OLY E-M1 New Camera

[DSR-3]

Thanks again.
No doubt any of these choices will be a big step up from my E-PL1 in all areas. I guess I need to do some more digging to get a better feel for actual video performance and examples- hopefully U/W. Anyone have E-M1 U/W video examples to point me to?
Yes, the Black Magic looks like a great choice for video, but I need stills too so I've ruled it out.
Rich (TheTrickster), please continue to post updates on your progress with the GH3 somewhere here.

 

[BoltSnap]

I was really tempted by the BMPCC but from the reviews I read, the problems with the BMPCC (when I looked at it) were:

1. x2.88 Crop Factor (unless you start using a Speedbooster)

Please forgive my ignorance but what is a "speedbooster" and how does it related to crop factor?

 

[TheTrickster]

Metabones®

"Mounted between a mirrorless camera and a SLR lens, Speed Booster® increases maximum aperture by 1 stop (hence its name), increases MTF and makes lens wider by a factor of 0.71x."

However I'm unsure if you can use one within the Nauticam housing.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

I am not a video guy but it seems to me that most high end video work is done with manual focus and a tripod. This crop factor issue is blown out of proportion because the M43 cameras already have a 2X crop factor so at .88 this is not a huge video issue since most video is done with lenses much narrower than say the 7-14 zoom or even the 9-18.

The Battery power issue is also a non-issue with battery power extended to around three hours with the Nauticam battery pack attached photo. You should go to Nauticanusa.com to read the new press release for this camera.

For those looking for a M43 camera with better video you may want to read Peter Rowlands review of the Panasonic GX-7 and Nauticam NA-GX7 housing in the FREE PDF download of the new issue of uwpmag.com released today. Peter is a past Panasonic GH-3 user and has great insight into both cameras, with a review of the GH-3 system in a past issue of the on-line magazine.

I was really tempted by the BMPCC but from the reviews I read, the problems with the BMPCC (when I looked at it) were:

1. x2.88 Crop Factor (unless you start using a Speedbooster)
2. No Auto Focus
3. Battery Life

But for sure 12Bit RAW is the future and I bet the next m43 camera I'll be getting will include this...

 

[TheTrickster]

Phil,

Thanks for that - that info completely missed me, I saw the news on the 2.5k and 4k camera housings - but didn't realise they had one for the BMPCC too.

I see Nauticam have re-engineered their 6" Dome to accommodate a focus knob (I presume due to the BM lack of AF).

Any news on if Nauticam with release an 20mm extension port with this focus knob as well - so people could use the wonderful 120mm Zen mFt dome on it too? That would be killer!!

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

Did not intend to highjack this thread away from the E-M1 but I will address the 6" dome. Not sure which photo of a six inch dome you may have seen but Nauticam's very first product shown at DEMA about five years ago was the eight inch white balance port which uses a "focus knob" to open and close the white iris. Nauticam had a prototype six inch W/B port a DEMA in November along with the prototype BMPCC housing. This may be what you have seen and it is not designed to focus a lens.

Now back to E-M1

 

[TheTrickster]

Nauticam Part Number: #36164

(As per their latest Mini Port Compatibility Chart)



If the video is good on the E-M1 also - this port would be handy too

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

That would be the port for the Panasonic 12-35 zoom and will allow focus, not sure if it works with 7-14. The six inch W/B port is designed for Panasonic 8mm fisheye.

Both ports would work with the NA-EM1 housing and the BMPCC housings.

 

[Jak Crow]

Any thoughts on going with the PC flash cable connector to strobes? I've read it ups the flash sync to 1/400.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

You can use the PC or the hot shoe with WIRE cables to a NON-propriatory strobe or strobes and get a sync speed above the 1/320th you will get with the on board flash using fiber optic cables. As long as the strobe you are using is not an Olympus strobe (as in the popup strobe that comes with the camera) you should be able to go at least one stop of light higher on the sync speed. This will involve shooting in manual unless you have a TTL converter which would work off the hot shoe.