OMD - Olympus or Nauticam housing advice

[girelle 19]

I've never use the Olympus housing , so I'll not be able to say a word about it . But I own the Nauticam housing since several months now and I'm very satisfy with it . In particular to change from port ,even on a boat ,is extremely easy ,even if it's the 12-50 with the pretty big Nauticam zoom gear which is mounted on the camera.

Actually I stay in the Philippines for a few months , so I'll be able to use the OMD a lot especially for macro as now I own lenses and port for that and also subjects are easier to find than in the Meditérranean where we dive usually .

My feeling is is that finally my pictures are nearly the same that whose I used to get with my Nikon D90 ,better I don't know but certainly not worse ..which mean that the OMD is a top camera

I own the 45 mm , 60 mm and I can use the macro mode of the 12-50 with tha Nauticam zoom gear .

I use also a subsee +10.I confirm again that the 12-50 port fits perfectly the 60 mm Oly.

I love each of this lenses , and have begin to use them alternately , but not already enough .

I use the 45 mm in the same purpose that the 60 mm Nikon , the 60 mm Oly as the 85 mm Nikon , overtopping both of them sometime by the subsee .

The macro mode of the 12 - 50 is stunning for me , but I've never thought about using the 12-50 at 50 with the subsee ..I must try this..

I see (perhaps ) a better quality of images with the Panasonic lense than the Olympus ..but I'm not really sure as so many factors take part in images quality ...especially the light ......

This schrimp has been taken with the Oly 12-50 , on macro mode with the subsee +10 :

 

 

and this other one with the 60 mm + subsee . Both are similar size .

Of course , none of the pics are cropped ..and both have been taken to at minimum and best focus distance .

 

 

Actually it's schrimps time in Alona !!

 

Ps I've add an Inon viewfinder ( the same I used on my Aquatica ND90 housing ,the mount has been changed by Backscatter ) on my housing and find it extremely usefull especially for macro . I'm 61 years old , and I use also a bifocal mask

Edited December 15, 2012 by girelle

[Deep6 7]

The 12-50mm zoom gear finally caught up with me in Cayman, hope to try it tomorrow afternoon with the 60mm port. Will report how it works.

 

 

Fitting the gear was very simple. Just slide on and secure with the wide rubber band, which holds the gear tight to the lens.

 

Alex

 

Will this gear and the 60 mm lens work in the 12-50 Nauti port?

Bob

[Alex_Mustard 0]

@ Bob it fits fine. I've got to work this am (underwater) but I'll test it this afternoon at Sunset House, weather permitting (yesterday there was an annoying swell hitting the shore there).

 

Alex

[Alex_Mustard 0]

I took the setup out today: EM-5 with the 12-50mm, using the Nauticam 60mm port (which takes 67mm filters natively) and using the Austrian made zoom gear. Everything worked really well (weak link was the photographer - me). In my defence it was my 4th dive of the day, shore diving at Sunset House, after three dives shooting wrecks with the D4.

 

But I managed to take some reasonable example shots (even though not very memorable images) that give a good idea of the lens in this port.

 

The good news is that there is no cut-off at the widest (or any other setting) with the 60mm port. And the zoom gear performed faultlessly. As discussed above this is a much cheaper solution to the Nauticam dedicated port and carefully machined gear. The downside is that you cannot use the lenses macro mode, but you can easily add close up dioptres to the Nauticam 60mm port and these can be used through most of the zoom range (I found cut off with dioptres from 12-14mm).

 

Here are some example shots from this afternoon's dive - same subject, three different types of image:

 

Snapper at 12mm (widest end) using 60mm port. No vignetting.

 

Snapper at 22mm:

 

Snapper at 50mm (no dioptre):

 

And now some wide angle shots:

 

Sponges at 12mm:

 

Statue and Eleo at 12mm:

 

More in next post.

 

Alex

[Alex_Mustard 0]

And now the close up end (same dive and therefore camera setup). 12-50mm in Nauticam 60mm port with Austrian zoom gear (see above in this thread) and dioptres (where noted).

 

Grouper at 50mm:

 

Secretary Blenny at 50mm with dioptre:

 

Flamingo tongue bum at 50mm with dioptre:

 

When you use the macro mode of the lens, the lens can no longer zoom and is fixed at 43mm. The setup I used does not allow access to this feature. But you can still shoot macro with dioptres (benefitting from the Nauticam 60mm port having a 67mm filter thread) and therefore are not stuck to using just 43mm for macro:

 

41mm with dioptre moray eel:

 

Alex

[Alex_Mustard 0]

And finally some test shots on corals:

 

A close focus wide angle at 12mm with the 60mm port:

 

Detail shot at 43mm with dioptre:

 

This is as wide as I could shoot with the dioptre without cut off (this is at 15mm on the 12-50mm):

 

If I zoomed wider I would get cut off from the dioptre, here at 12mm (NOTE THAT THERE WAS NOT CUTOFF FROM THE PORT, ONLY THE DIOPTRE):

 

I should add that all images are uncropped. Little point otherwise!

