Oly E-M1 housing – Contemplating between Olympus and Nauticam housing (non pro usage)

[amnong]

In terms of cost:

• Olympus PT-EP11, price estimate $960
• Olympus PPO-EP01 Lens Port (will serve the 60mm, 9-18mm, 14-42mm and the 12-50mm in limited way $400

• Nauticam NA-EM1 Housing for Olympus OM-D E-M1 $1,850
• Port for the 9-18mm, 14-42mm $300
• Macro port for the 60mm $400
• Port for the 12-50mm (full functionality) $800

Including the verity of ports needed for the Nauticam, there is a substantial cost difference.
The PT-EP11 is not available yet (review in this link Underwater Camera Articles: The New Olympus PT-EP11 Underwater Housing for the OM-D E-M1 Micro 4:3 Mirrorless Camera), however it may be similar in concept to the PT-EP08 for the E-M5.

Based on the review by Alex Mustard, there are some limitations in the ergonomic of the PT-EP08 and the Nauticam should be better in that respect.
Alex Mustard reviews Olympus OM-D E-M5 :: Wetpixel.com

The review by Phil reaffirms that the quality and benefits of the NA-EM1 housing.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/olympus-outlet/473526-olympus-e-m1-photos-today.html

That said, it would still be appreciated to know the key criteria for comparison for moderate usage (quality and optics of ports, weight, vacuum system, functionary, ergonomics, reliability, maintainability. I’m quite curious about the usability of the viewfinder of the PT-EP11.

Insights are welcomed. Thanks.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

First you have some mistakes in your pricing and this is not really apples to apples.

The PT-EP11 will be selling for $1260.00, not $960.00, I think this is a mistake by Backscatter on the video page. Real product price, Olympus PT-EP11 Underwater Housing for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Camera

The Nauticam housing comes with dual grips and ball heads which cost around $250.00. Unless you intend to hold the housing and shoot without strobes this is an item you will need to add to the cost of the Olympus housing. The Nauticam housing also comes with leak detection electronics not available with the Oly housing.

Next Olympus has only one native port for mirrorless lenses, a flat port for $400.00. Any other ports you may add will require an adapter and it would make more sense to me to go with the adapter and the ZEN 100mm dome port at $500.00 because it will give better results overall with 12-50, 9-18 and 60 macro. I see no need to even consider the 14-42 if you have the other lenses. You will also have an issue with gears to zoom the lenses as far as I know Olympus does not make a gear for the 12-50 or the 60 macro.

With the Nauticam system you can use the 65 macro port for 60 macro (Nauticam has a manual focus gear) and 12-50 zoom with the same after market gear you would need for the Olympus system. This port is $300.00 not $400.00, Nauticam Macro Port 65 for Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Lens [nau.36163] - $300.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

For the 9-18 zoom you would want to use the four inch dome port and zoom gear, Nauticam 4? Wide Angle Port For Mirrorless Camera Housings [nau.36137] - $480.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros In theory this port could be used in the same way as the ZEN port for all three lenses.

I think the stock optical viewfinder for the Nauticam housing will be a bit larger and better than the one in the Olympus housing but I have not yet tested both.

If you intend to add the more extreme lenses like the 8mm fisheye and 12mm F/2, 7-14 zoom and more they will all be supported by Nauticam and at a lower price than the after market adapters and ports for the Olympus housing.

Everything else being equal (I.E. lens costs, ports and gears) if I were going for an Olympus housing to reduce cost I think I would be more inclined to just go with the EM-5.

 

[jd950]

I agree with Phil's point that if cost is an issue I would suggest the EM-5 and Nauticam housing over an EM-1 and Oly housing. As time goes by, Nauticam will continue offering housings for new model cameras, probably from Panasonic as well as Olympus, and if in a year or two or three you choose to upgrade camera bodies and therefore housings, your Nauticam ports and gears will carry-over. With the Oly housing you are more limited in the ports available now and they are very unlikely to ever offer a port for a Panasonic lens; for example there is no Oly dome for the Lumix 8mm fisheye. If you want to use that lens in a dome, you have to go to the much more expensive Zen dome. Finally, once you begin acquiring ports for various lenses, it becomes quite expensive to switch housing brands later and it is much more likely that you would want to keep using Nauticam housings than Oly housings in the future.

