Has anybody tried this combo & if so, how did you like it?

[Hoag]

I am looking for a unicorn. It doesn't have to be a great unicorn, merely a good unicorn.

I have sold my Sony A6000 with the Nauticam Housing & a few lens ports (I kept my pair of Inon S2000 strobes), and I am looking to both simplify & down-size. Part of this is due to size/weight restrictions for carry-on while traveling. Part of it is because I don't get to dive as much as I'd like to anymore, so I want a simple system that will do many things fairly well, but doesn't need to result in "NatGeo Quality Images".

I'm leaning toward the Olympus OM-10/AOI Octopus Housing, but with a slight modification. I don't really shoot macro, so I am not really worried about macro capabilities for this lens, I shoot mostly wide angle to "standard" focal length images. Because of that, I was thinking instead of relying on the standard configuration I would use the AOI DLP-4 Semi-dome port which supports the 9-18mm Wide Angle lens, the 12-50mm lens and even, if I one day opt for it, the 60mm macro.

Has anybody tried this port with any of these lenses, and if so, how did you like it?

I briefly considered the Kraken KRL-12, but since it is a "Wet Lens", I wouldn't be able to shoot "Over/Under" pics.

Yes, I realize this system is a few years old & there are newer systems out there, but I think this might meet my needs.

 

[Hoag]

I did a write up on this lens a while back:

F

Thread 'Olympus 12-45 info share'

Aug 4, 2024

About a year ago, I posted on Wetpixel about my early experience with the Olympus 12-45 and Inon EP01 dome meant for the Oly 8mm:

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Since then, I have used the combination on several dives and it has now become my go-to for pretty much any diving I do, replacing my beloved 12-40 and Inon 170mm dome that I used for many years. That thread devolved into a bit of a pissing contest about whether or not I should be using a port “off label” instead of one dedicated to the lens. As far as I know, there is no dedicated port for the 12-45...

• Furnari
• Replies: 8
• Forum: The Olympus Outlet

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...the AOI dome you're considering should work fine.

Thank you.

 

[jameseg]

Surprisingly, the best Over/Under shot I have ever taken was with a 4" mini dome, and yes it was challenging & I was amazed when I saw how it turned out.

Nice! You have more skill or more patience than me...probably both!

 

[Hoag]

Nice! You have more skill or more patience than me...probably both!

Not necessarily better or patient, but maybe just good timing & a LOT of luck!

 

[jameseg]

That is a great shot! Is that recent? That was my wife and my first liveaboard and we absolutely loved it and every once in a while I think about doing it again. But our trip was around 2012 and it seems like I've run across more recent reports that the warmer ocean temps have not been good for that area.

 

[Hoag]

That is a great shot! Is that recent? That was my wife and my first liveaboard and we absolutely loved it and every once in a while I think about doing it again. But our trip was around 2012 and it seems like I've run across more recent reports that the warmer ocean temps have not been good for that area.

Thanks. There was a LOT of luck in getting it. The shot was from a trip in 2014.

 

[Hoag]

Just to close the loop on this post.

I made a decision, and when push came to shove, this was not the setup that I ultimately opted for. I tried both Mozaik and Backscatter, and getting the AOI Housing was going to be an issue. They are sold out and they may or may not be able to get them in again.

Instead, I was able to check the boxes that I needed with another camera/housing:
Small enough to pack the camera, lenses, housing, port(s) and a pair of Inon S2000 stobes in Carry-on
Low cost enough that if something happens I can accept the loss (Expendable to a degree)
Simple and easy to learn, and use
Multiple lenses can use the same port (this was a "want" not a "need").
Capable of firing my strobes by Fiber Optic
Has a vacuum to confirm water-tight integrity

I was able to meet all of those criteria with the Canon R100 with the 18-45 "kit lens" and the 10-18 wide angle lens. I will house them in an Ikelite housing and 6'dome port that is designed to work with both of these lenses. The Ikelite housing was ordered with the Fiber Optic TTL adapter and the Vacuum system.

Thank you to everybody that offered their advice & guidance.

 

[cerich]

I would only say that the 9-18mm and 12-50mm are not great in terms of image quality. I think you would be better off getting the 12-45mm pro lens. It’s small and lightweight with a good zoom range.

the 9-18 is FAR better quality than most think image wise, the lens "feels" cheap is what I think puts folks off.

These are behind a zen semi dome ( similar to the AOI glass version the OP is talking about) with a +2 diopter (makes corners a bit sharper)