'Anyone else waiting for a GX7 housing?

[DSR-3]

Yes, thanks!
Great set of pictures- All GX7?
Can you please describe, or post a pic. of your rig?

 

[shaker]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay and thanks for your comments!

I had an excellent experience with the GX7 ant the NA-GX7 combo during my trip in north Raja Ampat.
I have the E-M5 for 2 years and still couldn’t get used to it’s menus and its ergonomics. On the other hand I immediately loved the GX7, it has every thing i need in a camera, it also has an internal flash without that ugly EVF hump.

The NA-GX7 has very good ergonomics, the pushbuttons are well spaced and don’t collect salt, the knobs are large enough to be used with gloves.
There are some new features in the NA-GX7 housing that make it better then the NA-EM5, which is already a good one:
- The vacuum system is very easy to use, i cleaned my O rings only once and still had a good feeling. It is worth its price!
- I liked the new rubberised zoom knob, it can be manipulated with only one finger, but i believe it depends on she grip used.
- I also liked the new port lock system with the red lever and the safety button, i believe it’s the same one used in the DSLR housings. The „old“ one collects salt and was difficult to clean.
- The new saddle makes it easier to install the camera in the housing, it has a lock system that prevents any movement of the camera.
I noticed that the GX7 is well centred in the housing, which is not the case of my E-M5.
- The Flash ON/OFF lever is very useful, no need to do it in the menu.
- I regret that Nauticam didn’t improve the shutter release lever, it’s not adapted when used with large grips. I prefer the one of the E-M1 housing.

The main reason i switched to the GX7 is the ability to easily save and use different preferred settings, one can save up to 5 settings. I have one for Photo with Flash, Macro, Movies/ Photo without Flash, these settings are easily accessed by the mode dial (C1, C2&#8230
I also assigned different functions to the 4 Fn available buttons for each Preferred Setting. This gives a very large freedom for customisation.

The GX7 can focus quickly and accurately in low light situations, i had no need for an additional focus light anymore. In some macro shots i used the flash focus light.


Battery live was good for my needs, i could make 160 shots with flash and about 5min video in 4 divings and the camera battery was still one third full.


I’ts easy to control the camera flasch Exposure Compensation, just assign this option to an Fn button. It’s practical if one has 2 strobes and doesn’t want to change the aperture and shutter speed.


I found the „AF+MF“ option very helpful in Macro mode. When Activated and the camera in AF mode, you touch the stutter halfway to autofocus as normal, then, while the shutter halfway, one can tweak the focus with the manual focus ring. Handy for moving the plane focus a little. This can be also combined with the „Focus Assist Screen“ and the „Focus Peaking“.


The ETC (Extended Tele Conversion) is also an other option for video specific to some Panasonic cameras, It allows to zoom 2,4x without a perceptible lost in video quality.

Screenshot, 8mm lense, ETC OFF:


Screenshot, 8mm lense, ETC ON:


more about ETC here: Micro 4/3rds Photography: Search results for etc

 

[scipionems]

Thank you very much for these precious informations, Shaker
Scipionems

 

[James R]

Housing for Panasonic GX7 ? Nauticam USA


Available: Shipping Now

 

[shaker]

Hi,

I made some tests (out of water actually) and i noticed that it is possible to attach on the macro port 35 for the Panasonic 14-42 power zoom with the Nauticam adaptor M67-LD the Inon Wide Wet Lens UWL100LD without any kind of vignetting.
I tried to attach on this port 35 for the 14-42 , always with the Adapter Nauticam M67-LD , even the Nauticam Super Macro Converter and it works very very well.
I try to attach some pictures of these experiments.
Scipionems

Very interesting! Is your adapter a bayonet one or you have to screw your converters?
Can you please make a test in a pool with the WA converter?

 

[scipionems]

Hi Shaker,
I use the Nauticam Adapter M67-LD and the Inon Uwl-H100 LD Wide Lens, so i avoid to screw and Unscrew every time the Lens.
This is the Nauticam Adapter that i am using Nauticam M67 - LD Adapter #38012 für INON LD Objektive | Zubehör | Nauticam | Aqua-Fototeam GmbH
To mount the adapter on the macro port 35, you have to unscrew the two bolds of the locking system on the right of the Adapter, but it is very easy to do.
Tomorrow I start for Maldives , I will post some pictures next week (I hope)
Scipionems

 

[shaker]

Hi scipionems,

Nice! I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures from Maledives.
I wish you a nice trip.

 

[scipionems]

Hi Shaker,
unfortunately here in Maldives today the wind and the current were very very strong,
i try to post an horrible picture made with the 14-42 power zoom into Nauticam Macroport 35 + Inon UWL-H100 LD, there is no vignetting in the corner and it works very well.
I hope that in the next days the weather will be better
Scipionems

 

[scipionems]

Hi to all,
here https://www.flickr.com/photos/scipio2010/sets/72157643693405004/ you can see some pictures made with the Panasonic Gx7 in Nauticam Housing and various lenses (8mm Panasonic, 9-18mm Olympus, 14-42 Powerzoom Panasonic).
Some pictures are made with the Panasonic 14-42 power zoom and the Inon UWL-H100 LD, that work perfectly without vignetting
Scipionems

 

[Interceptor121]

Excellent. I see that you could take sunballs even at 1/250 or 1/320 which is good news.
Only issue not specific to you is that you don't have any black background in macro.

Next purchase snoot kit for Z240 lol