Which mirrorless system for UW..e-pl3 vs gf2 vs sony nex-5n?

[derway 2]

Gorgeous! How much did the cam and housing set you back?

[Longimanus1975 1]

Looking good, will be interested to hear how you get on with it

[bvanant 191]

Really a sweet lookin' rig. For macro, I would prefer 60 to 90 mm lens. Longer working distance for 1:1. The Sony NEX system is open for 3rd party lenses. Surely someone will make a reasonable focal length macro for the e-mount, but what do you use until then? Please do share your experience.

Bob

Well they have been promising us lenses for a couple of years now. I have shot a bunch with the 30 and once you figure out the lighting (like strobes pointing inward a bit) it is pretty nice.

Bill

[Stewart L. Sy 12]

Well they have been promising us lenses for a couple of years now. I have shot a bunch with the 30 and once you figure out the lighting (like strobes pointing inward a bit) it is pretty nice.

Bill

 

Hi Bill

 

Are you shooting with the Subsea diopters? What's your working distance with the 30 and the +5 & +10 respectively.

 

This is my ... wife's ;-) setup...

 

 

Stu

Edited January 31, 2012 by Stewart L. Sy

[cheetohcat 0]

Stewart, I like "your wife's" set up. I'm sure she doesn't mind if you borrow it.

 

Bill, sounds like I might need to get the 30 MM after all... Are you able to use a ring flash at all with the focus distance so short? I know I ran into that problem with my s90 and 2x Inon macro lenses where the focus was too close for the flash, so I'd just get a dark spot where the subject was (but the area around it was beautifully lit!)

 

derway, the camera body + 18-55 lens is $699, 16MM $220, fisheye $120, so approx $1040. The 30MM lens is another~$250. Not sure how things are in your area, but I had a hard time finding any place with the camera in stock - seems to be backordered at all electronic and camera stores. I ended up snagging it all from Amazon finally, and extra batteries and a spare charger as well. The Recsea housing was similar to Nauticam at $1625 base - plus the ports based on your lenses.

 

I am hoping to dive Saturday (assuming i can find an open boat) so I'll report back on how that goes.

 

 

 

]

 

This is my ... wife's ;-) setup...

 

 

Stu

[Phil Rudin 461]

Regarding the Sony E-mount 30mm macro it has very nice image quality for a $250.00 macro lens but I think that people are expecting it be somthing which is not. This lens has about a 50 degree angle of view and at 1:1 (life size or the size of the APS-C sensor) it needs to focus to 3.75 inches. That number is and has always been measured from the sensor/film plane, so when you add the length of the lens at 1:1 you are about an inch from the lens glass. While this may work well using a tri-pod or rail for photographing stamps or coins it does not translate well for underwater work. The lens is in fact about the same AOV as using a 50mm macro on a 35mm (film/sensor) camera. Most of the old 50mm lenses only went to 1:2 (twice life size) for this very reason. If the lens is used for what it is suited for I think it works very well underwater and has better image quality than the "kit" lens which comes with the camera. From about three inches to two feet is the range I would be shooting in and with a 50 degree AOV this covers a lot of subjects. Adding any close-up lens will only make the 30 macro harder to use because you can't get to 1:1 well as is and the close-up lens requires you to get even closer. I am quite sure that Sony is well aware of the gaps in their lens line and will be coming out with more lenses than they had intended. I also see lenses coming from every third party lens maker for both M43 and NEX designs. If you can't live without super macro I am sure that someone will come out with a macro port to support Lens adapters and DSLR lenses using manual focus.

 

I have used the Athena ring flash with the 30 macro but again you will need to backup to about three inches for it to work well. Shooting from an inch away can be done but it will limit your subject matter and could result in damage to the subject.

 

Phil Rudin

Edited January 31, 2012 by Phil Rudin

[Stewart L. Sy 12]

Stewart, I like "your wife's" set up. I'm sure she doesn't mind if you borrow it.

