NAUTICAM Housings for E-PL series, any reviews?

[Prop Joe]

Well, I think I'm going to take the Nauticam/ E-PL3 plunge along with dual YS-110A strobes or S-2000 strobes. I was thinking S-2000 strobes but do not like the cool color they seem to put out. I'm told 9-18 lens will work along with the 14-42 lens in the same semi-dome port. I'll start there lens wise and go from there. The fact that I can use two lens' in one port and free handle/tray offer is too good to pass up. E-PL3 is $100 cheaper this weekend as well. There is other ports available for my future glass upgrades. The aluminum Nuaticam housing looks far superior to the plastic Oly housing with the hokie focus light set-up.
Thoughts?...

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

You won't be sorry Joe, I have just returned from using the housing for several days in Belize and have nothing but praise for the system. I will post some photos from the 8 mm fisheye and Olympus 12mm early next week shot with the Inon Z-240's.

Phil Rudin

 

[slowhands]

Well, I think I'm going to take the Nauticam/ E-PL3 plunge .. I'm told 9-18 lens will work along with the 14-42 lens in the same semi-dome port...The aluminum Nuaticam housing looks far superior to the plastic Oly housing with the hokie focus light set-up.
Thoughts?...

If you have the money, go for it. For me, it's a performance versus cost trade-off. The Olympus PT-EPL05 is much less expensive, and clearly not as wonderful. It also costs much less. You know that. Each of us has to make the evaluation given our own resources and wants/needs.

On the plus side, for the Olympus line there are an adequate number of high quality ports for all the lenses I want today (true for Nauticam, too). You can build a system that will do what's needed. The main benefit of Nauticam is the better ergonomics of their well engineered, more rugged housing. For a pro who makes his living by daily underwater photography, no question, get the superior gear.

I would also suggest that if you are going to spend the big bucks, you should consider the Panasonic GH-2 camera in a Nauticam housing, a much more capable body that mounts all the same lenses but does everything much better. It costs little more for the complete system, and it's got a certain future, whereas Olympus is uncertain. Olympus is behind today, and stalled by the accounting scandal. They may fall so far behind that they have to drop out of the race, as they already did with DSLRs two years ago. I should add that I am a long time Olympus user, and have been very happy in the past with their solutions. But looking at the big picture today, it's not just a technical decision on the merits of Nauticam versus Olympus housings.

 

[TheTrickster]

Do you know what the weight difference is between the 2 housings?

I can weight my system for you?

I will post some photos from the 8 mm fisheye and Olympus 12mm early next week shot with the Inon Z-240's.

Phil Rudin

Waiting Phil....waiting....!!!

I'm still saving and waiting for Inon Z-240s, hoping in 4 weeks - next pay day!

 

[Prop Joe]

Whelp...
I did it. It's only money and you can't take it with you. I bought the Nauticam E-PL3 housing, camera kit (14-42 lens), WA Oly 9-18 lens, 5" semi-dome port, gears, arms, tray and handles (free), Dual YS-110a strobes with sync cords and a Sola 1200 focus light with mount. I should have it next week sometime. I'll post some pix when I get it assembled.
I was thinking S2000 strobes originally but went with the 110a. I'm hoping for a brighter, more even coverage along with slightly bigger control buttons/knobs.

 

[ProfF]

Sounds very similar to my setup. I received the package today and impressed by the built quality and the way it feels in my hands. Working on a deadline so didn't get a chance to play with it yet. Only thing I am not sure about is the port. I got the 4" port which seems rather flat. What is the 5" semi-dome??

 

[General Po]

ProfF and The Trickster: Thanks for the help with the weight issue. I have also decided to go with the Nauticam housing, I watched a video on changing ports on the Nauticam site and then compared it to the instructions for changing Zen ports, the Nauticam system looks much easier and no mucking with phillips screwdrivers.
Phil, Prop Joe & The Trickster: Really looking forward to seeing the shots!

 

[TheTrickster]

Phil, Prop Joe & The Trickster: Really looking forward to seeing the shots!

Went out at the weekend with the camera - I was excited!!! Alas got in the water and the vis was down to 5m - not exactly a great try out of wide angle shots!!! So that was Saturday ruined :-( Went again on Sunday morning and it was even worse, I stayed down for 11mins and just came straight back up again.

I was really annoyed!!! Our pool has closed for the winter also, so can't even go in there and have a play.

Setup:
* Olympus E-PL3
* Olympus 9-18mm
* Zen Port.
* NO Strobes / External lighting

Here are the photos straight from the camera (all taken in full auto) from Saturday,

Photos from Saturday (Public Facebook gallery)

I've got it set to take JPEG+RAW, so didn't play with WB. Haven't had time to play with them (RAW Files). Pretty rubbish if I'm honest, and only on Sunday did I find the Macro / WA Fish function on the FN button, but then the vis was even worse and it was overcast, so much darker.

 

[Prop Joe]

Sounds very similar to my setup. I received the package today and impressed by the built quality and the way it feels in my hands. Working on a deadline so didn't get a chance to play with it yet. Only thing I am not sure about is the port. I got the 4" port which seems rather flat. What is the 5" semi-dome??

5" semi is the port I was told that would work with both the 14-42 and 9-18 lens'. This is another reason I went with the Nauticam system, two lens and only need one port. In the future if there is something else I need I'll get another lens/port combo (upgrade). I have a feeling this is going to blow away my old C5050 rig.

 

[ProfF]

Joe, I am aware of the 4" dome port for 9-18 (see Nauticam 4 ) which can also accomodate the 14-42. Do you mean that one, or some other port?