Feedback from EPL10 users needed

Dough18 · Jul 29, 2021

Hi All,

I have been shooting underwater for about 8 yrs now and primarily do macro. I have been using a Sealife DC2000 with macro lens and external lighting/strobe. I have been getting great shots (see some attached samples) but now have some moisture creeping in both my camera and housing. Sounds like a great reason to upgrade.

Have been looking at the mirrorless Olympus line and the PL10 in particular. But, am worried about outgrowing it too quickly or that it is already an outdated camera - also worried about support down the road.

The EM5-Mark III also looks nice but wonder if worth the extra money for my needs.

Sure many of you went through this thought process so would like to get feedback or guidance on those who went before me!

Thx!

deeper thoughts · Jul 29, 2021

I have been using the epl10/aoi housing
I do like it especially being able to add wet lenses
Check my posts to see if the pictures seem ok for you

scubaozy · Jul 29, 2021

I have epl 2 and epl 7. I have been reasonably happy with them. But at the same time, I would not buy epl series if I had the choice today. Camera and housing will get quickly old. What counts is the lenses and the ports which can be re-used. When I bought epl-2, it was one of the first mirrorless, so I thought system had future, so, I bought dome port and good lenses. This somehow paid off because I used all the gear I have with epl7. But, and that is a big but (), epl series is not the highest end mirrorless anymore. You can do decent photos with it but today if I was doing initial investment, I would go for something else, like em5 as you suggested. This does not mean that I will be unhappy with epl-10.

Dough18 · Jul 31, 2021

E-M5 Mark III definitely has more bells and whistles, but not sure if photo quality will be better. Housing would be much more and probably better quality than the PL-10 AOI one.
Thanks all - good feedback.

Furnari · Aug 1, 2021

The m5mkIII is much more future proof (as future proof as anything in M43 can be, I guess). It has a better sensor than the the PEN- 20mp vs 16mp, better ergonomics and controls, better viewfinder (the PEN lacks one, so easy comparison), better stabilization, and better autofocus (it has the same phase detect AF system from the M1mkII, basically). If you really plan on growing as a photographer- topside or underwater- it's a great choice, and a significant upgrade over the PEN.

AOI has a housing for the M5mkIII, and it's just 240 more than their PEN housing on Backscatter. The M5 housing uses the Olympus OMD port system, which is well supported; add an adapter and you can use ports going back to old 4/3 system (I use an Inon 170mm glass dome from that system that is still available for well less than a grand). The PL10 housing uses the PEN port system which is pretty limited- no big lenses like the 12-40 or the good wide zooms like the O7-14, O8-25, and P8-18.

I currently use an M1mkI in an OMD housing, and I really like the ports- along with the dome, I use the Olympus macro port but the AOI one is probably just as good. I also have an M1mkIII body; here's something to think about... AOI has hinted that they're working on a housing for that camera, which is another step up from the M5mkIII. That said, if it doesn't happen within the next year or so, I'll be getting the m5/AOI combo as it's cheaper than buying just a Nauticam housing for the M1 (let alone the ports).