 

Alex

[girelle 19]

Great is my joy as you own an OMD are and a great teacher for me , but great is my pain as I know that all will never acces to this level of skill

 

Anyway , did you see any blurr in the corner of the images at 12mm , and /or how avoid it ??

Some of my friends in France does not like zoom ( as many french photographers ), and they did answer seeing some of my pictures at 12 that there was blurr on the side , bad boys indeed !!!

[Deep6 7]

Really good news about the 12-50 in the 60 port w.th the manual zoom gear. Alex, thanks for the report.

Bob

[coroander 16]

Great info and great images Alex.

[waterboy 1]

Fantastic shots Alex.

Will the 12-50 fit inside the 4 inch wide angle port (the one for the 9-18mm?

Will it have any impact on image quality?

Thanks

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Don't know, I am afraid. I don't have that port. Alex

[edtv75 0]

The 12-50mm zoom gear finally caught up with me in Cayman, hope to try it tomorrow afternoon with the 60mm port. Will report how it works.

 

 

Fitting the gear was very simple. Just slide on and secure with the wide rubber band, which holds the gear tight to the lens.

 

Alex

Alex, the moderator deleted the maker for this zoom gear..can you pm me where i can order this??

[Alex_Mustard 0]

The link is in Jock's post #12 in this discussion. Alex

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

In the regular om-D forum I just posted six pix taken with the 12-50 and dedicated port/gear, from scenic to full macro. What an incredibly useful and versatile rig!!

[nudibranco 26]

Don't know, I am afraid. I don't have that port. Alex

 

actually Nauticam specs include the 12-50mm lens in that 4" dome port which I believe would be nice to use not only with the 12-50mm but with the 60mm macro and 9-18mm as well. As usual though, the attachment of a diopter adapter to domes is always so expensive like shown in REEF prices. Probably much better to make your own with some pvc pipes, some step down ring (like 82mm to 77mm or 67mm), and some custom mold resin if required. Some thoughts though:

1) need to try it anyway to see image quality

2) best diopter lens to provide best magnification/quality.

 

Alex has shown that the Subsee +10 works wonders (well in Alex hands everything seems nice ...!!!) and interestingly enough it does not vignette at all in the 65 Nauticam macro port (part number 36163 i believe??) without adapter but it vignettes from 15 and below with the adapter.

So this combination seems quite exciting.

My question then goes to potentially use the 77mm Dyron lens which should reduce even more the vignetting and allows for stacking.

Does anybody have experience with Dyron 77mm vs. SubSee +5 or +10???

 

What Alex is showing is remarkable in that I have the Nauti 12-50 port and even with the 77mm thread on it I cannot add a step down ring to 67mm without vignetting and what seems sharp edges. Even without anything, that port, in uncorrected RAW format, shows some very slight vignetting!.

 

That is why I am playing with the idea that the 4" dome port with the 3 small 9-18mm, 12-50mm, and the 60mm macro would basically cover all angles with little luggage weight and few compromises. The bonus of attaching a nice diopter like Subsee or 1 or 2 dyron on that same port with the 12-50mm is even more exciting when you just do not know what the dive site will offer you... Maybe even with the 9-18mm the diopter at 18mm will be useful to take pics of large nudi or small fish. I tried a +5 Marumi in front of it at 18mm and magnification is 0.5x in 35mm terms.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

My question then goes to potentially use the 77mm Dyron lens which should reduce even more the vignetting and allows for stacking.

Does anybody have experience with Dyron 77mm vs. SubSee +5 or +10???

 

Yes, different worlds in terms of quality. I'd strongly recommend the Subsee. I have a Dyron lens that you are welcome to try anytime (I've only used it once when testing it).

 

Alex

[nudibranco 26]

Yes, different worlds in terms of quality. I'd strongly recommend the Subsee. I have a Dyron lens that you are welcome to try anytime (I've only used it once when testing it).

 

Alex

 

Thank You Alex!!!

[Iankelso 0]

The 60mm port with the 12-50 inside plus dioptre looks like a fabulous set up for general use. Would the port take an inon 67mm Wide wet lens or is that asking too much. Also type 1 or type 2?

 

TIA

 

Ian

 

Ian

[berkeleyan 0]

The 60mm fits and works with the 12-50 port....how about the other way?

