Why isn't the OM-D E-M10 used underwater often?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Shortsonfire79

Registered
Messages
20
Reaction score
5
Location
Monterey, Ca
# of dives
100 - 199
I'm on the hunt to upgrade from GoPro 3+ w/ Backscatter +15 and +10 macro lenses w/ dual L&M Gobe 700w. Without a screen I set the camera to take video throughout the dive and pull stills from that. I have little interest in shooting in 4k but I figure I'll get a camera that does so I don't kick myself later.

For the longest time I was looking at the Sony RX100 IV because it's the first model to shoot 4k and within budget. Then I decided I wanted a M43 so I could grow with it and play with lenses. My first choice was the Panasonic GX85/80 because it's also 4k.

My friend has the EM10 ii and shoots amazing surface shots. The EM10 iii was released just under a year ago so I'm not surprised that it has many reviews. I found loads of GX85 underwater reviews/4k video/pictures in my initial search but haven't seen much on any version of the EM10. I also considered the EM5 ii but without 4k I'm hesitant to pick it up.

This EM5 + Oly housing for $1400 is pretty tantalizing though.

I'll be in Monterey on Saturday so I'll pop into Backscatter to ask their opinion.
 
I have a EM5-II and a RX100M5 ...both with housing. And the Oly is relegated to the ground shots now, while the RX100 is my 99% underwater camera.
The reason isn't about the 4K (I rarely use it..) but the overall shots (and video) quality of underwater filming.
Having a (more) modern camera with advanced aids will help a lot to produce quality (on average) material than a mirror-less or a reflex, nor because it's overall better, but because underwater you have much less time to spend for pictures and video.
I'm sure that if you want to shot to a specific subject and you could spend your whole dive on that subject, you could produce a better picture (or video) with the 43 than with any compact camera, but the reality (at least for me) is that I rarely go for that single picture in a whole dive, I love to shot different subjects, I love to combine macro with wide angle, i love the flexibility of the wet lens, i love to be able to point and click and have a good shot while the current is dragging me away... that's why I always chose to take with me the RX100 for most dives and opt for the M5II only when I'm nostalgic. :)
 
Probably the reason is the amount you save is pretty small compared to housing the camera and the EM-5II has some nice features for underwater, including additional function buttons.

If you are going M43 I think npole's point is valid if you stick with the Oly housing, kit lens and flat port, the big advantages come with using properly sized dome ports for wide angle work and the dedicated macro lenses when shooting macro.

I had the EM-5 II and upgraded to the EM-1 MkII, for the improved autofocus, it has C-AF which actually works. The EM-1 MkII does shoot 4K m but I don't do video so can't help you further on that point. I have seen many people say that if it's 4K video you are after then Panasonic and particularly the GH5 is what you should be looking at.

I would also mention that one reason I haven't dabbled in video is that it's a really significant learning curve to do it well, I've seen so many crappy videos people post which to me proves that point. If you are shooting 4K, then it is a really significant investment in computer processing power, software ($$ and time), storage (multiple terabytes) to get good results. and..... you need to be absolutely stable when shooting - with the housing properly buoyant if you don't want to make your viewers sea-sick. To me I wouldn't pick a camera based on I want to maybe shoot video one day and I probably should do it in 4K. I can't see the point of shooting mediocre video with extra resolution. Of course if you want to get on that learning curve that's a different story.
 
Thanks a bunch for the replies guys. I ended up grabbing the EM5 when I was down in Monterey that weekend. I love it above surface but there's a lot to learn for underwater.

Npole is totally right when you say that there's a wide variety of things to shoot underwater (wide vs macro). Because I'm in Monterey where 5-20' vis is the norm, I usually aim for macro (with GoPro +10/+15) but I can't see myself getting the Oly 60mm macro for just UW photography. Seems very limiting for the dive. I've only used a 25mm f/1.8 prime so far and I really enjoyed it. You're terribly right about how hard it is to get the shot with a small bit of surge. I'm working to familiarize myself with the function buttons to make my uw experience smooth.

Chris Ross. I'm definitely working with the additional function buttons. The multiple MySets are helpful too; I can have my surface and uw settings separate on the fly. As I mentioned above, I think 60mm macro for dedicated is a bit out of what I want from this camera. I just ordered the 12-40mm f/2.8 so I'll need to get a new port for that; DHL says it'll be here tomorrow. I'll try to pick up the oly port for it sometime down the road hoping that this lens will be my daily shooter.

