If you only had 2 ports for your Nauticam

[watboy]

The situation:
I presently have an OMD with Nauticam housing with a 60mm and macro flat port and the 4" dome port for my 9-18mm. I went on a minor shopping splurge, so I now also have the 8mm fisheye, 12mm F2, in addition to the 12-50mm kit lens. I would like to limit my travel bag to 2 ports so am considering the following:

Get the 12-50 port w zoom gear, with flip folder and diopter.
I can use this one port for both the 60mm and 12-50mm correct? My main reason for this was occasionally I found myself wanting to shoot some video, (flamboyant cuttle, wunderpus) and I found that to be unwatchable shot w the 60mm. Or should I just keep using my 60mm flat port and buy a GoPro and mount it to my camera. That maybe cheaper than the 12-50 port/gear.

For wide:
4.33" dome. If i read the port chart correctly, I can put the 8mm fisheye and the 12mm F2 behind it. I'll lose some angle of view from the 9-18, but I can use one port for both fisheye and wide.

Or should I just learn to travel w 3 ports...

 

[BoltSnap]

Yes, the 12-50mm lens port can be used for both 60mm and 12-50mm lenses no problem with all functions available for both.

 

[jlyle]

My choice, too. The 12-50 lens port for 12-50 and 60mm lenses; flip adapter for a SubSee 10x; and an 8mm port for WA. Two ports, three lenses.

 

[Kenr]

If I already owned the macro port I wouldn't buy the 12-50mm port. The 12-50 port will set you back $800. You can buy the Austrian zoom gear for the 12-50 for $150 and it will fit behind the macro port. The only thing you won't get is the 43mm macro switch. Just put a subsee 10x and a flip adapter on the macro port and you are good to go.

 

[nudibranco]

I bet you can use all key lenses with one port 4.33" and 30mm extension. You will give up the macro function on the 12-50mm but you can use efficiently 60mm macro, 9-18mm WA, 8mm FE, 14-42mm lenses.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Nudibranco is right if you are in a pinch except I don't think the 4.33 port is useable for the fisheye. Otherwise, the dedicated 12-50 port, and then either the 4.33 or 6 dome depending on if you have the 9-18 or 7-14, or the 4 dome if you have a fisheye. In otherwords, the lens you are using for wide angle drives what port you get.

However, Zen has just come out with a 170mm dome, according to Phil Rudin, that dome would work with all three of these lenses so if you want wide zoom AND fisheye, one port will do both. You might need to investigate that further, however.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

The 170mm dome does not work with the 8mm fisheye because it can not sit close enough to the housing to keep the lens from vignetting.

Phil Rudin

 

[Kenr]

I'm really confused now. On Nauticam's port chart it says the 4.33 dome port 36132 is for the 8mm pana fisheye. Is there a mistake on the port chart? or am I understanding something wrong.
Ken

 

[unclebob]

The 4.33" (36132) dome port is the port for the 8mm Panasonic fisheye, also works with the Olympus 12mm. The 4" wide-angle port (aka 4" semi-dome, 36137) is the port for the 9-18mm (it doesn't work with the 8mm), but it also works with a couple of the 14-42mm lenses and the 12-50mm lens. The 60mm macro will also fit behind the 4" wide-angle port (36137).

It might be possible to fit the 60mm macro, 12-50mm and other lenses behind the 4.33" dome with an extension, however the optical radius of the 4.33" dome is rather extreme, whereas the radius of the 4" wide-angle (36137) is the same as the 6" wide-angle (36133). I'm quite certain the 12-50mm won't focus behind the 4.33" dome w/extension (except in macro), and the strong radius of the 4.33" dome and extension isn't likely to result in the best performance with the 60mm macro.

 

[nudibranco]

mmmm Unclebob you are probably right about the 12-50mm!!. Normal focusing distance for this lens is not close enough probably (a 4.33" dome with 30mm extension seem to calculate to about 26.7mm minimum focusing distance). But why would you think the 60mm would be not optimal? Would the pupil be too much in the front with the optimal distance with the 4.33" ?