Olympus OM-D E-M5

[Phil Rudin 423]

Nauticam has announced how it intends to support the 60mm macro lens. A new 60mm macro port has been introduced along with extensions for the current Panasonic 45mm macro port and for the flat port 35. A manual focus gear will also be released. No port is being released to use the focus limiting dial. I have found that using the lens set to full range or limited from 1:1 to .4m both work quite well with fast auto focus and little hunting. For those how want to carry fewer ports the extensions will work well for current port owners.

 

These ports all support the 67mm thread for closeup lenses and flip adapters.

 

You can also read mr review of the 60mm macro lens in the just released issue #69 of Underwater Photography magazine, UWPMAG.com.

 

You can also say hello if you are attending DEMA, I will be at the Inon stand near the Nauticam area.

 

Phil Rudin

 

http://www.nauticamusa.com

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Hi Phil,

 

Wish I could make DEMA but will wait till it is back in Florida.

 

Will the focus gear work also in the 12-50 port? I know the lens fits and I would really prefer not to have to buy yet another port just to get manual focus.

 

For me, the AF, even on the 45mm, is good for almost all still photo uses, but i find manual focus very handy for macro video work

[tobbe 0]

Here are a few samples from yesterday when i took my OM-D for some test shooting in rough nordic conditions.

The visibility on the first dive was about 4-5ft and the depth about 100ft. The camera was hunting for focus constantly in the low light making it hart to take decent pictures. I do have similar problems in low light with my D300, but i think the OM-D auto focus requires more light.

If i use a bright focus light, the camera will often focus on the silt instead of my subject.

Manual focus would probably be one option. Is there a focus gear that fits the 8mm Panasonic?

If there was such a function, I would really like possibility to let the camera set the focus to infinity if it can't focus automatically.

Anyone else who has some experience from shooting in low light with the OM-D?

 

Here are a couple of images where focus was OK

 

The second dive was a bit shallower and the light conditions was a lot better...

Edited November 4, 2012 by tobbe

[tobbe 0]

I just realized that i probably won't need a focus gear. The lens is configured to go to infinity when the camera is swiched on.

That will keep everything beyond a few feets in focus. I configured Fn1 to enable MF so it should be fine when i use it for the next dive

[coroander 16]

tobbe,

One thing to note is that behind a dome, the water/air interface creates a lens than produces a virtual image underwater. A 4.33" dome is going to mean max focus distances of only about 0.2 metres (for objects at infinity, less for closer objects) once you are below the surface.

 

I'm not sure if you've switched to using a single autofocus point on the E-M5. I haven't taken photos in such poor vis with the 8mm, but i have taken photos in very low light (shooting wide open at 1/20th, ISO 3200) and never had an issue with focus when using a single focus point. I just put the focus point on something with high contrast (diver's mask, hands, fish, coral, fins, etc.) where i want the focus. The super control panel (SCP), which you should have enabled, gives you quick access to setting the focus point just by pressing the OK button (and using the arrow keys and OK).

 

A (better) alternative to setting a single autofocus point, is to do it through the Magnify function. Assign a button to Magnify (i like to override the REC button since if i want to shoot video i can just set the mode dial to Video and press the shutter button). Tapping the Magnify button will bring up a single autofocus point, if you tap the button again it will magnify the image, i never use the actual magnification underwater, but when you do this you can spin the dial and set the magnification to 14x. This creates a smaller autofocus point. Tap the button a third time to go back to seeing the full image, but now with a small autofocus point. I like this because it gives me a smaller target for more accurate focus. Once you've set it to 14x, it'll always stay there and you'll always have the smallest focus point and you never have to enter magnify mode again (by pressing the button a second time.) To get out of the mode where you have a single small focus point, hold the Magnify button down for half a second to cancel.

 

Also i wouldn't use a focus light if there's any chance of it lighting up silt in the water -- that just creates an unwanted target for focus. The OM-D is very capable of focusing in low light once you take control of the focus point.

Edited November 6, 2012 by coroander

[Alex_Mustard 0]

When shooting the OM-D in very dark caves in Malta back in May (for the review) I would focus outside the cave and then switch the camera to manual focus. Essentially locking the focus.

Two things to watch. If the camera goes to sleep then it reverts back to AF and you loose the saved AF point (didn't check this on all lenses)

Second, you must "set the focus" underwater to take into account the effect of the dome, as Coroander says.

 

Alex

[tobbe 0]

Thanks! I will try Coroanders way of using single point auto focus, but I think just switching to manual the way Alex suggests should work fine for me.

[pompeygreg 1]

This is one of my potential upgrade options to my setup, who doesn't buy themselves the best Xmas present?

 

But maybe a stupid question here.

 

If I were to purchase the OM-D with the 12-50mm and the nauticam housing, would I also need to purchase an additional port straight away or can the 12-50mm be used as is from day 1 with the limited functionality?

[troporobo 237]

Nauticam sells the housing and ports separately, so you need the 12-50 port to start with (or some other port if you want to start with a different lens).

 

FWIW, although the port is indeed expensive, it is an absolute jewel of engineering that allows access to the power zoom and macro functions and works beautifully

[jlyle 8]

Nauticam sells the housing and ports separately, so you need the 12-50 port to start with (or some other port if you want to start with a different lens).

