7 replies to this topic

[AYahoo]

Hi All, I'm an experience diver, and I take many UW photos with P&S camera, and now I'm thinking about upgrading to mirrorless.
I have very little knowlage about lens, so bare with me

I usually take macro shots, but some wide angle shots also, I would like to have the flexibility to change from wide to macro underwater (I understand it will damage the quality), my question is, what is better:

using a 14-42mm with wet 0.56x wide angle and +10 diopter
or using 12-60mm with a dome?

Is there a big diffrence using them?

Thanks in advance,
Asaf.

P.s.
14-42 comes with the kit & the 12-60 is this lens - Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm 1:2.8-4.0 SWD

[derway]

Do you mean the 12-50? Or is there some other 12-60 lens?

The 12-50 is a beast to house. I don't think you can zoom it in the oly housings. And the nauticam port alone for that lens is $800!!!!

[AYahoo]

Thanks for the replay, I'm talking about the 12-60mm http://www.dpreview....12-60_2p8-4_o20, and zooming might be a problem, but I'm thinking about buying a port or, making one.

the question is, if it is possible, will it yield better results?

[Phil Rudin]

AY,

The 12-60 you have referenced is a DSLR lens for Olympus 43, not M43 DSLR cameras. You would need an adapter to make it work with the PEN or EM5 cameras. You would also need a custom port for the lens with adapter. Even if you did get it housed it would be very SLOw and it would also need a custom gear to zoom the lens.

Olympus has a quite good 12-50 zoom for the M43 cameras that has a macro feature. It can be used in the Olympus EM5 housing with the stock port but only at the 12mm or 50mm ends of the lens by using the latest firmware upgrade and switching from U/W wide and macro. As Derway has said you can also use the lens in the Nauticam NA-EM5 housing using a port ($450.) which can also be used with tHe 60mm macro. With the 12-50 custom gear ($800. For port and custom gear) you can zoom the full range between 12 and 50 and also set the macro lock. To me the 12-50 is a much better choice than trying to house the 12-60 DSLR lens.

Phil Rudin

Edited by Phil Rudin, 25 October 2012 - 07:32 AM.

[AYahoo]

Hi Phil,
Thanks for the replay, You are right, I didn't notice that the lens if for Olympus 43, my mistake .

But still My question is, what is better, using the 12-50mm or using the 14-42mm with wet lens for macro & wet lens for wide?

Thanks,
Asaf.

[derway]

The 14-42 will be way more affordable, to house, than the12-50. And you will be able to zoom it mechanically, like a normal lens.

The 14-42 lens will work fine with the wet lenses you mention.

The 12-50 won't need a wet lens for macro, if you use the $800 nauticam port - which lets you use macro mode, but forces you to use the motorized zoom.

I don't know of anyone who has tried the 12-50 with a wet WA lens. Seems likely to vignette.

The IQ of the 12-50 is somewhat better than the 14-42.. I own it, and use it on land, it is a pretty good kit zoom lens. I am not willing to pay the price for the port, to use it underwater.

[coroander]

Also the Nauticam 12-50mm port will also house the 60mm macro lens, so you don't have to buy another port if you want to improve your macro capability.

[AYahoo]

Ok, Thanks again

Can you please explain to me why can't I use a zoom ring to zoom the 12-50? also do you have some UW photos to share with us with your setup?

thanks,
Asaf.