Making an upgrade and looking for feedback and suggestions on camera and housing

[Joe Mack]

I have been using an Olympus (Stylus 500) with an Olympus PT-026 housing for years as my underwater camera. I have decided that I am going to make an upgrade with my equipment.

I have been very happy with Olympus and really looking at making my upgrade using Olympus equipment. A couple key things that I want to do is have the option of changing out lens to have a better tool for specific type of photo's ie... macro or wide angle. Within the Olympus family I see a couple of different options with either the "PEN" family or the "E-system" family. Then comes the housing portion of this equation and it appears that the cost side of it is very dramatic (approximately $1400 for an Ikelite for E-System or approximately $600 for Pen housing). I understand that you get what you pay for but I also realize I'm not a pro and cost is a consideration. My biggest concern is buying something that will limit my options.

I would really appreciate any feedback, suggestions or comments on this topic. If you need additional info from me prior to offering your input please let me know.

 

[jetlife2]

Well I will try to give you the means to make your decision without telling you any answer. This way you can go through the thought process on your own,

IMHO, if you are a recreational diver diving above 130 ft, (below that housing choices get much more limiting) the most importants factors (other than cost) for an upgrade are:

1. quality of optics available for the type of shooting you do. If you do all snapshots, you don't need to change lenses. If you want to do macro to super wide, you need to change lenses.
1B. physical size of sensor and 1C number of MP. The physical size is more important if it is small (i.e. that is a bad thing). When you get to M. 4/3 and above (APS or SLR), start looking at number of MP.
2. What housings are available will dictate what strobe choices you have. There are no ike housings for the EPL series and they announced that there will not be. So if you have ike strobes that is not good (it is not the end of the world but ike to ike TTL will not be available). So if you choose the EPL series of cameras you have the choice of 10bar, nauticam or Oly housings. Optical strobes fit all these and can give you TTL. Sync strobes fit some but they will be manual.
2B. If you need wideangle, is there a dome port for the housing available. (usually the answer is yes but some combinations dont exist)
3. Knowing 1 and 2 tells you what strobe choices you have, so now you can run all the options in a spreadsheet and see what you want.

I hope that helps.


FYI , I used to have (still do actually) a Oly 5060, ike housing, 2x ike DS50/51 strobes, ike dome, Oly wideangle WCON lens,

Now I have an EPL2, Oly housing, 14-42 II lens, 9-18 lens, Zen dome, 2x Inon Z240 optical strobes.

 

[Prop Joe]

Well I will try to give you the means to make your decision without telling you any answer. This way you can go through the thought process on your own,

IMHO, if you are a recreational diver diving above 130 ft, (below that housing choices get much more limiting) the most importants factors (other than cost) for an upgrade are:

1. quality of optics available for the type of shooting you do. If you do all snapshots, you don't need to change lenses. If you want to do macro to super wide, you need to change lenses.
1B. physical size of sensor and 1C number of MP. The physical size is more important if it is small (i.e. that is a bad thing). When you get to M. 4/3 and above (APS or SLR), start looking at number of MP.
2. What housings are available will dictate what strobe choices you have. There are no ike housings for the EPL series and they announced that there will not be. So if you have ike strobes that is not good (it is not the end of the world but ike to ike TTL will not be available). So if you choose the EPL series of cameras you have the choice of 10bar, nauticam or Oly housings. Optical strobes fit all these and can give you TTL. Sync strobes fit some but they will be manual.
2B. If you need wideangle, is there a dome port for the housing available. (usually the answer is yes but some combinations dont exist)
3. Knowing 1 and 2 tells you what strobe choices you have, so now you can run all the options in a spreadsheet and see what you want.

I hope that helps.


FYI , I used to have (still do actually) a Oly 5060, ike housing, 2x ike DS50/51 strobes, ike dome, Oly wideangle WCON lens,

Now I have an EPL2, Oly housing, 14-42 II lens, 9-18 lens, Zen dome, 2x Inon Z240 optical strobes.