 

Hi Cheetohcat,

 

Depends if she's using the camera topside or not. In my case, it's also a viable backup system to my full DSLR setup. It's amazingly easy to use. You'll love it.

 

S.

[Jock 14]

Phil,

 

I fully agree - a longer macro lens (~ 60mm) is what I am waiting for before I buy a NEX7. What I really cannot understand: Tamron and Sigma presented e-mount lenses: A 18-200mm from Tamron, which competes with the 18-200mm from Sony, and a 30mm macro from Sigma, which competes with the 30mm macro from Sony... PLAIN STUPID!!!!

 

Joerg

[Phil Rudin 461]

Hi Jock,

 

The Sigma 30mm F/2.8 for NEX is NOT a macro lens. It will focus to about 30cm and only gets to about 1:8. Still nice to see that the NEX market is beginning to open up. Rokinon also has a new 8mm fisheye coming for NEX in the next month or two but it is all manual.

 

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/30mm-f28-ex...nk=jan_m_1_cta2

 

Phil Rudin

[Aliens 3]

Hi Jock,

 

The Sigma 30mm F/2.8 for NEX is NOT a macro lens. It will focus to about 30cm and only gets to about 1:8. Still nice to see that the NEX market is beginning to open up. Rokinon also has a new 8mm fisheye coming for NEX in the next month or two but it is all manual.

 

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/30mm-f28-ex...nk=jan_m_1_cta2

 

Phil Rudin

 

Phil Do you happen to know if the underside of the Nauticam NEX 5 and NEX7 are the same? Are the holes the same size and distance apart? Trying to source a plate to convert my INON baseplate. Wonderign if this will work on the NEX7?

 

http://www.divervision.com/catalog/tray-ad...u49gg2d5vcvvp42

[Phil Rudin 461]

Hello Aliens,

 

The two housings are different on the underside and the NEX-5/5n grip from Nauticam is a bit small. The Nauticam flexitray for compact housings with one or two grips does work on the NA-NEX-7 housing and has the great Nauticam grips. The Inon holder II grip set also works with the NEX-7 housing.

 

Phil Rudin

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_p...roducts_id=5385

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_p...roducts_id=4957

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_p...der+ii+grip+set

[Jock 14]

Hi Jock,

 

The Sigma 30mm F/2.8 for NEX is NOT a macro lens. ...

 

Phil,

 

thanks for pointing this out. I didn't bother to read the Sigma announcement any further after I read "30mm".

 

I had the opprtunity to use the fisheye converter with the 16mm pancake on the NEX5 last summer. Results were okay for me, so I am not particularly interested in the Rokinon.

 

Greetings

Joerg

[Deep6 7]

Phil,

 

I fully agree - a longer macro lens (~ 60mm) is what I am waiting for before I buy a NEX7. What I really cannot understand: Tamron and Sigma presented e-mount lenses: A 18-200mm from Tamron, which competes with the 18-200mm from Sony, and a 30mm macro from Sigma, which competes with the 30mm macro from Sony... PLAIN STUPID!!!!

 

Joerg

I am wondering if the Sony LA-EA2 A-mount to E-mount adapter (78..5 x 86.5 x 44 mm) will fit in any of the housings/ports. Sony makes a 50mm and 100mm macro lens(1:1). Likely no way to get a focus gear over the adapter, so unless a control is added to the port its AF only.

Bob

[Phil Rudin 461]

Hi Joerg,

 

The LA-EA1 is already being used with the Sony A-mount 50mm and 100mm macro in the Acquapazza housing for the NEX-5.

 

They have designed ports that use the Inon magnetic focus gear and focus ring system to move focus.

 

http://www.acquapazza.jp/en/product/apso-nex5/index.html

 

Phil Rudin

[Deep6 7]

Hi Joerg,

 

The LA-EA1 is already being used with the Sony A-mount 50mm and 100mm macro in the Acquapazza housing for the NEX-5.

 

They have designed ports that use the Inon magnetic focus gear and focus ring system to move focus.

