Olympus OM EM5 II My Next Camera?

[kommisarrex]

I recently flooded an ikelite housing for a Sony RX100 M2. The camera is done. I was never super in love with the housing (bought used--it's awfully bulky). But, I really like the pics I could get from the camera shooting in full manual (some examples:https://www.flickr.com/photos/155843700@N02/albums/72157695905290175).

So, I'm thinking about a new camera and housing to pair with an Ikelite DS51 strobe. I'd like to get something that uses a regular sized SD card as I "invested" in a 256gb card that survived the flood. Backscatter has what seems to be a good deal on this Olympus: Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Camera, 14-42mm Lens, Zoom Gear & PT-EP13 Underwater Housing Bundle

What do people think of this deal? Is it going to be too much camera? The price seems right. Other suggestions? Just get another RX100 II and have Ikelite service the housing?

 

[mi000ke]

I have been looking at getting this same bundle. You might check out the prices here

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Housing & Camera Bundle

The thing that has been holding me back is that there are rumors that Olympus is coming out with a Mark III version this year, which means that either you will be able to purchase a better (or at least more highly functional) camera for roughly the same price, or will see a significant drop in the price of the Mark II.

I have to say though, that given what I read about the camera and after having had a long conversation about it with Kathy Church (well known UW photographer on Grand Cayman), I am dying to get one now.

 

[npole]

I own a M5MkII and a RX100M5 ...my Olympus is now doing its stuff only on the ground. Why? Because underwater the RX100 performs better in both pictures quality and videos.
There's rare circumstance where you can get advantage of the larger sensor and the much better optic of the oly (I also own a zuiko 2.8 PRO) ...but 99/100 situations are in favour of the Sony. The videos.. there isn't even a challenge here, the RX100 wins hands down.
I'm considering to dismiss the Oly gear now.. it's a pretty expensive camera and optics and it doesn't deserve to sit on a table.

 

[kommisarrex]

I own a M5MkII and a RX100M5 ...my Olympus is now doing its stuff only on the ground. Why? Because underwater the RX100 performs better in both pictures quality and videos.
There's rare circumstance where you can get advantage of the larger sensor and the much better optic of the oly (I also own a zuiko 2.8 PRO) ...but 99/100 situations are in favour of the Sony. The videos.. there isn't even a challenge here, the RX100 wins hands down.
I'm considering to dismiss the Oly gear now.. it's a pretty expensive camera and optics and it doesn't deserve to sit on a table.

Thanks! That's great feedback.

 

[DivealotZA]

If you're not happy with the housing, why not check out a Fantasea housing?

I have a G7Xii and have had an Ikelite and Fantasea housing. I prefer the Fantasea housing by far, and it also allows you to use the camera internal flash + they come with a great diffuser so you can get awesome pics... why not look at something like this:

Fantasea FRX100 V Underwater Housing AND Sony RX100 V Camera

Fantasea Sony RX100 V Housing and Camera Bundle

Fantasea FRX100 V Underwater Housing and Sony RX100 V Camera Set

This album was taken with the Fantasea housing and internal camera flash on the G7Xii:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/divealot/albums/72157686445133644

As you can see, the diffuser that comes with the Fantasea housing works pretty great, and you can use an external strobe if you need!

And if the above post about the Olmpus is true, why not stick to a camera that you know

 

[Joti]

I own a M5MkII and a RX100M5 ...my Olympus is now doing its stuff only on the ground. Why? Because underwater the RX100 performs better in both pictures quality and videos.
There's rare circumstance where you can get advantage of the larger sensor and the much better optic of the oly (I also own a zuiko 2.8 PRO) ...but 99/100 situations are in favour of the Sony. The videos.. there isn't even a challenge here, the RX100 wins hands down.
I'm considering to dismiss the Oly gear now.. it's a pretty expensive camera and optics and it doesn't deserve to sit on a table.

Which lens are you using on the Oly to be getting inferior stills?

 

[npole]

M.ZUIKO 12-40 2.8 PRO and OLY 12-50 EZ.

The point (for me) is: if you want to get the perfect shot, you may want to stay on a single subject for 20 minutes, get the perfect lighting, the perfect focus, and when everything is OK, you may end with a better shot.. eventually.

With the RX100, while flying reef to reef you will end with equally great shots with much less time invested and awesome videos and a lighter and smaller setup (housing).

For very specific jobs, in example doing macro only with a dedicate lens and doing only that, you may end to have awesome shots with the Oly... but we know that this isn't always possible, especially when you dive with groups.

So for me it was more: getting the best out of my dive profile. You can take a reflex underwater and end with the best of the best shots... one time.
The Olympus is great out of the water, it has a lot of customization, but underwater I find it much less "adaptable" to the environment and slow to use. So on the paper it is great, but practically it's meh.

For the RX100V I use the SeaFrog housing, extremely cheap and very solid, it can be used with all the RX100's on the market (from 1 to 5) since they provide different "masks" and two different focus rings and it goes to 60 meters. This: Sony DSC-RX100 Series 60m/195ft SeaFrogs Underwater Camera Housing

 

[Amy B-G]

I own a M5MkII and a RX100M5 ...my Olympus is now doing its stuff only on the ground. Why? Because underwater the RX100 performs better in both pictures quality and videos.
There's rare circumstance where you can get advantage of the larger sensor and the much better optic of the oly (I also own a zuiko 2.8 PRO) ...but 99/100 situations are in favour of the Sony. The videos.. there isn't even a challenge here, the RX100 wins hands down.
I'm considering to dismiss the Oly gear now.. it's a pretty expensive camera and optics and it doesn't deserve to sit on a table.

What housing are you using for your EM5II? If it is Nauticam I am interested if you are selling... I have the EM5II with 12-40mm 2.8 lens as well and looking for housing and port/zoom gear.

 

[npole]

What housing are you using for your EM5II? If it is Nauticam I am interested if you are selling... I have the EM5II with 12-40mm 2.8 lens as well and looking for housing and port/zoom gear.

Sorry, I go cheapo.. After have tried Meikon and SeaFrogs (186€) ...I'm reluctant to invest thousand(s) euros for a Nauticam (or similar) housing unless I plan to use it deeper than 60m.

 

[Chris Ross]

That's not my experience with the EM-5 II, I used it for a couple of years in a Nauticam housing and was really happy with the results, but then I'm using the 12-40mm lens behind the Zen dome port, it's hard to fault those images and I never sit on one subject for any extended period of time, set the lights up when I first get in the water then frame focus and shoot.

But if I was using the 14-42 or the 12-40 behind a flat port I could easily see the RX-100 as being better. Olympus sold users short with the housing for the M5 MkII as they chose to go with the smaller Pen port size so you can't use the larger pro lenses with that housing. You can get Zen ports to use a limited range of lenses, here is the port chart: http://www.jaredparsons.com/portchart/zen-only/by-combination-group/olympus-ptep0811/ but make sure you talk to someone knowledgeable before you commit to be sure the ports you would need are available.