AOI LCD magnifier for Olympus PT-EP14

[Will&BilltheKrill]

Hi folks

Has anyone here used an AOI UMG-03 LCD Magnifier with their Olympus PT -EP14 Housing for the OMD EM1 mkII and can comment on how useful it is? Picture attached.

Or if anyone has tried replacing the EVF component of the housing (circled in picture attached) with a third party expanded or angled viewfinder mount? It does look like you could remove it from inside the housing potentially.

Also interested if anyone has found an expanded/angled viewfinder to work with the AOI OM-1 housing?

Any advice much appreciated!

 

[Ardy]

Hi folks

Has anyone here used an AOI UMG-03 LCD Magnifier with their Olympus PT -EP14 Housing for the OMD EM1 mkII and can comment on how useful it is? Picture attached.

Or if anyone has tried replacing the EVF component of the housing (circled in picture attached) with a third party expanded or angled viewfinder mount? It does look like you could remove it from inside the housing potentially.

Also interested if anyone has found an expanded/angled viewfinder to work with the AOI OM-1 housing?

Any advice much appreciated!

Not sure what advantage you will get from it over looking through the viewfinder. I use an AOI housing for my EM1 mk2 and at 77 my eyes aren't great but I can see everything clearly through the eye level viewfinder.
If you use the info panel to focus etc I guess it has some value but for me no thanks.
If it was an angled finder then I could see the advantage but it appears to be a double up to what the eye viewfinder does.

 

[Will&BilltheKrill]

Not sure what advantage you will get from it over looking through the viewfinder. I use an AOI housing for my EM1 mk2 and at 77 my eyes aren't great but I can see everything clearly through the eye level viewfinder.
If you use the info panel to focus etc I guess it has some value but for me no thanks.
If it was an angled finder then I could see the advantage but it appears to be a double up to what the eye viewfinder does.

Thanks Ardy
I find the EVF too difficult to really use underwater, as it’s obviously very small and the eyepiece is set in pretty much flush to the housing so I need to bring the whole rig right up to my eye, which also feels more awkward when in a horizontal diving position rather than standing upright as one does with topside photography. Therefore I use the LCD screen, but as I am short sighted I wear a prescription mask, which corrects my distance vision but also makes my close vision a little blurry, so not ideal for using the LCD screen.

I would love to get an expanded 45 degree EVF attachment that would give more distance from the housing to make using the eyepiece easier and more comfortable but if I can’t find one that will work with either housing then at least the LCD magnifier could be dialled in for my vision so that I can see it clearly with my mask on.

Would love to hear about anyone’s experiences with any of these options.

 

[Ardy]

I had a 45 deg eyepiece years ago on my Nikon set up, they are very comfortable and easy to use. I think there is one available for Nautilus housings but haven't heard of one for Oly. AOI have the magnifier but you would still have to lift it up to eye level. Just looked up a 45 eye piece by Sea n Sea $1,200 so even if you can find one it will be expensive.

.​

 

[Ardy]

Thanks Ardy
I find the EVF too difficult to really use underwater, as it’s obviously very small and the eyepiece is set in pretty much flush to the housing so I need to bring the whole rig right up to my eye, which also feels more awkward when in a horizontal diving position rather than standing upright as one does with topside photography. Therefore I use the LCD screen, but as I am short sighted I wear a prescription mask, which corrects my distance vision but also makes my close vision a little blurry, so not ideal for using the LCD screen.

Just a thought, I was shortsighted and found it very handy for macro, I used a single contact lens for longer distances and this worked very well.
As I got old my eyes changed and now I wear one +2 contact lens, solution - don't grow old!

 

[whsmac]

Hi folks

Has anyone here used an AOI UMG-03 LCD Magnifier with their Olympus PT -EP14 Housing for the OMD EM1 mkII and can comment on how useful it is? Picture attached.

Or if anyone has tried replacing the EVF component of the housing (circled in picture attached) with a third party expanded or angled viewfinder mount? It does look like you could remove it from inside the housing potentially.

Also interested if anyone has found an expanded/angled viewfinder to work with the AOI OM-1 housing?

Any advice much appreciated!

Hi

I bought one on this year and soon regret that I had to buy this one more earlier.

Same as you, I spent much time to find the way how to use angle viewfinder for Olympus housing but failed. Dealers told me that Oly back mount is too weak to attach. So I really consider to change housing to other companies's.

By the way, UMG-03 Magnifier satisfied my needs about Low angle shot and clear sight of LCD viewfinder with Prescription lenses applied mask. Not so good as Angle viewfinder, but it makes me more comfortable in water for my old eyes.

You do not need to contact very closely your mask to eyepiece and easily control the focus with turning the eyepiece for your prescription during diving.

 

[Ardy]

Hi

I bought one on this year and soon regret that I had to buy this one more earlier.

Same as you, I spent much time to find the way how to use angle viewfinder for Olympus housing but failed. Dealers told me that Oly back mount is too weak to attach. So I really consider to change housing to other companies's.

By the way, UMG-03 Magnifier satisfied my needs about Low angle shot and clear sight of LCD viewfinder with Prescription lenses applied mask. Not so good as Angle viewfinder, but it makes me more comfortable in water for my old eyes.

You do not need to contact very closely your mask to eyepiece and easily control the focus with turning the eyepiece for your prescription during diving.

I thought it came straight off the back but it does turn up just not 45 degrees. Decent solution to OLy housings.