180 replies to this topic

[presslab]

Yes they certainly are. What f-stop is the picture?
Bob

9mm
f/4
iso 400
1/30

Edited by presslab, 15 December 2010 - 09:30 AM.

[JackConnick]

I've forwarded this issue on to 10Bar and will call and talk to him.

One thing I am noticing is that these are all shot pretty much wide open. Almost all small domes will exhibit corner sharpness problems when shooting at these sorts of apertures, it's always best to shoot more mid-range f8+. Did you guys try this? If so, and you're still having problems email me a couple of shots.

I've shot the 9-18 in the similar E-PL1 housing with the same port and had no issues at all, even when close, but I'm not sure about the GF-1. This was shot at f/13 at about 6".


Aquarium shots w-9-18mm-12 by Pixel Letch, on Flickr

Jack

[presslab]

Thanks for the reply Jack. That photo looks good indeed. I do like the faster f-stops so I can get more ambient light and less of the black background effect.

I will try some more photos at various f-stops to see what effect that has. What is the effective dome size of the 10bar port? I see reference elsewhere to 6" and 8" ports.

I also saw that a diopter lens can correct for this corner focus problem, especially with the smaller dome port sizes. Something like this:

B+W +2 Closeup Diopter

[JackConnick]

Yes, a plus +2 or +4 can help, also allow you to focus closer. I'm not sure what the effective size of the port is, sorry.

If you bump up your ISO and lower your shutter speed you still should be able to get a more open look, really beyond that you should use a strobe.

But the Pany 7-14 isn't threaded.

Jack

[Davide DB]

My 10bar housing is pretty new, it has the individual pushbuttons on the back, so I assume I have the newer port. I did specifically ask if there were any problems with the 9-18mm and was told no.

How do you judge the rear dial knob?

[presslab]

How do you judge the rear dial knob?

It's a bit fiddley but honestly I don't blame it. I do a double-press-hold-and-turn and it works ok. I was thinking that if the rubber wheel on the housing had teeth to fit into the thumbwheel it would be a bit better. The ratio is not that great either so it takes multiple iterations of the pushing and turning for a large change. I wonder if a new wheel made from plastic like Delrin but machined with gear teeth would work so it would not have to be pressed in.

I ordered a +2 diopter to try it out.

Edited by presslab, 16 December 2010 - 09:08 PM.

[JackConnick]

You know another option that might be a better idea for available light would be to shoot the 20 or 17mm lenses in the pancake port. It's much faster and just as sharp. Small and easy to deal with also.

Jack

[cata13nci]

My first shots in two dives with Panasonic GF1 and 8mm fisheye.

I also have the gf1 and 2 x s2000. Can you tell me what settings do you use for the internal flash to sync correctly?...because my photos come very dark and I think my flash isn't syncing correctly.
Please tell me:
1. flash settings: auto, forced, 1st or 2nd stage?
2. manual, aperture priority or ss priority?
3. aperture, shutter speed, iso values ?
4. How do you get those wonderful blues?.....do you use a filter?....If you do, what kind?

Edited by cata13nci, 16 January 2011 - 08:49 AM.

[devildiver]

Inon or Recsea?
Does anyone have or have used the Inon or Resea housings for the GF1? I am trying to locate enough info to make the right decision between the two, so if anyone could give any +'s or -'s to help me compare them I would greatly appreciate it. Thoughts, complaints, praises and any photos of the systems or example u/w pics would be a huge help.

I wish the 10 Bar (because of cost) had gotten some better reports but I just can't get comfortable with some of the control wheel/button issues talked about plus the few reports of O-ring and sealing problems.

I have the GF1 with the 8mm fisheye, 20mm pancake and the 14-45mm. Comparing the Inon and Recsea systems, the cost is about the same, so it comes down to size, weight, overall quality of housing, available ports and handling.

Edited by devildiver, 18 January 2011 - 03:03 PM.

[altsaint]

I have been luck enough to test the GF1 in both the 10-Bar and Inon X-2 housing. The X-2 testing was in confined water, and tested a couple of days ago. My experiences with the 10-Bar are well-documented in this thread, so I won't repeat those.

The X-2 I used with a 7-14mm lens in the dome port, with a single S2000 strobe. The shutter is quite sensitive, but easy to get used to. The zoom works flawlessly, as do all the actuating buttons and levers I used. The rear control wheel can only be rotated, not depressed, but that's not a major issue as you can use the quick menu to change f-stop when shooting manual.

My shots were all in raw format, so once I have processed to jpeg I'll upload a couple. A number of people are interested in corner sharpness.

