DIY port for 12-50mm

[Packhorse]

I recently purchased the 12-50mm macro lens for my EPL3.

Needless to say it would not fit in my PT-EP05L housing. I am unsure there if there is any port to match this lens and housing.

But I know there is a Nauticam port and zoom gear set. But I am not about to invest in a new housing and port and zoom gear.
So best option was DIY.

I machined up a 90mm x 100mm rod of acetal to make the port and bezel and used a piece of polycarbonite as the lens.
Soon after removing the protective layer off the PC I figured it needed to be glass. The PC scratches just by looking at it!

So if anyone knows where I can get a piece of glass 70mm x 6mm I'd be greatfull!

I found plans for a 3D printed zoom ring gear and got a friend to print it out. Sadly it didn't fit. Then with a bit of machining on the lathe... it didnt work. It zooms, but will not allow macro mode selection. I have to redesigned the rear inner ring and hopefully will have it reprinted in a day or two.

Here is the 3D printed zoom ring... Olympus M.ZD 12-50mm zoom gear for Olympus PT-EP10 Housing V.3 by elween07 - Thingiverse

 

[victor]

Very interesting.
There are specialist glass cutters here in the UK. Not sure about New Zealand.
I think your best bet might be the Universities. They have a need for all sorts of glass components and should be able to point you in the right direction.
Why did you choose the 12-50mm?
I have stuck with my 14-42, 9-18, and the 60mm macro.
I have them all behind the Zen dome as the 60mm will not fit behind the standard port.
I would like a flat port that takes the the 60mm and a wet diopter I can use with the 14:42 and the 60mm.
Keep us up to date with your progress.

 

[EskilJ]

It fits in the standard port, the one without light.
I've made a very simple hack for the lens, to make it possible to enable/disable macro. Search for my name in this forum for more info.
Why not add a dome to your port, when you make it yourself anyways?

 

[tursiops]

I think you have to be able to physically push the button on the lens, or use the EskilJ magnetic hack, to get into macro mode.
Good luck!

 

[Packhorse]

Thanks All,

I have swapped out the PC lens to acrylic which is much more scratch resistant.

I did think about a dome port but then I couldn't add a diopter to it. If I can find a cheap dome I will try it out.

The 3D printed ring gear is supposed to push the macro button. I had it work a few times but it was unreliable. I did see EskilJ's hack. I may try that if the zoom ring gear does not work.

I chose the 12-50 because it is a versatile lens and a lot cheaper than the 60mm macro. There is no way it would fit in the stock PT-EP05L housing

 

[EskilJ]

It fits in the "standard olympus pen port". The one on most olympus pen housings, the port is called PPO-ep01. Your port with LED is the exception. The port itself is incredibly expensive, I paid 250USD for my e-pl1 housing 2 years ago including port, and the port on it costs the same alone.. A lot of people here upgraded from e-pl1, so maybe you can get a cheap house to get the port? I have one here in Denmark, but maybe you can find one a bit closer?

 

[Packhorse]

Thanks, but no need now! I would be interested in the specs of the port if possible though.

How How far from the edge that goes into the housing to the lens on the inside of the port? IE the internal depth of the port.

 

[EskilJ]

77.3mm in caliper-measurement from inner side of glass to rear end of port bayonet. I haven't dismounted my port, so you get the measure that is easy to do on the assembled housing using the rear end of a caliper.

 

[Packhorse]

Thanks. Thats pretty much the same as mine so I guess I can use the same range of lens's. Although I may get vignetting with some WA lens's ( not with the 12-50).

 

[timz]

@Packhorse, how did the gear ring performing..? I am extremely interested in the 12-50mm lens as well.

Can you please update the situation..?