I am using a Macro Port 45+Mini Extension ring 20 for my 60mm (I own the 45mm as well so I am using an extension)

thinking if these would work with the 12-50, the lens is not expensive but a great choice for dives with macro and wide shots ~

Thanks ~

 

Cal

[girelle 19]

The 60mm port with the 12-50 inside plus dioptre looks like a fabulous set up for general use. Would the port take an inon 67mm Wide wet lens or is that asking too much. Also type 1 or type 2?

 

TIA

 

Ian

 

Ian

No , I don't think so , because Nauticam has buit a 77 mm port for the 12-50 lense especially because of a slight vignetting at 12 MM , so probably adding a wide lense will create vignetting and you'll be obliged to zoom to eliminate it , so wide angle lense will not be of any use

[Iankelso 0]

Thanks for your reply, Girelle.

 

The reason I asked is that I have the Olympus housing and port ep08 with the macro lens adaptor. This is basically a lens cap with a hole drilled out to take a 67mm thread which vignettes quite badly with the 14-42 Olympus lens unless you zoom in to about 22mm on the lens. When I add my Inon WA adaptor which has a 0.6 magnification factor that only takes me back to 13.6mm widest so no field of view advantage of using the WA adaptor in the first place.

 

I've tried the 12-50mm lens in the Oly housing (without zoom gear but using the function button for zooming full wide and full telephoto). It has a fantastic range for general use from reasonably wide scenery to full head shots of sea horse and closer with dioptre. It doesn't vignette as badly but the net gain in angle of view while obvious is tiny so barely worth the effort.

 

So that's why this thread is fascinating for me.

 

I'd love a little more angle/field of view. Alex reports only 2mm loss of wide angle range due to vignetting on the nauti 60mm port with a dioptre lens so if this is the case, and I know it might not be the same with the WA adaptor, then 14mm x0.6 WA adaptor gives 8.4mm rather than 12x0.6 =7.2 which means a significantly increased angle of view over the 12mm without the WA adaptor due to the flat port under water.

 

Does all this make sense? Can someone try it out? It would be good to know before I sell my Oly housing in favour of the Nauti...

 

TIA

 

Ian

[linder 3]

Thanks for your reply, Girelle.

 

The reason I asked is that I have the Olympus housing and port ep08 with the macro lens adaptor. This is basically a lens cap with a hole drilled out to take a 67mm thread which vignettes quite badly with the 14-42 Olympus lens unless you zoom in to about 22mm on the lens. When I add my Inon WA adaptor which has a 0.6 magnification factor that only takes me back to 13.6mm widest so no field of view advantage of using the WA adaptor in the first place.

 

I've tried the 12-50mm lens in the Oly housing (without zoom gear but using the function button for zooming full wide and full telephoto). It has a fantastic range for general use from reasonably wide scenery to full head shots of sea horse and closer with dioptre. It doesn't vignette as badly but the net gain in angle of view while obvious is tiny so barely worth the effort.

 

So that's why this thread is fascinating for me.

 

I'd love a little more angle/field of view. Alex reports only 2mm loss of wide angle range due to vignetting on the nauti 60mm port with a dioptre lens so if this is the case, and I know it might not be the same with the WA adaptor, then 14mm x0.6 WA adaptor gives 8.4mm rather than 12x0.6 =7.2 which means a significantly increased angle of view over the 12mm without the WA adaptor due to the flat port under water.

 

Does all this make sense? Can someone try it out? It would be good to know before I sell my Oly housing in favour of the Nauti...

 

TIA

 

Ian

This is exactly what I am looking for, a little bit more angle on the wide side and this will be the ultimate rig for me.

[Karl 7]

I've tried the 12-50mm lens in the Oly housing (without zoom gear but using the function button for zooming full wide and full telephoto).

Ian

 

Can I ask how you acheived this?

 

Which Fn button are you using as the zoom button and how did you set this up in the menus??

 

Thanks.

 

Karl

[linder 3]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm not used to shooting macro with wet lenses (only WA). Is it more difficult skill-wise to shoot macro with the 12-50 at 50mm and a +10 Subsee (using the Austrian zoom gear) compared to using the lens built in macro function @ 43mm (with the dedicated port/gear)?

 

I'm debating which of the two set-ups to go with, either the expensive dedicated port + zoom/gear or the normal 60 port with Austrian gear and Subsee for manual zoom..

Edited April 19, 2013 by linder

[Mamel 3]

 

Can I ask how you acheived this?

 

Which Fn button are you using as the zoom button and how did you set this up in the menus??

 

Thanks.

 

Karl

You need to assign/set the Fn1 or Fn2 as UW macro/WA toggle through the custom menu-Button/dial-button function.

You may not like the preset setting on this mode. I normally set to M, turn to other mode and return to M.