EPL-2 camera and housing

[slowhands]

.. I ..have bought the kit with the 14-140 lens, and added the 9-18 and zen port for WA. ...I am trying to put together some close focus ability before I leave for a trip to Cozumel next Saturday. Not sure if shipping from japan would make it in time. I have the inon wet lens and the Olympus 67mm adapter, Argh, decisions!

Thanks again.

Wow, short fuse.

OK, some suggestions:

1. Use your 9-18mm. It's a great lens with close focus to 8 inches -- and you can screw a 52mm close-up filter on the lens to get closer. Try a +4 or even a +5, this is about as strong as you can go and maintain quality. For best image quality, get an achromatic close up lens, like the Canon 250D or Marumi +5. This will vignette at the wide end, so... no free lunch, but this is the quickest surest way.

2. Buy the older lens, which is available, fits just fine and works almost as well. It actually focuses to 8 inches at the tele end, and that will give you close focus for most things. Phil Rudin used it quite a bit for close ups, just click on his ID to see his pics.

You will also need a zoom ring for it -- the 9-18mm ring is different. I think Jack Connick has the older lens and zoom ring in stock and can overnight them to you.
Micro Four-Thirds Lenses & Gears - Olympus Micro Four Thirds Cameras, Housings & Accessories - Optical Ocean Sales Underwater Photo - 800-359-1295!
Jack will work with you on a quick ship (or tell you honestly it's not possible).

3. Get the newer camera and lens from Ritz or Adorama, and have them overnight it to you. But that is very chancy given your timetable. With a huge camera dealer, you just don't have that tight communication or quick ship capability (although Ritz shipped my camera one hour after I ordered it, amazing).
Olympus E-PL2 PEN Digital Camera w/m14-42mm Lens (Red) - 262916 - RitzCamera.com
You still need the zoom ring for the 14-42 lens.


I would also add a +4 diopter close up lens screwed right on your 14-42 lens (40.5mm diameter for the original lens, 37mm for the new one), which will give you even closer working distance.

I'm real curious how this will work out for you. Let us know.

 

[under water]

Thanks for all this great info slowhands! I am stuck in the situation of having bought the kit with the 14-140 lens, and added the 9-18 and zen port for WA. The long lens won't go in the housing, and I am trying to put together some close focus ability before I leave for a trip to Cozumel next Saturday. Not sure if shipping from japan would make it in time. I have the inon wet lens and the Olympus 67mm adapter, Argh, decisions!

Thanks again.

As much as I love photography under the waves, I think that if your # of dives is accurate, you should probably spend more time on getting your U/W bouyancy skills down rather than try to get the last bit of perfection out of your camera setup.
As mentioned and demonstrated, you can get pretty close with the 9-18mm. If you are going to use diopters you will NEED to either be kneeling in sand or have excellent bouyancy (especially on a Cozumel drift dive) to get anything in focus. Practice this.
If you get a chance, go to SCC to do some shore diving.

and enjoy!

 

[Greenbriel]

Thanks guys. All excellent ideas and advice.

Frank, my dive stats will change after this trip (still not a ton, I know), but it doesn't count numerous pool dives with and without camera gear to work on buoyancy etc. I'm pretty comfortable in that regard. It may seem like overkill, and probably is, but I am trying to get gear that I can stick with for a while and will give me a range of options to experiment with on this trip.

Will let you know how it goes.

 

[UnderwaterCameraHouse]

Good cameras and housings. keep it up.