Olympus OM-D E-M5

[Jock 14]

The PT-EP08 Housing available in Europe, BUT ...

 

... who would buy this housing for EUR 999 when the NA-EM 5 sells for EUR 1,289 ???

 

I did not sum up the "total cost" (add ports, zoom gear etc), but the price difference is so ridiciously small that it needs a significant price drop to make it an alternative to the Nauticam housing.

 

Here is the shop where I found it:

 

http://www.uw-fotopartner.com/Underwater-Housings/Interchangeable-lens-camera/UW-housing/Olympus/underwater-Housing-Olympus-PT-EP-08-for-the-E-M5?c=2426

[Phil Rudin 485]

I would tend to agree with you Jock. Olympus has by far the best housings coming from any major camera maker but the differences between these two housing is significant. To compare apples to apples you need to at least add a port and

gear for the lens. Olympus has chosen to sell a port for the 14-42mm "kit" zoom. A much better choice would be the 12-50mm "kit" zoom which is being supported by Nauticam but at a greater cost for a port and gear that will allow use of the full zoom range plus the macro switch feature.

 

Cost wise in the us the Nautican NA-EM5 housing, 14-42 port and gear for the 14-42/9-18mm lenses is now listed at around $$1800.00.

 

The Olympus PT-E08 housing, port for the 14-42 and 14-42/9-18 gear are listed at $1448.00 you will need to add another $50.00 for the port adapter for the 67mm closeup lenses which is built into the Nauticam port bring the total to $1498.00.

 

The Olympus tray is also higher than the much better Nauticam tray as well.

 

The upsides to the Olympus housing will be for those moving from the 4/3 DSLR systems to the M43 E-M5 housing if they want to use their 4/3 lenses and DSLR system ports with the Olympus adapter. In the Alex Mustard review of the Olympus housing for Wetpixel and UWPMAG.com you will see the Olympus macro port for the 50mm macro DSLR lens and the 170mm dome port for the Olympus 8mm fisheye, 7-14 zoom, 9-18, 11-22 and other DSLR lenses. Those that already own these ports and the ones from Athena, Inon and others may stick with those ports and lenses.

 

Let me finish by saying yes I teach workshops for Nauticam and yes I have used Olympus 4/3 and M43 equipment for years.

 

Phil Rudin

[Alex_Tattersall 90]

Alex M took my OMD-EM5 and Nauti housing to Mexico recently so hope he'll be able to give some opinions as to the comparative ergonomics of the two housings side by side....

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Yep - used the Nauticam housing here in Mexico. Definitely preferred the Nauti to the Olympus housing. It is well thought out and easy to use. Here are some photos.

 

 

 

 

The housing doesn't offer the ergonomic finesse of one of Nauticam's latest SLR housings, but it is still nice to use. Definitely get one with the hand strap - which makes holding the housing one handed really easy.

 

I really like the OM-D.

 

Alex

[Alex_Tattersall 90]

Can I have it back now

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Don't you have it? I sent it back with Neil last weekend.

 

Although I forgot the clip on flash - which I can return tomorrow.

 

Alex

[Akoni 11]

I wish Nauticam would have put a simple "tray lock" in the NE-EM5 housing.

[tdtaylor 1]

Sweet lenses keep coming for the MFT line as well like the just announced Panasonic 12-35mm F/2.8 X which will focus to 25cm. This lens is already getting rave reviews and it appears it will fit into some current ports (both flat and dome) with only a new gear needed.

 

Phil Rudin

 

Phil, Could you help me with what ports will work on the Nauticam housing with the 12-35. Also, what focusing ring- or is it an alteration project? Love the 12-35. Large for MFT, but the resolution is excellent, visibly better than the 12-50.

 

Thanks,

Edited August 27, 2012 by tdtaylor

[Phil Rudin 485]

Most of the current FLAT ports are to short, the 12-50 port which is coming will be a little long and they have a port for the Sony 30 mm macro Alpha mount lens and adapter which may be long enough. The zoom gear for Panasonic 7-14 would be about the closest gear with a large enough inside diameter for the lens. I think it may also work inside the six inch 7-14 dome port but would want to test it first to be sure.

 

Next issue is at 12mm will you be happy with the results behind a flat port.

 

Phil Rudin

[MikeO 5]

Next issue is at 12mm will you be happy with the results behind a flat port.

 

Phil Rudin

 

And I've also seen quite a bit of feedback that the Pany wide lenses have issues with CA on non-Panny cameras. Not sure it matters as much for UW, but still . . .

[bvanant 195]

One question is how to shoot macro in manual mode. For me, the EVF is way dim and hard to compose with, I must be doing something wrong. Also a tray lock would have been nice.

Bill

[edmond320 26]

Hi Bill,

Try turn the Live view boost "on" .

It should be located at Menu/Custom Menu/ (Disp.Sound.PC)/Live view boost

"If [On] is selected, priority will be given to making images

clearly visible; the effects exposure compensation and other

settings will not be visible in the monitor."

 

Edmond

[Alex_Tattersall 90]

Yes, it took me half a dive to work this out! The screen was black all the time as it was mimicking the exposure!

[tdtaylor 1]

Most of the current FLAT ports are to short, the 12-50 port which is coming will be a little long and they have a port for the Sony 30 mm macro Alpha mount lens and adapter which may be long enough. The zoom gear for Panasonic 7-14 would be about the closest gear with a large enough inside diameter for the lens. I think it may also work inside the six inch 7-14 dome port but would want to test it first to be sure.

 

Next issue is at 12mm will you be happy with the results behind a flat port.

 

Phil Rudin

 

I receive my Nauticam housing Thursday, along with the Port/ring for the 7-14. I'll give it a try with the 12-35.

