Amphibico Phenom FX1E Review & comments

Soooo close to an inches comment here Peter....

Oh i need to get a life

Wanna switch (life, not the other)

Regarding a diopter to pop into the flip down arm on the Phenom, I understand it takes a standard 72mm diopter.

The superior Century achromatic dual glass element diopter is sized 86mm but has a threaded adapter that bring the thread down to 72mm.

I don't know if that means once I take out the glass from the black ring it will fit the flip arm on the Phemom or not....

Absent having one in my hand, thoughts?

Hi Dave,

I recommend to go for the diopters that Wags mentioned. You can take them out of their ring and pop them into the flip-filter arm. Very easy, no threads, they just click in. I bought mine via B&H. They are 67mm. If you want to go for another brand/type, you need to make sure that they are 67mm as well. Other sizes will not work since there is no room for adapters and the the flip-filters don't have a thread on them.

Peter

I agree with Peter.

Just buy a Tiffen or other brand like that

The ones I got were in a set of 3 in a nice leather pouch.

$120 AUS and the brand was HOYA.

Take the glass out of the rings and bingo..

I don't mind the additional expense of the Century achromatic diopters if it will make the image superior, but maybe that is splitting hairs....

Hows this sound.....

New lens system for the Phenom to get rid of vignetting on full wide along with a larger macro diopter.

Optional Flat Port for the housing

More soon..........

Wags

Sounds great, but it will depend on price. I'm not forking out another 5000$ <_<

Have Amphibico seen the light Wags or is this a special commission from Fathom?

Nick

Good news Phenom Owners.

For existing Phenom owners we rework their lens “this is not just shaving the lens port†we actually take it apart and re-machine the components, and rebuilt as the new lens port assembly, normally this would cost $800US but to show our appreciation of present Phenom owners support we are offering the rework for Only $200US, that mean the customers will have to send back his compete port to Amphibico. Also 2nd Flip Filter will have to be removed for this to work.

The stand alone cost for the new lens is $2395US and also includes a new larger 58mm +2 diopter ring for extreme macro.

On the second front, we will introduce a second port, (standard with the Phenom Basic) , that will act as a flat port, without any lens adaptor,,, giving you full zoom range of the camera lens,. Priced at 595.00$ , this also makes this port a great back up lens too!!— We will also offer it to all our existing customers at a special price of $395.00US if they execute the upgrade improvements to their lenses..

We will also be announcing the Phenom Basic , configured with our new Dome-Flat port lens ,for the low price of $5395USD,sugg retail!! Upcoming also, is an 16x9 HD monitor to complement all HDV housings, slated for early Fall introduction.

Cheers

Wags

So $595 gets you all sorted out AND gets you a backup lens. Sounds good to me.

Wags, if you're in ongoing discussion with them, could you please ask them the dimensions of the new monitor's LCD?

Trying to get my head around this... more questions ...

Does the current port give full zoom through?

How does/will the "+2 diopter ring" work? Is it just a ring that a diopter can be snapped into for the whole dive (much like screwing one to the front of the camera)?

What's the angle of the current port and the reworked port?

Nick

I left in the color correction filter but took out the split filter and arm in preparation for installing a diopter on the 2nd flip. I took the split filter out of said arm and measured it's thickness which is

.101" (2.565mm) This is actually thicker than Century's achromatic diopter which is .083" (2.108) thick, so that should mean for those going the expensive Century diopter route, it shouldn't interfere with the color correction flip down arm.

I am still troubled by how far back the external monitor sits on the Phenom for middle aged eyes....I'll never be able to focus my eyes on that screen...it needs to be where the handle is, but the handle has to be at the center of gravity point.....

The top light arms mounts are a better position as a safety t-locking pin drops down into a provided center hole as compared to the side accessory mount which does not have a corresponding locking pin hole. I am not sure why.

I am not sure what the translucent plastic threaded plug in that is under the front of the aluminum handle....

One of the things I noticed is the detent pin that holds the color correction filter is does not hold the arm in place as well as the 2nd flip filter. The weight of the lens drops down slightly about 2.5mm after releasing the lever and if one is not careful and bumps the housing slightly, it drops down a tad more and one can see the black plastic arm edge barely in the viewfinder screen on both the large one and the rear one.

I tried slightly screwing in the allen screw that increases spring tension against the ball detent but it didn't accomplish anything.....I think the ball detent hole in the housing front ought to get moved or perhaps the clearance channel for the part of the arm that holds the detent ball needs to wrap around the arc more in case the black plastic male post that holds the detent ball is hitting the clearance radius channel before the detent ball is fully engaging the female small detent hole. I tried switching arms and the lower one regardless of which arms is used doesn't detent in place well. I think the plastic arm post that holds the detent ball is hitting before the ball fulyl engages the detent, so maybe I will get out the Dremel tool and remove .75mm or so off the plastic detent ball holder for clearance and see if that does the trick.

Wags, where is that photo of the aluminum front screen port shade you made? I saw your photo in the past and all it needs is some black anodizing and it would look like it was production made.....nice job.

HI Dave

I recond you should make up a brakect the goes in the two side slots of the housing and up over the front part of the LCD for the monitor.

The translucent plastic threaded plug is for a remote comtrol LCD option later on I think.

Yes I messed around with my flip arm as well as it once slipped and got in my shot, did not find out till I got home and watched on the computer. Could do with abit more better designing in that area I recond. I check it during the dives to make sure it's okay. Just messed around with the adjustment and got it abit tighter.

My $5 flip shade is HERE

Works a treat in keeping the glare off the LCD and protects it in transport.

Never did get around to painting it.

For $5, I will have you make 2! lol.....

What button do you use to assign a preset to? I have to figure out how to turn the image stablization from normal to hard....man I hate having to read directions, this thing should be like a Mac computer-intuitive!

Phenom folks, some questions:

- Does the standard 94 degree port give full zoom-through?

- When does the non-vignetting standard (94 degree) lens ship?

- When does the dome-flat lens ship?

- When does the manual WB bracket (a la Wags) ship?

- Will the dome-flat lens allow both flip arms to work?

- What are the dimensions/resolution of the forthcoming HD monitor?

- What's the difference between Pro and Basic versions of Phenom?

One fine day my Gates v Amphibico quandry will finally end.

Nick

Hey Nick,

Get yourself in a real state.

Consider the non vignetting Bluefin from L&M and the Gates with the Fathom as well as the new improved Phenom.

Being in Phuket I suppose humidity would be an issue for some of the internal electrics after a time.

Thankfully the Bluefin & the Gates are free of such issues. Check it out for yourself.

Hey Guys

Out today shooting Whale Sharks for a UK team and got some stunning Manta cleaning action on scuba. It's all going to end up on National Geo.

The new improved 94 degree lens is going to be vignetting free Should have mine tomorrow going by Fed Ex, so stay tuned for this and more......

Its so cool to jump in shoot and then get back to the boat, rewind and show the producer right there and then what ya shot, cue end tape and back in for more.

The LCD top housings work so well in the water doing this kind of work.

Got the new reworked port from Amphibico! It is WAY better, however, I still have some very minor vignetting in the upper left hand corner with it fully wide. Was a little suprised - but this is nothing compared to how it used to be.

Got the flat port as well - will be trying it tomorrow -

Aloha

Bryce

Bryce, but Amphibico says you lose the 2nd flip arm...was that your experience?

I need my macro and my color correction arms....