Help me out here. I sold my reefmaster after my last trip to cozumel. It was the basic 35mm with strobe. I sold it because it didn't have the close up capabilities that I needed. Does Olympus sell a DSLR that has an Oly underwater housing? If so, what can i expect to pay for it? I had kind of decided on the 5050 and already have the housing but the shutter lag is whats got me concerned. I know many people do a great job even with the lag but I'm not so sure about it. Also, is there a 35mm SLR with housing that is reasonable that I might also consider? Thanks for your time, Greg
DSLR with Oly housing, does it exist
- Thread starter gt2003
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gt2003:
You might want to check out this link.
http://www.digitaldiver.net/news.php?story=67
Personally, I find my own skill a much bigger hindrance than the shutter lag. I can skill get fish shots.....once in awhile, I will miss a shot but the 5050 is a very good camera and will cost a lot less $$$.
erichK
Contributor
There is a professional-level built-like-a-tank Olympus digital slr, the E-1 for which Ikelite promises a housing in December. There is also a new, more compact and more moderately priced model that uses the same mount coming out that month, the E-300 (with the bizzare name "Evolt" for the USA model), for which Ikelite is developing a housing, and for which Oly promises to deliver their own housing in the spring of 2004.
The Oly 5050 certainly is a capable little camera which I've found a wonderful--and wondwerfully reasonably priced and compact--introduction to underwater photography. I've been so impressed by the brilliant viewfiender, build and feel of the E-1 that I'm in the process of buying one. However, I've decided to keep my 5050 and PT 15 housing and buy Ikelite's DS50 flash kit for it ($450 from Adorama) rather than spring for the $1400 housing from Ikelite. With the external flash and a proper adjustment of settings, one can apparently reduce the shutter lag considerably.
The compact form and smaller size of the Evolt plus a super-bright LCD panel may well make that camera an attractive candidate in the future.
I believe that there were also underwater housings available for the Olympus OM series of film SLR's.
The Oly 5050 certainly is a capable little camera which I've found a wonderful--and wondwerfully reasonably priced and compact--introduction to underwater photography. I've been so impressed by the brilliant viewfiender, build and feel of the E-1 that I'm in the process of buying one. However, I've decided to keep my 5050 and PT 15 housing and buy Ikelite's DS50 flash kit for it ($450 from Adorama) rather than spring for the $1400 housing from Ikelite. With the external flash and a proper adjustment of settings, one can apparently reduce the shutter lag considerably.
The compact form and smaller size of the Evolt plus a super-bright LCD panel may well make that camera an attractive candidate in the future.
I believe that there were also underwater housings available for the Olympus OM series of film SLR's.
If you're seriously considering a DSLR, the camera is not the only component you need to look at. What lenses will be offered for the camera? How good are the optics compared to other brands (like Nikon & Canon)? DSLR with multiple lenses can get expensive very quickly. I would not invest in a DSLR system & trust it in an Olympus housing. Go with a more robust housing like Ikelite or even machined aluminum (depending on your budget).
ReyeR
Guest
I got to play with an E-300 (pre-production unit) along with an E-1 and a host of lenses. The E-300 is very responsive though the E-1 just had that slight edge with the same lens. Ofcourse one can't compare the AF speed of the E300 vs the C5050.
The camera (E300) feels quite good in the hand though not much smaller, despite the fact that it doesn't have a pentaprism (that conventional 'hump' on the top). The pop-up flash was very accurate even at close range. The 50mm macro (1:2 or 1:1 35mm equivalent) is such a SWEET lens!
I hope Oly get the housing right. This will do for DSLRs what the C5050 did with the PT-015 for prosumer cameras. Re. trusting an E300 DSLR in an Olympus housing - I look at this way: The E300 with the kit lens costs LESS (when purchased from overseas) than what I paid for my C5050 2 years ago (purchased in Oz). If I can 'trust' the PT-015 with my C5050 I can't see why I can't do the same with the E300. The only issue I'm unsure of are the wide angle options - I hope they consult a housing manufacturer that has experience with dome options.
Release date of the camera here in OZ is 15th Dec. Price is AU$1,999 (suxs, as usual) including kit lens, 2 x batteries and battery holder.
Hmmm, I got my C5050 in Dec, two years ago. Maybe it's that time of the year again......deja vu
The camera (E300) feels quite good in the hand though not much smaller, despite the fact that it doesn't have a pentaprism (that conventional 'hump' on the top). The pop-up flash was very accurate even at close range. The 50mm macro (1:2 or 1:1 35mm equivalent) is such a SWEET lens!
I hope Oly get the housing right. This will do for DSLRs what the C5050 did with the PT-015 for prosumer cameras. Re. trusting an E300 DSLR in an Olympus housing - I look at this way: The E300 with the kit lens costs LESS (when purchased from overseas) than what I paid for my C5050 2 years ago (purchased in Oz). If I can 'trust' the PT-015 with my C5050 I can't see why I can't do the same with the E300. The only issue I'm unsure of are the wide angle options - I hope they consult a housing manufacturer that has experience with dome options.
Release date of the camera here in OZ is 15th Dec. Price is AU$1,999 (suxs, as usual) including kit lens, 2 x batteries and battery holder.
Hmmm, I got my C5050 in Dec, two years ago. Maybe it's that time of the year again......deja vu
Reyer I talked with an Oly dealer here a couple of weeks ago and he didn't rate the E-300 as he said that the lenses were not up to the same quality as those used in previous generation cameras like the 5050 and 5060. Do you know if this is the case or could it have been the pre production model only?
As far as I know the casing for the E-300 won't be available until the spring
As far as I know the casing for the E-300 won't be available until the spring
ReyeR
Guest
I hope your dealer understood that you were talking about the E-300, which is a DSLR with interchangeable lenses - a different kettle of fish which can't be compared to 'fixed lens' prosumer cameras like the C5050 and C5060. To give you an idea the new 7-14mm (35 equiv of 14-28) f4.0 ED lens itself is about US$1,799.95 a pop!
outlawaggie
Contributor
I have the Oly 8080 and Ikelite case. Like you I was looking at a DSLR but not only are the camera's expensive but the cases are as well. I've never used a 5050 but I can say that the lag on the 8080 is minimal compared to my old Canon S-200. Check out www.buydig.com They had the best pricing by far. www.scubatoys.com has the best price on the Ikelite case and strobe.
