Getting DSLR and looking at OLYMPUS EVOLT E-330 - Comments please

[JackConnick]

I'm not an Oly lens maven, but in general an 18-180mm would not be the best choice for UW as it is a zoom telephoto and has really too large a range for UW, IMHO. Telephotos don't work because you're too far away from the subject and putting too much water between you and it. Great for a walking around lens though.

Figuring out ports and lenses is hard, especially in a camera so new. I would say our standard port should accommodate 30-60mm & macro lenses or so, our long port the macro 105mm, and the dome port wider lenses down to 15-11mm (short focal length might be better with a diopter). But we also have an extension ring to lengthen the barrel for longer lenses. It's quite possible that the long port with an extension ring would accommodate the 18-180, but I don't know why you'd want to use it UW.

Jack

 

[JackConnick]

Yes, you can use the Ike strobe, Ike sells a Ike to Nikonos cord.

But the Inon 240z might be a better option. I like their strobes for fantastic reliability, power and small size. But S&S strobes will work and many others with Nikonos 5 pin cords.

Jack

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'm really tempted to sell my E500, couple it with insurance money from my flooded C5060 and pick up a E330... then a housing down the road.

Well it comes with the standard lens port. Will work with your 50mm ok, I think, (send me a link to specs). There is a 5" dome port (I sell it for $295), ok for the 11-22mm, but I doubt it will work with the 8mm. For that, you'd want the Athena, for the Oly case, very nice, but $$. There is also a longer port for a 100mm and extension rings.

What are you doing for strobes and arms?

Jack

I'm using the Zuiko Digital 50mm Macro, specs can be found at http://www.olympusamerica.com/e1/sys_lens_50mm20.asp

Would the same port work with the 14-54mm? I ditched the 14-45 awhile back because it wasn't weather resistant nor as fast as the 14-54mm. What about the 35mm?

Specs on the 14-54mm
http://www.olympusamerica.com/e1/sys_lens_14mm.asp

Specs on the 35mm Macro
http://www.olympusamerica.com/e1/sys_lens_35mm.asp

I didn't have any strobes on my C5060 before she flooded out, ambient light was my friend... and enemy.

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the comments.

The initial lense I was considering getting was the Zuiko Digital 18-180mm. I figure as the default lens its a big improvement over the Zuiko Digital 14-45mm.
What do you guys think of this lens?

The 14-45 is the basic kit lense, atleast in America. Its decent, not too fast, not weatherproof, basically no frills but takes good images if you got a clean copy. The 18-180 will sacrifice in image quality with a bit of distortion at the really long and really short ends of the lense due to its extreme range. Makes for a great lightweight walk-around lense though.

fantasea, can I use an Ikelite strobe?

Doing some more research, it looks like you have to match a port to the EXACT lens you're going to use - is that correct? And looking at the Oly, the only lens supported are the following:
(14-45mm)
(11-22mm, 14-54mm)
(50mm Macro)
(7-14mm)

Darryl

The 8mm Fisheye will also fit the Olympus housing with the big dome port(same for the 7-14 I believe).

 

[Larry C]

They're really not as bad as I expected. You can get the Oly housing and a couple of ports for about $1700. If you go Ikelite, it's still under $2K. Calypsonick has some nice shots posted from his new one.

 

[alcina]

Might want to drop calypsonick a PM he's just posted his first images with the 330

 

[padiscubapro]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the comments.

The initial lense I was considering getting was the Zuiko Digital 18-180mm. I figure as the default lens its a big improvement over the Zuiko Digital 14-45mm.
What do you guys think of this lens?

I have some questions about how housings work with all these lenses though. How do I know what housings can handle what lenses? I want to make sure that the housing I buy will be able to handle whatever lenses I want to buy in the future.

Thanks,

Darryl

The kit lenses are OK, but I highly recommend the 14-54 lens.. It is a great lens and out performs lenses that cost several times what oly is selling it for.. There was a comparison last year against a $1200 nikon lens that it beat straight across the board..

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

The kit lenses are OK, but I highly recommend the 14-54 lens.. It is a great lens and out performs lenses that cost several times what oly is selling it for.. There was a comparison last year against a $1200 nikon lens that it beat straight across the board..

...and that can be said for most of the Pro level lenses in the Oly range

 

[dvleemin]

...and that can be said for most of the Pro level lenses in the Oly range

Excellent!

That makes sense to me . . .

So where's the best place to get the 330 + 14-54 .. . ?

Darryl

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

14-54 is out of stock in alot of places, its quite popular. I believe 17photo.com has em instock though.

 

[dvleemin]

Thanks,
Its too bad that you can't seem to get the 330 as a package deal with the 14-54. Essentially all they're doing is taking the 330 body, and adding the lens. So you end up paying a lot more than just the difference in cost between the 14-45 and 14-54 lenses . .

Darryl