Oly E-330 Setup

[Yako 8]

Hi,

 

First of all, I would like to introduce me. I'm Jose, a newbie Oly E-330 owner from Canary Islands, Spain.

 

I would apreciate if anyone that is using E-330 could paste the camera setup. I'm not sure the best configuration for UW (i.e picture modes, WB, ect).

 

Thanks in advance.

Regards.

[jlyle 8]

Hi,

 

First of all, I would like to introduce me. I'm Jose, a newbie Oly E-330 owner from Canary Islands, Spain.

 

I would apreciate if anyone that is using E-330 could paste the camera setup. I'm not sure the best configuration for UW (i.e picture modes, WB, ect).

 

Thanks in advance.

Regards.

 

Bienvenido, Jose.

 

I shoot a 330 here in Southern California, where the water is cold and visibility is often not so good. With my 14-54mm lens and dual Ikelite DS-125 strobes, I use Aperture priority for maximum depth of field, starting with small apertures and opening as necessary to capture the shot. TTL and multispot metering usually give the best exposures at ISO-200.

 

White balance is a custom 4800 K, the color of the Ikelite DS-125 strobes.

Edited February 18, 2007 by jlyle

[Yako 8]

Bienvenido, Jose.

 

I shoot a 330 here in Southern California, where the water is cold and visibility is often not so good. With my 14-54mm lens and dual Ikelite DS-125 strobes, I use Aperture priority for maximum depth of field, starting with small apertures and opening as necessary to capture the shot. TTL and multispot metering usually give the best exposures at ISO-200.

 

White balance is a custom 4800 K, the color of the Ikelite DS-125 strobes.

 

Hola jlyle,

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

What kind of picture mode are you using ? vivid, natural, mute ? Saturation brighness, sharpness ?

 

Regards

[jlyle 8]

Hola jlyle,

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

What kind of picture mode are you using ? vivid, natural, mute ? Saturation brighness, sharpness ?

 

Regards

 

 

Natural with the camera defaults for saturation, brightness, sharpness, etc.

 

[Yako 8]

Natural with the camera defaults for saturation, brightness, sharpness, etc.

 

 

Thanks for your reply, jlyle.

 

I see that you're using Ike DS-125.

Are you using jpg or raw ?

 

If you shoot jpg, do you must use PS for correct the image or it's correct from the camera ?

 

Thanks and regards

[jlyle 8]

I am shooting jpeg. It isn't necessary to correct with PS - images are correct from the camera.

[yuchnovicz 0]

I'm considering an E-330 as well and wondered how well the auto focus performed on night dives. Currently using the Oly C7070, dual Ds-125s and the Ike TTL flat port housing - and like most autofocus systems - it doesn't work well in low light situations. The modeling light in the DS125 isn't enough in most cases. A UK Light Cannon helps alot!

 

Is the Custom 4400K setting availabel as a default or did you white balance off of a 4400K lightsource and white card - then store it?

thanks

Dan

 

 

Bienvenido, Jose.

 

I shoot a 330 here in Southern California, where the water is cold and visibility is often not so good. With my 14-54mm lens and dual Ikelite DS-125 strobes, I use Aperture priority for maximum depth of field, starting with small apertures and opening as necessary to capture the shot. TTL and multispot metering usually give the best exposures at ISO-200.

 

White balance is a custom 4800 K, the color of the Ikelite DS-125 strobes.

[jlyle 8]

I'm considering an E-330 as well and wondered how well the auto focus performed on night dives. Currently using the Oly C7070, dual Ds-125s and the Ike TTL flat port housing - and like most autofocus systems - it doesn't work well in low light situations. The modeling light in the DS125 isn't enough in most cases. A UK Light Cannon helps alot!

 

Is the Custom 4400K setting availabel as a default or did you white balance off of a 4400K lightsource and white card - then store it?

thanks

Dan

 

Dan,

 

I've done one night dive with the E-330. Using the DS-125 modeling lights and a UK SL4 (with crumpled aluminum foil as a reflector) the camera worked very well at achieving auto-focus. A Light Cannon would turn night into day!

 

The 4800K WB is one of the choices on the camera.

[yuchnovicz 0]

Interesting Information. Thanks!

So in A mode, what do you have the shutter speed set at? I typically use manual mode, set the f-stop to about 7 and the shutter around 1/200. Had the f-stop set at about 5.6 before per a suggestion and never got good flash fill with the TTL. Seems that the image had sufficient ambient light. Setting the f stop higher helped to get better illumination with the strobes and darkened the back ground a bit. A pro told me that he uses a light meter to get the ambient settings for the camera then sets the 125s to about 3/4 power and is good at 4 feet with a wide angle.

Thanks Again.

Dan

 

 

Dan,

 

I've done one night dive with the E-330. Using the DS-125 modeling lights and a UK SL4 (with crumpled aluminum foil as a reflector) the camera worked very well at achieving auto-focus. A Light Cannon would turn night into day!

 

The 4800K WB is one of the choices on the camera.

