OLY E-PM1 - Help please

[karannarang]

I am considering buying the E-PM1 from Jack and am on a limited budget. I am considering buying just the camera and housing first. Will this be sufficient as a started with the future possibility of adding a strobe? I am headed to Grand Cayman at the end of the month and dont really have the funds available to buy the other special with the strobe on their website.

I have used basic point and shoots U/W so far, but on land i use a Canon 60d and consider myself an intermediate user. The setup for the 60d is out of question at the moment due to limited funds

I guess the question is -

Will i be able to get good pictures without an external strobe? Does anyone have samples?

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[fisheater]

Yes. Get it.

You can always add a strobe or pair of strobes later.

If you have sufficient available light, you can still get great photos.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[karannarang]

Thanks Fisheater..

Anyone have sample shots without strobes?

 

[JackConnick]

You can use it without the strobe in shallower conditions - at Grand Cayman; Stingray City and the top of the Kittiwake are awesome dives to shoot available light for instance. The tops of the reefs during mid-day should be ok too. You'll need to shoot shallow with the light behind you. But the walls, caves, etc won't work out very well. The internal flash used in this housing only triggers an external strobe.

We do have a 37mm red filter you can put on the lens on the inside, then use manual white balance to remove a lot of the cyan cast, especially if you shoot in RAW and process it later on as well.

Jack

 

[Gdog]

Buy it. You cant beat the deal, and as long as you shoot 30' or less with ambient light, or use the red filter, you will get good shots. I have the same setup, got it from Jack, and use 1 strobe, and in water less than about 30' I turn the strobe off. When you get back, save up and get the strobe(s).

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

Unless you are in 10ft of water or less, or shooting silhouettes, you will want a strobe, or I don't think the shots will turn out great. Still, I'd rather go to Grand Cayman with the E-PM1 than with nothing - so you might as well make the purchase. Good luck! - Scott

 

[beertiki]

Buy the camera and start the learning process now.

No strobes...


Depths 15 - 40 ft, natural light, no filters.

 

[Foxtrot16]

If necessary you can also use you dive torch to provide light in lieu of a strobe - but don't aim the torch beam directly at the subject, just use the edge of the beam of light.

Need to be aware of your WB so shooting in RAW will get better results. With a bit of practice and patience you can get some good results.

Hope this helps.

Karl

 

[Ouvea]

Hi Guys:

I'm also considering purchasing this setup. I have an Ikelite AF35 strobe, which I used with my Sony camera that failed. Will the EPM1 work with my Ikelite Strobe?

Thanks,
O.

 

[smoore]

Hi Guys:

I'm also considering purchasing this setup. I have an Ikelite AF35 strobe, which I used with my Sony camera that failed. Will the EPM1 work with my Ikelite Strobe?

Thanks,
O.

I don't think so. That flash works with an external sensor and not with fibre optic cable. I believe that housing you will use does not have a window that will allow the sensor to see the camera's flash. I don't know if you could use a fibre optic cable and some how tape it to the sesnor but I doubt it. Since you are getting the camera and housing you could try a DIY rig at home using and see if you could get the fibre optic cable to trigger the flash.

There are a number of shallow reefs in the Caymans where I think you could get good natural light photos. You could always rent a flash and take it with you for the week.

---------- Post added August 14th, 2013 at 02:47 PM ----------

You can use it without the strobe in shallower conditions - at Grand Cayman; Stingray City and the top of the Kittiwake are awesome dives to shoot available light for instance. The tops of the reefs during mid-day should be ok too. You'll need to shoot shallow with the light behind you. But the walls, caves, etc won't work out very well. The internal flash used in this housing only triggers an external strobe.

We do have a 37mm red filter you can put on the lens on the inside, then use manual white balance to remove a lot of the cyan cast, especially if you shoot in RAW and process it later on as well.

Jack

Jack, for this type of diving would the underwater modes on the camera help with the colour balance on natural light shots? Actually, is there any time when it makes sense to use the underwater modes on these cameras?