EPL2 14-42mm too slow underwater?

[MrMagica]

Hi all.

Just got a EPL2 with 14-42mm II lens. Could only manage a cheap fantasea Nano strobe (GN 12). I was hoping I could use the strobe for some close up work... and also shoot in ambient light for wider shots.

However I've been playing around with the lens above water at home (dark out, standard living room lighting levels). The min aperature of 3.5 - 5.6 really seems to make the lens struggle. The shutter speed is from 1 second to 1/50. Thats at an ISO as high as 800. I'm getting blur on stationary objects so no good for UW.

It's not half as dark as it will be at 20 meters, making me think the 14-42mm is going to be near useless unless its used close up with strobe?

Anyone got experience of this lens with ambient light?

 

[att]

Hi all.

Just got a EPL2 with 14-42mm II lens. Could only manage a cheap fantasea Nano strobe (GN 12). I was hoping I could use the strobe for some close up work... and also shoot in ambient light for wider shots.

However I've been playing around with the lens above water at home (dark out, standard living room lighting levels). The min aperature of 3.5 - 5.6 really seems to make the lens struggle. The shutter speed is from 1 second to 1/50. Thats at an ISO as high as 800. I'm getting blur on stationary objects so no good for UW.

It's not half as dark as it will be at 20 meters, making me think the 14-42mm is going to be near useless unless its used close up with strobe?

Anyone got experience of this lens with ambient light?

most people use focusing lights under water - do you have any? Without it your camera may take long time to focus because contrast detection focusing needs light. Even with focusing light you may consider using manual mode to have more control over aperture and shutter speed.

---------- Post Merged at 06:40 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:35 PM ----------

And I forgot to mention that you problem has nothing to do with your strobe.

 

[MrMagica]

sorry I don't think I made my message very clear! Focus speed isn't the issue, by a "slow" lens, I didn't mean slow to focus, but its slow due to its relatively high minimum aperature.

Problem: at the high aperature of the lens, the shutter speed is too slow, resulting in blurred images. I imagine in the limited light underwater this will be even worse. Anyone shot with this with ambient light?

 

[smoore]

I have used the same lens on the same camera but have been using an Inon S2000 flash and it works well. I have not shot any shots just with ambient light. Even with a slower shutter speed the short duration of the flash should freeze the subject matter.

 

[chile7236]

i have a buddy that uses his in ambient light (shallower depths, tho...30-60ft) and he doesn't seem to have any issues using ambient light. a few of his shots have some blur but most are pretty good.

 

[gustele]

The maximum aperture of that lens should not be a problem when using a strobe. I am using different equipment but when using a strobe I always step down my lens to at least 5.6. The strobe should freeze any movement provided you set your camera on manual and the shutter at 1/60 sec or 1/125 sec. It is unclear to me if the mentioned guide number of 12 is the value under water or above water (probably the latter). In that case the value underwater would be about 6 at 100 ISO (in meters). That would give you a working distance at F/5.6 of about 1 meter (at 100 ISO) which is fine for most objects.

 

[MrMagica]

thanks for the replies... it's the fantasea nano, thought it was GN 12 below water. I'm using an EPL2 which has a minimum ISO of 200, so I guess thats a rough working distance of 2m?

To be honest I'm thinking I may raise the ISO to 350, or 400. Is their really any problem with this? I see many people only shooting at 200, but even on this 4/3rds camera upto 1600 is reasonable, I would have thought 400 should be close to maximum quality, while giving headway in shutter speed and working distance?

Is the fractional increase in noise not worth it? I must say on land the auto max ISO is on 800-1600 - why not below water?

 

[Peter Guy]

I have the older version of this lens and just don't have a problem with it. For macro work, the strobe provides all the light I want (and need) and I don't have an issue with a higher f Stop (generally 8 - 11) and 1/120th to 1/160th (highest my EPL-1 will synch). If I'm doing wide angle, my strobe (Inon D2000) doesn't do me much good anyway!

In other words, I find the lens plenty "fast enough" since I tend not to approach it being wide open.

 

[MrMagica]

thanks for all responses. Of course I'll enjoy finding out for myself, but it's nice to be as clued up as possible before descent!

Any input on ISO would be great - users of EPL1/EPL2/EPL3

 

[Mel Moncrieff]

I have the OM-D EM-5, and I think you can definitely go higher on iso with that camera as well. So for macro, get close and use iso 200, for distance (wider angle) keep it at 200, and go up to 400, 600, 800 as needed. Also, with manual, you can keep your shutter speed at at least 1/60 and that plus the strobe will minimize or eliminate your blur. Here is a link to some shots that I did with the OM-D--the last ones of the batfish, blennies, and flying gunards were done with that same lens.

http://melmoncrieff.shutterfly.com/2089

Best,

Mel