 

http://www.acquapazza.jp/en/product/apso-nex5/index.html

 

Phil Rudin

Oooh, you get colors!

Phil, Thanks for the link. Certainly do-able. Appears to be AF only.

Bob

[Phil Rudin 461]

Open this PDF and look at the port chart and you will see the Inon AMRS parts that fit onto the Acquapazza port to use the lenses in manual. The purple housing at the top has the gears and focus rings mounted for both zoom and manual focus.

 

http://www.acquapazza.jp/product/apsonex5_ct.pdf

 

If you do not understand how the system works, see my INON X-2 article in the current issue of UWPmag.com The system works the same way on these ports.

 

Phil Rudin

[Aliens 3]

Hello Aliens,

 

The two housings are different on the underside and the NEX-5/5n grip from Nauticam is a bit small. The Nauticam flexitray for compact housings with one or two grips does work on the NA-NEX-7 housing and has the great Nauticam grips. The Inon holder II grip set also works with the NEX-7 housing.

 

Phil Rudin

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_p...roducts_id=5385

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_p...roducts_id=4957

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_p...der+ii+grip+set

 

Thanks I have an Inon baseplate and arms from my compact camera trying to change this to use on the Nauticam NEX7. Thanks for your reply

[meme.may.fire 2]

the m43rd lenses just keeps coming in.

especially 3rd party.

 

Besides the newly announced Olympus em5, rumor has it

they will also released a 60mm macro plus an underwater housing for it.

[hughmoore 0]

Oooh, you get colors!

Phil, Thanks for the link. Certainly do-able. Appears to be AF only.

Bob

 

No, full manual focus is available with the brilliant mangentic ring system.

 

 

 

Hugh

[cheetohcat 0]

I had a chance to take the nex-5n out this Sunday for 2 dives on the Oil Rigs near Long Beach, CA. We lucked out and had AWESOME viz, so I could really put the set up through the paces for wide angle. I'm still getting used to it, but I am very happy with it so far!

 

These were all taken with the Sony 16MM WA pancake lens + fisheye, and in the Recsea + dome port. I'm hoping to try out the 16mm alone, and the 18-55mm kit lens in the next few weeks as well.

 

[Drew 0]

Carolyn

What modes were you shooting in? I ask because on my screen, a few of the pics are under exposed by at least 1.5 stops. Just wondering if you are using manual or any other mode? Thanks.

[hughmoore 0]

Carolyn

What modes were you shooting in? I ask because on my screen, a few of the pics are under exposed by at least 1.5 stops. Just wondering if you are using manual or any other mode? Thanks.

 

For us Novices, can you pick one picture and explain in more detail why you think its under exposed.

 

 

 

 

 

Hugh

[cheetohcat 0]

Hey Drew, I was shooting in manual mode for the camera and strobes, so any exposure issues are due to operator input.

 

On a related note, do you have suggestions on how best to calibrate computer screens for accurate post processing? I just recently switched from PC to mac, and I find the images look radically different between the two, or vs. my work computer etc.

 

Thanks!

[bvanant 191]

Hey Drew, I was shooting in manual mode for the camera and strobes, so any exposure issues are due to operator input.

 

On a related note, do you have suggestions on how best to calibrate computer screens for accurate post processing? I just recently switched from PC to mac, and I find the images look radically different between the two, or vs. my work computer etc.

 

Thanks!

carolyn:

I have a calibrator you can borrow next time we see you on the giant stride. On my monitor, the metridiums for example are at least a full stop underexposed and the cabezon (if that is what he is) is about a full stop under as well. I think you need to think about dialing in some strobe compensation. I like the composition a lot and the sea lion shot is very nice.

Let me know when you are going to dive with Jim again (I think we are on the boat next on the 25th) and I will bring my screen calibrator or if you are coming to the LAUPS meeting on Wednesday I will bring it then.

Bill

[Deep6 7]

Carolyn,

Thanks for sharing. How was the view throught the viewfinder?

Bob