Olympus OM-D E-M5

[derway 2]

There are lots of folks in the dpreview forums for olympus DSLR and micro 4/3 ,who are doing it dry. You might have a look around there.

[Phil Rudin 454]

Regarding the Olympus 50mm F2 macro for 43'rds DSLR's it is still one of the best macro lenses, image quality wise made. With the Olympus 1.4 tele converter it also holds up well. Some image quality fall-off starts with the 2 X TC. I see no image quality difference with an M43 body and excellent image quality with the E-M5.

 

So the issue is how to house the lens to make full use of its quality. When you add the adapter, TC and lens to the E-M5 you move the lens away from the camera body and further from the wheel that drives a gear. Since you will be using manual focus you have the choice of getting a custom gear made if the current gear you are using does not work or using the Inon macro port. The Inon port for the 50 macro has a magnetic ring which moves away from the housing and remains in-line with the gear as the port moves away from the housing when extension is added. It also has the 67mm thread for close-up lenses and I have used it to mount my 67mm ring-flash.

 

For others making the choice of macro lenses for the E-M5 I would not over look the Panasonic 45 macro which is full auto focus and the 60mm macro coming in the next few months from Olympus.

 

http://www.inon.jp/products/housing/e_system/top.html

 

Phil Rudin

Edited June 7, 2012 by Phil Rudin

[ce4jesus 1]

I love the review, but the hard to see EVF has this macro photographer a little concerned. LCD's are great until you're trying to find a grain of rice in a salad. I hope someone recognizes this need and moves forward wtih a better housing with that in mind. Otherwise, what is not to like!

[nachogil 0]

First pictures of Nauticam NA-EM5 Housing for Olympus OM-D E-M5, via Fun-In

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4...2368&type=1

 

Nice

Edited June 25, 2012 by nachogil

[Akoni 11]

Out very soon....

 

How soon?

[Deep6 7]

First pictures of Nauticam NA-EM5 Housing for Olympus OM-D E-M5, via Fun-In

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4...2368&type=1

 

Nice

How come we see this on the FUN-IN before the Nauticam sites? Just guessing, I doubt the EVF will be much use w/o an added extension. A real shame Oly didn't put the EVF on the side like a range finder camera (NEX, FUJI, etc.) and housing manufacturers don't have a built in extension with sight magnification for the camera's VF. Otherwise looks great.

 

Nauti for EM5

 

Bob

[Kevster 6]

The "fun-in" website has the housing price listed as $1350!!!!

If this is correct it is an excellent deal!

 

My Nauticam GH2 housing (which i assume is a similar size) cost $2100.

[girelle 19]

My housing already order and even pay looks great !!

All the buttons of the camera seems to appear on the housing , fine !!

The choice of Nauticam seems clear when you think that they own housing and ports for almost all the existing micro 43 .So if in a probably near future another camera from Pana or perhaps a new OMD model very temptating appear , I will be able to use my ports with any new camera ..

Just a request to Nauticam , I think that in the future also there will be more lenses to come and I hope especially macro , could it be possible to built some port extension , so we might be able to use our existing macro port with the new lenses . It's a question of money of course , but also especilally of room in my luggages

[Phil Rudin 454]

Some of the things I like about this Nauticam housing is that they have moved the main O-ring to the rear door which will make it much eaiser to service over being on the main body. The housing, like all of the Nauticam DSLR housings comes with a pickup viewfinder for the EVF and the Option to add the 45 or 180 degree accessory finders. Nauticam supports all of the excellent lenses for the M4/3 system like the 8 ifsheye, 7-14 zoom and 45 macro. I also like that the video on/off is out of the way of the rear push controls where it won't be as easy to turn on by accident. Don't see a popup switch for the camera flash, a mistake I have made more than once using fiber optic systems.

 

Phil Rudin

Edited June 26, 2012 by Phil Rudin

[Deep6 7]

Some of the things I like about this Nauticam housing is that they have moved the main O-ring to the rear door which will make it much eaiser to service over being on the main body. The housing, like all of the Nauticam DSLR housings comes with a pickup viewfinder for the EVF and the Option to add the 45 or 180 degree accessory finders. Nauticam supports all of the excellent lenses for the M4/3 system like the 8 ifsheye, 7-14 zoom and 45 macro. I also like that the video on/off is out of the way of the rear push controls where it won't be as easy to turn on by accident. Don't see a popup switch for the camera flash, a mistake I have made more than once using fiber optic systems.

 

Phil Rudin

Thanks for your expert observations. The Nexus D80, inconveniently, does not have a pop up flash switch either. The flash for the D80 can be activated by setting the mode to A, aiming at a dark object, and then partially depressing the shutter button.

 

Is it too early to speculate about the EVF with a pick up finder? I have not used a EVF in a housing. Is VF eye relief a factor? What is the eye relief for the Oly EMD5 EVF?

 

Bob

[Phil Rudin 454]

I was able to use that same trick with several of my Olympus cameras like the E-3 but the E-M5 does not have a built in flash so that trick won't work.

 

Regarding the EVF I have used the NEX-7 with the pickup finder on the Nauticam housing and could see a bit better than many of the APS-C DSLR's because the OLED finder is bigger. I find the sensor on the E-M5 to be about the same because of the 4:3 aspect ratio. The E-M5 sensor looks as tall in the viewfinder it is just not as wide.

 

Phil Rudin

[Deep6 7]

I was able to use that same trick with several of my Olympus cameras like the E-3 but the E-M5 does not have a built in flash so that trick won't work.

 

Phil Rudin

Doh (blush)!

