Putting Macro Lens behind Dome Ports, Bad?

[BoltSnap]

I have the OLY EM5 camera in a Nauticam housing and the OLY 60mm Macro lens with the appropriate Nauticam port. I'll be getting the Nauticam 180mm Glass Dome Port later this summer to go with the wide angle and fisheye lens I have and will be buying later also.

I am wondering if I can put the OLY 60mm macro lens behind the 180mm dome port and not have to change the port to the 60mm specific lens if I was using the WA lens with the dome port in a prior dive. Are there any "negative" (or positive) effects on the pictures taken when using this dome port with the 60mm macro lens at all?

(I don't care about the manual focus gear since I do AF only with the 60mm macro lens)

 

[kevjli]

I tried the Oly 60mm macro in my Nauticam dome one year. The pictures came out nice and sharp. But I felt that autofocus was a little slow. Normally I shoot the Oly 12-40 Pro in the dome. A friend said that using the macro flat port would help with the autofocus speed. I'll test that out someday.

Here are some comparison shots. Both lenses can be very sharp.
Oly M5-II, Nauticam housing, Sea & Sea strobes.

SB_BoltSnap - kevjli

This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

kevjli.smugmug.com

 

[Brant Emery]

The only down-side would be you cannot use supplemental lenses, but it would also mean one less port to carry.

 

[tursiops]

What about standoff distance for real macro stuff? How muxh space is there between the end of the 60mm and the inside of the port?

 

[Searcaigh]

What about standoff distance for real macro stuff? How muxh space is there between the end of the 60mm and the inside of the port?

Not an Olympus SLR user, but I would also be concerned about getting too close to subjects and scratching the dome.

I'd personally use the macro port with the macro lens.

 

[BoltSnap]

What about standoff distance for real macro stuff? How muxh space is there between the end of the 60mm and the inside of the port?

I know that the same dome port is used with the Pani 12-70mm lens. This lens expands (?) when at the 70mm and thus I think that there is plenty of room for the 60mm lens. (if I understand you correctly)

 

[BoltSnap]

Not an Olympus SLR user, but I would also be concerned about getting too close to subjects and scratching the dome.

It can't be worse than CFWA I think. In fact, my 8mm fisheye lens is practically used solely for CFWA with the subject is only a couple of inches away from the dome glass.

 

[BoltSnap]

The only down-side would be you cannot use supplemental lenses, but it would also mean one less port to carry.

True but I am talking when there is no need for these wet lens based on local marine life.

 

[Hector1959]

I see no big interest in using a Macro lens with a dome port.
Dome port restores the field of view lost underwater by refraction, then at the minimun focusing distance of the lens, a dome port will have a wider FoV and then the subject in the image will look relatively smaller.
Additionally, a flat port, as said above, would allow attaching wet diopters for greater magnification if desired or needed.

 

[Barmaglot]

This is relevant: Musings On Image Quality For Macro