OMD-EM1- fastest Sync speed when using Inon Z240 strobes? Nauticam housing? lenses?

[emb]

Hi All- I am currently shooting with a PEN EPL-2, Olympus PT-EP03 UW housing, Oly standard flat port, WA-100 Zen Dome port, various lenses and 2 Inon Z240 strobes. I have several questions-

I am considering upgrading to the OMD-EM1 and was wondering, does anyone know what the fastest sync speed is when using 2 of the Inon Z240 lenses with the OMD-EM1? One of the drawbacks of the PEN EPL-2 with the Inon Z240 strobes is that the fastest sync speed is 1/180th.

Also, I've seen comments debating the Oly UW housing vs. Nauticam... If I am going to upgrade to the OMD-EM1 is the increased cost of the Nauticam UW housing worth the price? I currently have an ULCS base and 4 buoyancy arms that I am using with the PT-EP03 housing and 2 Inon Z240 strobes. I have been very happy with the Olympus housing so didn't know if it was worth the extra $ for the Nauticam housing.

Lastly, I currently have 3 lenses I am using underwater-
Zuiko 14-42 mm
Zuiko 60 mm macro
Zuiko 9-18 mm Wide Angle

I like to shoot macro and have recently begun trying my hand at WA. Any comments on whether or not there might be better lenses for these purposes?

Thanks for any and all comments...much appreciated!

 

[jlyle]

Sync speed for the OMD EM1 is 1/250th using a fiber-optic flash; 1/320th with a hard-wired external flash.

Wide angle? 8mm FE

I don't think you can improve upon your 60mm for macro.

Just my dos centavos.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

Actually the EM1 will sync at 1/30th with the Z240 strobes using fiber optics, it is one of several upsides of moving up from the EM5 and others.

Up sides to the more expensive Nauticam are many and and the cost gap closes quickly when you start to add them up.

#1 The housing includes grips and supports not included with the Olympus housing a value of about $200.00.

#2 The housing includes a leak alarm and the electronic for the vacuum system, a value of around $240.00-$260.00 installed. You still need to buy the appropriate valve for the way you want to setup your system starting at $220.00.

#3 The port mounting system allows you to use both Nauticam and Zen Underwater ports for a wide variety of lenses. The Olympus system has one native M43 port, the rest are left over ports from the Olympus DSLR (43) type housings and were not designed for the system. The upside to the Olympus housing is for those who already own the old ports and 43 lenses that don't want to invest in M43 lenses.

#4 Quick and easy access to the AEL/AFL lock on the rear of the housing which I use all the time to auto focus the camera.

#5 A much more ergonomic design with better build quality, controls and material.

#6 The ability to be able to upgrade to a large optical view finder.

And the list goes on. Your EP03 ports will not work on the Olympus EM1 housing.

Nauticam has an Olympus port adapter which includes a zoom/focus control for the old 43 ports and like the 170mm dome for the Olympus 7-14 zoom.

Regarding lenses the Panasonic 45mm macro is quite good but almost which the cost of the Olympus 60macro. It has IS for Pana cameras which you won't use because the EM1 IBIS works much better. The Panasonic 7-14zoom and 8mm fisheye are also great choices for wide angle. An Olympus m43, 7-14mm F/2.8 "pro" i.e. weather sealing and great optics is also coming first quarter of 2015.

The Nauticam choice is a system that can be greatly expanded upon.

 

[cardog]

Actually the EM1 will sync at 1/30th with the Z240 strobes using fiber optics, it is one of several upsides of moving up from the EM5 and others.

Up sides to the more expensive Nauticam are many and and the cost gap closes quickly when you start to add them up.

#1 The housing includes grips and supports not included with the Olympus housing a value of about $200.00.

#2 The housing includes a leak alarm and the electronic for the vacuum system, a value of around $240.00-$260.00 installed. You still need to buy the appropriate valve for the way you want to setup your system starting at $220.00.

#3 The port mounting system allows you to use both Nauticam and Zen Underwater ports for a wide variety of lenses. The Olympus system has one native M43 port, the rest are left over ports from the Olympus DSLR (43) type housings and were not designed for the system. The upside to the Olympus housing is for those who already own the old ports and 43 lenses that don't want to invest in M43 lenses.

