OM-D rig step by step

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Linder, have you had a look around the WetPixel forums?

Thanks for the reply Joti. Yes I'm looking a lot at wetpixel (great forum) I'm sure I've seen one or two photos @12mm behind a flat port but then the photo will not reveal what lens has been used and the headline says "OM-D with 9-18, 12-50, and 60mm macro". The few photos I've found that states they are @12mm are either semi close fish portraits or more WA but taken behind the Nauticam 4" dome. I'm more interested to see photos of objects that are let's say 60+ inches wide where the diver (photographer) is 80" or so from the subject.

I'll keep looking!
 
Guy Harrison has posted a few pics using the 12-50 in the dedicated port, and from the looks of those, I'm fairly sure that a few of them were taken at 12mm. You can find them in this thread :wink:
 
Hi Linder,

Storker linked to my thread and many of those shots were at 12mm. Remember that 12mm is only "semi-wide" underwater. You will get a little more coverage with a dome, but nothing like a dedicated true wide angle like the 9-18. You can still get nice scenic shots at 12mm even behind the flat port, but not that ultra-wide look. This goes back to Storker's comments about considering what you shoot.

If you are a generalist who might encounter anything on a dive from tiny macro to scenic to bigger fish or mammals (not whales or whale sharks, but things like sharks, turtles, dolphins, large groupers, eels, etc), then the only choice, to start, is the 12-50 in the dedicated port. Nothing comes close to its all-around flexibility.

If you are mainly into macro but want flexibility for scenics or larger subjects, the 12-50 in the dedicated port is also a great option, as the 60 macro works perfectly in that port as well and gives you true ultra-macro for macro dedicated dives (think Lembeh), but also the flexibility of the "all around" lens for dives where you want that.

If you are mainly into wide scenics and huge animals, then the best start is the 9-18 and 60mm in the dome. Here, you lose a little on the macro end because the dome will not let you get to the closest focusing distance without being too close to the subject, but you can still get very good macro results.

Either way, you are buying one port and two lenses. The latter option will probably cost you a little more.

Most cost-effective to start is the 12-50 in the dedicated port and then add other things as you decide what you like. I can tell you that the macro on the 12-50 is so good that there is no hurry at all to add the 60mm.
 
Hi Linder,

Storker linked to my thread and many of those shots were at 12mm. Remember that 12mm is only "semi-wide" underwater. You will get a little more coverage with a dome, but nothing like a dedicated true wide angle like the 9-18. You can still get nice scenic shots at 12mm even behind the flat port, but not that ultra-wide look. This goes back to Storker's comments about considering what you shoot.

If you are a generalist who might encounter anything on a dive from tiny macro to scenic to bigger fish or mammals (not whales or whale sharks, but things like sharks, turtles, dolphins, large groupers, eels, etc), then the only choice, to start, is the 12-50 in the dedicated port. Nothing comes close to its all-around flexibility.

If you are mainly into macro but want flexibility for scenics or larger subjects, the 12-50 in the dedicated port is also a great option, as the 60 macro works perfectly in that port as well and gives you true ultra-macro for macro dedicated dives (think Lembeh), but also the flexibility of the "all around" lens for dives where you want that.

If you are mainly into wide scenics and huge animals, then the best start is the 9-18 and 60mm in the dome. Here, you lose a little on the macro end because the dome will not let you get to the closest focusing distance without being too close to the subject, but you can still get very good macro results.

Either way, you are buying one port and two lenses. The latter option will probably cost you a little more.

Most cost-effective to start is the 12-50 in the dedicated port and then add other things as you decide what you like. I can tell you that the macro on the 12-50 is so good that there is no hurry at all to add the 60mm.

I Agree with everything Guy said!!! For me the 12-50mm lens is a must in the dedicated port (I can use the same port for the 60mm lens).
 
Hi Linder,

Storker linked to my thread and many of those shots were at 12mm. Remember that 12mm is only "semi-wide" underwater. You will get a little more coverage with a dome, but nothing like a dedicated true wide angle like the 9-18. You can still get nice scenic shots at 12mm even behind the flat port, but not that ultra-wide look. This goes back to Storker's comments about considering what you shoot.

If you are a generalist who might encounter anything on a dive from tiny macro to scenic to bigger fish or mammals (not whales or whale sharks, but things like sharks, turtles, dolphins, large groupers, eels, etc), then the only choice, to start, is the 12-50 in the dedicated port. Nothing comes close to its all-around flexibility.

If you are mainly into macro but want flexibility for scenics or larger subjects, the 12-50 in the dedicated port is also a great option, as the 60 macro works perfectly in that port as well and gives you true ultra-macro for macro dedicated dives (think Lembeh), but also the flexibility of the "all around" lens for dives where you want that.

If you are mainly into wide scenics and huge animals, then the best start is the 9-18 and 60mm in the dome. Here, you lose a little on the macro end because the dome will not let you get to the closest focusing distance without being too close to the subject, but you can still get very good macro results.

Either way, you are buying one port and two lenses. The latter option will probably cost you a little more.

Most cost-effective to start is the 12-50 in the dedicated port and then add other things as you decide what you like. I can tell you that the macro on the 12-50 is so good that there is no hurry at all to add the 60mm.

Thanks Guy! (and Storker!)

I more or less knew this in the back of my head, I just needed someone to tell it to me like I was still in school. The 12-50 will be a perfect starting point in building my OM-D rig for the type of shooting I do. Mind settled :)
 
Instead of paying an awful amount of money for the dedicated 12-50 port and gear, ($800) you can go for the macro port 65 and use the zoom gear made by an Austrian company: unterwasserkamera.at - D&D Olympus M.Zuiko 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ Zoom Gear
this will give you far more flexibility.
Yes you wont be able to lock access the macro mode of the lens but you can use external diopters like the SubSee +10
The 12-50 macro mode will lock the lens at 43mm and therefore you will lose a lot of your aperture range.
An external diopter can be use with the hole zoom range.
The port has a 67mm thread not a 77mm and can be also used with wet wide angle lenses.
 
Did I hear someone say you could lock the lens in Macro mode, and then turn the camera off and back on, or something, to put the lens back in zoom mode? One way street, but somewhat helpful.

I have the zoom ring from UnterwasserKamera for the 12-50mm and Oly port, and it works very well.
 
Did I hear someone say you could lock the lens in Macro mode, and then turn the camera off and back on, or something, to put the lens back in zoom mode? One way street, but somewhat helpful.

I have the zoom ring from UnterwasserKamera for the 12-50mm and Oly port, and it works very well.

Hello I have a question for you. I didnt know they made a zoom ring for this lens. I have the oly housing also.
What port are you using ? Is there any issues or limitations with this setup?
Thnx
 
Hello I have a question for you. I didnt know they made a zoom ring for this lens. I have the oly housing also.
What port are you using ? Is there anything issues with this setup?
Thnx

Hey Deeper,

PPO-EP01 flat port. Works well with the 60mm, 14-42mm, and 12-50mm
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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