Olympus 12-40 F/2.8 and the Zen Underwater DP 170 n85 port

[paratom 1]

No filter required for the 9-18mm zoom and better overall performance than a 4" (100mm) port. The smaller port will obviously work better for confined spaces and at closest focus.

Thanks Phil,

I hope to receive the ZEN Dome in a few days.

[Shotawong 0]

Thx Phil for all the information provided, was a new Em1 users with 12 40 lens in hand, currently I used 60mm f2.8 and 8mm f3.5 with their ports under water, was so eager to look for a port for 12 40 len, your setting just fit my needs,

 

One very stupid question, can I zoom with this Zen Underwater DP 170 n85-II port under water? meaning I can zoom from 12mm to 40mm when I need to shoot from wide to macro?

 

and how do you compare the photos result with this 12mm end with 8mm len and 40mm with 60mm? thx!

 

Cheers

[Phil Rudin 385]

Yes, Nauticam has a gear to zoom the 12-40mm lens. The 40mm end is not macro in the true sense and the 170mm dome will get in the way V. a macro port. It does however give greater magnification at 40mm than the 12-50 does at 50mm also at F/2.8.

 

The 12mm end is wider than the 12-50 under a flat port but apples to oranges V the 8mm which is an intra wide fisheye.

[Shotawong 0]

Thx for replying Phil, the gear sold separately or together with the Zen port?

[Phil Rudin 385]

Nauticam gear sold by Nauticam, no Zen gear. No one sells port and gear as a package for any housing system.

[TedJ 3]

Phil,

Barbara has been using the 12-40mm and likes it much better than the 12-50.

I know the DP170 N85II dome is the best thing to do, but what would be a good flat port alternative?

She has the Macro port with built-in macro knob.

Could that be used with an extension and if so which one would you recommend?

Is there another flat port alternative with no need for extensions?

Or do I bite the bullet and get the dome???

 

We're going to Palau and Truk for a month in a couple weeks.

Thanks,

Ted

[Phil Rudin 385]

I have attached the Nauticam gear and acrylic port offerings. The gear is of excellent quality and fits like a glove. The Zen port also works with the Panasonic 7-14, 12-35 the 12-50 and more.

 

As Barbara is finding out the 12-40 blows the 12-50 out of the water in regard to speed, (F/2.8) and overall image quality and it will focus closer at 40mm than the 12-50 will at 50mm. Nauticam flat ports would not work with the 12-40 because the Nauticam flat ports are to narrow to fit the bigger (more girth) lens.

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=161_168&products_id=6280

 

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=161_166&products_id=6942

Edited August 10, 2014 by Phil Rudin

[TedJ 3]

Thanks Phil,

I think that fits the budget better!

Ted

[Draq 100]

I finally got my 12-40 with Zen dome in the water recently and was very pleased to find it had very little tendency to want to rotate upwards like acrylic ports seem to. I have not used the acrylic port for the 12-40 but compared to Nauticam 6" acrylic domes I have used with other lenses, the Zen glass port is much more pleasant to use in that regard. Probably does not matter to some and there are ways around the problem with lighter domes, but I wanted to at least mention it.

[TedJ 3]

Interesting point!

Hadn't really noticed that much with my NEX-7 and the acrylic dome.

 

Will the 60mm Macro Oly lens work behind the acrylic port on the EM-1?

Edited August 11, 2014 by TedJ

[Shotawong 0]

Hi Phil,

 

I got a dome port original designed for Panasonic 8mm fisheye with the link listed below, is it possible to use the gear and port from zen to fit 12-40mm len?

 

https://www.aditech-usa.com/en/shop/1609-nauticam-433-dome-port-36132.html

[Phil Rudin 385]

No, it will not work for several reasons.

[TedJ 3]

Phil,

Was that no to the gear mentioned above or to the 60mm not working behind the dome?

[Phil Rudin 385]

That was no to the 12-40 working in the Nauticam 4.33" dome port for shotawong.

 

For Ted, yes the 60mm would work but you will need to get even closer to the subject and part of the focus area would be inside the dome. So good for the same larger subjects you would be shooting at the 40mm end of the 12-40 zoom and not good at all for the super close subjects like the 1:1 subjects.

[TedJ 3]

Thanks Phil,

The dome and gear should be here tomorrow for Barbara's 12-40mm.

