Olympus release new underwater housing

Hi Manta,

I think Olympus has silently acknowledged the problem. So far I've read of 4 people, myself included, that have received reasonable offers of an upgrade. However, I think most had some kind of evidence of a flood inside the PT-E03. I simply recorded an mpeg video of the housing leaking in the bath tub. It is my belief that at the surface, if tilted with the oring at the highest point, they will all leak at the surface. In any case, Olympus has offered a free exchange of the housing and a reasonable fee to upgrade the camera body. If it were me, this is a no-brainer. I had no peace of mind with the old housing and had 3 floods on a recent trip.

I purchased my housing this past spring but havn't had a chance to get in the water yet. I have a trip to Bonaire planned at the end on Nov. I'll try to go to a pool this weekend to test it. But with all the problems I would hate to have a flood in Bonaire as I don't get to dive as often as I use to. What was your process to replace the housing. Did fill out a repair request first or did you call customer service first?

I purchased my housing this past spring but havn't had a chance to get in the water yet. I have a trip to Bonaire planned at the end on Nov. I'll try to go to a pool this weekend to test it. But with all the problems I would hate to have a flood in Bonaire as I don't get to dive as often as I use to. What was your process to replace the housing. Did fill out a repair request first or did you call customer service first?

Certainly test it in the pool. The leak is very slow so if you aim the port down, you'll have no issues with destroying the camera if a leak occurs. BTW, my leak also occurred with no camera in the housing so that's the first thing I would do before inserting the camera. Go onto www.digitaldiver.net and read about it there. There's a 4 page thread over there with the proper documentation links. I followed RogerC's lead in filling out the form and I included all the information I had including the mpeg.

Certainly test it in the pool. The leak is very slow so if you aim the port down, you'll have no issues with destroying the camera if a leak occurs. BTW, my leak also occurred with no camera in the housing so that's the first thing I would do before inserting the camera. Go onto www.digitaldiver.net and read about it there. There's a 4 page thread over there with the proper documentation links. I followed RogerC's lead in filling out the form and I included all the information I had including the mpeg.

Thanks for the info. I finally got into the pool with the housing today. First test no camera. No leaks. Second test. Leaks!. I did as Olympus suggest and removed the the eye piece and strap rings. The leak happened around the pop flash hump. So now it happen time start the long process of replacement. I've included a picture. I also will include a short video with the repair report.

Thanks again.

The PT-E05 housing still appears to use the single Olympus style bulkhead as the past housings, for best TTL with nikonos type cord strobes Athena makes this conversion circuitry, http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=p...ee636cc9f61a269 I have used this item and it works quite well. However, I went to fiber optics with the new Inon Z-240 strobes which lowers cost if you don't already own strobes that won't fire with fiber optics.

 

Phil Rudin

Phil,

Thanks for your reply. I have been using the older Athena dual cord set with 2 PFL-E01's and they have performed well. I just noticed the price of the PT-E05 on the Olympic site and they are asking $1,199 and it is not yet available.

Reis Kayser

Just a quick note to say that the housing and strobe are now listed on a Swedish retailer site. It's priced at €1000 for the housing alone and €1300 for housing + 14-42 port. The strobe sells for €570.

I've sent them a question regarding availability and hope to be able to get all of it late August for pool testing and then some real dives in September.

I received the housing and they have made a few changes from the PTE-03

the latches have gone it now has one twist lock to close housing door , that the likes of Fuji use

the flash bulge problem seems to be sorted out with a different shaped housing

the control buttons are plastic not metal and are labelled

the tray has a lock and a couple of nifty storage areas for eyecup and hotshoe cover

the handstrap is improved

same TTL connections and accesory mount

i haven't tried it out yet but it feels better made and i think easier to use buttons ( will not corrode either)

i don't know if they are going to sell the optical connection plugs or we will have to put a hole in the blanking plugs that came with housing

to use the optical cable ( an easy job )

at least it is easy to use a focusing light with the optical cable lugs , the accesory mount is free

Thanks for the report, vinny!

Look forward to getting it, although as of yet it's not available here...

A question directed to Phil, who seems to have experience of both: would you recommend the Athena port for the 14-42 over the Olympus version?

I will most likely use this lens exclusively to begin with, and either go for the 9-18 or simply house the 12-60 later on.

I would also like some thoughts on how well a setup with the 14-42, one strobe and the recently announced short arm would work in murky water. I can't afford two strobes straight away without selling some lenses and I just can't bring myself to get rid of the 50-200 SWD...

edit: By the way, should add that I just returned from a three week trip to the US where I used the E-520 with the 12-60. I am very, very happy with this combo, and don't regret switching from the E-3 at all. The 12-60 is probably my all time favourite lens - versatile, tack sharp and lightning fast. Here are some (non UW) shots from the trip for anyone curious about how the E-520 handles: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ktwse/sets/72157606743643221/

Regarding the Athena dome port you retain the full 78 degree angle of view at the wide end of the lens and the corners will be sharper because the port glass is curved. Both ports can be used with the 14 to 42 zoom the 50 mm macro and the 35 mm macro which at close focus will be to close to both ports. Cost wise, the Athena is higher and does not come with the zoom gear for the 14 to 42 lens. One strobe will cover this lens without a problem, the 9-18 mm zoom coming in late September will be more flexible with two strobes.

I agree that the 12 to 60 zoom is a superb lens, in fact it has become my main travel lens above water. I am also using it with the E-3 in a SeaTool housing with the 170 mm Athena dome port and extension ports with great results.

