Glowing review of EPL-1 for underwater use

[jd950]

Just a bit of information.

I recently came across this glowing Cathy Church review of the EPL-1 for underwater use, and why she thinks it superior to Canon G11, S90, etc..

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[Dee]

Thanks...it's always great to see reviews that show you made a good decision!

 

[Nemrod]

That is all good but the housing does not take a dome port and there are no M4:3 super wide or fisheye lenses--yet.

After the sale of several camera rigs both on this board and others and several additional eBay sales of other photos gear I am sitting on about 2,000 dollars earmarked for something above and beyond my S90/FIX but unfortunately, there is nothing--yet.

I notice that almost every photos that wins a contest or more important to me, catches my eye, is shot with the Tokina 10-17 or it is macro. I do believe the ELP-1 with the current housing and lens will be a great macro camera but right now, no dome port system and no super wide lenses restricts it's use underwater so severely that it is a NO GO for me. Since I don't sell the camera I can say that as I have no vested interest in promoting an item.

A "system" at the price point we are talking with this camera but be exactly that--a system and a system would include fisheye and ultra wide capability.

Yes, I realize one fellow has made his own ports etc, that is fine, I would prefer to just buy it over the counter.

Please Olympus, FIX, Sea and Sea, Ikelite, address these few remaining shortcomings.

N

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

Zen Underwater has already shown a 100 mm dome port for the Olympus 9 to 18 mm which has a 100 degree angle of view on the wide end for around $499.00. A dome port for the Pany 7 to 14 is sure to be coming. Pany has an 8 mm fisheye being announced next week and Oly has one coming next year. A 10 to 17 Tokina on the 4/3 sensor would not work all that well.

Phil Rudin

 

[jd950]

There is no perfect system. There are other 4/3 options...I just got a Seatool dome port for my Panasonic GF-1 with 7-14 lens. I'll see how it does in a few weeks. 10bar also offers a dome port for the EPL-1 in their housing.

 

[promocop]

im buying it

 

[davelew]

I notice that almost every photos that wins a contest or more important to me, catches my eye, is shot with the Tokina 10-17 or it is macro.

I did a survey of wide angle photos in Wetpixel Quarterly last fall, and was surprised by the results. There were 13 photos shot with prime fisheye lenses, 3 photos shot with the Tokina 10-17, and 4 photos shot with rectilinear lenses. Here are the results:


9 photos taken with the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye on crop-sensor cameras (D200, D300, D2x, D80)
3 photos taken with the Canon 15mm fisheye on full-frame cameras (Canon 5D)
1 photo taken with the Sigma 15mm fisheye on a full-frame Canon 5D

3 photos taken with the Tokina 10-17 on crop sensor cameras (D2x and D300)

1 photo each taken with the Nikon 12-24, Nikon 17-35, Nikon 14-24 and Canon 14mm rectilinear lenses.


Based on this, I built my E-P1 housing to work with an MMF-1 adapter and the very fine Olympus Four-Thirds 8mm fisheye lens.

 

[Nemrod]

I did a survey of wide angle photos in Wetpixel Quarterly last fall, and was surprised by the results. There were 13 photos shot with prime fisheye lenses, 3 photos shot with the Tokina 10-17, and 4 photos shot with rectilinear lenses. Here are the results:


9 photos taken with the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye on crop-sensor cameras (D200, D300, D2x, D80)
3 photos taken with the Canon 15mm fisheye on full-frame cameras (Canon 5D)
1 photo taken with the Sigma 15mm fisheye on a full-frame Canon 5D

3 photos taken with the Tokina 10-17 on crop sensor cameras (D2x and D300)

1 photo each taken with the Nikon 12-24, Nikon 17-35, Nikon 14-24 and Canon 14mm rectilinear lenses.


Based on this, I built my E-P1 housing to work with an MMF-1 adapter and the very fine Olympus Four-Thirds 8mm fisheye lens.

OK, make that almost every winning photo is a fisheye or ultrawide angle regardless of the brand of lens.

I am like inches from buying an ELP-1 just for surface use alone irrespective of the underwater thing. It is a really nice camera, perfect size, good ergonomics, very fast shooter when in manual focus, in auto focus however it shoots about as fast as my S90. I wonder how the vf works with it, has anyone looked through the electronic vf?

N

 

[davelew]

OK, make that almost every winning photo is a fisheye or ultrawide angle regardless of the brand of lens.

Sorry for any confusion, but I was only looking at wide angle photos when I made that list. I ignored any photos shot with a lens with a focal length over 35mm.

I was trying to get data to answer the question, "what's the best lens for wide angle underwater photography?" instead of the question, "what's the best lens overall?"

 

[Nemrod]

There is going to be a return volley from Canon and Nikon. Nikon get's it's sensors from or trades technology etc with Sony and Sony is introducing an EVIL this summer, sooooo----- and there have been several Nikon hints of something as well. I am just going to sit tight a bit since I have a new camera already while the M4:3 and EVIL wave builds into a tsunami. There will be a ELP-2 you know. This whole spectrum of sub size interchangeable lens cameras is going to be the hot market I betcha and FIX, Patima, Ikelite and others will have to jump in the water or shrivel on land. So, me, I am going to hold off another bit as much as I am impressed, very much, with the M4:3 Oly. Personally I like the M4:3 (EVIL) format better than a larger APSC EVIL but we shall see.

N