Your recommendations for photographing large animals with the E-PL7

[NeilJ]

Hi, next January I'm heading to Tiger Beach and Bimini Island to hopefully see tiger and great hammerhead sharks. When I've gone on dive trips before, I've always just brought a point and shoot, but this time I'm hoping to get some decent pictures.

I'm taking the E-PL7 on the trip, and plan on buying PT-EP 12 underwater housing unit for it. The issue is, I'm either going to have to buy the 14-42mm "ez lens," because it's the only lens that will fit in the housing, or a dome port which would fit the 9" to 18" wide-angle lens I already have. Both the lens and the dome port are comparable in price.


So for mainly taking pictures of sharks, would it be smarter to get the lens or the dome?

Thanks!

 

[orenbvip]

I'd save up for the nauticam housing or wait for the 7-14mm pro lens or the 8mm pro fish eye. I think olympus is even making a port for their housing as well. I had the 9-18mm lens and found the images less then stellar and use only the 8mm panasonic for now.

 

[SubAquatix]

Some time, your best bet is to go to the pros. Give Mandy a call at ACotton Photo. acottonphoto

She specializes in Big Animal photography (Currently in Dominica with Sperm Whales) and has been to Tiger beach numerous times. She also runs big animal trips. One last year was blue water of the Mexico's Pacific coast. Amazing humpbacks, Swordfish. Major pelagic rush!!!

 

[Furnari]

If you already have the 9-18, I'd go with the dome. Check out some other threads here and on Wetpixel about adding a diopter to improve corner sharpness.

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

NeilJ

We've done Tiger Beach many times, and it would be much, much smarter to get the 9-18mm with the dome.

I hope that helps, and have a great trip!

Scott Gietler

Hi, next January I'm heading to Tiger Beach and Bimini Island to hopefully see tiger and great hammerhead sharks. When I've gone on dive trips before, I've always just brought a point and shoot, but this time I'm hoping to get some decent pictures.

I'm taking the E-PL7 on the trip, and plan on buying PT-EP 12 underwater housing unit for it. The issue is, I'm either going to have to buy the 14-42mm "ez lens," because it's the only lens that will fit in the housing, or a dome port which would fit the 9" to 18" wide-angle lens I already have. Both the lens and the dome port are comparable in price.


So for mainly taking pictures of sharks, would it be smarter to get the lens or the dome?

Thanks!