What lens/housing combination for GF2 ?

[bubblebubble]

First off, I know less than nothing about photography and just familiarized myself with the basics by reading up on uwphotographyguide.com and older posts of GF1.

At the moment I use a Sanyo HD2000/epoque/uwl100 setup for movies. the results are good as long as I limit myself to videos in the shallows and don't bother with low-light conditions and stills. Having said that, stills of this camera just won me a GF2 in a competition. Yay!

The promise of near DSLR results puts me into serious temptation to ditch my Sanyo and get a housing for my GF2. Smart move or would I be better off to invest the money in dive trips?
Do micro four thirds have an advantage over compact dedicated video camera when it comes to movie recording?

Anyway, back to the point. There seem to be 3 housing options at the moment: Recsea, 10 Bar and as of recently Inon X2. Why go for Recsea and Inon if you can buy a T2i + Ikelite for that money? Pricing of the 10 Bar seems fair but there is no dedicated fisheye port! I really do like barrel distortions and a fisheye lens is what I want.

Can you use a fisheye lens in a semi-dome (7-14mm)?
Do you think 10 Bar will offer a fisheye dome anytime soon?

Now to the lenses:

I found Peleng and Opteka lenses that feature similar specs to Panasonic 8mm FE. What do you make of them?
Are there other FE or rectangular wide angle lenses (preferably prime) for micro four thirds that you can recommend for underwater use?
Can you use a mid-focal length lens behind a dome port?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bubblebubble]

Additional question: Are fisheye dome ports the most versatile and can they be used with most other wide angle/mid focal lenses?

 

[shoupart]

the recsea GF2 setup is significantly smaller than an ikelite or Sea & Sea T2i setup, that is the reason to go with the GF2.

The photos I've seen from the GF2 + pany 8mm fisheye are great, that is the setup I would go with.

 

[tarjan]

I think the 10bar should be similar in size to the recsea and much cheaper because you get a port in the basic package, or two (flat and semi dome) for <1100. Recsea is REALLY nice quality though, so it will depend on what you want to do and the level of quality you demand.

As for video, the gf2 is very good, but not as good as the gh2. If you really want to get the best video possible you should sell the gf2 and upgrade, if you want small size and 90% of the video capabilities then the gf2 is great. Compared to dedicated cameras... it depends. For the most part unless you are spending many thousands of dollars you are getting a vastly larger sensor in the gf2 so low light conditions will be hugely improved. Underwater this is a big issue. Then again they are built specifically for the purpose of video... My opinion is that there is no real comparison at the price point we are talking about though. The gf series can produce incredible video right out of the box.

Just so you know, I am also on the fence with a similar set of decisions. I think once I get through some other upgrades of equipment and re-evaluate my funding I will look into getting the 10bar. Of course a new camera is rumored to be coming out by panasonic...

BTW: there is one serious drawback in the gf2. There is *no* flash exposure compensation setting. On the street this is only a slight issue. Underwater while using a fiberoptic cable to trigger a flash this can slow down your shots as it takes a while to cycle. GH2 and GF1 both have this built in and can get cycling down to ~.5sec even at full from a few seconds. If you are more interested in video, this is a non issue.

 

[bubblebubble]

Thanks, guys! Decided to go for the 10Bar housing (includes 14mm port with 67mm thread for my wet lens) and a fisheye dome port. Worked out to ~1180US$ (excl. customs charges) for items and shipping from a shop in Hong Kong. It should arrive this week and I can't wait to test it underwater with my 14mm/wetlens! If everything goes well, I'll order the Lumix 8mm because it has autofocus unlike the much cheaper Samyang. Hopefully, the US debt crisis won't be resolved and the exchange rate still favorable by then...

What is a good mode to use for underwater movie recording underwater with m4/3s?

iA?
Aperture priority?
Color mode? (This mode allows for great white balance/color adjustments)
Indoors?

How do I achieve best low-light performance/fast focusing/good color/sharpness/etc with such a camera? Any suggestions?

 

[tarjan]

Pictures should be in raw only. Others might pipe up here, but raw allows you to worry about white balance AFTER you get out of the water. JPG and you are stuck with whatever you got. You can modify but this is a lossy process.

The rest will depend on prevailing conditions. Manual mode is probably best though. Unfortunately I haven't used my gf2 underwater yet. Ordered the 10bar from Jack, so hopefully will have that soon as well.

I'm not sure what country you are in, but guessing the usa because you quoted dollars. Did you know you could purchase from a dealer here? Just in case you were about to order and then didn't in the end, you might want to think about going with them.

 

[bubblebubble]

First pictures

Thanks for all the helpful advice! I'm based in New Zealand where conditions weren't great lately. Finally, I got the chance to test my setup and I'm very pleased with initial results. Shooting Raw was definitely a great suggestion and I'm only discovering its potential. I underestimated how close you have to be to subjects with the fisheye. Even at less than 1m distance, everything looks miles out but it gives the impression of great visibility. Since I'm a snorkeler, ambient light (I never go below 15m) is good enough for me and won't bother with bulky strobes. The things that annoy me the most are how easy it is to get dirt on the dom and how hard it is to remove dust from its inside. Is it safe to wipe the dome port with solvents like ethanol? Water takes too long too dry. What's the best way to keep a dome clean during and after a dive? Also, with the dome the camera is less ergonomic. Maybe, I need to look at handle bars.

 

[tarjan]

I would think that most camera lens friendly cleaning kits should work. Don't use anything that is not designed for that purpose, could damage the lens.

Clean the lens as little as possible though. Every time adds a chance to scratch IMO.

 

[bubblebubble]

I'm more worried about the dome rather than the lens. What's the best way to remove dust/dirt on the inside?

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

Use a rocket-blower to blow away any dirt/particles that can cause scratches, and then just wipe the inside of the dome with a lint-free cloth.