And you're totally right about video. I used to mess with it both on surface and uw but it was always mediocre at best; this was my internal argument about not needing 4k. My friend was also promoting Panasonic if I was really interested in video, but I think I really liked the Olympus environment the most. Olympus Outlet is ten times more active than Panasonic Planet!

First pics with a non-phone, non-gopro camera. I'm pretty happy!

44788066441_98e559faec_k.jpg

42976976240_9360bdca42_k.jpg
43878143355_d0afd62881_k.jpg
 
I shoot an E-M10 (the original). I paid $400 for it, used, with a kit lens (the 14-42). I really only shoot WA and CFWA. No real macro. No video. I spent another $400 on a Meikon housing with the Meikon wet WA dome.

I have gotten quite a few pictures with it that I am very happy with.

But, it seems to me that if I were buying new and buying a housing that supported using different lenses, then the cost of all that would be QUITE a bit higher than what I spent. And, at that price point, the extra cost to go full-frame would not be THAT much more. In which case, that is what I would do.

I am going to upgrade to a WWL-1 wet wide angle lens soon. I think that will give me a noticeable improvement in image quality over the Meikon dome. Then, at some point after that, I will upgrade to a full-frame mirrorless (e.g. the Sony a7r III or its replacement) and a housing with interchangeable lens ports. The WWL-1 will move over to the new rig and I'll only have $800 or so of investment that gets benched or sold off.

Anyway, that's why I think the E-M10 isn't seen that often. The expense to do a proper setup for u/w isn't that much less than a proper setup with a better camera.

Some of my pics from my cheap rig. I think they are not bad. But, I shot all these right alongside a buddy shooting an a7r III with a kit lens and Nauticam WACP lens/port. Comparing side by side, the image quality he was getting was quite noticeably better. Mine are okay. The sharpness of his images was just astonishing! I definitely think full-frame is the way to go, if you're going to spend the money for a real housing and lens port(s).

P6012658-Edited.jpg P6032932-Edited.jpg P6032957-Edited.jpg P6033051-Edited.jpg P6033090-Edited.jpg P6033093-Edited.jpg P6033140-Edited.jpg P6033305-Edited.jpg
 
I too shoot an M10 (original, mark 1) in a Nauticam housing with multiple lenses and ports, and the 45 deg viewfinder. Everything is movable to an upgraded Olympus and Nauticam housing, but I haven't found any reason yet to do that.

After 4 years of use on maybe 500 dives, and probably 20k pictures, I'm only now occasionally feeling limited by my equipment.
 
Believe me, I have looked at my photos and thought to myself "is upgrading to FF really just me trying to use gear to solve a skills problem?" And I conclude that that is absolutely part of it.

But, I am also pretty sure that, even though it will be to the camera's credit and not mine, when I do finish upgrading, I will get more keepers and higher quality ones, too.

If I had a better housing, that would accommodate different and better lenses, I would probably go that route. But, I don't and I don't think it makes sense, at this point, for me to invest that kind of money in a camera that is as old as mine is. I have a $400 camera and $400 housing. If I had a $1000 camera and $2000 worth of housing and ports, it would be different.

Also, I plan to get the WWL-1 reasonably soon - as you (@tursiops) I think even recommended a little while back. Upgrades after that are well off in the future.
 
Also, I plan to get the WWL-1 reasonably soon - as you (@tursiops) I think even recommended a little while back. Upgrades after that are well off in the future.
I think you'll be astounded at the WWL-1 quality and versatility. Being able to zoom through it with my 14-42 EZ is terrific.
 
Chris Ross. I'm definitely working with the additional function buttons. The multiple MySets are helpful too; I can have my surface and uw settings separate on the fly. As I mentioned above, I think 60mm macro for dedicated is a bit out of what I want from this camera. I just ordered the 12-40mm f/2.8 so I'll need to get a new port for that; DHL says it'll be here tomorrow. I'll try to pick up the oly port for it sometime down the road hoping that this lens will be my daily shooter.

The 12-40mm is a great lens, but which housing do you have? If I recall correctly the EM-5 II Oly housing has the Pen port system (smaller) and you can't use the 12-40mm with it in the olympus system of ports. You would need to use with after market ports like this one:

Athena Optical Dome Port WZ7-14II (Olympus EP Mount)
 

Back
Top Bottom