 

Phil,

Thanks for the feedback.

Bob

[Phil Rudin 454]

Another thing I like about this housing is what appears to be a new approach to pricing by Nauticam started I believe with the $1200.00 Panasonic NA-GX1 housing and now the $1350.00 NA-EM5 housing. This beings the housing cost more in line with the pricing of the cameras.

 

Phil Rudin

[dsbierman 0]

Although I don't know who makes/sells it, I'm pretty sure there's a port adapter for 4/3rds to m4/3rds. Can anyone help me with this? Assuming it exists, would it be compatible with the Nauticam housing, so I could use my 4/3rds glass? Thx, David

[Deep6 7]

Although I don't know who makes/sells it, I'm pretty sure there's a port adapter for 4/3rds to m4/3rds. Can anyone help me with this? Assuming it exists, would it be compatible with the Nauticam housing, so I could use my 4/3rds glass? Thx, David

There are several [e.g. google 4/3 to m4/3 adapter]. Check with Nauticam before you buy.

 

Bob

[Phil Rudin 454]

If you are talking about adapting the 4/3 lenses to the M43 cameras, Olympus has two. Adding Ports designed for housings for the Olympus DSLR's from Olympus, SeaTool and Nexus is a different issue. Over twenty five ports exist for use with 4/3 lenses in DSLR housings. An adapter is made to attach these ports to at least some of the Olympus branded M43 housings and Olympus will have one for their E-M5 housing. Not sure how this issue will be handled for Nauticam housings but it would be worth asking.

 

P.S. The popping up of the flash has been passed on to Nauticam and a workaround is being considered.

 

Phil Rudin

Edited June 27, 2012 by Phil Rudin

[oskar 6]

Now the penny dropped for me. This is a game changer, isn't it? This means nauticam system camera housings housings are in Ikelite territory. (Albeit mirrorless)

 

 

Another thing I like about this housing is what appears to be a new approach to pricing by Nauticam started I believe with the $1200.00 Panasonic NA-GX1 housing and now the $1350.00 NA-EM5 housing. This beings the housing cost more in line with the pricing of the cameras.

 

Phil Rudin

[Glasseye Snapper 47]

For me it is a game changer. I have used Ikelite housings so far and think they are great if your diving frequency or budget put traditional aluminum housings out of reach. But now you can have a Nauticam housing at comparable price. Even if it is a few hundred more than the Olympus housing, once you add up the cost of lenses, strobes, focus lights, the extra money is well spend. I'll be waiting for a wetpixel review of this housing but expect that unless an even better system comes along before my next trip this is going to be the upgrade for me.

 

Bart

[bkkchriss4 0]

Curious to see this housing next to a 7D or similar housing to see the size difference - I know its smaller of course but with that detachable flash it looks pretty big.

 

I am still getting one though!

[Akoni 11]

...But now you can have a Nauticam housing at comparable price....

 

 

Depending on whether or not you already have the appropriate ports, it will, more or less, distance itself further price-wise.

[Glasseye Snapper 47]

It depends on how many ports you need and if they are the more expensive dome ports. There are also adapters to fit ports from your previous system.

 

I am surprised that the flat port line up has none listed for the 17 - 30mm prime lenses. I had expected at least one for the popular 20mm F1.7 pancake from panasonic which would also fit the Oly 17mm F2.8. There is a very compact port for the Sony NEX housings, would that one also fit on the M43 housings?

 

Bart

[Phil Rudin 454]

Akoni,

 

Since the referance was to the cost difference between an Ikelite housing and the Nauticam NA-EM5 housing the cost of the new ports will need to be made since Iklite will not be making a housing for the Olympus E-M5.

 

Glassseye,

 

The only port adapters Nauticam makes at this time are for the DSLR housings not the mirrorless housing unless of course you count the adapter for the Nikonos lenses.

 

Nautican makes a 3.5 inch port for the Panasonic 14mm pancake, since all of the pancakes focus to around 20CM I think they would all work with that port.

 

All of the Nauticam ports for mirrorless cameras have the same mount and so would be interchangable between camera brands. Like the Sony 30mm macro port which is the same port as the panasonic 45mm macro port.

 

Phil Rudin

Edited June 30, 2012 by Phil Rudin

[Glasseye Snapper 47]

Hi Phil,

 

Thanks for clearing up my mistake regarding adapters. The Sony 16mm pancake lens is 22.5mm long and has a port for it. The 17mm Oly pancake is 22mm long so may work with that. The Panasonic 20mm is 25.5mm long so not sure if it will still fit. I agree that your dome suggestion would likely work but I rarely shoot WA so hope to make do without any dome ports, at least in the beginning.

 

Bart

[Phil Rudin 454]

Regarding the Olympus PT-E08 housing for the Olympus E-M5 camera Olympus Japan has posted the attached system chart for the E-M5 housing, http://www.olympus.co.jp/jp/support/...tem_ptep08.pdf

 

It includes eight lenses (three are the 14-42 versions) listed to work with the stock PPO-EP01 port which unlike the PEN housings port has only one O-ring. No new gears are listed for the 45 F/1.8, 75mm F/1.8, 12-50 kit zoom or the coming this year 60mm macro. So the answer to will they fit the port is yes, the answer to can they take advantage of all the controls is NO at this time.

 

The Euro/British Pound based Olympus web sites still have the housing listed for around $1350.00-$1394.00 US.

 

Phil Rudin

[Conny3479 5]

Hi,

any news or some reviews about the Nauticam housing??

Can't wait to make photos with this camera underwater :-)

 

cheers,

Conny