From what I can tell there is very very little image quality difference between the EM-5 and the EM-1. If I needed a new body and housing and could afford them I would go with the EM-1 but I have an EM-5 and am not going to upgrade.

 

[JackConnick]

I just talked to my Olympus rep yesterday, and the Olympus housing is several months out for actually shipping here in the US. Like they have no actual word on it's availability. We don't list products on our site until we have a ship date.

Phil is right on when you start adding ports and pieces to the Oly system you are pretty limited. You can get Athena ports, but they are pretty pricey. That housing does make sense if you have an older Oly E-series 500 or 620 system now, as your ports and lenses will transition. But for a new user, the price doesn't really work out vs. what you gain in quality, ergonomics and features with the Nauticam.

We just compared specing a Nauticam EM5 system including camera and lenses vs the Nauticam EM1. The EM5 came up about $1,000 cheaper, mainly due to some aggressive rebates that Olympus has been offering on the camera and lenses ($200 off the bodies, $200 off the 9-18, $100 off the 60 macro). Yes, you don't get the vacuum system and you have to add the tray and handles to the EM5, but $1,000 is a lot for what you gain for uw use. The EM5 housing is smaller too.

So I agree the EM5 may be the best bet if you can live with "last year's camera"...

Jack

 

[amnong]

Thank you all, insights carefully taken. If there is a possibility to minimize the number of ports, it makes a difference in cost and operation indeed.

Regarding the ports, Phil, are you suggesting that the 60mm port Nauticam Macro Port 65 for Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro Lens [nau.36163] - $300.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros will hold the 12-50mm lens as well?
I assume that in that case, I will not be able to use the zoom gear but only switch electronically between 12 to 50mm.

I actually saw it other way around as well, that the 12-50mm port Nauticam Macro Port for Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ [nau.36161] - $450.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros will hold the 60mm like post #730 is suggesting: Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Page 37 - Digital SLRs/Housings - Wetpixel :: Underwater Photography Forums

BTW: the PT-EP11 is already being shipped in japan for less than $860 ‰¿Ši.com - ƒIƒŠƒ“ƒpƒX PT-EP11 –h…ƒvƒƒeƒNƒ^[ ‰¿Ši”äŠr, however, as said above, considering long term investment, cost difference may be justified.

 

[BobW]

"I assume that in that case, I will not be able to use the zoom gear but only switch electronically between 12 to 50mm."

You can also set one of your buttons so that you can zoom between 12 & 50mm using the arrow keys, stopping anywhere in between.

Bob W

 

[amnong]

Thanks Bob. I have gone through endless discussions regarding the usage of the the 12-50mm in Nauticam housing.

(Including post #7 from Phil http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/olympus-outlet/445006-omd-12-50mm-domeport.html
and the creative hack of EskilJ http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ol...et-accesible-macro-any-house.html#post6946540)

1. In the E-M1, is there any way to switch the 12-50mm into native macro mode underwater, without using the expensive gear of Nauticam?
2. If I’m to buy a single port for using the 60mm and 12-50mm, should it be the 60mm port of the 12-50mm?

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

You may want to read this again. Three choices at three costs. First two can be used in the 60 macro or the 12-50 port. Only the Nauticam port and gear allow the 43mm semi-macro feature to be engaged. So you can #1 shot at 12mm or 50m, #2 shoot from 12 to 50mm or three shoot from 12-50 plus 43mm macro feature.

You have three basic choices,

#1 firmware update allows you to switch to 12mm or 50mm with nothing in between. No cost.

#2 after market gear that allows you to zoom between 12 & 50mm in the Nauticam housing, cost involved.

#3 Nauticam 12/50 port and gear, $800.00 allows you to power zoom between 12 & 50 mm and shift to the 43mm macro setting.

This is an issue of you get what you pay for, that is why many are willing to spend the $800.00 so that they can get the full range of this very versital lens.

My full article of the lens options will release in the new UWPMAG.com coming around March 1.

Phil Rudin

 

[amnong]

Thanks Phil. altercate an advise regarding the second quation:
"If I’m to buy a single port for using the 60mm and 12-50mm, should it be the 60mm port of the 12-50mm"?

 

[BoltSnap]

Thanks Phil. altercate an advise regarding the second quation:
"If I’m to buy a single port for using the 60mm and 12-50mm, should it be the 60mm port of the 12-50mm"?

I think that you should buy the one for the 12-50mm and it would do both, 60 and 12-50.