Review of the Oly XZ-1

[ramasule]

I heard back from Mike at Oly this morning. The good news is that he got back to me in a timely manner.
The bad news is that his e mail was useless. All he said was that I couldn't use the flash in super macro because I would be to close to the subject.........
I e mailed him back letting him know that he must have missed the point about why I needed the cameras flash to fire.

Water absorbs red light spectrum the most.

 

[slowhands]

I just receive my XZ-1 about 30 minutes ago. The first thing I did was to put it in super macro and try to set the flash manually. It does not work. You are completely locked out of any strobe operation when in super macro.
On the plus side, the control dial will work with the PT-050 housing just fine. You wont be able to "scroll" by turning the wheel, but all operations still seem to be available using the left, right, up, down buttons.
I sent an e mail to Oly yesterday asking if they plan on addressing the super macro issue and I will post it if I ever hear back from them.

I am so sorry they kept the no flash "feature" on super macro. That's just the same as on their older classic C series cams and it was a bummer then.

You know my impression when I look at pics of this camera? It looks like they took the ancient C5050 F1.8 lens, the control layout of the SP-350 and added more up-to-date electronics and sensor, but kept the firmware pretty much unmodified.

That's good and bad. The C5050 lens was/is fantastic optically, but cheap mechanically. The SP-350 did all the needed functions but is a little slow by today's standards. And leveraging existing firmware is safe, but you inherit the limitations too. So a merge with some modern enhancements makes good sense. I'm so tempted to get one, like I need another camera, right!

Flash probably does work in macro, not supermacro, mode, at least that's how it was. So use that, and put on a wet macro lens. Or, get a housing that will support external strobe via the hotshoe, such as the forthcoming Ikelite ("planned, no info"). Or get creative, bore a hole in the housing and drop a Heinrichs Weikamp TTL converter in.

 

[Jun Lao]

some more shots from this morning


Sea Muppet by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


fresh breath by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


Periscope by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


Conch Shell by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr

 

[slowhands]

You guys in Asia and Europe got this housing a month before us in the USA, so we're eagerly enjoying looking at the great shots you are getting. So jealous!! They say this housing will be arriving in retail channels here in USA next week, but is already backordered.

I will look on the bright side. I'll let you pioneers discover all the good and bad things about the housing before I buy. Keep posting these fabulous photos!

 

[cardog]

I now have my Inon UWL 100, Inon UCL 165, Inon dual mount caddy, and my XZ-1.....
I'm hoping to have my housing from Scott at Bluewater by next Friday and pics the following week.
Any ideas on a simple fix for mounting the Inon caddy on Sea & Sea arms?

 

[Jun Lao]

dives today by asian guy


choo choo by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


red rhino by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


pretty in pink by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


tsk tsk by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr

panorama (unlike nex5 which takes rapid shots, xz1 panorama 3 frames, so photo misaligned when huge wave hit boat)

0 40 panorama (1 of 1) by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr

 

[Prop Joe]

Great Shots, Jun (Asian guy)!!! Please keep posting them.
I look forward to your pix as I do not see such critters In the Caribbean.
I think I see this camera replacing my trusty C5050. I'd rather have an Ikelite housing for my existing strobes though. I could possibly bore a hole in the OLY housing and use one of Heinrichs converters. I wonder if DAN equipment insurance would cover a modified housing, if it flooded???

 

[cardog]

Great Shots, Jun (Asian guy)!!! Please keep posting them.
I look forward to your pix as I do not see such critters In the Caribbean.
I think I see this camera replacing my trusty C5050. I'd rather have an Ikelite housing for my existing strobes though. I could possibly bore a hole in the OLY housing and use one of Heinrichs converters. I wonder if DAN equipment insurance would cover a modified housing, if it flooded???

Ike should have a housing for the XZ-1 in the near future.

 

[Jun Lao]

wide angle (a slight edit on lightroom, up contrast, red gain)


42 mtrs by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr
slightly beyond housing rated depth of 130ft/40m


38.6 by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


sunburst by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr


still by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr

cropped 40%, lost detail but the eggs

Doting mom by ScubaMagneticPop, on Flickr

no diving for a while, exceeded quota already

 

[Prop Joe]

Jun, Great pix!!!
Eggs. Outstanding!!! Wide looking good too. Please keep posting after some off gassing.
Thanks again for posting your fabulous pictures.