New 10Bar Housing for E-PL1 - interchangeable Ports!!

[JackConnick]

I've been working with LC Ng of 10Bar to come up with a housing for the new Olympus micro 4/3rds camera the E-PL1. Although Olympus has a housing out, it has several limitations; worst of which is a non-interchangeable port.

Since 10bar already has popular housing out for the similar Panasonic GF-1, I asked LC if he could develop something. I've also been asking for better, dedicated controls on his, and larger knobs to make operation easier. The housings are all cast aluminum, 200' depth rated and have both optical and electrical strobe connections. The flash can be raised and lowered from the housing.

Here's the new housing and it is shipping. Ports are available for the Oly 17mm (with a 67mm screw thread), 14-42 and 9-18mm lenses. These support the similar Panasonic lenses as well, and an extension tube for the 17mm port will allow the Panasonic 45mm macro to be used. He is working on an 8mm FE port. Pricing is the same as the GF-1 housing.

These will be on display at my booth (#805) at the NW Dive and Travel Show and are available to order from the store soon.

Jack

 

[Peter Guy]

Thanks Jack (but I'll stay with the housing I just bought from you!). I'm only allowed to spend a little money at a time on this addiction.

 

[jd950]

So, are you saying the available ports will work with the Panasonic 14-45 and 7-14 lenses?

Is the port for the 14-42 (and perhaps 14-45) flat or semi-domed?

Will the Panasonic GF1 ports work on this housing?

 

[JackConnick]

Yes



You're seeing the 14-42/14-45 semi-dome port that ships with it. I'm a bit unclear about his plans for packaging it with ports, if he's going to do the same 2 port package like the GF-1. But they are available.

One of the first housings is being mailed to me. I have all three ports, so as soon as I get the 9-18 I'll try it out in the 7-14 port.

But what he told me was that they are all the same; lenses and ports are interchangable. If you have legacy GF-1 ports and just want a housing, I'm sure I can come up with that as well.

Notice that the controls are all single button and the knobs much larger. The focus and zoom now have proper gearing, not the friction method he had before.

Jack

 

[jd950]

I don't have any ports, but I do have the Panasonic GF1 and Panasonic lenses. I have been hoping to house my GF1 with the 7-14 and 14-45 lenses, but had mixed feelings about the 10bar housing for the GF1. It looks like this housing is a significant improvement. So I guess if I went with 10bar, I would be looking at housing an Oly body with Panasonic lenses. I would prefer the 14-45 was a flat port, as I could then use it for semi-macro, since I want to house the 7-14 also. But, I suppose I could get a 45 macro lens instead.

Since he has improved the focus and zoom controls on the ports, I would probably like to use Oly ports if they will work well with the Panasonic lenses.

I think, though, that the 9-18 is a lot smaller than the 7-14, so that could be an issue. I don't really want to buy the 9-18 lens.

 

[JackConnick]

I'll try to check the fit of some of this stuff next week.

Jack

 

[nikitich]

Dear Jack!
Do you by chance know if 10bar is going to make the same controls for their GF1 housing? Their confusing rotating knobs are the only reason that stops me from buying their housing. I even think about selling my GF1 and getting e-pl1 with this wonderful new housing you showed here.

 

[JackConnick]

Yes, he is looking into it, but maybe not for a while. The Olympus has a much simpler button layout and doesn't have nearly as complex controls that rotate and push in, etc. It relies more on the s/w control panel, making it an easier camera to control within a housing, IMHO.

Jack

 

[nikitich]

Dear Jack!
For me most important would be the 5 button menu joystick. If they would change just that the rest of the controls could stay the way they are. Is it posiible to custom order such a housing from 10 bar? Can you assist with such order?

Thank you!

 

[JackConnick]

no, as they revise something I post it on Facebook or my store.

Jack