[jlyle 8]

In Aperture mode, at F/8 and above, the shutter speed is 1/30 up to 1/60 in our dark water. The strobe sync speed on the camera is 1/180 sec.

 

You don't really need a light meter, the camera has one built in! Set your shutter/aperture in manual and look at the EV value. If the EV = 0, then the settings are for the ambient conditions and the strobe is used to fill. If you have a lot of background water, you will want to underexpose the image for dark blue water.

[yuchnovicz 0]

Thanks for the help. I appreciate your willingness to pass on your experience!

Regards,

Dan

www.chesapeakebaydiving.com

 

In Aperture mode, at F/8 and above, the shutter speed is 1/30 up to 1/60 in our dark water. The strobe sync speed on the camera is 1/180 sec.

 

You don't really need a light meter, the camera has one built in! Set your shutter/aperture in manual and look at the EV value. If the EV = 0, then the settings are for the ambient conditions and the strobe is used to fill. If you have a lot of background water, you will want to underexpose the image for dark blue water.

[simonmort 0]

Managed to pick up almost new e-330 setup, so after picking some brains on best way forward.Hope this is o.k for posting here?

 

All the items have been ebay jobs, and total spent is £645 pounds.which i think is bargain!! to move into underwater slr, considering sold my old d1h and a lens for £1450 pounds.

 

Items purchased as follows

PTE-02 housing new + PPO-E01 port used £147

PPO-E02 PORT new boxed £13

E-330 camera refurbished 12mth warranty £220

Customs charge £45

sold 14-45mm lens for £50

14-54mm zuiko lens used £270

 

So now my question is what would be best for the rest of the kit. I currently use a 5060 in light&motion housing with dual inon z240 strobes , so would like to move the strobes over.

 

So what would be best to use, the athena or hein ttl adaptor?

 

And what do people use for there strobe mounts, thinking ultralight arms+ athena handle.

 

Also does anybody use a port mount to fix aiming light?

sorry for questions, still got loads to ask!!

simon.

[AndyT 0]

Hi Simon

 

Have you considered firing the Z240's with fibre optic cables? The STTL mode works really well, no need for a converter.

I use them very effectively with my E-3.

[simonmort 0]

still thinking about this, the flash on the e-330 wont raise much in the housing. Did look at think was rogers setup with a match stick job?

Just worried about the fixing the fibre optics to the housing?

[rtrski 20]

I believe I did read that the flash could be raised 'a little bit' by poking the button after the camera was in the Oly housing, so you could use optical triggering.

 

Phil Rudin (tropical1) posted an Athena adapter for fiberoptic connection some time ago, but from the picture I believe it was for the E-410 housing which did have the extra space for a fully extended flash. Searched the post and found it here:

 

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...st&p=138851

 

You might be able to rig something similar if you can find a metal shop willing to work with you - doesn't look like much more than a bent metal plate with a couple holes for the optics and a bolt/slip plate to fit into the hotshoe attachment. Would likely be much simpler on the E330 housing with the flatter top surface...otherwise, I think I read Phil was using the Athena adaptor originally. Or you could go low-tech: I imagine a dab of RTV (clear silicone caulk) would hold a FO against the housing wall for at least a few dives and still let light transmit into it, as long as you didn't tug on them too badly.

 

Armwise, there's really not that much difference despite all the hype I think - an aluminum arm with a ball is an aluminum arm with a ball. Clamps are probably more important as poorly toleranced ones won't hold well enough without being spun down to the point of agony. I will say I do like the flotation arms I ended up with (ULCS) and I see Inon has some now too - I'm using the Ike housing which is probably heavier than the Olympus housing (thicker wall) but also has more internal airspace, so I'm guessing with the Olympus housing you're going to want at least some buoyancy compensation as well. Stix arms are another possibility here.

 

I also think you'll want some sort of focus light as well, since the E330's 3-position AF is getting pretty antiquated by today's standards. I just used a little Fantasea Nano located on a short arm off a 3-way clamp arrangement on one of the strobe arms. If you are making some sort of plate arrangement to attach FO to, you might be able to attach a ball to it as well for a much easier time of clamping off a focus light, perhaps? Or with a Fantasea or fisheye light you don't need a ball but that sliding collar arrangement - basically something like THIS, and you try to rig up an attachment that slips over this to attach your FO ends to.

 

I wish you luck with your new setup! I'm finally getting back in the water with mine in late May at the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary off the TX Gulf Coast, and hope to have some more pics to post to my incredibly anemic flickr page afterwards.

[TomR1 5]

Thanks for your reply, jlyle.

 

I see that you're using Ike DS-125.

Are you using jpg or raw ?

 

If you shoot jpg, do you must use PS for correct the image or it's correct from the camera ?

 

Thanks and regards

 

Shoot in M and RAW. For wider shots start at F/8 dropping to F/22 for super macro

[orlando_xxx 0]

I am using the E-330 in the ikelite housing, with a DS-125 and a DS-160.

 

lenses: zuikos 9-18, 14-54, 50mm Macro

 

i am shooting in raw most of the time.

