11-16mm perfect underwater set up if
a) You can get a decent housing
b) A decent port to accomodate the lens
c) Also get some sort of nano / ninja / aja to capture at a higher bit rate

Jonny, thanks for info.
I can get a decent housing and good ports with these guys: www.bskinetics.com
I'm thinking of either adding the nano flash or the aja mini (if it becomes available soon)

I'll do some research on the Tokina. Is it compatible with the Sony EF mount?

[jonny shaw]

Not 100% re the Tokina, have a look on B&H and see as they have all the mounts listed I believe.

[PCDiver]

Not 100% re the Tokina, have a look on B&H and see as they have all the mounts listed I believe.

I looked at the berger website. It's going to be a litlle while before the mount for the Pana is going to be available. About the Tokina. It seems to be great for underwater. But I also found several reviews about faulty lenses.
I'm a bit worried about distortion. Have a look in this review http://photo.net/equ...t/tokina/11-16/. Some of the photos seem to suffer from serious distortion.

What do you think about the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM?

Thanks,

Peter

[jonny shaw]

The I really reckon the Tokina is a great lens, it's what Howard Hall uses for wide shots on his RED and Duclos went to the trouble of rehousing it as a PL mount and they only work with great glass. The advantage of the Canon is that it will work on full frame DSLR's too the Tokina will only work up to APC sensors.

[PCDiver]

I just checked the crop factor. Not good. The pana is a micro four third camera. If I'm not mistaken that gives a 2.1 crop factor for the Tokina. So the 11-16 would be more like 22-32. Hmmm.
Perhaps I should look into native m4/3 lenses.

[Ryan]

If I were setting up a custom AG-AF100 system and wanted the best iq possible, I'd use the 4/3 (not m4/3) Olympus 7-14 w/ a m4/3 to 4/3 adapter.

The Panasonic m4/3 7-14/4 is nice as well, but not quite as good as the 4/3 Olympus lens.

Personally I might stand by to see what manufacturers actually support this camera with production housings... The camera is too good for everyone to ignore it, and dealing with the kinks from a custom bskinetics housing could be frustrating.

[PCDiver]

If I were setting up a custom AG-AF100 system and wanted the best iq possible, I'd use the 4/3 (not m4/3) Olympus 7-14 w/ a m4/3 to 4/3 adapter.

The Panasonic m4/3 7-14/4 is nice as well, but not quite as good as the 4/3 Olympus lens.

Personally I might stand by to see what manufacturers actually support this camera with production housings... The camera is too good for everyone to ignore it, and dealing with the kinks from a custom bskinetics housing could be frustrating.

The olympus seems like a terrific lens but big $$$. But I'm going to B&H in two weeks time to check them out. About housings. I asked around and nobody is currently planning a housing for this camera. Very strange.
I talked to the people from BSKinetics, nice chap BTW. I sent him my "feature wish list". We'll see what comes out of this, but I have high hopes.

Can anybody advise on a good external HD monitor (either SDI or HDMI) for underwater?

[peterbucknell]

Looks like Equinox has brought out a housing for the AF100.
Have you made some purchases since March ?

Pete

[PCDiver]

Hey Pete,

I bought the Olympus 14-35 and the AG-AF100. It is a great combination.
BS Kinetics is developing a housing for the Panasonic. It will take at least another two months before I'm going to get my hands on the prototype. But I'm not in a hurry so that's OK.
It will also be a housing that is going to last me for a long time since it will be extremely modular, feature rich and suitable for other camera types of similar dimensions.

About Equinox. I couldn't find anything on their website. Can you provide a link?

Peter

[RobertSharpe]

Here is the link

http://www.bhphotovi..._Panasonic.html

Just thought I'd sign up for an account here after looking this up and find the thread. I'm currently a student studying Film and Television Production and have always thought of getting into underwater photography/videography since I got my PADI Open Water license. I currently own an AF100 and would love the opportunity to rent this housing and try it out - and hopefully soon start making money with it.

Cheers

Rob

[Druck1]

Hello, folks... ANYONE out there used the Equinox HD-10 combined with the AF100 yet? I can't find a darn thing on the web about it. Strange that the Equinox site doesn't include the AF100 in the camera selection pull-down menu for the HD-10, but it's available at B&H? Sounds like someone needs to hire a new webmaster over there?

So, if anyone has used this set up, I would absolutely be thrilled to hear from you!

Cheers,
David

[peterbucknell]

Hello, folks... ANYONE out there used the Equinox HD-10 combined with the AF100 yet? I can't find a darn thing on the web about it. Strange that the Equinox site doesn't include the AF100 in the camera selection pull-down menu for the HD-10, but it's available at B&H? Sounds like someone needs to hire a new webmaster over there?

So, if anyone has used this set up, I would absolutely be thrilled to hear from you!

Cheers,
David

Hey David,
I spoke to the Equinox guys at DEMA, specifically about getting an AF100 under water. They told me that they had made and sold a housing for the camera.. so just the one.
Let's find they guy/girl and get their comments!

Pete Bucknell
www.Toimes.com

[Druck1]

Hey David,
I spoke to the Equinox guys at DEMA, specifically about getting an AF100 under water. They told me that they had made and sold a housing for the camera.. so just the one.
Let's find they guy/girl and get their comments!

Pete Bucknell
www.Toimes.com

Yeah, I've been on the phone with them as well. The conundrum now is picking the right lens. You are dumping a bunch of money for the HD10 but the lenses out there are pretty limited. There is the Lumix 8mm, but that is all auto. The Peleng 8mm is realllly cheap, but it is manual and Equinox says it would be easier with a manual lens.... I agree, given the way the AF operates. I would want total control UW and coupled with the False-Color-Focus-Assist on the AF100, you'd be golden, I'd think, with the Peleng. But I don't know about vignetting? I see it on some images taken with the Peleng. Is the 8mm too wide? If that is an 8mm designed for Micro 4 3, that's a full frame equal to a 16mm. It it's a Full Frame 8mm lens, then it's about a 16mm for a Micro 4 3 camera. Need to get ahold of this lens to test it. Any other word out there on getting the AF rigged up for UW?

David

[peterbucknell]

Progress has been made on the HD10 housing by Equinox, maybe done by December 2012. It may be the first AF100 underwater!
I will start with the lens I have which is the 14 -140. Zoomed all the way out it has an f4 stop.
Then I'll move on from there to wider/faster.

[HDVdiver]

Why on earth bother with AF-100. A hacked GH2 (or the new GH3) will outperform it easily for a fraction of the price and weight/bulk).

[peterbucknell]

Here's footage from the AF100 in the Equinox HD10 housing.

Lens is the 14-140 zoom which was an experiment that taught me that it's a tricky combo....

 

Topside footage is shot with GH2 and an old Canon FD lens with a $20 adapter.