Advice wanted on the Oly XZ-1 / PT-050 / Macro lens

[Quero]

Supermacro doesn't fire the flash, so I've never tried the lens in SuperMacro, or in fact even used SuperMacro underwater at all. Maybe with the greater amounts of ambient light at snorkeling depths, you could manage a SuperMacro shot without any flash, so at worst you could try it to see what happens.

And about the distance... I dunno, I'm always looking at the LCD to try to get the shot the way I want it, not measuring the distance to the subject, but if pressed to guess, I'd say a couple of inches.

I believe you're overthinking this. Equipment can only do so much...most of the magic comes from the power of the operator behind the lens, not from the optics.

 

[Adam608]

I have discovered that there is a way to do supermacro and fire a flash from this article on dpreview forums :

Review: PT-050 Underwater housing for XZ-1: Olympus Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
1. Select super-macro and focus.
2. Hit OK button, choose MF, then take your shot.
In MF mode the flash fires.
Try not to move between step 1 and 2 of course. Not ideal, but does work.


Supermacro however ties the lens to its widest setting meaning that I will have to get closer still.

You might be right that I am perhaps over analysing it, but I am a techie person by nature and want to make sure that I spend my money on the right equipment for what I need. Also I dont have the same amout of time as a diver to fiddle with settings to get that perfect shot as I am holding my breath all the time, so I need the equipment to work with me, not against me.

 

[Jun Lao]

That's what I'm talking about, Jun! Sweet shot! But even that little squat lobster is about twice as big as my shrimp in actual size.
(We've gotta go diving together, Jun, so our cameras can "play" with each other!)

hoping for holiday in December, looking forward, probably Similan , or you may wanna drop by Anilao will be based back home for good by september,

agree, featherstar shrimps are hard captures and yup 2x smaller than squats

 

[Quero]

Jun, I WILL be back at Anilao, but not until high season here is finished. I have hopes of doing a multi-island dive tour of PI next spring to check out destinations for my divers... and I could use a dive buddy! Let's see what happens during your Phuket trip...maybe I can sneak away for a couple of dives with you.

Adam, I think you've about exhausted my tit-bits of wisdom--from here it looks to me like you just have to take a deep breath and make a decision, then let us know how you get on.

 

[Adam608]

hoping for holiday in December, looking forward, probably Similan , or you may wanna drop by Anilao

Come to wakatobi and meet up with me - We are going 18th Dec - 3rd Jan!

You can show me how to to use the xz-1 properly.

Adam, I think you've about exhausted my tit-bits of wisdom--from here it looks to me like you just have to take a deep breath and make a decision, then let us know how you get on.

Cheers, will do. Your posts have certainly helped me on the decision process!

Im itching to buy, but just want to be 100% sure - not that ever possible. Not helped by the fact the mini Pen (E-PM1) pricing has been announced today. It is £120 cheaper than the E-PL3 and the housing is a bit smaller too, probably not small enough though.

 

[Jun Lao]

Jun, I WILL be back at Anilao, but not until high season here is finished. I have hopes of doing a multi-island dive tour of PI next spring to check out destinations for my divers... and I could use a dive buddy! Let's see what happens during your Phuket trip...maybe I can sneak away for a couple of dives with you.

you have me on weekends for sure, but really want to do phuket again with you as well

 

[jdfmail]

I have discovered that there is a way to do supermacro and fire a flash from this article on dpreview forums :

Review: PT-050 Underwater housing for XZ-1: Olympus Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
1. Select super-macro and focus.
2. Hit OK button, choose MF, then take your shot.
In MF mode the flash fires.
Try not to move between step 1 and 2 of course. Not ideal, but does work.


Supermacro however ties the lens to its widest setting meaning that I will have to get closer still.

You might be right that I am perhaps over analysing it, but I am a techie person by nature and want to make sure that I spend my money on the right equipment for what I need. Also I dont have the same amout of time as a diver to fiddle with settings to get that perfect shot as I am holding my breath all the time, so I need the equipment to work with me, not against me.

I just tried this and it seems to work. First you select super macro (SM). Then you focus on your subject to get the close (SM) focus. Then you have to change to MF and fire. Strobe works. Quite a few steps, but as long as you don't zoom, the MF will be able to stay in SM mode for any subsequent shots.

Nice workaround! Haven't tried underwater...will do next Friday and publish the results. A quick question, would SM work well with a macro lens?

 

[Adam608]

I just tried this and it seems to work. First you select super macro (SM). Then you focus on your subject to get the close (SM) focus. Then you have to change to MF and fire. Strobe works. Quite a few steps, but as long as you don't zoom, the MF will be able to stay in SM mode for any subsequent shots.

Nice workaround! Haven't tried underwater...will do next Friday and publish the results. A quick question, would SM work well with a macro lens?

Glad I could bring something back to the forum in return for the helpful comments...

Im still in a state of indecision on cameras. Curiosity got the better of me and I went for a play with the E-PL3 in a local camera shop at lunchtime today. What a piece of kit!!!! Back to back it really made the XZ-1 feel like a toy, and seemed to solve all the macro issues I had with just the bog standard 14-42 lens fitted! I've yet to be able to see a new PT-EP05L/PT-EP06L case in real life, but having knocked up a paper 1:1 size template Im sadly left thinking its probably too big to swim with in one hand. The E-PM1 (out very soon) is £120 cheaper and a tiny bit smaller but still nowhere near as compact as either the XZ-1 or TZ20 cases.

Arrrgghhh! Ive fallen for the camera but the case is HUGE!

 

[Quero]

I just tried this and it seems to work. First you select super macro (SM). Then you focus on your subject to get the close (SM) focus. Then you have to change to MF and fire. Strobe works. Quite a few steps, but as long as you don't zoom, the MF will be able to stay in SM mode for any subsequent shots.

Nice workaround! Haven't tried underwater...will do next Friday and publish the results.

Jon, it will be interesting to see how it works, because, of course, this...

Try not to move between step 1 and 2 of course.

...is the real problem, underwater, where it's so very difficult not to move even the distance of the little hair that makes all the difference when you're doing MF.

I HOPE it works, and it's already Saturday, so I'm anxious for your report of the experiment!

(BTW, Jon, don't forget to let me know what dives you want me to book you for next week when you're here.)

 

[Adam608]

XZ-1 bought - Im pretty impressed with it so far (on land only).

Housing and Macro lens were special order so I have to wait between 1-4 weeks for those to arrive! :depressed: