Expanding Pen-PL1 Or buy DSLR

[mathieu.de.sloover]

Hello,

At this moment i have an olympus pen E-PL1 with te housing from olympus.

My flash is an s-2000 from inon.

I have one lens, the basic lens included wit the kit.
The 14-42 mm lens.

And two inon wet macro lenses.

I am doubting about buying a DSLR or expanding my Pen set.

I dont know if I will buy other lenses, another flash, or houwing or port for the pen
I will get DSLR quality and experience.

This are the things I am thinking about to expand my pen.

-Inon z-240 flash ( can you use 2 different flashes together ?)

-Olympus M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm 1:4.0-5.6 lens

- Leica DG MACRO-ELMARIT 45mm/F2.8 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S lens

-Zen WA-100 Dome Port

-Zen WA-100 EP714 Dome Port

-10 bar underwater housing for Pl1

-Olympus VF-2 viewfinder


I dont now what things will make the most difference and give better quality.


And the second thing I think about is bying a digital reflex.
The canon eos-550D ? .....?

With nauticam hausing or ikelite ( big diference in price) ?
What lenses ?
Can you give me advice ?

I need it, i dont now it anymore.
Thx
Mathieu

 

[Doubler]

It appears you already have a lot invested in the Oly system so I would either stick with it or sell it all and purchase the 550D (T2i). The T2i has a bigger processor so it is faster and you have a much larger range of lens choices. The downside would be that it is larger and accessories weigh more. I was leaning towards the ELP2 until I discussed this with some professional photographers I was diving with, I went with the Canon.

 

[bvanant]

Mathieu: What do you feel is missing from your pics? Post some pics that you think you want to improve on and we can help you. For the most part, your OLY system is extremely good, (except for the kit lens) and I think that you should be able to get excellent pics with that system. Is your issue sharpness, color rendition, framing, focus ? Let us know
Bill

 

[mathieu.de.sloover]

The problem is that I want to expand my kit with better lenses.
Because the kit lense is not very good.
Most of the time i take pictures in belgium and Holland.
This are dark waters, and the kit lens dusn't has good capabilities to take pictures in dark circumstances.

I can buy another lens for the oly.

But if i want to take wideshots i need a zen dome port that costs 600 euro.
And then i have to buy the lens to.

With that money if i sell my kit without the s-2000. I have almost a new dslr in sea en sea housing.

You understand my doubts ?


I have already seen the 550d.
I am very interested in that model.

Which lenses do you have for it ?
For the price of 2500 euro i have the standard kit + sea en sea housing with port.
I have my dounts about tyhe sea en sea housing.
Is it good quality, ergonomics, flood easily ?

My interests for the 550d housing is that one from nauticam or hygyfot.
Experience with it ?

Then i have to do it in steps, first buy the camera and a few months later the housing.

 

[Christopher_B]

I use the EPL1 with 9-18mm lens and dome port from Zen in Olympus housing with 1 s2000 and 1 D2000. It's lightweight, is small enough to all fit into my carry on, and gives great quality images. I do six trips a year for work (i write for dive mags and teach UW photography) so i love the light weight and size and the image qaulity is excellent. To be honest, you can get great results with some compacts and wet mount lens and 1 flash. I used a canon ixus 960 for a couple of years for magazines. It had its limitations compared to the EPL1, but i see little reason to go for a bigger kit.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Interesting