Has anybody tried this combo & if so, how did you like it?

[Hoag]

I am looking for a unicorn. It doesn't have to be a great unicorn, merely a good unicorn.

I have sold my Sony A6000 with the Nauticam Housing & a few lens ports (I kept my pair of Inon S2000 strobes), and I am looking to both simplify & down-size. Part of this is due to size/weight restrictions for carry-on while traveling. Part of it is because I don't get to dive as much as I'd like to anymore, so I want a simple system that will do many things fairly well, but doesn't need to result in "NatGeo Quality Images".

I'm leaning toward the Olympus OM-10/AOI Octopus Housing, but with a slight modification. I don't really shoot macro, so I am not really worried about macro capabilities for this lens, I shoot mostly wide angle to "standard" focal length images. Because of that, I was thinking instead of relying on the standard configuration I would use the AOI DLP-4 Semi-dome port which supports the 9-18mm Wide Angle lens, the 12-50mm lens and even, if I one day opt for it, the 60mm macro.

Has anybody tried this port with any of these lenses, and if so, how did you like it?

I briefly considered the Kraken KRL-12, but since it is a "Wet Lens", I wouldn't be able to shoot "Over/Under" pics.

Yes, I realize this system is a few years old & there are newer systems out there, but I think this might meet my needs.

 

[bvanant]

I have shot the semi-dome with the 12-50 and the 14-42. I think with the 9-18 it might vignette a bit at 9 mm but I don't have the lens so can't test it. The AOI housing is quite nice, but there are I think newer versions.
Bill

 

[Hoag]

I have shot the semi-dome with the 12-50 and the 14-42. I think with the 9-18 it might vignette a bit at 9 mm but I don't have the lens so can't test it. The AOI housing is quite nice, but there are I think newer versions.
Bill

How did you like it with the 12-50? (I am thinking that this might be a good compromise set-up.)

 

[bvanant]

It was fine for what I was trying to do, but of course you can't get at the macro mode of the 12-50.
Billl

 

[Will&BilltheKrill]

I would only say that the 9-18mm and 12-50mm are not great in terms of image quality. I think you would be better off getting the 12-45mm pro lens. It’s small and lightweight with a good zoom range.

 

[Hoag]

I would only say that the 9-18mm and 12-50mm are not great in terms of image quality. I think you would be better off getting the 12-45mm pro lens. It’s small and lightweight with a good zoom range.

Thank you. Have you used this lens underwater, and if so, which lens port did you use if on an AOI Housing?

 

[Hoag]

A quick request for @bvanant if you get a chance ... would it be possible to post an image or 2 that you shot with the 12-50mm lens just so that I have a better idea of how it works underwater?

Thanks.

Like I said, I don't need a great set-up, I am looking for a good one.

 

[jameseg]

I have the OM-D E-M10 IV with the Octo housing and the Zen WA-100-EP dome, which looks similar to the AOI one you linked. I use it with the 9-18 and the 14-41. I can tell you over/under shots are extremely difficult because 4" is not a lot of wiggle room when you consider wave action. I tried 15-20 shots once while snorkeling and didn't get anything really worth keeping.

That said, I like the setup a lot. I have a single strobe and can get decent wide-angle shots. Plus the whole rig together is small enough that I can easily clip it off on my BCD when I exit the water if there's nobody to hand it to.

 

[Hoag]

I have the OM-D E-M10 IV with the Octo housing and the Zen WA-100-EP dome, which looks similar to the AOI one you linked. I use it with the 9-18 and the 14-41. I can tell you over/under shots are extremely difficult because 4" is not a lot of wiggle room when you consider wave action. I tried 15-20 shots once while snorkeling and didn't get anything really worth keeping.

That said, I like the setup a lot. I have a single strobe and can get decent wide-angle shots. Plus the whole rig together is small enough that I can easily clip it off on my BCD when I exit the water if there's nobody to hand it to.

Thank you. Surprisingly, the best Over/Under shot I have ever taken was with a 4" mini dome, and yes it was challenging & I was amazed when I saw how it turned out.

 

[Furnari]

Thank you. Have you used this lens underwater, and if so, which lens port did you use if on an AOI Housing?

I did a write up on this lens a while back:

F

Thread 'Olympus 12-45 info share'

Aug 4, 2024

About a year ago, I posted on Wetpixel about my early experience with the Olympus 12-45 and Inon EP01 dome meant for the Oly 8mm:

Sign In - Wetpixel :: Underwater Photography Forums

Since then, I have used the combination on several dives and it has now become my go-to for pretty much any diving I do, replacing my beloved 12-40 and Inon 170mm dome that I used for many years. That thread devolved into a bit of a pissing contest about whether or not I should be using a port “off label” instead of one dedicated to the lens. As far as I know, there is no dedicated port for the 12-45...

• Furnari
• Replies: 8
• Forum: The Olympus Outlet

• 
• 

...the AOI dome you're considering should work fine.