Oly 12-50mm lens and EPL housing

[ProfF]

I just seen the UwP review from Dan Bolt. I was left wondering what are the insights about using this lens instead of the 14-42 kit lens (that I got with my E-PL3).

Few questions:

* Ports - is it compatible with ports for the 14-42/9-18mm lens?

* Macro mode - is it possible to turn on/off this mode within a housing? How much it improves the macro capabilities?

* Image quality?

at about $500 this is a non-trivial cost. It looks much nicer than the 14-42, but then, I already own that lens, and might be better to save toward getting a fisheye lens+port in the future (that provide a whole new set of capabilities).

Thanks!

-Nir

 

[terson]

Ports? Dan Bolt reports in his article that you say you have read, that he is using the standard port that houses the 14-43 and 9-18. . .
Macro mode? Phil Rudin has reported that this feature will have to be operated from outside the housing with a special control knob/lever. . .
Also note that Dan reports that the only 'real' macro capabilities were found after fitting the Subsee +10 wetlens. . .
Image quality? I think that this is subjective, but from memory Phil reported impressive results. . .
Have a look at UwPmag #65 for Phil's report on this lens
Bruce

 

[ProfF]

Bruce,

Thanks! I didn't see Phil's report. Will check it out. It wasn't clear from Dan's report what housing he was using and whether this was the standard port or not (or maybe I missed it).

Frankly, I would be happy to have a lens+port that allows me to flip-on a Subsee to take pictures of small creatures but at the same time also gives me the opportunity to take wide-angle images (or close to WA) in the same dive.

Nir

---------- Post added May 3rd, 2012 at 07:58 AM ----------

Image quality? I think that this is subjective, but from memory Phil reported impressive results. . .
Have a look at UwPmag #65 for Phil's report on this lens

I read UwP65 and Phil has a nice article about macro lens (14-42 vs the Pana 45mm) but does not discuss the 12-50 lens at all... Do you have a pointer to Phil's report on this?

 

[terson]

Hi Nir,
Sorry about that, it was actually the first half of Dan's report that I was referring to. . .it starts on page 29 of #65