I decided to use the Sony 10-18mm in the same dome for our trip to Palau/Truk.

I just didn't get it together to assemble my old Subal glass dome for the zeiss 12mm.

We'll see what happens.

[Kent Dukes 2]

I have decided to sell my Sony A77 & NEX7 kits and go all in with the Oly E-M1 and Nauticam housing. I feel the E-M1 will fill all of my topside and UW photo needs.

 

My plan is to use the Oly 12-40 PRO, the 60 macro and I already have the 9-18 currently in use on a PEN E-PM1. I'm hoping the Zen DP 170 n85ii will work not only for the aforementioned lenses, but the Oly 7-14mm PRO when it comes out next year. Anyone given any serious thoughts towards this "new" lens? That would be perfect if it would work on the Zen 170 port...

 

Regards

 

Kent

Edited August 18, 2014 by Kent Dukes

[Phil Rudin 385]

If the Olympus 7-14mm F/2.8 PRO lens has the same excellent quality as the 12-40mm pro I think you will see a bunch of E-M1 users wanting one.

[andy2667 1]

Hi Phil,

 

Great post on the Oly 12-40mm lens!

 

I am a beginner and am now using an EPM1 in Oly Housing with a 14-42 kit lens and a +7 Diapoter. I have an EM1 with a 12-40mm F2.8 pro lens and a 60mm Macro lens. Great camera and lens! I am considering buying a Nauticam housing to use this system underwater. Originally planned to use the 12-50mm lens with the specific Nauticam port. However, this post really aroused my interest in using the 12-40mm in the Zen port instead.

 

Before making my decision, really want to now how the max magnification of the 12-40mm lens compare with the 14-42 kit lens plus a +7 diapoter. To me, the 14-42 kit lens plus the +7 diaporter is more than enough for my need in shooting macro. If the 12-40mm come close to this combo, I will have no hesitation to go for the 12-40 in the zen dome port.

 

Thanks

[paratom 1]

Some more pics with this combo (12-40 behin ZEN170II):

P8140504-20 by paratom511, on Flickr

 

P8160157-44 by paratom511, on Flickr

 

P8200528-107 by paratom511, on Flickr

[Phil Rudin 385]

My full review on this lens and port is now posted in the new issue of http://www.uwpmag.com this is a free PDF download until the next issue posts.

[Johnqdiver 3]

DP-170-N85-II is the new version (the one I have) and has an additional 30mm of extension on top of the original. So a total of 60mm of extension, plus the ID of the port body is 77mm allowing the larger diameter lenses such as the Olympus 12-40 or the Sony 10-18 to be used. The DP-170-N85 II is compatible with:

Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Olympus m.Zuiko 9-18mm f/4-5.6

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8

Olympus m.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8

Sony 10-18mm f/4 E-mount

Hi Phil,

 

Thanks for the very informative post reference the zen dome. I have the Nauticam 7" dome which I'm hoping to utilise after a change to the EM-1. From your list on compatible lenses for the ZEN dome above, do you know if those same lenses are suitable to use behind the Nauticam dome as well?

 

John

[Phil Rudin 385]

The short answer is yes, the Nauticam port chart recommends the 7" acrylic for the Olympus 12-40mm and the Sony 10-18mm, the other lenses show the 6" Nauticam port but should work well in the 7" port. They also just released a new port adapter and extension for the Nauticam 180mm optical glass port for these lenses. I still would recommend the ZEN DP 170n85II port for anyone wishing to go with optical glass.

[Johnqdiver 3]

The short answer is yes, the Nauticam port chart recommends the 7" acrylic for the Olympus 12-40mm and the Sony 10-18mm, the other lenses show the 6" Nauticam port but should work well in the 7" port. They also just released a new port adapter and extension for the Nauticam 180mm optical glass port for these lenses. I still would recommend the ZEN DP 170n85II port for anyone wishing to go with optical glass.

Excellant.

[Kevindale222 3]

Can the oly 12-40 been used in any ports for the Oly housings? I have Pt-ep05l. Any ideas??

[bear35 11]

Kevindale222

 

I don't think you would be able to use the 12-40mm in the pt housings, the problem is the diameter of the lens is too wide to fit the housing. There would be no way one of the Olympus focus rings would fit unless they design something new.