L&M Housing for Sony Z1U/FX1

Hi DeanB, i will send you links and informations for dives in Italy.

Fors Cameras the same think happend to me: after the Trv950 i bought a PDX10, the L&M housing for TRV950 accept also the PDX10. But now i sold it, why? Simply, the only difference really important for me was DVcam mode, differently footages was really very similar...

In the Case of A1 or HC1 thinks are different, because L&M housing for HC1 don't have WB control and for my is very important.

I also looking at Gates housing.....the A1 have the possibility to mount a Fanthom lens...great...not the L&M :-)

Thank you :-)

ERIK

DeanB,

I shot with the flat port and the wide port on the FX1 housing. I was hoping to have the 100 degree ultra wide (weitwinkel) angle lens, but LMI did not have one to give me.

The wide port is about 80 degrees. It does have a nice shade built in to it and no, there was absolutely no vingetting. The flip up macro filter for it is pretty cool. When you flip it up it narrows the field of view a bit, but still allows focus to infinity at full wide. It also enhances the close focus ability throughout the zoom range so you can get nice tight shots of little critters too. Often in Komodo I'd be shooting a wide scene and then I'd see some cool little guy. I'd flip up the filter and zoom in to fill the frame. Pretty nice. It was not as powerful as the marco lens you use with the flat port, of course, but still pretty good.

The flat port did not vingette either and also has a nice strong shade built into the port. The shade is actually part the port. The port is one piece of metal wit the shade machined in.

I don't know how wide of a shot you get with just the flat port, but it is certainly less than with the wide port. However, I shot quite a few wide shots with it anyway. I'd plan to shoot macro on the dive, but then I'd look up and see the beauty of the lush reefs in the shallows, and I had to shoot it. It was not bad. With clear water I got some nice shots. Better than expected.

Dan

Hi DanB

Nice pic there, love that clear water and congrats on your new housing.

Looks like a nice housing as well going by your pics.

I put a #2 marco diopter in my Phenom on the flip arm as well. Works a treat.

Tell me, do you use the URPRO filter.

By the way the standard FX1/Z1 FOV is 67 degrees.

Wags

Thanks Wags. Yes, the housing has a UR pro filter in it, and it worked very well. I got a set of magic filters and tried them once, but never got around to truely comparing them to the UR pro filter. Maybe on my next trip.

FOV = 67 degrees on land. Then behind a flat port in the water it drops to about 46 degrees. Sound right? That is quite a bit different from the 80 degrees on the wide port. I can't wait for the 100 degree lens.

Dan

Danb,

Great info and details on the housing...thanks a bunch. in reading your last posts, a couple of questios came to mind.

You mentioned "it [wide] was not as powerful as the marco lens you use with the flat port". Do you need to purchase a seperate/different macro flip assembly for the 80 degree port [and what cost] or is the one installed just less powerful when used with the 80 degree port? If you do need a seperate assembly, how difficult is the switch out process?

I hear the 80degree port is a flat lens (vs. dome). Do you see any edge distortion or fuzzyness becuase of this?

Final question, what white balance controls do you have access to on the housing? (maual, a/b presets, daytime, indoor, auto)

Thanks again and glad to hear you are loving the housing.

shawn

Hi Shawn,

Yes, there are two different flip macro lenses for the Bluefin FX1 housing. The housing ships with a flat port and also comes with the macro flip lens. You use these two together to get super macro.

The 80 degree lens is sold seperately and there is a different flip lens for it. You can not use the one you use with the flat port. You need to buy a seperate (optional) flip macro filter. If you don't get it, the port is still 80 degrees wide, but you will not be able to use the entire zoom range of the camera. It will loose focus ability about half way through the zoom. This filter gives this ability back to the camera and enhances the close focus range so you can use the zoom as a macro lens. Zoom in, and be close to the subject and fill the frame.

It's actually very versitle and works well. For wide angle, you flip it up and out of the way to get the widest shot. When working close you can flip it down and get the use of enhanced close focus and the full zoom.

Like I said before, it still allows the camera to focus to infinity at fulll wide. (Some macro lenses only allow close focus when engaged) So you can shoot tight on a subject but can still zoom out to full wide and stay in focus. (although not as wide as if the lens was flipped up of course) This is nice if you are shooting a reveal that starts tight on the subject and then zooms out to reveal the environment.

If you get the 80 degree lens, then be sure to get this flip lens too. It's worth it.

You do need to change it between dives when switching from flat port to wide port. Sure, it's another step, but it's not hard to do and only takes a few seconds.

The 80 degree lens is flat on the outside and curved on the inside. It is a lens really, not a port. It seems to me to have great corner sharpness, with and without the flip lens engaged. Like I said before, no vingetting either :-)

As for white balance, the housing does not let you switch the Preset /A/B control. You need to choose one setting, either A or B. You can of course press the WB mode button and the WB set button. So you can shoot auto, or switch to manual and take a reading. They are simple push buttons on the housing and easy to activate.

Dan

Dan,

Great feeback and it sounds like you are realy happy with your set up. Also sounds like you are really happy with the wide lens. Also good to get feedback from someone who had field tested it.

On another topic...we have a thread going on HDV and white balance issues. I would be really interested in your feedback as we have no input from LMI BlueFin HD user. Basically, we are all getting a lot of green in our shots when using our tried and true WB methods.

See the thread: White Balance & HDV Issues

Thanks

Shawn

Juar tried today an FX1e. Very good machine but also very big compared ti TRV950..... :-)

Thank you

ERIK

The 80+ degree WA Lens and the WA Flip Macro for the Bluefin HD are excellent. Both are very sharp corner to corner, no vignetting, dark corners, soft corners, or visable distortion. Really clean video, and I can't see any barrel distortion at all. Its great to be shooting wide angle and then with a quick flip of a lever, you're shooting macro. Very nice! And with the internal trim weights properly adjusted, you could even shoot no handed, thats how stable and neutral this housing is. I have drifted along the reef, and let go of the housing, and it drifts right along with me. Great job Light & Motion! Now where's that UWA lens? Still a few wks/mos away. I've got a feeling it will be worth the wait, and hopefully worth the price.

Dan,

Sounds like you have a winner in your hands. Also great to hear how sharp the video quality is with the wide lens. I wonder what the UWA lens will deliver over the 80 degree flat....should be amazing.

thanks

Shawn

Bump...