#4 Quick and easy access to the AEL/AFL lock on the rear of the housing which I use all the time to auto focus the camera.

#5 A much more ergonomic design with better build quality, controls and material.

#6 The ability to be able to upgrade to a large optical view finder.

And the list goes on. Your EP03 ports will not work on the Olympus EM1 housing.

Nauticam has an Olympus port adapter which includes a zoom/focus control for the old 43 ports and like the 170mm dome for the Olympus 7-14 zoom.

Regarding lenses the Panasonic 45mm macro is quite good but almost which the cost of the Olympus 60macro. It has IS for Pana cameras which you won't use because the EM1 IBIS works much better. The Panasonic 7-14zoom and 8mm fisheye are also great choices for wide angle. An Olympus m43, 7-14mm F/2.8 "pro" i.e. weather sealing and great optics is also coming first quarter of 2015.

The Nauticam choice is a system that can be greatly expanded upon.

Quick question, Phil. Which adapter do I need to purchase if I upgrade to the Nauticam housing for the EM 1? I already have the standard Oly flat port for my E PL5 and the Zen Pen 100.....

 

[jlyle]

My bad. Of course, Phil is correct, sync speed is 1/320 sec with the EM1.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

ZEN Underwater makes the attached adapter which allows you to use three of the ZEN Pen ports, 9-18, 7-14 and flat port on the Olympus EM-1 housing. I am not aware of an adapter for ZEN Pen ports to Nauticam. I ask about this a while back and it had to do with a number of things including size differences which did not allow the compatibility between the two. Zen also makes a 100mm optical glass port for the Olympus EM-1 housing for use with the Panasonic 8mm fisheye.

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=80_126_89&products_id=6073

 

[cardog]

That I knew.... I was hoping that of I housed my EM 1 I could use my ports.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[emb]

Thank you all for your quick replies, much appreciated! Phil, I saw a post from earlier in the year from you that stated....

"For the 9-18 zoom you would want to use the four inch dome port and zoom gear, Nauticam 4? Wide Angle Port For Mirrorless Camera Housings [nau.36137] - $480.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros (Nauticam 4? Wide Angle Port For Mirrorless Camera Housings [nau.36137] - $480.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros) In theory this port could be used in the same way as the ZEN port for all three lenses."

Was wondering, is it feasible to use the 4" Dome port on the Nauticam housing with all 3 of the lenses I currently own? I own the stock 14-42, the 9-18 and the 60mm macro. Is it really necessary to buy all three ports for the Nauticam housing when using the OMD-EM1? Your thoughts- pros/cons on using the dome port for all vs. buying all 3 ports?

Thanks!

 

[Wisnu]

Thank you all for your quick replies, much appreciated! Phil, I saw a post from earlier in the year from you that stated....

"For the 9-18 zoom you would want to use the four inch dome port and zoom gear, Nauticam 4? Wide Angle Port For Mirrorless Camera Housings [nau.36137] - $480.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros (Nauticam 4? Wide Angle Port For Mirrorless Camera Housings [nau.36137] - $480.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros) In theory this port could be used in the same way as the ZEN port for all three lenses."

Was wondering, is it feasible to use the 4" Dome port on the Nauticam housing with all 3 of the lenses I currently own? I own the stock 14-42, the 9-18 and the 60mm macro. Is it really necessary to buy all three ports for the Nauticam housing when using the OMD-EM1? Your thoughts- pros/cons on using the dome port for all vs. buying all 3 ports?

Thanks!

I'm happy using 4" dome for the 12-50mm and 60mm macro
I don't have 9-18mm; for WA I use 7-14mm, no choise, I hv to use the 6"

 

[emb]

Thanks, Wisnu for the reply regarding using the 4" dome port with the 60mm macro lens. If I upgrade tp the OMD-M1 and Nauticam housing was trying to eliminate multiple ports for travel purposes, if I could potentially use all three lenses in the 4" dome port!