Phil Rudin

http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=p...d2525341ff71b43

http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=p...d2525341ff71b43

Hi Phil can you please explain 'Both ports can be used with the 14 to 42 zoom the 50 mm macro and the 35 mm macro which at close focus will be to close to both ports.'

Are you saying that the dome port can be used with 14-42, 50mm and 35mm macro?

regards

YES, both ports can be used with all three lenses (14 to 42 zoom 35 & 50 macro) however the 35 macro will focus inside the port at the closest focus distance or just outside the port which makes it very hard to use. The 50 macro allows a little more distance between subject and the glass at the closest focus distance. Remember that at the closest focus distance the 35 macro is twice life size in 35 mm terms (18 mm on the long side). From about three inches (76 mm) from the dome glass all three lenses work very well. The Athena macro port for the 35 macro allows the lens to be used at twice life size and still leaves enough space for lighting the subject.

Phil Rudin

Anybody actually put a 510 in the E05 yet? You can get the 2 lens kit for £410 as opposed to £565 for the newer model (amazon). Also has anybody seen a PT-E05 in the UK yet? Can't find a GBP price on this.

This looks like the set up that'll get me into DSLR, above as well as underwater.

Simon

I own both cameras. The E510 seems to fit in the housing just fine. The mode dial switch on the E520 is slightly larger so you have to use some downward pressure on the housing dial to rotate the dial on the E510 camera. The other rotary works just fine. Although, I won't, and haven't, dived with the setup, I'll probably use the 510 as a backup in a pinch. With all that said, I'm not sure its worth the money you're saving. I'd just buy the E520 and have a houisng made for each other avoiding any issues at all.

I own both cameras. The E510 seems to fit in the housing just fine. The mode dial switch on the E520 is slightly larger so you have to use some downward pressure on the housing dial to rotate the dial on the E510 camera. The other rotary works just fine. Although, I won't, and haven't, dived with the setup, I'll probably use the 510 as a backup in a pinch. With all that said, I'm not sure its worth the money you're saving. I'd just buy the E520 and have a houisng made for each other avoiding any issues at all.

I bought the E-510 twin lens kit when it came out... Oh I love it.

However I need to get back into my watersports as I have moved to the Isle of Lewis.

It's cold and very wet and wild here.

Do you reckon the housing for the e520 is the best thing I can get for my e510?

does anybody know about this japanese housing?

http://www.un-ltd.co.jp/en/index.html

what about the gibson model sold by BS Kinetics?

How long would I last with one of those bag things like the ... Ewa-Marine U-AX?

Until tonight I thought I couldn't get a system to fit an e-510. oh the choices.

Thank you in advance for any feedback.

rod

Interesting to hear that the E510 fits the PT-EO5 housing. But just to note that you will run into significant warranty issues, like no warranty, if you use a camera the housing is not designed for. Olympus does not support it for the E510 as far as I've heard, I will ask my rep the next time I talk to him.

Jack

Jack,

No need to ask. Olympus has already stated that the warranty is voided if you use the 510 inside the PT-E05 housing. But, that should be expected. The difference price between the camera bodies on Ebay is about $150. IE you sell the E510 you should expect around $300 and some change. You can purchase the E520 with two lenses for a little over $600. You can get roughly $220 dollars for two lenses. So its really not worth voiding your warranty to stay with the E510.

Here's a group I have purchased from twice. Had an issue with a camera before 30days and they replaced it with no cost to me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-Evolt-E-520-Di...A1%7C240%3A1318

There are cheaper deals on Ebay, however none I've done business with before.

I just sold my E510 body last week for $310. The lens sells alone for around $120.

What is the consensus of the 4/3 format? The sensor is physically smaller than other cameras, but there seems to be a logic around the technology. BUt I have to admit I like the aspect ratio of 35mm format/HD widescreen aspect ratio more than the 4/3 formats aspect ratio.

I'm trying to determine a setup to freedive with - looking at the E520 or similar with a housing/domeport and as wide a lens as I can get for shooting freedivers, pelagics, etc while freediving. A friend/client has suggested the new Sea & Sea housing coming out for the Canon Xsi - I've been out of the loop on the stills end of things for quite some time and it seems as though these cameras change every 9 months and feel confused as to why when anything above 8MP is 35mm resolution - this info coming from a commercial shooter I know here locally.

What's the difference? Any thoughts?

Hi Friend,

I talked to someone who used the housing for a week in the Florida Keys and they said the locking system is a vast improvement over the small latches on the E-410 housing. I was also told that the E-510 does not fit the housing, out of the box. I expect some modifications could be made for the E-510 to fit.

There are cheaper deals on Ebay, however none I've done business with before.

Uhh, I'm a dealer. Good luck with support from EBay...

Jack

Hi Friend,

I talked to someone who used the housing for a week in the Florida Keys and they said the locking system is a vast improvement over the small latches on the E-410 housing. I was also told that the E-510 does not fit the housing, out of the box. I expect some modifications could be made for the E-510 to fit.

No modification needed. The one I physically tested fits just fine. The mode dial on the camera is too small for the control on the housing so it doesn't quite grip the mode dial well enough. You have to exert pressure down while turning if you have the 510 in the housing. Again, it makes no financial sense to void your housing warranty by using the housing with the E510. Just upgrade.

Uhh, I'm a dealer. Good luck with support from EBay...

 

Jack

Jack,

I was referring to the camera bodies...not the housing. I wouldn't buy a housing from Ebay. I was trying to articulate that with how cheap the upgrade is to the E520 it makes no sense to put an E510 into the new housing.