15 replies to this topic

[diggy]

Its finally here !!!

Similar features to the E620 and E30 but full time live view micro 4/3rd's. Can use all Olympus lenses with relevant adapters and two lenses announced specially to go with this camera.

Small, lightweight, interchageable lenses, great picture/resolution (we hope?) and full time live view. This seems almost perfect for U/W use except that i cant see any announcement on housings, BUT am sure they will soon be announced. Check out the links below

http:/www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09061601olympusep1.asp

http://www.dpreview....beinterview.asp

http://www.olympus.c...id,69/task,spec

Cheers,

Diggy

Edited by diggy, 16 June 2009 - 04:29 AM.

[vinny]

Interesting

Ikelite will prob do a housing

but there are no underwater scene settings so i doubt Olympus will be doing a housing
they usually put the wide angle and macro underwater settings if a housing is in the pipeline

i hope i am wrong
i was looking at getting the E620 but might hangon just a while to see

Edited by vinny, 16 June 2009 - 09:39 AM.

[MikeO]

There is no on-board flash so optical synch is, obviously, out of the question . . .

[vinny]

yes i just noticed that mike , there is an add on flash but then its not small
plus u cant use the flash/viewfinder together
or hotshoe/viewfinder

[Deep6]

yes i just noticed that mike , there is an add on flash but then its not small
plus u cant use the flash/viewfinder together
or hotshoe/viewfinder

The only viewfinder is the hot shoe add on; IMHO, useless underwater. It's kinda cute in a retro rangefinder way. I would like a view finder for bright day top side shooting. I'll have to get my meat hooks on one, but looks like it maybe hard too hold. Also, the pre-production model does not have improved phase AF and has a rather low res LCD. The Panasonic G1 or GH1 may be the way to go for a MFT underwater if a quality housing and MTF lenses are made. The PEN or E-P1 with a 14 mm pancake lens and a fold out LCD could be a awsome street shoot machine.

Bob

[davephdv]

You have to think of this camera as a dSLR. Meaning the housing will need to have multiple port offerings. In other words a system, not a one of a kind off the shelf housing.

If you get a system like that you use a strobe that connects via a synch cord.

The real question is what lenses that this camera uses will be of use UW?

You will need a wide angle lens of 10 mm or so and a macro lens of 30 to 60 mm.

Then you have to have a housing manufacture make ports that will take these lenses.

[Deep6]

You will need a wide angle lens of 10 mm or so and a macro lens of 30 to 60 mm.

Yes, I agree. The current the Oly 50 mm macro (100 mm as 35) is reported to be very sharp and very slow and is 4/3 not MFT. If Olympus does not improve the phase AF in the E-P1 and the AF preformance of the lens, then it's likely to be used in MF. One stated advantage for the MFT format is the rear lens elements are closer to the sensor. Goto the Oly site to see why this is good.. The Panasonic G1 and GH1 have faster phase AF, a e-viewfinder,and a pop-up flash( either optical or hot shoe connection). They also have a new 7-14 (14 - 28 mm as 35) f/4 with the MTF mount. Panasonic is a larger co. than Olympus and with greater resources has taken the bit in its teeth and ran with MTF format. What Oly will do in the near term is TBD. There is a 4/3 8 mm lens that would require an adaptor.

[Deep6]

Ah, una mas. One thing that is of real interest to me is bright live view on a 3" LCD that is usable underwater. No more $1K add on viewfinders.

[gobiodon]

Yes, I agree. The current the Oly 50 mm macro (100 mm as 35) is reported to be very sharp and very slow and is 4/3 not MFT. If Olympus does not improve the phase AF in the E-P1 and the AF preformance of the lens, then it's likely to be used in MF. One stated advantage for the MFT format is the rear lens elements are closer to the sensor. Goto the Oly site to see why this is good.. The Panasonic G1 and GH1 have faster phase AF, a e-viewfinder,and a pop-up flash( either optical or hot shoe connection). They also have a new 7-14 (14 - 28 mm as 35) f/4 with the MTF mount. Panasonic is a larger co. than Olympus and with greater resources has taken the bit in its teeth and ran with MTF format. What Oly will do in the near term is TBD. There is a 4/3 8 mm lens that would require an adaptor.

