Thormar

Hi, it is an isopod, but haven't bothered figuring out which family.

The first seconds show a live specimen moving, while the rest of the video likely shows an empty exuvium (the empty shell). Appendages are visible if you look thoroughly on the video (not reflecting the light).

Examples of some isopods:
www.flickr.com/photos/odonataman/7366212230/
www.flickr.com/photos/okinawaphotos/7948006250/

Jonas

The "non-japanese" system chart for the PT-EP08 housing is also available here PT-EP08 SYSTEM CHART, and on many other Olympus pages.

It is slightly simpler than the japanese one, which e.g. shows that the zoom ring for the old M43 14-42mm is PPZR-EP01 (PPZR-EP02 is for the newer 14-42II and 14-42IIR)

The system chart shows that there will be no mechanism to use the focus limiting switch of the 60mm, which I had not expected anyway.

However, several other combinations of lenses are possible using the Olympus stuff and e.g. older 4/3 lenses than shown on the chart.
How well they'll perform may depend on
1) whether the distance from the lens to the port glass will be the same as on the older 4/3 housings (for E-520, E-620, E-3 etc.) or if that is changed slightly by the port adapter (PAD-EP08)
2) how well the AF performs on these older lenses.
3) if the old zoom rings for the 7-14mm and 11-22mm will match with the new housing

E.g
4/3: 11-22mm + PAD-EP08 + PER-02 + PPO-E04 (Dome) + PPZR-E02
4/3: 7-14mm + PAD-EP08 + PER-02 + PPO-E04 (Dome) + PPZR-E03 - I would only do this if I already had this quite expensive (and good) lens
m4/3 12-50mm: Should be easy to house using the extension rings (PER-01 and PER-02) and some of the older flat ports (PPO-E01, PPO-E02, PPO-E05) or the dome (PPO-E04). But whether a zoom gear will fit is another question.
m4/3 60mm macro: If you already the old macro port (PPO-E03), consider using this as it has a very narrow front, something I like. Perhaps use it with a short port extension (PER-E01) if the space is needed to house the 60mm, or you would like to reduce the amount of water between lens and subject in murky waters. However - it has no 67mm threading.
If you do not have it, or would like to use wet lens diopters etc., the just use the PPO-EP01 and get the macro lens adapter (PMLA-EP01) which have have a 67mm threading so you can attach the Olympus macro conversion lens (PTMC-01) or e.g. a subsee diopter.

If using the old ports frequently I would consider buying several port adapters (PAD-EP08) and attach to each of the old ports, since the bayonet mount is likely faster for changing ports than the original screw-threaded ones of the Olympus (which have very narrow tolerances, and are therefore often tight to unscrew).

Another thing: Using m43 lenses behind the Olympus dome will make it work as if it was a much larger dome (compared to when it is used with old 4/3 lenses) with the pro's and cons of that. So this will now be the "megadome" for m43 underwater systems, and then we just use another dome for the CFWA shots. Since the old Athena ports fitted the 4/3 Olympus underwater housings, they should also fit now, using the PAD-EP08 adapter.

@Phil: do you know who actually make the Olympus Dome? Isn't it exactly the same as the Athena 170?
They also use the same "Doom" cover, although Olympus spell it differently :-)

Jonas

To stay on topic with the macro question:

Phil suggested that you would need a focus gear for the 50mm macro.
I've never used a focus gear for my own shooting with the 50mm in the last 5 years.
Instead I program the Fn button to change between AF and Manual focus.
So I focus on my hand in front of the camera with AF on the desired distance, then swap to Manual.
And in MF I don't have the problem with slow AF...
Of course a super fast AF would have been desirable as well, but with MF I can be sure that I get the maximum magnification if that is what I want.

The E-M5 have two Fn buttons. The Fn2 can be set to "Manual focus" DPReview E-M5.

Also just check a translation of the Japanese site:
http://translate.goo...j...cfm&act=url

The PPO-EP01 port allows you to use the micro 4/3
14-42mm F3.5-5.6II / 14-42mm F3.5-5.6IIR,
and ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 lenses (although this lens might do better behind a dome)
Note that the new standard port PPO-EP01 does not house the 12-50mm which most people might buy with the E-M5 camera.
However, it might be possible with lens port extensions.

The PAD-EP08 is a port adapter to mount the older FourThirds-ports (which had a screw-thread).
E.g. the "old" PPO-E03 for the 50mm (macro)
and the PPO-E04 dome port for the 8mm fish-eye.
Athena ports for FourThirds lenses should fit with the adapter as well.

There are several other "old" Olympus ports that can be attached, but whether the corresponding zoom rings will work as well, I do not know.
It is also possible the some of the "standard 14-xxmm" lenses below can be housed within the new PPO-EP01 port (but I'd probably just use the new m4/3 lenses).

PPO-E01 for 14-45mm and 35mm macro
PPO-E02 for 11-22mm and 14-54mm
PPO-E05 for 14-42mm
(and the PPO-E04 will also fit the 7-14mm when used with the PER-E02 lens port extension)

What port that will be needed for the upcoming 60mm macro is not yet known. But probably one of the old ones will fit, and if not they might announce a new port.

As for the pricing, yes, a surprising increase. And I don't think there are any mayor changes compared to the previous housings, except for the bayonet mount which I'm pleased to see.
But as for the quality, I would give all my recommendations.
Have used Olympus housings for E-410, E-520, E-620, E-PL1 and E-PL3 and really like the weight, compact shape, buttons etc. (Missed the easily exchangeable ports in the PEN housings).
And I actually prefer them over alu-housings which I would only consider to be able to attach a better viewfinder.
But yes, a pity that they didn't keep within the price level of their previous housings.