Panasonic GF1

Hi Jack,

thank you for your explanations

Bye

Can anyone help urgently - I'm travelling in 36 hours! I'm basically doomed to use the auto settings on my first outing as I have just received the 10bar housing and Panasonic GF1 and therefore havent got used to either of them yet. My problem is that the zoom 'dial' on the side doesnt seem to have any impact on the 14-45mm lens I have on the unit. I have the right port for the housing it just doesn't seem to make enough contact or grip properly when it turns. May just be being stupid but any help would be massively appreciated! Thanks

Can anyone help urgently - I'm travelling in 36 hours! I'm basically doomed to use the auto settings on my first outing as I have just received the 10bar housing and Panasonic GF1 and therefore havent got used to either of them yet. My problem is that the zoom 'dial' on the side doesnt seem to have any impact on the 14-45mm lens I have on the unit. I have the right port for the housing it just doesn't seem to make enough contact or grip properly when it turns. May just be being stupid but any help would be massively appreciated! Thanks

First off make sure the gear is on the right way, it can be turned two different ways. I wouldn't worry about the manual focus one much. As far as the zoom control, it takes some force to push and turn it...but water pressure will take care of most of the necessary force. Moat controls on nearly all housings won't work well above water, as the manufacturer allows for water pressue and doesn't want to put too much force on them and hurt the camera.

Auto won't work well uw. Choose aperture or shutter priority or even "P" modes. Practice above water with the camera, even on the plane it will help a lot.

Jack

First off make sure the gear is on the right way, it can be turned two different ways. I wouldn't worry about the manual focus one much. As far as the zoom control, it takes some force to push and turn it...but water pressure will take care of most of the necessary force. Moat controls on nearly all housings won't work well above water, as the manufacturer allows for water pressue and doesn't want to put too much force on them and hurt the camera.

 

Auto won't work well uw. Choose aperture or shutter priority or even "P" modes. Practice above water with the camera, even on the plane it will help a lot.

 

Jack

Thanks Jack, bit more relieved about it now. I'll throw my 11 hour flight into learning a bit about the camera and practising like you suggest. Which mode do u think would be better underwater in terms of priority both for Macro stuff and big fish? Grateful for your help on this and apologies for being a complete noob!!!

Personally I shoot it in Manual mode. Fast shutter speed and small aperture for macro, sort of medium for w/a. But it

s a complex subject that takes more time and space than can be allotted here. I'd google around there are some forums/blogs that have articles.

Jack

Hi all,

I read all your comments on the 10Bar housing for this camera then I found this review:

http://www.deepshots.co.uk/2010/11/review-...-housing-mk-ii/

From this review:

The housing still has its problems. The main mode dial is still very hard to use. The same goes for the back wheel/button combo that is used for, among other thing, to control the aperture and shutter speed. Although it is very easy to slot the camera in to the housing, you'll be tearing your hair out with the "excess" sync cable inside that needs to be folded exactly as instructed or you will not be able to use some of the buttons.

Sync cable apart, is it really so difficult using these controls?

I would use this camera/housing mainly for uw videos.

Thank you in advance

Gees, how hard is it. The sync cord comes apart in two pieces, leaving a small end that can be taped out of the way. I used to include a plug for the bulkhead, but we had too many problems with leaking when users installed it without pressure testing.

Jack

A couple of other quick comments on the "review". The 7-14 works fine in the zoom port - I love his comment that by looking at the curve of the dome it can't be right. Also the new flash connector is an industry standard Inon screw-on connection; the same thread used by Nauticam and others. For an "industry insider" I find his lack of knowledge a bit puzzling.

I don't disagree that the 10Bar housings are a value housing, some controls can be fiddly. The GF-1 and LX-5 back door wheel is a PITA to design a control for. One tip is to adjust the small "stops" on the inside of the housing front (there are 4 of them). Try adding a bit of electrical tape shims to adjust the camera, sometimes that can improve things. The factory can adjust them if you want to send the housing in.

Jack

I don't disagree that the 10Bar housings are a value housing, some controls can be fiddly. The GF-1 and LX-5 back door wheel is a PITA to design a control for. One tip is to adjust the small "stops" on the inside of the housing front (there are 4 of them). Try adding a bit of electrical tape shims to adjust the camera, sometimes that can improve things. The factory can adjust them if you want to send the housing in.

Do you mean the factory in Japan?

I have an hacked GF1 aka GF13 so on land I shoot full manual. I'm afraid would be a PITA shooting full manual underwater if it's so difficult acting on the wheel...

Thanks Jack

10Bar is in Hong Kong.

I asked LC to check out the next batch of LX5 housings, and when I talk to him I'll ask about the GF-1s. I know he has been able to adjust the housings in the past. Yes, he needs to check them more carefully before they go out the door, but again China is having a hard time without enough skilled workers right now.

I'm going to see if there's some parts he can send me. But I think just adjusting these shims so that the camera has more contract with the back plate may work. But it's a very fine line, as if you have it too hard it will depress the wheel button. Silly control for a camera if you ask me.

Jack

I have just returned from my trip to Marsa Alam with GF1 and 10-Bar housing, and have learned a few lessons. All over a 2-day period, because after the 3^rd day I stopped using the camera underwater. For the remaining 11 days the housing went back into its Peli case.