My own personal opinion is that I feel more suited to the Inon than the 10-Bar, and will be opting for the Inon as a purchase. The cost differential is quite significant though.

[devildiver]

Thank you for the reply...

Some photos would be great, my gut feeling would be the Inon and Recsea ports would out preform the 10 Bar (they better for the price) overall but I have not been able to find photos to compare.

As far as the Inon X-2 control wheel, I would prefer the ability to use the press (it is not a deal killer though) and believe that this could not have been that difficult to engineer into the wheel control. Overall I really like the Inon housing and believe the port system is great and should have the ability to move into future M4/3 housings using the same standard. This would be a big plus considering the investment in lenses.

I have found very little information on the Recsea housing other than websites that sell the housing and then the info is little more than the usual basic features. Seems like the Recsea is a good option as well but if there were some reviews somewhere with more real world info and example photos it would be great. The plus I see with the Recsea would be the smaller size and weight (also the ability to use the press for the control wheel) vs. the Inon but I know Inon makes quality products and I really like the port system.

Look forward to the photos!

[Ryan]

I used the RecSea/Seatool housing on a couple of dives in Lembeh last April. I liked the system, felt the ergonomics were pretty good. It was heavy, though. The click wheel didn't work perfectly in real world use, I had to be very gentle when rotating it to prevent accidental clicking. It was usable though.

I haven't dived with the Inon housing, but we have one here. It is a precision tool, with a more usable design than Seatool in my opinion. Initially I was concerned about using the quick menu, but it is easy in practice.

[M4rauder]

I used the RecSea/Seatool housing on a couple of dives in Lembeh last April. I liked the system, felt the ergonomics were pretty good. It was heavy, though. The click wheel didn't work perfectly in real world use, I had to be very gentle when rotating it to prevent accidental clicking. It was usable though.

I haven't dived with the Inon housing, but we have one here. It is a precision tool, with a more usable design than Seatool in my opinion. Initially I was concerned about using the quick menu, but it is easy in practice.

Isn't the Seatool housing quite a bit smaller than the Inon X-2? I've heard good things about the Seatool, but next to nothing about the Inon.

[Ryan]

There is more info out about Seatool because they were shipping more than six months before Inon. The Inon is slightly chunkier with fewer sculpted corners, but still fits well in your hands, and is not larger enough to be a hindrance packing.

[altsaint]

Both of the following captured at a focal length of 7mm behind the Inon dome port. F8 and s/s 160th.

pterois plasticasis


hippocampus artificiala

[devildiver]

Ryan,

Thanks for the info!

Altsaint,

Thanks for the photos. It appears there are still some soft edges but much better than the 10 Bar examples. I decided to go with the 8mm fisheye over the 7-14mm, I am hoping that this lens will have better results with the Inon Dome II or the Recsea 8mm dome.

I am leaning for the Inon system but still undecided over all. I have found the Recsea priced down to $1,800 US vs. the Inon still up around $2,200, If the pricing was even I feel I would go with the Inon.

We have a Dive show in town next month (Dallas, Tx) where I hope to get to see the Inon housing in person.

[devildiver]

Ryan,

Thanks for the info!

Altsaint,

Thanks for the photos. It appears there are still some soft edges but much better than the 10 Bar examples. I decided to go with the 8mm fisheye over the 7-14mm, I am hoping that this lens will have better results with the Inon Dome II or the Recsea 8mm dome.

I am leaning for the Inon system but still undecided over all. I have found the Recsea priced down to $1,800 US vs. the Inon still up around $2,200, If the pricing was even I feel I would go with the Inon.

We have a Dive show in town next month (Dallas, Tx) where I hope to get to see the Inon housing in person.

Well, I decided after much consideration to scrap my plans for housing the Pany GF-1. I have purchased the Oly EPL-2 with the 14-42mm kit lens and the Oly housing with the Zen Panasonic 8mm Fisheye dome port. If this works out the next purchase will be either the Zen 45mm macro port or the Athena 45mm macro port (they are claiming that the Oly 14-42mm lens can be used with the Athena port as well).

I really like my GF-1 and I will keep it for a topside camera but I just could not justify sinking that kind of cash into this system. The Inon housing with ports and gears would have run about $4k+ USD and the Recsea would have come in about $3.5-4k USD, so far with the Oly EPL-2 set-up I have right under $2k invested (camera, 14-42mm lens, housing, Zen 8mm Dome Port) and the only additional piece that I will need would be a 45mm macro port that should cost around $400-450 USD (plus the Pany 45mm lens that I would have bought anyway). So for $2.5K I got a complete system for almost what the Inon housing cost.

