New 10Bar Housing for E-PL1 - interchangeable Ports!!

[JackConnick]

MSRP is $900, but price may vary depending on parts included and shipping to dealer.

Here's some shots taken at the Seattle Aquarium, where I dive, with the 9-18mm lens, set at 9mm as I don't have gearing for it yet. This is a really nice lens - extremely fast focusing and very sharp. I could focus to about 6" with it at f/8(ish).

More photos here.

Jack

 

[JackConnick]

This housing is being updated from what's shown.
There will be screw-on sync cord holders, some button changes, etc. Should be out in 10 days or so. Thee will also be a new macro lens flip-down holder available for it.

Jack

 

[cdkim@cfxc.com]

Will the 10Bar housing allow a wet mount macro or fish eye lense?

 

[JackConnick]

There will be a flip down macro lens available for the semi-dome port. Or you can use the 17mm port and a wet mount lenses. It comes with the semi dome, so really the better option is to use the very sharp 9-18mm lens in the std semi-dome port.

Jack

 

[under water]

Has anyone bought one of these and can give us a review of it?
It looks good on paper (er screen).

What tray works?
What is the balance like? What does it feel like underwater with strobes? It looks tiny and I'm concerned it's actually too small for strobes.
Any issues?
Anyone try it with 67mm wet lenses?
etc.
Thanks!

 

[nikitich]

I am waiting for the housing to arrive in few days. That will be e-pl1 with port for 20mm Panasonic lens with 67mm thread. I have inon ucl-165 that I plan to try on. So I will come up with first impressions pretty soon but probaby it will be buthtub or pool at the best. Through test will be published here on Aug 15 when I will be back from Egypt. Plan on diving with inon s2000 and snorkling without strobe.

 

[JackConnick]

There is now a flat port for the 14-42 that will take the 67mm lens as well. Don't have pricing on it yet.

Jack

 

[nikitich]

When I compared side by side 14-42 oly and 20mm pana on my e-pl 1 (firmware 1.1 ) the difference in focusing speed was MAJOR. Pana is also the winner in low light focusing. That is why I chose 10 bar over original Oly housing. 9-18 lens seems to be much better but it is kinda expensive and would vignette in PT1 even at 18mm if used with m67 close up lens

This new 10 bar port with m67 thead probably can fit panasonic 14-45 and new 14-42. It also probably fits macro 45mm lens. But I may be wrong here....

 

[JackConnick]

I don't know why you'd compare a cheap kit zoom lens to a fixed focus. Comparing the 17mm Oly to the 20 Pany would be more apt. The Panasonic lenses are going to be faster, but they also are about a third more expensive.

Jack

 

[under water]

There is now a flat port for the 14-42 that will take the 67mm lens as well. Don't have pricing on it yet.

Jack

Jack, to use the Inon UWL-100 with that, will I need to zoom into 35mm equivalent?
I assume ucl-165M67 will work fine.
Thanks