LX7 is ordered

[ronscuba]

Just got the LX7. Great little camera. I really like how manual WB works, the full access to manual settings, the ability to record video while in manual photo mode, macro mode and the auto focus.

Nauticam housing, strobe and tray up next.

 

[Interceptor121]

Check this set from Scipio for some stills
Maldive 2013 - a set on Flickr

Make sure the housing has the short port otherwise it will vignette with any wide angle lens as in the backscatter review.

I can tell you the measurements of it if you need but Nauticam are aware as this has been already been addressed

 

[Mike]

How do you know if you were shipped the right version? My camera, housing and wet mate dome arrived a couple of days ago.

 

[Interceptor121]

How do you know if you were shipped the right version? My camera, housing and wet mate dome arrived a couple of days ago.

There are two ways to check, if you zoom at tele end with the camera in there should be no to little distance between the lens and the glass port, if it looks like there is a small gap measure the port.
I measured the original port that came with it and it is 1" 5/8" or 412mm, if you have this one it needs replacing. Consider however that there is no vignette with the wet mate, the problem only occurs with the wet wide lenses. In terms of optical quality the shorter port should also be better in terms of chromatic aberrations.
The new port is 1" 1/2 or 380mm from the housing to the end of the M67 thread
If yours has the longer port you need to ask your dealer to send you the new replacement port

 

[Mike]

You have me confused, I thought the problem is the wet mate, then you said there is no vignette with the wet mate, the problem only occurs with the "wet mate wide lenses"? What is the wet mate wide lenses? I thought the wet mate is the wet mate? What are we talking about that vignettes?

This is what I have and I thought you were talking about

[h=1]Nauticam 67mm Wet Mate Dome Port for NA-LX5, XZ-1, Etc[/h]

 

[ronscuba]

There are two ways to check, if you zoom at tele end with the camera in there should be no to little distance between the lens and the glass port, if it looks like there is a small gap measure the port.
I measured the original port that came with it and it is 1" 5/8" or 412mm, if you have this one it needs replacing. Consider however that there is no vignette with the wet mate, the problem only occurs with the wet wide lenses. In terms of optical quality the shorter port should also be better in terms of chromatic aberrations.
The new port is 1" 1/2 or 380mm from the housing to the end of the M67 thread
If yours has the longer port you need to ask your dealer to send you the new replacement port

1/8" makes that much of a difference ?

Speaking of the wet mate dome, can you fully zoom and maintain focus UW ?

Mike, I think Interceptor is saying the wet mate dome lens you have will work fine. It is the wet wide angle lenses like the INON that vignette. Where did you buy your housing by the way ? I just ordered from Bluewater Photo.

 

[Interceptor121]

Yes 1/8" makes a huge difference for the inon wide angle lens with the port originally on the housing it will vignette over 28mm with the shorter port the vignette stops around 26mm
The wet mate does not vignette but it is a good idea to have the port replaced for future use and also nauticam may forget this issue in few years
It should be replaced under warranty without any issues
You can fit the port yourself it is not difficult
You can fully zoom with the wetmate subject of course to the visibility allowing the contrast detection to work

 

[ronscuba]

Thanks Interceptor. I'll measure the port when I receive it. Played around some more with the LX7 topside. The 24mm lens is pretty wide and the macro focus is impressive. Both much better than what I had in the past with my various camcorders.

I ended up ordering a single strobe, no additional lenses. Figure I can always add another strobe and lenses after my wife gets familiar with it shooting uw photo and I shooting video.

 

[Interceptor121]

Ron in the old days when you had a 29.8 mm camcorder with a dome port you would have been happy, the LX7 at 24mm and the wetmate is wider and not much narrower than a gopro in fact there is very little in in.
I shot macro video at full zoom with a diopter with autofocus and the camera even rectified my error so the autofocus is impressive, especially if I compare it to the Sony RX100 I was using before
The LX7 has TTL in manual so it is perfect for macro and close up. What strobe and arms did you get?

 

[ronscuba]

Sea and Sea YS01 with Ultralight tray and arm. I have ULCS arms and clamps from my old video system. The smaller strobe should work OK for macro and closeup. I know many UW photographers that never move up to shooting wide angle with big strobes and WA lenses. I wanted to start with something smaller and simple for my wife.