544 replies to this topic

[EspenB]

Essen,

The port charts are a PDF download, they can be found by going to Nauticam.com. On the home page go to knowledge base at the upper right, then go to the port chart PDF link and download the PDF. Scroll down to the M43 lens chart then to the 12mm lens. You will see that Nauticam recommends one of the 4.33 inch ports or the 3.5 inch port combined with the 20mm port extension. The port extension also works with the Panasonic 45mm macro port for use with the Olympus 60mm macro lens.

These charts can also be found within the NauticanUSA.com site but just go to Nautican.com and follow the links.

The 17mm pancake is the F/2.8 lens the 17mm f/1.8 is the larger lens and may not work with the same results Alex got because if does not focus as close.

Phil Rudin

 

Ah, my mistake for using the Nauticam USA web page which clearly isn't up to date! They have a very basic m4/3 port chart only.

 

The m4/3 port chart direct link is: http://www.nauticam..../catalog_18.PDF

 

Also it seems like my GH3 kit lens 12-35 mm F2.8 is supported with the same dome as the 7-14 mm (6" wide angle port). Still I think the 12 mm F2.0 is a nice addition.

 

Basically three ports will cover my five underwater lenses (65 mm macro port for the Olympus 60 mm, 4.33" dome for the 8 mm fisheye and 12 mm, and 6 inch dome for the 7-14 mm and 12-35 mm).

[Phil Rudin]

The port charts can also be found at Nauticam USA by going to products on the front page and then following the same pages to the PDF for port charts.

 

To further complicate your choice I will suggest you look at the links below. 

 

Zen Underwater offers an adapter for Nauticam mirrorless housing that allows you to mount Subal type III ports to your housing. This means that for the 8 fisheye, 12mm, 14mm and 17mm pancake you can use the 100mm optical glass mini port. This is the port used by many APS-C DSLR shooters for their fisheye and Tokina 10-17mm lenses. You could also add the ZEN 200mm or even the 230mm glass ports for wide angle and W/A zooms with extension for better corners and split, over/under shots. The adapter can also be used with DSLR lenses like the Olympus 50mm macro and for NEX the Sony 100mm macro with the DSLR to mirrorless lens adapters. 

 

Even more interesting, I am on the waiting list is the ZEN Underwater 170mm mini optical glass port for Nauticam mirrorless housings. This port should work with the Panasonic 8 fisheye, 12mm F/2.0, 12-35, 9-18 and 7-14 lenses with extension just to name a few. Like all things in photography you will have tradeoffs with this port. Being larger it should work a bit better for split shots and is a one size fits all type of port. You will not be able to get as close for CFWA as you would with the 3.5, 100mm or 4.33 domes. I would expect corner sharpness to be about the same v. the Nauticam port for Panasonic 7-14 but with the upsides associated with optical glass ports. I used the Athena 170mm optical glass port for years with the Olympus 43 DSLR systems and it worked very well with many lenses and extensions. This more expensive port with an extension or two may end up being more cost effective than buying several ports to cover different wide and W/A zoom lenses. I think it may also reduce space used during packing v. two or three ports.

 

The ZEN 170mm glass port is also being offered for the Nauticam DSLR housing line as well.

 

Phil Rudin

 

http://reefphoto.com...roducts_id=6302

 

http://reefphoto.com...roducts_id=4403

 

http://reefphoto.com...roducts_id=6013

Edited by Phil Rudin, 06 March 2013 - 07:59 AM.

[pompeygreg]

Has anyone tried alternate batteries to the Olympus BLN-1, specifically the Hahnel HL-ON1?

 

There is a £30 difference, so on a 2 for 1 basis is it worth going for the generic battery?

 

Greg

[Deep6]

.

 

Has anyone tried alternate batteries to the Olympus BLN-1, specifically the Hahnel HL-ON1?

 

There is a £30 difference, so on a 2 for 1 basis is it worth going for the generic battery?

 

Greg

 

Has anyone tried alternate batteries to the Olympus BLN-1, specifically the Hahnel HL-ON1?

 

There is a £30 difference, so on a 2 for 1 basis is it worth going for the generic battery?

 

Greg

 

I got some feedback from Phil Rudin when I purchased my Oly.  The generics should work; I think you will need a different charger.  I went with the Oly BLN-1s for consistency & reliability.

[Fireflys]

Hi Greg,

 

            I have tried generic battery's from Dot.Foto it was a twin pack and to quote the product description was 'Guaranteed to operate in exactly the same way as the manufacturer original battery' . . . . . . and . . . . . . . . they both failed within a week !

 

I sent them back which they did not like and eventually got a refund, I have since bit the bullet and gone for a genuine Olympus battery.

 

Hope you have better luck than I did.

 

                  Gary.

[Phil Rudin]

Regarding the generic battery, I got two on amazon.com. Each comes with a charger which is 100-240V. and plugs direct into a socket, no cord (they also came with a 12V charger). The generic battery will not work with the Olympus battery charger and the Olympus battery will not work in the generic charger. The brand name is Premium Tech. I got the batteries at a time when the only way to get a second Olympus battery was to buy a second E-M5.

 

I bought a second E-M5 body before a long trip so I now have two Olympus batteries for the U/W body and I use the two generic battries for above water in the second body with the battery grip. I leave the battery out of the camera and put the one battery into the battery grip. I can them change between the two without removing the grip. Using one at a time and carrying the second seems to prolong the charge over using both at the same time. I would prefer that all used the same charger so that I could reduce a little weight and only carry two chargers rather than four to have backups for each battery type.

