Wide-Angle Woes: Need Help Choosing Setup for Crystal-Clear Maratua!

[cerich]

is the dome 1 - 2cm from the strings?

I honestly don't recall, but very close for sure. I am headed diving today and will bring that same housing/camera/dome/lens combo and jump in and get some shots to remind myself how close can focus..

 

[cerich]

is the dome 1 - 2cm from the strings?

It will focus right up to literally where the sunshade gets in the way (the Zen PEN Dome for 8mm Pany), good luck trying to get your strobe where it will light that up.. Just saying

I jumped in with it just for you.

 

[rhang]

It will focus right up to literally where the sunshade gets in the way (the Zen PEN Dome for 8mm Pany), good luck trying to get your strobe where it will light that up.. Just saying

I jumped in with it just for you.

Thank you so much, appreciated it!

 

[PedroP]

I have the M1 Mk II and the 9-18mm and the 8mm, just sold the 9-18mm. It was a good lens but no where near the quality of 8mm. The f1.8 aperture and the quality of the glass is in another league, probably the best Olympus lens (I have owned or tested almost every lens). Also tested the 12mm f2, similar aperture and also very wide, very good lens for land use but nowhere near the 8mm f1.8. Comparing to the 8-25mm f4, it’s better then 9-18mm however still very dark (higher aperture), underwater you want as much light as possible.

For wide angle photography you will need stronger strobes or continuous lighting (led), with wider angle, your current strobes are 85 degrees wide. Please take into account it’s much wider then your current DJI, it’s 180 degrees and it’s also easy to accidentally drop part of fin in the shoot.

Regarding domes I use the Olympus (PPO-EP02) and you can go bigger (AOI DLP-08) which is great for split shoots. Be careful with choosing the domes, one that fit’s 9-18mm will not fit 8mm and vice-versa.

Best of luck

 

[bvanant]

For me at least fast lenses are good for focusing but I hardly ever (never) shoot them wide open underwater. Getting sharp subjects and relatively good corners need the lens stopped down. The best use (most resolution) for most lens is near f8.
Bill

 

[tursiops]

He means 14-42mm, it's the go-to M43 lens for use with wet wide lenses.

Yes, and that 14-42mm with a WWL-1 will absolutely beat any action camera with any add-ons.

 

[bvanant]

True but for the price of the WWL-`you could buy a bunch of go pros
Bill