 

FWIW, although the port is indeed expensive, it is an absolute jewel of engineering that allows access to the power zoom and macro functions and works beautifully

 

Unfortunately, this "jewel" is not available. I've had one on order for months...latest report was production problems...tick, tock.

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Still waiting for mine as well . . . . .

[pompeygreg 1]

Unfortunately, this "jewel" is not available. I've had one on order for months...latest report was production problems...tick, tock.

 

What port are you using with your 12-50mm currently?

[Alex_Mustard 0]

I bought the 12-50mm as a kit lens with the camera. Although tend to use the 17mm pancake as a walk around. Or if I am feeling funky the lens cap lens!

 

I plan to use the OM-D as a second camera - so for me it doesn't need to do everything, in fact, the aim is that it does very specific jobs. Therefore the 12-50mm wasn't a priority and I couldn't justify the cost of the port.

 

Given that the 12-50mm and 60mm macro are almost identical sizes, I hope that the 12-50mm will fit in my 60mm port (not checked yet) and therefore I will be able to use it without the zoom function, if I need too.

 

I may buy the 12-50mm port in the future if I feel the need. But I think I will be happy enough to use the 12-50mm it as a fixed zoom lens (if it fits in the 60mm port). I may also try making a magnetic zoom gear for it, but I suspect that will not fit in the 60mm port.

 

Alex

[jlyle 8]

 

What port are you using with your 12-50mm currently?

 

I cant take the 12-50 underwater, yet.

 

I've got the 8mm FE and 45mm macro to play with until I get my 12-50 port. For our trip to Cozumel in August, I borrowed a 14-42 & port.

[troporobo 237]

Unfortunately, this "jewel" is not available. I've had one on order for months...latest report was production problems...tick, tock.

 

Hmmm, it is available in at least some places, as I picked up mine from ScubaCam in Singapore two weeks ago. A few other folks have posted shots taken with theirs too. Maybe Nauticam is rolling it out market by market

[derway 2]

In a non zoom port, you can still use the 12-50 at 12 or at 50, by using the underwater modes, on the OMD.

 

You have to upgrade the firmware on camera and lens to the latest, to get this to work.

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Phil Rudin posted that the 60mm port will be 67mm diameter. If so I believe it will vignette quite a bit with the lens on the 12mm setting and thus not be useful with the "12 only" setting in fish mode (will work at 50, but what's the point if you can't use the macro function?). The 12-50 port is 77mm to prevent vignetting.

[jlyle 8]

The 12-50 port without the zoom/macro gear is about $400 (need to verifty) and will support both the 60mm and 12-50.

[DiveMasterDewey 8]

I would focus outside the cave and then switch the camera to manual focus. Essentially locking the focus.

 

One thing I like about the E-M5 is to set the FN1 button so that the camera will only focus while holding the button in. To me it's the best of both worlds.

 

RE: 60mm.

 

You will be able to use the new "macro port 65"

 

OR your "macro port 45" plus the new extension ring 20 ( 45mm + 20mm = 65mm length)

 

OR the new "macro port 35" plus the new extensrion ring 30 (35mm +30mm = 65mm length).

 

I do not know about access to the focus limit switch on the lens (yet).

Edited November 8, 2012 by DiveMasterDewey

[Glasseye Snapper 47]

Hi Alan,

 

Are these extension rings for mirrorless ports new. On the nauticam website I can only find them for the DSLR ports, or maybe I am just not getting it.

 

Bart

[Alex_Tattersall 90]

Yes, the mini-extension rings for the 4/3 systems are a new product which are being designed now and are expected soon.

 

http://www.nauticamusa.com/nusa/2012/11/1/olympus-60mm-macro-support.html

[Ryan 48]

I'm glad for the development of the mini-port extension rings.

 

A Kenko rep dropped by our store with their extension tubes for MFT, and the 60mm + an extension tube looks like a pretty cool combo for super macro imagery. I'm looking forward to testing them against popular wetmate lenses when I get a set.

 

Prior to the extension ring development, an accessory like this would have required a dedicated port, and probably wouldn't have been produced because of low demand.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Ryan

[Alex_Mustard 0]

From my empirical tests (I am sure it is easy to calculate) a Subsee +5 is about the same as a 30mm extension tube and a FIT +5 is about the same a 20mm extension tube. These tests were done on DX SLR, but I'd expect them to be the same ratio on any format.

 

Alex

[Glasseye Snapper 47]

The impact of extension tubes or diopters depend on the lens focal length and should be the same for any sensor format. However, on m43 you get the same FOV with shorter focal length. At shorter focal length extension tubes become more effective while diopters become less effective. Of course, you can attach and remove wet diopters whereas an extension tube dedicates you to macro for the entire dive. Not necessarily a bad thing. It might even increase your chance to see a whale shark.

 

Bart

[tdtaylor 1]

It might even increase your chance to see a whale shark.

 

Too funny. But unfortunately, your very right ;-) Went out looking for sharks two weeks ago, and of course, I found 4 beautiful red tipped Sea Goddesses on a perfect small round black coral...maybe next time.

 

Now, if I had had my 12-50 on instead of the 7-14, I could have pulled it off.