Short port for pt-ep housing project

[nikitich]

Hi everyone! I need a short flat port for olympus/panasonic pancake lens. I own a pt-ep06 housing with a standart port. It is not possible to use internal flash with it since the "old" port (az well as ZEN dome) is casting heavy shadow. Sometimes I go for just one or two dives per vacation and do not want to carry all bulky strobes and tray with me. Also sometimes diving conditions will require all of my attention so I would prefer to have just a compact housing on a strap.
I guess with a pancake lens and a flat port the port will barely stick out of the housing so it gives me perfect ubercompact camera
I contacted pretty much everyone who could custom make a port for me (zen, fantic, precision, 10bar) but unfortunately no one answered.
So I guess I will have to make it by myself. I am pretty sure that I will be capable to machine a new port and anodise it. The more complicated issue is a glass part. For that I either need some old flat port that I can take apart OR may be this custom made port could be a combination of custom made adaptor + short port from 10 bar.
Any advise is definitely needed. If anyone have a pancake 10 bar port please let me know the dimentions as well as seal picture. If it will appear to fit I will be glad to buy this port used
Sorry for my engish, if anything is unclear please let me know.
If it will work out I will post a fully pictured report
Thanks for your help!

 

[terson]

Have you tried Athena, they advertise custom work and from what I have seen they are already advertsing pancake lenses?
Bruce

 

[Packhorse]

I have yet to remove my port so I am unsure of the fixture system.

But given a lathe and a half decent operator it shouldnt be an issue to make up a custom port. In fact I have been contemplating it myself. Just not sure I could trust my camera to my lathe skills.
There are plenty of online places to get a piece of glass to suit your needs. You would probably want anti reflective coated glass.

 

[nikitich]

2 terson - http://athena-opt.com/EP-0506/images/chart_e.jpg adapter + port will cost me about $800 which is I think a bit too much still not a very low volume...
2 packhorse- I have highly quailfied pesonnell with electronically operated state of the art lathe but when it comes to the glass I am not sure how to fit it in securely and not to flood my camera so I decided to use an already proven solution - an existing port such as 10 bar.
Probably the best way to obtain such a port would be to ask ZEN to manufacture a shorter version of their macro port Welcome to zenunderwater.com! but I guess they would be interested only if a bunch of these ports would be ordered at once.

 

[Packhorse]

A flat lens would be simple to implement. Just look at any dive light lens.
Put an Oring behind it and a bezel in front of it to lock the lens down.

A dome lens will pretty much be the same. The issue is sourcing one.

 

[Mooseman1007]

I know its not quite a flat pancake port but its definately smaller than the standard port
Precision Olympus Dome for 8mm Fisheye Lens | Bluewater Photo & Video
would just need to add a diffuser to the top of the dome shade then you can use the onboard flash ??
Moose

 

[nikitich]

Zen dome will not work with a diffuser. If anyone has Precision dome installed please confirm that it is working with onboard flash. For a diffuser you can use a plain sheet of paper.
Thank you!