Looking for smaller package...

[gglessing]

PResently using E-3 in Ikelite housing with 2 DS160 strobes with either 7-14mm lens or 50mm+1.4X with appropriate ports for past 7 years. Last dive vacation I flooded housing in rinse tank, but housing and camera remained functional for the rest of vacation. Looking for smaller package, for I am tired of hand carrying all housing set up with strobes in a roll on with camera/lenses in a separate camera bag when traveling abroad. I am small-<5ft at 95lbs! I shoot everything manual; and don't even know how to use TTL! I have been very satisfied with my exposures for CFWA and macro to date. Thinking of Na-em1 with OMD -E1. It would be ideal to invest in smaller strobes too (but want to lessen initial expense for new system)-but has anyone used any OMD in nauticam housings with ikelite DS strobes? I am not looking for TTL (or should I?). Thanks for your input in advance...

I am not opposed to looking into 12-50 with macro adaptor, or 60mm macro. I enjoy the rectilinear 7-14mm for 4/3 and might consider the micro equivalent for it. But if I want to really downsize my travel equipment-maybe fish eye might be the compromise. I do miss the mid range zoom I used to use with the 14-54mm years ago-so I might just even consider the 12-40mm for everything and skip the CFWA and macro all together? Just depends on how much I am willing to spend;or rather how much I want to carry...

 

[TheTrickster]

Phil, who is a poster on here has vast experience of using the Olympus cameras in Nauticam housings - I would drop him a PM.

But its generally acknowledged that the E-M1 with the Nauticam housing is a great system and although expensive is actually good value for money, once you add everything up. The only issue I would see, is that the E-M1 housing uses the Nauticam 'Mini' system of ports and I'm not sure if your 50mm (which I had with my E-1 - mega lens!!) or the 7-14mm would have a port that fits...

Phil, for sure will know.

 

[R-balljunkie]

i manage my whole setup (4/3 camera/housing/2 strobes/tray/arms/dive regulator & computer/ 2 lenses/ focus light...and more in a lowepro backpack.....i even shove my laptop in for good measure

i have not had it count against being a carry on yet, so still allowed another "carry on" bag.

whew. one expensive backpack.

i dont want to comment too much on the "technicals". there's lots of options available and to be honest im a real hack when it comes to UW photography, not a subject matter expert by any means.

i dont have experience with nauticams housings, although hard pressed to find a bad word about them. im not sure how they measure up in size from oly's line of housings.

good luck in your endeavors.

C

 

[jlyle]

Look at the EM-5. If you want to downsize, dump the Ike strobes and buy Sea n Sea YS-D1s. See my webpage for pics.

 

[jetlife2]

i manage my whole setup (4/3 camera/housing/2 strobes/tray/arms/dive regulator & computer/ 2 lenses/ focus light...and more in a lowepro backpack.....i even shove my laptop in for good measure

i have not had it count against being a carry on yet, so still allowed another "carry on" bag.

whew. one expensive backpack.

That's very interesting. I would like to see a pic of the loaded backpack if you have one. What do you do inside the backpack, do you wrap the items up? I need an entire carry-on rollaboard bag for my setup.

Thanks

 

[jbb]

which Lowepro backpack do you have? I have pretty much the same set up except with Inon z240's and a FIX focus light.

 

[R-balljunkie]

That's very interesting. I would like to see a pic of the loaded backpack if you have one. What do you do inside the backpack, do you wrap the items up? I need an entire carry-on rollaboard bag for my setup.

Thanks

ill take a pic once my photobucket account is back to normal. I've maxed out my monthly free allocation of bandwidth...i think i have a shot of the bag packed "properly" somewhere.

i tend to pack it differently when im traveling verses just storing the camera in the closet. Since i use my cameral fairly often (2-3x a month), I dont take the time to compartmentalize everything nice and neatly using the movable padded dividers, rather do a partial break down of the arms and shove it in the bag.

i have a huge tray 16" tip to tip. in reality, it could be 4" shorter.
I leave the strobes attached to the arms, and reassembly takes seconds.

@JBB i have the Computrekker AW model. Im sure there are newer models out, but this one has held up perfectly for me.

Strobes are D-2000's which should be around the same size as the Z240's....which I wish I could afford (jealous)
The bag looks nondescript from the outside (which i like, doesn't scream steal me), and is comfortable on long hauls to hump thru airports.

The last trip i took this summer was marshall islands-japan-hong kong-bali-singapore and back....carried it with me the whole time.