I'm in a simular predicament; C-5050, ike housing, dual DS-50/51, Inon WA with dome, tray, arms, cords... I was really wishing for the Ikelite EPL housings. Jean Brigam of Ikelite fame actually told me they were going to be released the 1Q of 2010. Recent press release says no EPL housings from Ike. Sounds like you took the plunge I never wanted to take as a loyal Ikelite guy. They have unfortunatly forced my hand into the inevitable. I could go SLR but I really need to reduce my traveling
footprint. Shutter lag of the 5050 kills me and has for years.
Sucks to be loyal to something that refuses to produce something you want. I understand the economics but it still sucks for me.

 

[Mark Derail]

This type of thread interests me.

Currently a landshark photographer.

 

[jdfmail]

Go with the XZ-1...they have an Ikelite housing for it now.

I'm in a simular predicament; C-5050, ike housing, dual DS-50/51, Inon WA with dome, tray, arms, cords... I was really wishing for the Ikelite EPL housings. Jean Brigam of Ikelite fame actually told me they were going to be released the 1Q of 2010. Recent press release says no EPL housings from Ike. Sounds like you took the plunge I never wanted to take as a loyal Ikelite guy. They have unfortunatly forced my hand into the inevitable. I could go SLR but I really need to reduce my traveling
footprint. Shutter lag of the 5050 kills me and has for years.
Sucks to be loyal to something that refuses to produce something you want. I understand the economics but it still sucks for me.

 

[DoNotDstrb]

I would consider the E-PL2. Its a very good compromise of sensor size (much bigger than any P&S), small camera size (translates to reasonably priced housings), interchangeable lenses with good available choices and price.

The camera and housing can be had for under $1,000. Add a Zen dome port (recommended, but not mandatory at least at first) and you're still under $1500. I went this route a few months ago and have no regrets. The PL3 is another choice -- this one just came out.... similar specs to the PL2, but they claim faster focusing and the body is a bit smaller. I don't think the housing is out and pricing I've seen is about $400 higher than the 2 for camera and housing... IDK if its worth the difference... the sensor is the same, so IQ should be the same.


Read more: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/olympus-outlet/393063-comments-new-pl2-user.html

 

[Joe Mack]

I really appreciate the link to the forum about the PL2 very helpful.

I would consider the E-PL2. Its a very good compromise of sensor size (much bigger than any P&S), small camera size (translates to reasonably priced housings), interchangeable lenses with good available choices and price.

The camera and housing can be had for under $1,000. Add a Zen dome port (recommended, but not mandatory at least at first) and you're still under $1500. I went this route a few months ago and have no regrets. The PL3 is another choice -- this one just came out.... similar specs to the PL2, but they claim faster focusing and the body is a bit smaller. I don't think the housing is out and pricing I've seen is about $400 higher than the 2 for camera and housing... IDK if its worth the difference... the sensor is the same, so IQ should be the same.


Read more: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/olympus-outlet/393063-comments-new-pl2-user.html

 

[Joe Mack]

I really appreciate all the feedback ya'll. As of right now I'm leading towards the E-PL2. DeNotDstrb I hope you don't mind if I pick your brain as I move forward with this.

 

[Prop Joe]

Go with the XZ-1...they have an Ikelite housing for it now.

If XZ-1 had a "my mode" function I'd already have one. I guess I'll have to go somewhere and fondle one to figure out how to change shutter speed and aperture. If too difficult, it's a deal breaker for me. Then I'll be looking at EPL-( ) series and getting rid of my Ikelite stuff.

 

[jdfmail]

there is no my mode but there is a custom setting option on the top wheel. You can set everything from aperature, shutter, flash, focus mode, macro, etc and it will always default to your settings when you switch to custom.

What I do is set up custom for macro and I set-up manual for wide-angle. The only things I have to do is adjust aperture and shutter speed during the dive. Works for me. I wish you could program the movie button to not only start a movie recording but also go to some pre-set default settings.