Lens/Port selection for new m43 setup

[addyngan]

Hi all,

I'm ready to graduate from my S95 setup (2 Inon D2000s, UWL-H100 and UCL-165) and thinking of getting the GX7 with the nauticam housing.

Now comes the (probably often asked) question of lens and port selection. I suppose ideally I get what lens i need and then get a port for each of them, but i am wondering how i can optimize travel weight and underwater size. I love macro so I am pretty sure on getting a dedicated macro lens (either 60mm or the panasonic 45mm), but on the wide front i am lost.

I have never shot with a fisheye; i will probably try at some point, but it looks like the 8mm fisheye can only work with a particular dome that can't work with other lens. Is that right?

I want a zoom for some of the dives -- but i am undecided between 9-18, 14-42, and maybe the 12-50. I kind of crossed out the 7-14 as i know it needs a particularly big dome port (6"). I also hear good reviews about the new 12-32mm but i don't know what dome port / zoom gear it will need.

So let's say I stick with a 3 lens line-up, 8mm, 9-18mm and 60mm is it possible to use 2 ports instead of 3? What's the reason for people using non-Nauticam dome on a Nauticam housing?

Please share your favorite line-ups too! I am also wondering if using my existing inon wet lenses can make the overall travel weight lower without sacrifice in quality..

Thanks!

 

[mjh]

First off go for the Oly 60mm for your macro, much better than the 45mm so you are committed to one port there. The 14-42 on that camera is really a 24-84mm which is a good "don't know what I will see lens" but not really a good WA lens. 7-14mm vs. 9-18mm; for twice the money some argue the 7-14mm does not give you twice as good results. Many shoot the 9-18mm and get excellent results. You can buy the new Zen 170mm port and shoot both lenses behind it. The Lumix 8mm is a great lens but it is ultra wide and really can only be shot behind it's 4.33" port. This is a true landscape lens, also excellent for CFWA. You can fill the frame with large subjects like manta rays and sharks but you need to be with in 6" feet or so. It has the smallest port.

Sooooo the 60mm and its port and the Zen 170mm and the appropriate extension would give you the most flexibility but it does come at a "cost".

 

[deeper thoughts]

Good info

 

[cardog]

Or shoot the 60mm, the 14-42, and the 9-18 behind the Zen WA100 semi dome port....

 

[addyngan]

Thanks all! Yes i am glad to hear that the macro can work behind the 4" port (either Nauticam or Zen). I know it's not perfect for the macro, but maybe it's worth starting with that setup.

By the way, I am very new to this lens/port relationship. The Olympus 60mm macro has a minimum focusing distance of 18.8cm on land to achieve 1:1 magnification (or 1:2 in 35mm terms). How does that change underwater behind a dome port and a flat port? With a flat port do I gain magnification with the same 18.8cm working distance, or the working distance is increased underwater? And with a dome port i know i will lose magnification. But is that in the form of increased working distance, or just the image being "demagnified"?