It's a very promising but not mature product yet for UW-photography. I agree that the major issue so far is the lack of fast AF like in the panasonic G1 and the lack of appropriate lenses for UW-photography. 50mm macro and a 8mm fisheye would be a perfect beginning. I think the housing manufacturers and potential users will wait for these lenses. I will keep an eye on MFT, maybe the next panasonic small MFT will be the OK one.

[MikeO]

If you get a system like that you use a strobe that connects via a synch cord.

Hate to disagree with you, but I will on this one point. I absolutely love the optical synch I have between my DSLR and INON Z-240s.

Mike

[gobiodon]

The panasonic GF1 has finally been announced:
http://www.dpreview....s/PanasonicGF1/

It's a much better camera for UW photography than the olympus digital pen IMHO. It has fast autofocus system, higher resolution LCD and built-in flash to trigger external strobes. IT came with a macro lens:
http://www.dpreview....ic45mmmacro.asp

I would assume a good quality one but I'm afraid we have to pay a lot for this:
http://www.dpreview....ic45mmmacro.asp

Now it's up to the housing makers to come up with a real compact housing for this system

Edited by gobiodon, 02 September 2009 - 03:17 AM.

[ktwse]

What's interesting is that the latest figures I heard (August IIRC) had m4/3 at 16% market share in Japan, the E-P1 alone having a 12% share... While I don't expect those numbers to be true globally, what's certainly true is that m4/3 is rapidly gaining momentum. The GF1 has a number of advantages over the E-P1 that means it could well be Panny's "new" LX3, ie sold out everywhere due to demand being higher than the company's expectations. If sales are good, I would assume at least a few of the Japanese housing manufacturers would be inclined to make housings for it.

Wouldn't the GF1 with the macro and the 7-14 WA be a quite good UW-setup? Provided the housing is compact enough to match the camera, of course...

Thomas

[gobiodon]

What's interesting is that the latest figures I heard (August IIRC) had m4/3 at 16% market share in Japan, the E-P1 alone having a 12% share... While I don't expect those numbers to be true globally, what's certainly true is that m4/3 is rapidly gaining momentum. The GF1 has a number of advantages over the E-P1 that means it could well be Panny's "new" LX3, ie sold out everywhere due to demand being higher than the company's expectations. If sales are good, I would assume at least a few of the Japanese housing manufacturers would be inclined to make housings for it.

Wouldn't the GF1 with the macro and the 7-14 WA be a quite good UW-setup? Provided the housing is compact enough to match the camera, of course...

Thomas

According to this link, there will be a u4/3 8mm Fisheye lens soon:
http://www.photograp..._thirds_lenses/

Together with the macro lens I think it would be a very nice small trawelling kit.
The 14mm lens could be also used underwater.

[oskar]

Imagine this camera with a purposebuilt m4/3 fisheye zoom and a compact housing w dome. Then that would make a nice super compact underwater WA rig!

/O

[Phil Rudin]

Interest in Japan has already resulted in a SeaTool housing for the Pany GH1 complete with video port for the 14 to 140 zoom which is optimized for video, http://seatool.net/list/GH1.html

Would be nice to see a smaller housing for the Pany or next Oly with the optional viewfinder, http://panasonic.net...ile_accessories

With the 45 macro, 7 to 14 and coming in 2010 8 fisheye most of my needs would be well covered.

Phil Rudin

http://www.sfups.org...udin/index.html

[Deep6]

The panasonic GF1 has finally been announced:

"Be still my heart; thou hast known worse than this." - Homer

Wow! I have always wanted a Leica. If I could only find some store that carries the Lumix G's and Panasonic would ship some to them.

Bob

Edited by Deep6, 02 September 2009 - 09:01 AM.