The other concern that I could not shake was if I invested in the Inon I was hoping that the ports/gears would transfer to future housings. My understanding from speaking to two of the suppliers here in the USA was that they had not sold hardly any of the Inon GF-1 housings and personally if that is the case I am suspicious if Inon will invest in future housings for this camera line. With the Oly product there are more manufactures producing housings and componets to support it and at a reasonable market price leading me to believe there should be a future for my lens investments which was one of the reasons for going M4/3 in the first place.

I still like the GF-1 and believe Panasonic has produced better lenses for the M4/3 standard, I just wish the GF-1 housing manufactures had a better marketing plan to support it.

Edited by devildiver, 11 February 2011 - 04:25 PM.

[M4rauder]

I still have my eye on a GF1 housing, but only 10bar is in my possible price range at the moment. For $1100 (2-port package) it is similarly priced to the E-PL2 housing + Zen dome port.

[altsaint]

I really like my GF-1 and I will keep it for a topside camera but I just could not justify sinking that kind of cash into this system.

I know another underwater photographer who also won't take his GF1 underwater, although I don't know his reasons.

In my situation I had already made the investment in body + lenses. My X-2 arrives on Tuesday, and the extra cost will sting. For the time being, no new strobes or macro port. But I had to have something to put the GF1 in before mid-March, as I'm off to Tiger Beach and my old Oly 7070 isn't up to the job of the wide angle shots I am after. Right now in the UK, it's 10-Bar, Inon or Recsea ( Recsea have only recently appeared, so too late for me to reconsider ).

Just to put my own experiences with 10-Bar into context, I should point out that the ( 10-Bar ) photos uploaded on this thread were the worst ones. I have recently processed some which were a bit better. The best were with the 20mm lens, but of course you are limited with what you can frame with that.

The photo here is with the 7-14mm behind the 10-Bar dome, and is probably a bit better than one I posted earlier that was referred to as a 'scandal':

[devildiver]

In my situation I had already made the investment in body + lenses. My X-2 arrives on Tuesday, and the extra cost will sting. For the time being, no new strobes or macro port. But I had to have something to put the GF1 in before mid-March, as I'm off to Tiger Beach and my old Oly 7070 isn't up to the job of the wide angle shots I am after. Right now in the UK, it's 10-Bar, Inon or Recsea ( Recsea have only recently appeared, so too late for me to reconsider ).

I was in pretty much the same situation, I had already purchased the camera body, the 14-45mm, the 20mm and the 8mm Fisheye Panasonic lenses also. I would have much rather gone with the Inon X-2 housing and ports because I suspect it is a great quality housing and I really like the port concept, after making the initial investment my thought was that the port system and lenses would transfer to future Inon M4/3 housings justifying the the upfront cost of the system, and this might still be the case.

Truthfully I still prefer the GF-1 as a camera and I believe the Panasonic lenses are better overall, I prefer the control layout of the Panasonic over Olympus as well.

One of the main reasons for my decision the switch to the Oly EPL-2 for my U/W set-up I was becoming concerned if Inon would continue to support the Panasonic M4/3 line in the future if the sales were not there. As far as I know they have not indicated any intention of producing a housing for the GF-2 but I know this does not indicate they would not produce housings for future cameras. Like I posted above though I spoke with the two big U/W photo stores here in the US and they said that they had basically no sales of the Inon GF-1 X-2 housing. So I became concerned that if Inon decided not to stick with this system down the road I would not have the option of reusing the port system in future set-up's. Usually camera bodies and housings are a small investment compared to the lenses and ports.

The other issue I struggled with was the fact that I could change to a Olympus set-up (still not my favorite compared to the Panasonic side by side) including the EPL-2 camera body, the 14-42mm lens, the Oly PT-EP03 housing, the Athena grip/base and the ZEN 8mm Fisheye dome and still get use of some of the lenses that I have invested in (Yea!! Micro 4/3's standard) for what I would have paid for just the Inon housing by itself without any ports or gears. This will make it easier to move forward and purchase either the Pany 45mm macro or the Oly 50mm macro plus either the Zen or Athena port and still be well under what I would have been with the Inon X-2 (or the Recsea) system.

I do believe the Inon X-2 is the best quality option for the GF-1 (with the Recsea a very close second) and I know a quality housing is not cheap to design and make and also a company has to make a profit so we will see how this develops for them down the road.

Either way I really look forward to seeing pics from your set-up and reading your post on the system. Deep down I wish the Inon system would have worked out for me...

Edited by devildiver, 12 February 2011 - 09:18 AM.