 

No problems so far with the generic brand other than they don't hold a charge quite as long as the Olympus type, Two generic were about the price of one Olympus including the chargers.

 

Phil Rudin

Edited by Phil Rudin, 13 March 2013 - 07:55 AM.

[pooley]

Just before I go and splash all my hard earned on a dslr, I thought I'd read this thread - very informative and the camera is clearly top notch. On thing still concerns me though - how accurate is the AF for moving subjects - this year I'll be at sites frequented by mantas, turtles, and if I'm in luck, sharks and dolphins. Do you feel this camera would be able to cope or does it still fall behind a good dslr, i.e. the 7d or D7000?

 

Mike

[berkeleyan]

Does the Airlock system from backscatter work with OM-D in Nauticam housing ?

[barilhu]

I just order a modified leak sentinel for the omd nauticam housing. I will do a review once I get it (10 days). Hugues

[troporobo]

Just before I go and splash all my hard earned on a dslr, I thought I'd read this thread - very informative and the camera is clearly top notch. On thing still concerns me though - how accurate is the AF for moving subjects - this year I'll be at sites frequented by mantas, turtles, and if I'm in luck, sharks and dolphins. Do you feel this camera would be able to cope or does it still fall behind a good dslr, i.e. the 7d or D7000?

 

Mike

I can't offer a comparison to a "good DSLR" as I have not used one, but I can offer this experience: The OM-D is fast enough for hyperactive anemone fish, even at macro distances.  It feels plenty fast for my purposes

[FranzoMCK]

Hi Berkeleyan,
Does the Airlock system from backscatter work with OM-D in Nauticam housing ?
A couple a days ago, I made the same question to the people of Backscatter and here is the answer:
“The Nauticam housing does have an accessory bulkhead spot, so Yes.  The AirLock will work on the NA-EM5 housing.”

Thank you,
Sean Boone

[pooley]

Troporobo - thanks for the reply

Mike

[EspenB]

Just before I go and splash all my hard earned on a dslr, I thought I'd read this thread - very informative and the camera is clearly top notch. On thing still concerns me though - how accurate is the AF for moving subjects - this year I'll be at sites frequented by mantas, turtles, and if I'm in luck, sharks and dolphins. Do you feel this camera would be able to cope or does it still fall behind a good dslr, i.e. the 7d or D7000?

 

Mike

 

It depends on the object moving towards you or just in a horizontal/vertical direction. The first is usually the worst condition for a mirrorerlss camera with contrast detect autofocus.

[Markosixty6]

Well I think I have lurked long enough and I feel it's time to come out from underneath the rock. The more I read about this thread, the more it makes me feel like upgrading the G9. Now do get me wrong it's served me well and continues to do so. What I would like to know is if you had this housed in a nauticam and you had the choice of only 2 lenses one wide and the other macro may be even leaning more to the wide. Which would they be. So this leads me to the next question can you use iklite strobes on that housing.
Hope someone can help with the answers to this

[jlyle]

Well I think I have lurked long enough and I feel it's time to come out from underneath the rock. The more I read about this thread, the more it makes me feel like upgrading the G9. Now do get me wrong it's served me well and continues to do so. What I would like to know is if you had this housed in a nauticam and you had the choice of only 2 lenses one wide and the other macro may be even leaning more to the wide. Which would they be. So this leads me to the next question can you use iklite strobes on that housing.
Hope someone can help with the answers to this

 

WA = 8mm, macro = 60mm with a flip adapter for the SubSea 10X.

 

Yes, you can use Ikelite strobes, but would need the EV controllers or fiber optiic connectors ( http://www.ikelite.c...iber-optic.html ).

[Alex_Mustard]

Does the Airlock system from backscatter work with OM-D in Nauticam housing ?

 Nauticam's new vacuum system (currently without a name) will fit on the housing.

[Markosixty6]

Hey jlyle
Thanks for the response the 8mm is that fixed and correct me if i am wrong is that the Panasonic lens. The 60mm is that the oly lens.
How does that compeer to the 12-50mm oly. The fiber optic cables says good bye to ttl. Not that it matters better to go manual.
Hey Alex I see that you have posted above, can I ask what's your experience with the 8mm. May be with the 12-50 you can have the best of both worlds.

[jlyle]

Hey jlyle
Thanks for the response the 8mm is that fixed and correct me if i am wrong is that the Panasonic lens. The 60mm is that the oly lens.
How does that compeer to the 12-50mm oly. The fiber optic cables says good bye to ttl. Not that it matters better to go manual.
Hey Alex I see that you have posted above, can I ask what's your experience with the 8mm. May be with the 12-50 you can have the best of both worlds.

 

Yes, Panny 8mm fixed and Oly 60mm.  The 8mm is a fish eye lens.  The 12mm end of the 12-50 isn't very wide, but with the Nauticam lens gear, you can do nice macro on the same dive.

[Markosixty6]

No doubt it's the way to go is the 8 and 60 then
Thanks
Marko

[Karl]

Hey jlyle
Thanks for the response the 8mm is that fixed and correct me if i am wrong is that the Panasonic lens. The 60mm is that the oly lens.
How does that compeer to the 12-50mm oly. The fiber optic cables says good bye to ttl. Not that it matters better to go manual.
Hey Alex I see that you have posted above, can I ask what's your experience with the 8mm. May be with the 12-50 you can have the best of both worlds.

 

Hey Marko - longtime no speak.

 

Have responded to your post in WA Divers - http://www.wadivers....&p=72540#p72540

 

Karl