Olympus OM-D E-M5

[Phil Rudin 454]

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 March 13, 2013 by Phil Rudin

[pooley 39]

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 0]

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

[barilhu 0]

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 244]

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 2]

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 39]

Troporobo - thanks for the reply

 

Mike

[EspenB 15]

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 8]

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 8]

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.com/web_two/fiber-optic.html ).

[Alex_Mustard 0]

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 8]

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 8]

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 8]

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

Thanks

Marko

[Karl 7]

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.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8945&p=72540#p72540

 

Karl

[Markosixty6 8]

Hey Karl,

 

Good to here from you your getting some very nice results with this set up well done mate, i'll answer you on WAD. Don't want to hijack the thread.

[Nicool 26]

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

You can also use the custom fit leak sentinel from Vividhousing:

http://www.vividhousings.com/leak-sentinel.php

 

I got good email exchanges with the maker, and it's a tiny smart system that provides LED feedback.

Also, he gave me shots of it attached to the Nauticam OM-D housing. All this for only 200 EUR (rated to 60m depth).

 

Question is: will the Nauticam solution bring something much better?

[Nicool 26]

Extra question on the dome choices for the Panasonic 8mm fisheye. If I go for this lens it would be for its capability to focus super close (provided I manage to get close to my subjects! ).

In the charts of nauticam.com, they mention 2 domes options:

1/ The 4.33 "

2/ The upcoming 3.5"

 

In this thread, I read Coroander saying that the 4.33" dome already allows reaching the lens' minimal focus distance underwater.

So what could be the advantages of the 3.5" dome?

[Markosixty6 8]

Hey Nicool

 

So is the 4.33 the only dome option for this lense. Wonder if anyone has the answer to yr question regarding the 3.5'. Thanks for your help

[nudibranco 27]

there is an extensive post by Alex Mustard on this forum with pics with 3.5" and 4.33". The 3.5" is smaller so you can get closer for better magnification...

 

I have the 3.5 and I am happy with it. You can focus so close almost to the dome surface...

However the 4.33 is more versatile. The longer focusing distance allows it to use with other lenses (especially with extensions) and over under shots may be more easily achieved...

Edited March 30, 2013 by nudibranco

[Draq 118]

I do not have an OMD, but rather a Panasonic GX1 with several lenses and ports. So please forgive me for a slight hijack. I may upgrade to an OMD or its successor at some point but for now and the near future I will stick with the GX1. My favorite UW lenses are the 8mm FE and the 7-14.

 

Because I sometimes end up diving under circumstances where I cannot predict what I will be shooting or even what dive sites I may go to (think Cozumel for example) I like the idea of being able to choose the 12-50 as a “jack of all trades” lens option on occasion.

 

I have gone through this thread carefully and think I understand the options. Since I already own the 45 macro port and the 4” wide angle port and have a Subsee, I was considering getting the D&D lens gear and the 20mm extension ring so I could use the lens in the 45 macro port.

 

I think that would allow me to add this lens somewhat inexpensively and also not have to add a new port to the bag.

An additional advantage that I could foresee to the above is that I could also use the 12-50 in the 4” port with the D&D zoom ring if I wanted to preserve the AOV on the wide end; an option that would not be available with the Nauticam port and gear.

 

If this plan is faulty I can go ahead and get the Nauticam port for the lens. Many of you are so much more knowledgeable on these things than am I, so I seek your collective wisdom on the feasibility of this plan.

[Phil Rudin 454]

Hi Draq,

 

I think that combo will work quite well for you. The 20mm extension will also work quite well with the 60mm macro if you ever want a longer macro, I use both. I am also using the 20mm extension with the ZEN Underwater 170mm glass dome port and the 7-14 zoom.

 

Phil Rudin

[Nicool 26]

there is an extensive post by Alex Mustard on this forum with pics with 3.5" and 4.33". The 3.5" is smaller so you can get closer for better magnification...

 

I have the 3.5 and I am happy with it. You can focus so close almost to the dome surface...

However the 4.33 is more versatile. The longer focusing distance allows it to use with other lenses (especially with extensions) and over under shots may be more easily achieved...

Hi Nudibranco,

 

I must say I forgot that post: at the time I read it I wasn't thinking about dome options then...

For those who want the answer, it's earlier in this thread, see posts 297 (http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46536&page=15&do=findComment&comment=322488) to 310 basically.

[Draq 118]

Thank you for the feedback, Phil

 

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience using this lens in the 4" semi-dome port...

[Doversole 0]

Has anyone tried the 14mm Panasonic f2.5 lens?

I saw the images from Alex with a 17mm in the 4‘‘ dome in Grand Cayman which were impressive but saw nothing in this thread about the 14mm lens.

Nauticam seems to advise the 3.5 wide angle port for the 14mm.