INON Dome Port for OLY 8mm Fisheye?

[SkiSwami 0]

Beginner here, but longtime photographer just putting together my first rig and yet to get a camera wet underwater. But I'm going in pretty heavy (more than I expected). I'm using my E-M5 in an OLY PT-EP08 housing. I have 1 Z-240 to start with, tray & arms. Have the 12-50 with a PPO-EP01 port for starters.

 

I also have the OLY 8mm 1.8 fisheye which I'd love to use as well. Question is, has anyone used the INON dome specifically designed for the 1.8 fisheye? If not, how is the quality of INON domes in general?

 

Obviously, the OLY PPO-EP02 would probably be the best optically since it's made by a Lens company, but the price is pretty steep. It seems the INON dome port, which is just a few mm smaller (132x78 vs 148x91) and nearly half the weight (453g vs 700g) is also "multi-coated optical glass."

 

It's half the price as well (vs. Japan ebay), here: http://www.divervision.com/inon-dome-port-olympus-ep02-for-olympus-m-zuiko-8mm-fisheye-pro-om-d-mount-456212143811.html?language=en&currency=USD&gclid=Cj0KEQiA_MK0BRDQsf_bsZS-_OIBEiQADPf--ovbf6nrNeFZRdN37aiMTCh8X9t9mLiO_lj8C0FhYsEaAoHT8P8HAQ

 

So, I'm just wondering if the INON might be worth a shot and if anyone has used their domes?

 

Thanks!

Don

Edited January 10, 2016 by SkiSwami

[leepix 1]

I am using the Panasonic 8mm behind the Zen Underwater DP-100-EP 100mm Dome Port for Panasonic 8mm FE in Olympus PT-EPxx Housings. Which I like very much. Small, glass and easy to use with good edge sharpness. Got 8mm discounted from Reef and DP-100-EP full price.

 

I have been shooting the Inon WAL-100 wet lens for a long time and still happy with it

[Wapiti 26]

I recently bought the Inon 170mm dome intended for the old 4/3 Evolt system, and I'm using it with the E-M1 / 12-40 lens and the Oly OMD housing (with a 2" extension and the Olympus OMD port adapter). Build quality seems to be just as solid as on my small Zen dome, and I'm happy with it so far.

 

The price for the dome you're looking at looks pretty good- it's tough to go wrong at half the price. Total speculation: I'd be surprised if Olympus manufactured their own ports, and Inon has a good enough reputation for quality that I'd expect their domes to be just as good as the ones under the Olympus brand.

 

One other thought is that the Inon 170mm dome was originally spec'd out for the 4/3 8mm fisheye; I'm currently debating between the 7-14 2.8 and the 8mm 1.8, and my guess is that both will work. If the smaller size isn't too important, it might be worth considering the bigger dome as it's usable with many more lenses.

[SkiSwami 0]

Thanks for the replies! That helps quite a bit. Sounds like the INON dome quality should be fine if I decide to get one, especially considering the substantially lower price for the smaller dome. I hadn't thought about the 170mm dome, so now you have me thinking. Its good to know that works with the 12-40, which I have and would love to use at some point. Although the overall cost would be quite a bit more with the adapter and extension(s). I don't plan on getting the OLY 7-14, because I already have the Panasonic 7-14. I imagine there would be some way to use that in the larger dome as well.

 

However, I can already use my 9-18 in my standard PPO-EP01, so maybe the 7-14 isn't that necessary. I dunno....probably go the cheap route with the small dome, enjoy the Oly Pro Fisheye and leave it at that. I haven't even taken my first shot underwater yet, for crying out loud, so who am I kidding anyhow? What the hell, I'm not even that good at diving yet!

 

I also have to fly to get to most diving spots, so weight and bulk matter a lot. I guess I'll pull the trigger on something as soon as I get back from my ski trip to Steamboat and see how much money I have left over!

[albert kok 14]

The Oly 8mm 1.8 and the Pana 8mm 3.5 fish-eye lenses will profit most from a 100mm mini dome. But for the longer Oly fish eye lense you will need an extension. I found the Zen 25 mm extension very useful. This set up allows me to use both fish eye lenses, the long Oly (with extension) and the shorther Pana (without extension) on the same PEN housing. I suppose that both the Zen 100mm dome and the Precision100 mm dome will work fine on these combinations.

Edited January 19, 2016 by albert kok

[SkiSwami 0]

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by SkiSwami

[SkiSwami 0]

The Oly 8mm 1.8 and the Pana 8mm 3.5 fish-eye lenses will profit most from a 100mm mini dome. But for the longer Oly fish eye lense you will need an extension. I found the Zen 25 mm extension very useful. This set up allows me to use both fish eye lenses, the long Oly (with extension) and the shorther Pana (without extension) on the same PEN housing. I suppose that both the Zen 100mm dome and the Precision100 mm dome will work fine on these combinations.

Ok, so you're saying the Precision 100mm or the Zen-DP-100-EP08 (100mm for OM-D) dome which was designed for the smaller Panasonic fisheye would be better used with an extension to fit the longer Oly 1.8 fisheye vs. using a 132mm dome such as the INON or the 148mm Olympus which were designed specifically for the Oly fisheye? I'm not sure I understand why. Is there an optical advantage to the smaller dome? Or is it just the ability to use the 8mm Panny as well? I actually do have both fisheyes, but planned to sell the Panasonic since I got the OLY - figured there was no reason to keep both. Obviously, I have no idea about these things. All I know for now is above water. Appreciate any further clarification before I do buy a dome, especially considering the low price on the glass INON dome. Thanks!

 

(btw - I goofed on the empty post above and tried to delete it. Can't find any Delete function though. Is there one?)

Edited January 19, 2016 by SkiSwami

[vsc 5]

Sorry for somewhat hijacking the thread, but showing my ignorance but what is the possibility of using the Inon EP02 dome port with the Panasonic 8mm fisheye?