[Conny3479 5]

Hi,

are there any new informations about the shipping of the 12-50 Port from Nauticam???? I need it in 10 Day - any hope???

 

LG, Conny

[Phil Rudin 485]

Regarding the Panasonic 12-35 F/2.8 I don't own the lens at this time but I have read reviews by DP review, SLR gear and several others. All have said that the CA was very well controlled or made no mention of CA at all. Not sure who started the CA issue or if they own the lens but would be interested see where these rumors come from. I realize the Olympus cameras don't have the in camera CA compensation that Panasonic bodies have but the same process can be done in Lightroom and others. Can someone point out the review that started the CA rumors would be interested to read it.

 

Phil Rudin

 

 

[edmond320 26]

Hi Phil,

My friend send this link to me :

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1041&thread=42315729

 

And for me, I am very very happy with the 12-35 lens.

 

Edmond

[girelle 19]

The screen is the only complain I have with this set , if you put the maximum of light on it , you can't appreciate well the exposure of the picture , of course ( they tend to be underexposed ..)you have the histogram to appreciate it , but underwater it's not always so easy .

Edited September 1, 2012 by girelle

[Phil Rudin 485]

My review for the E-M5 and Nauticam NA-EM5 housing is now released in Underwater Photography magazines new issue at UWPMAG.com. The cover shot is also mine and taken with the same system. Hope you enjoy the comparison with the Olympus housing reviews already posted here at Wetpixel.

 

Phil Rudin

[bvanant 195]

Phil: Great image of the jawfish, I really like that one.

Bill

[Phil Rudin 485]

Thanks Bill..

[tdtaylor 1]

Most of the current FLAT ports are to short, the 12-50 port which is coming will be a little long and they have a port for the Sony 30 mm macro Alpha mount lens and adapter which may be long enough. The zoom gear for Panasonic 7-14 would be about the closest gear with a large enough inside diameter for the lens. I think it may also work inside the six inch 7-14 dome port but would want to test it first to be sure.

 

Next issue is at 12mm will you be happy with the results behind a flat port.

 

Phil Rudin

 

Already been thinking along those lines about the dome vs. flat at 12mm. Is this an issue with the 12-50? Are they getting around the issue of flat port at wide mm somehow?

 

The zoom ring for the 7-14 does not quite fit the Pany 12-35- close, but no cigar. Nauticam is now listing a zoom ring for the 12-35 in the lens/ring/dome "matrix" (it is new) on the Nauticam website. I contacted Nauticam, and they are not producing the zoom ring yet, instead focusing on the 12-50 set. It is evidently not on the dealers price list at this date. The matrix says the Pany 12-35 works with both the 6 inch dome and the 4 inch dome. WIll be interesting to see once it comes out.

 

On a separate topic....

 

I was in the pool last night for a first test of the Nauti housing- it is a delight to use, and the buttons are easier to use than directly on the camera. TTL worked fine. I was not having success with Manual Flash. Could no get the flashes to fire. The flashes I set to non-preflash manual (single lightening bolt). I likewise set the camera to Manual- F/8. What I don't remember is if the speed was greater than the flash sync speed of 1/250, but I don't believe it was. Also tried Aperture priority and Shutter priority- no success. Then I changed it back to Aperture priority and TTL, and then no flash. Before going to work this morning, tried it again on TTL- worked about half the time. Plenty of juice in the camera and flashes. Tonight after work I'll take the camera out and check out some things, making sure I didn't change one of the multitude of settings. I do have about 3k photos taken with the camera (land) to date, so I am pretty familiar with it........ I thought.

 

Do I have this completely wrong? I am used to electronic flash control on a DSLR, so some of this is new to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

I've bought a OM-D too. Although it did not arrive in time for my current trip. This thread is full of loads of useful suggestions for the budding M4/3 shooter.

 

Alex

[TerryTaylor 0]

On a separate topic....

 

I was in the pool last night for a first test of the Nauti housing- it is a delight to use, and the buttons are easier to use than directly on the camera. TTL worked fine. I was not having success with Manual Flash. Could no get the flashes to fire. The flashes I set to non-preflash manual (single lightening bolt). I likewise set the camera to Manual- F/8. What I don't remember is if the speed was greater than the flash sync speed of 1/250, but I don't believe it was. Also tried Aperture priority and Shutter priority- no success. Then I changed it back to Aperture priority and TTL, and then no flash. Before going to work this morning, tried it again on TTL- worked about half the time. Plenty of juice in the camera and flashes. Tonight after work I'll take the camera out and check out some things, making sure I didn't change one of the multitude of settings. I do have about 3k photos taken with the camera (land) to date, so I am pretty familiar with it........ I thought.

 

Do I have this completely wrong? I am used to electronic flash control on a DSLR, so some of this is new to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

All is working fairly well tonight after playing and experimenting. Not as fast or reliable as electronic TTL, but very workable. Still do not understand why the flashes just stopped working in any mode. At this point, I am tallying it up to User error.

 

One question: it appears the strobe level cannot be well controlled from the flash level control on the Super Control Panel. I experimented, and received very erratic results. Whereas, changing the levels on the strobes worked rather well. Obviously, if you want to change emphasis on one side or the other, you would adjust the strobes, but it would be nice to quickly change the overall level of illumination through the camera.

 

Any feedback is appreciated. Headed to Cape Ann in MA next weekend, and can't wait to give this housing a go. At this point, only have the 7-14, but that will do for now.

Edited September 5, 2012 by TerryTaylor

[Phil Rudin 485]

Hi Terry,

 

Did you say which strobes you are having a problem with?

 

Phil