 

Have fun

 

orlando

[simonmort 0]

Thanks guys, have gone with the Hein TTL converter.

Tried it to night and fired 1 inon strobe very well, just waiting for inon hand grip to be delivered b efore i check dual strobe set up.

 

Also i have managed to add a bit to the kit, got a 7-14mm lense on the way, so does anybody have a surgestion for a dome port, dont want to spend a £1000 on one?

 

Also hope to trade in a 14-54mm lense for 1.4x converter, so does anybody use this with the 14-54mm lens

 

simon.

[TomR1 5]

The athena works just fine with the Z-240 strobes. The connections, however, are electrical and they do flood if you are not careful. The Athena mounts in the strobe hotshoe on top of the housing, making a focus light difficult to mount there but the Z-240 targeting lights seem to do just fine. The 14-54 lens is a fine compound lense. If you want to sell it, how much?

[simonmort 0]

The athena works just fine with the Z-240 strobes. The connections, however, are electrical and they do flood if you are not careful. The Athena mounts in the strobe hotshoe on top of the housing, making a focus light difficult to mount there but the Z-240 targeting lights seem to do just fine. The 14-54 lens is a fine compound lense. If you want to sell it, how much?

 

Gone with the hein TTL coinverter which seems fine, waiting on more bits to be delivered.

 

Sorry looks like lens has fallen through so no long have 14-54mm lens up for grabs.

 

Managed first dive with one strobe yesterday at stoney cove(uk), and found the camera blipped a bit on focusing. Any body else have this now we focus now we dont, could just be me and not got the balance right on the shutter release?

 

I removed the option for the camera to auto the focus spots so just using centre from now on.

 

Left the camera on TTL , thinking would be better to set to slave trigger and use inons on manual which would give me a higher shutter speed than 160/180?

Anybody use this?

[rtrski 20]

Yeah, my e330 is a little finicky on focus, I did find it worked best to have a focus light and to use center-only zone. I've read a lot of people like to use continuous autofocus but I just used single - might try a dive on continuous next trip, but suspect it'll burn the battery down a lot quicker. If I wanted to have my focused element offcenter I had to do a quick halfpress and then reframe before completing the press. Shutter release thru a housing does take a bit of getting used to as well, and if you're in gloves (I'm assuming so in UK?) then you'll take a while to get the feel of it.

 

Not sure what lens you're looking thru now (from prior posts, the 7-14?), but keep your eyes open for a 14-54. They seem to be hitting ebay frequently now that both the 12-60 and the 14-54 mk II are out. Shouldn't have to pay more than about US$300 for it; no sense in buying new unless you think you might upgrade cameras soonish as the 12-60 and MkII both have features more aimed toward the newer Oly focusing modes, micro-4/3rds, etc. that the e330 won't really benefit as much from.

Edited May 10, 2009 by rtrski

[simonmort 0]

Yeah, my e330 is a little finicky on focus, I did find it worked best to have a focus light and to use center-only zone. I've read a lot of people like to use continuous autofocus but I just used single - might try a dive on continuous next trip, but suspect it'll burn the battery down a lot quicker. If I wanted to have my focused element offcenter I had to do a quick halfpress and then reframe before completing the press. Shutter release thru a housing does take a bit of getting used to as well, and if you're in gloves (I'm assuming so in UK?) then you'll take a while to get the feel of it.

 

Not sure what lens you're looking thru now (from prior posts, the 7-14?), but keep your eyes open for a 14-54. They seem to be hitting ebay frequently now that both the 12-60 and the 14-54 mk II are out. Shouldn't have to pay more than about US$300 for it; no sense in buying new unless you think you might upgrade cameras soonish as the 12-60 and MkII both have features more aimed toward the newer Oly focusing modes, micro-4/3rds, etc. that the e330 won't really benefit as much from.

 

Thanks for the reply, the 7-14mm lens fell through as was part of a kit.

Having a problem with the camera bits i order. People seem to hold onto the cash and not send the items, well u.k/ europe based companies.

 

Currently i have the following for the oly setup

14-54mm lens

50mm macro lens

1.4x tel converter

extension converter for macro

 

ports for the oly housing

ppo e02/ eo1 + tele extension.

and have on way a inon dome port which which want to try and use with the lenses i have?

 

 

Think the focusing would help if use the c-af instead of s-af so as long as finger on trigger moving the camera back and fourth will still focus?

[ce4jesus 1]

Thanks for the reply, the 7-14mm lens fell through as was part of a kit.

Having a problem with the camera bits i order. People seem to hold onto the cash and not send the items, well u.k/ europe based companies.

 

Currently i have the following for the oly setup

14-54mm lens

50mm macro lens

1.4x tel converter

extension converter for macro

 

ports for the oly housing

ppo e02/ eo1 + tele extension.

and have on way a inon dome port which which want to try and use with the lenses i have?

 

 

Think the focusing would help if use the c-af instead of s-af so as long as finger on trigger moving the camera back and fourth will still focus?

If you need a macro port for the 50mm I have brand new Olympus for sale in the classifieds....sorry for the shameless plug