EPL-2 camera and housing

[PHIL RUDIN]

News on the EPL-2 which should be shown on Jan 6, with the improved 14-42 kit lens. It appears that a new housing will be announced at the same time. Olympus has heard the comments about the size of the PT-EP01 housing and has clearly shrunk the new housing to remove the EVF area. This housing appears to use the same stock port, keep your fingers crossed that will allow crossover to the outstanding ZENUNDERWATER.com ports.

The Olympus xz1 is also getting a housing of it own.

Phil Rudin

 

[ScubaMarc]

why can't canon make a case like this for its g series.

 

[nudibranco]

Phil,
thanks for the update!

I just got the ZEN WA100 and it seems quite nice. I am wondering why it has no glass coating ... maybe useless underwater? I also see there is an upcoming fisheye port for the 8mm lens from Panasonic? Can that be ordered already? Any recommendations for an underwater color filter to pop over the dome (mainly for some video clips...)?

Andrea

 

[friscuba]

why can't canon make a case like this for its g series.

Canon makes a case for it's g series, same depth rating, fairly inexpensive. If by "like this" you mean the nicer closing mechanism and heavy duty appearance, Oly does seem to have a leg up on Canon.

 

[friscuba]

Ooohhh... I'm really looking forward to that new camera. I've barely used the one I have... when the e-pl2 comes out I'll probably pick it up and put the e-pl1 in rental.

The XZ1 really has me intrigued too. It may compete with the Canon offerings.

 

[Peter Guy]

Hmmm, just hope:

a. What are the improvements to the kit lens -- faster focus?

b. I wonder how the smaller housing will effect the balance. I like the fact that, with the tray and Inon D2000, the housing is just barely negative and very easy to hold/use.

c. Will the 2 fit the existing housing and/or the 1 fit the new housing? Or is it time to get another 1 body for when (if?) I flood and kill my current 1.

 

[davelew]

Hmmm, just hope:

a. What are the improvements to the kit lens -- faster focus?

The new lens has been out in Japan since November. It's supposed to have faster and quieter focus. The lens is also 25% lighter, slightly narrower, and slightly longer when collapsed. There was an issue with the old 14-42 kit zoom where some lens elements vibrated when the shutterspeed was at 1/100 to 1/200 resulting in less sharp photos at those shutterspeeds, and that problem has been fixed.

On the downside, it looks like the new lens won't work quite as well in macro as the old 14-42.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

ZenUnderwater.com does support the Panasonic 8mm fisheye and an 8 fisheye is also coming from Olympus in the first quarter of 2011 along with a 50 macro and 12 mm.

Zen Underwater DP-100 100mm Fisheye Macro Port for Panasonic 8mm Fisheye in Olympus PT-EP01 [zen.dp.100ep] - $799.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

The Zen ports have the optical coating, Welcome to zenunderwater.com!

The new KIT lens is the MSC type like the 9-18 zoom and will work better with still and video. Not quite as much magnification but still plenty good for close-up/macro.

Regarding the smaller housing, Olympus heard a lot of bitching over the size being to large and now I am sure the complaints will start about it being to small and not as lite in the water. You can't have it both ways.

While the cameras appear the same the housing has changed for sure.

 

[ScubaMarc]

Canon makes a case for it's g series, same depth rating, fairly inexpensive. If by "like this" you mean the nicer closing mechanism and heavy duty appearance, Oly does seem to have a leg up on Canon.

Yes, i did mean heavy duty with the fiber optic port and lens ports.

 

[cavefish]

If the rumors (e.g. better LCD & remote shutter option) are true I think I might finally board the MFT boat ) Especially if the E-PL2's video capabilities are improved too.

Personally I'm glad they got rid of the EVF hump on the housing. Placed at 45 degrees it would have been useful, but horizontally I never quite understood the supposed advantage over the LCD?