PT-020 vs PT-027? What's the difference?

[dlwalke]

I have a PT-020, but see now that they have a different one for the C5060 (the PT-027). Was there a problem with the PT-020??

Thanks
Dave

 

[justleesa]

according to b&H the PT 027 is for the 7070

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...kw=OLPT027&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=387856

 

[Surlyseas]

Hi there,

I have the PT-027 and it's actually for both the C-5060 and the C-7070.

O

 

[slowhands]

I have a PT-020, but see now that they have a different one for the C5060 (the PT-027). Was there a problem with the PT-020??

Thanks
Dave

The PT-020 is the original housing for the C-5060. The PT-027 is the "new improved" housing for the C-7070, but the C-5060 will fit it too, because both cameras have almost identical bodies, lenses and control placement. The PT-027 is recommended if you are buying new.

I see two improvements:

1 The left front hand grip is present on the PT-020, but absent on the PT-027, to allow stronger left side hinge mounts. This is probably to prevent the O-ring from slipping inside on the bottom left side, a frequently noted flooding mode on the PT-020.

2 The plastic pins of the lens port latch are a strengthened on the PT-027, to reduce the chance of the port latch shearing off. It's still a risk, and one highly regarded UW camera dealer will not carry these Olympus housings because of the frequent flooding.

Michael Finger in Germany has posted an article on his corrective modifications to the PT-020 and PT-023 port latches, and he specifically mentions that the PT-027 port latch appears stronger and may not need the modification. I did a translation of his page as best I could. Here is a link to his site in German (look in "Produkte, then "C-5060 / 7070 WideZoom", then "Probleme mit dem Portanschluss - Bitte klicken Sie auf diesen Link!")
http://www.mike-dive.de/

Here is my poor attempt at an English rendering of some parts (apologies to Michael, if I goofed).

"On the Pt-23 and PT 27 Olympus strengthened the [plastic port clamp pins] (oval and/or banana-shaped); however, some housings (PT23) already have been returned to me for repair, where these are torn off!!!

The original pins of the PT 27 make a quite reasonable impression and require according to my estimate no exchange. However time will tell if damage occurs."

I take this to mean that the PT-027 MAY be sturdy enough. But this is true only with the original lens port --- WITHOUT a wide angle wet lens or WA adapter . The port latch may fail if you attach a heavy wide angle wet lens to the port (or attach the PPO-02 WA port adapter) and you drop the housing or you are in rough seas with it. Those plastic pins shear off under stress, and the port falls away, flooding the camera, oops! So I would recommend against mounting a wide angle wet lens or the Olympus PPO-02 adapter. If you do, treat it very gently and don't stress the port; remove it during transport.

If you want to use a wide angle lens with the C-5060 or C-7070, consider other options: either buy the Ikelite housing with dome port and an Olympus WCON-07C, or use the PT-027 with the sturdy INON AD28 adapter, INON UWL-100-28AD lens and optionally the INON UWL-100 Dome Unit (excellent fisheye lens, but very expensive).

 

[justleesa]

ya learn something new everyday...thanks slowhands

 

[barth]

Does a 7070 fit into a pt-020 housing?

 

[AndyT]

Nope ! I have both a PT-020, PT-027, 5060, 7070 and can confirm this.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

Does a 7070 fit into a pt-020 housing?

Yes it does. I've used this set-up for many dives, after I had lost my C-5060. The only thing is that unless you modify the controls for the mode dial and the on and off switch yourself, you will have to switch the camera on and select the shooting mode before you seal the housing. For me this was never a big issue as the camera goes to sleep after a couple of minutes and this way the battery easily lasted me for a two-tank trip including a three-hour boat ride out and back. But it would seem pretty easy to attach a rubber tire on the mode dial wheel to make it fit the mode dial on the C-7070, which is slightly different from the one on the C-5060.