Why so? The outer 'O' ring on the back plate was not sealing and letting water in...only as far as 'O' ring no. 2, but that was enough to concern me. Especially when the user manual explicitly says that a final check is to see that this 'O' ring shows an unbroken seal against the case. The seal tapers off just above the left-hand latch. The retail outlet that I purchased this from was not convinced that I should be concerned about this, but they have agreed to have the housing pressure tested. They showed me their demo housing and I could see that this also had a broken seal in exactly the same place. So I am confused over the conflicting opinions between the dealer and the manual, and annoyed that I felt unable to use the housing for 11 days of the trip.

The rear dial knob was a PITA as previously discussed. Especially when in manual mode and quickly needing to change F-stop and shutter speed. Not only is it awkward, but I really don't like the idea that the dial only turns when the dial itself is pushed fully in ( depressing the button ). Makes me wonder if it will cause wear on the camera internals. It also means you have to press twice to alter the setting you are currently switched to. I think someone has also mentioned that the top command control wheel knob can get stuck and push the camera out of alignment so that none of the back plate controls work. That one caught me out for the whole duration of a ( frustrating ) dive. The solution is to pull the knob up once it has been used, but I didn't know that then.

The zoom gear for the 7-14mm lens was something I could just not get to work. Wherever I positioned the zoom ring, the rotating knob would not engage with it. Perhaps 2 hours is not enough time to set this up or there is a workaround. For the £67 sterling I paid for the 2 pieces of plastic, I didn't think that represented good value really, and I would have expected accompanying fitting instructions.

My plan to fit a screw-on close-up lens to the 20mm port was a flawed decision on my part, but something I wanted to try because I had the CU lens anyway ( a 6 diopter ). The main problem was getting the focus to lock. Even without that issue, it is no substitute for the 45mm macro lens. The 20mm lens on its own had no focusing issues, and I had satisfactory results with that setup.

In summary, I wouldn't advice against getting a 10-Bar housing, but you do need to have eyes wide open with regard to usability vs. the benefit of a relatively inexpensive and compact housing. The jury is still out as to what I perceive as a design fault with the back plate 'O' ring, and I'm very interested to hear opinions and experiences with that. Same goes for the zoom gear.

Once I've done some post-production tidying up of the images, I'll post one or two of those I did manage to record.

I too had problems with the outside o-ring sealing. I sent my unit back for another which now seals perfectly.

Likewise, I had problems with my zoom gear for the m.Zuiko 9-18. I was able to clamp it backwards in the right spot to get the gears to line up, but this obviously does not work as designed. At 9mm the corners are very blurry so there is also something wrong with the geometry of the dome port.

The camera itself worked very well, along with the Heinrichs adapter for the strobes. Hopefully 10Bar will solve these problems. With the o-ring problem and the zoom gear problem I was told that these were not an issue, when indeed they are. I would rather that these problem reports are embraced so that the product can be refined and corrected.

Likewise, I had problems with my zoom gear for the m.Zuiko 9-18. I was able to clamp it backwards in the right spot to get the gears to line up, but this obviously does not work as designed. At 9mm the corners are very blurry so there is also something wrong with the geometry of the dome port.

Yes, I didn't mention that in my last post, as I hadn't yet viewed my downloaded images. The corners are very blurred from images taken from the 7-14mm lens in the dome port. This example was shot at f5.6, 1/160s, ISO100, 7mm FL:

Everybody seeing this photo would cry scandal!

Do you have the new dome for the 7-14mm or the old one for 14-45mm?

Initialy they said the it was suitable also for the 7-14 but then they made the new dome expressely built for the 7-14mm.

I cannot believe it has a so terrible quality.

Must be the old one, as it was sold as being suitable for both lenses. I presume the new dedicated dome port must be quite new, as I don't believe it has been mentioned here before (?)

Must be the old one, as it was sold as being suitable for both lenses. I presume the new dedicated dome port must be quite new, as I don't believe it has been mentioned here before (?)

See here (some post ago in this thread):

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...st&p=262237

...the 7-14 needs the second generation zoom port. You can buy it separately. You will also need gear sets, the 14-45 gears come with the port.

The way I read this is that there is one dome port for both lenses, but only the most recent version supports both (?). If that is the case, then I don't know what distinguishes the two.

The way I read this is that there is one dome port for both lenses, but only the most recent version supports both (?). If that is the case, then I don't know what distinguishes the two.

I think they made (optimistic) the first port for both lenses then after their customer complaints they made a new port specific for the 7-14.

The 10Bar web site is one of the worst site I've seen. From there it's impossible evaluate their products.

I think you can only count on a reliable and correct reseller.

My 10bar housing is pretty new, it has the individual pushbuttons on the back, so I assume I have the newer port. I did specifically ask if there were any problems with the 9-18mm and was told no.

Here is an image which illustrates the blurry corners:

My 10bar housing is pretty new, it has the individual pushbuttons on the back, so I assume I have the newer port. I did specifically ask if there were any problems with the 9-18mm and was told no.

 

Here is an image which illustrates the blurry corners:

Yes they certainly are. What f-stop is the picture?

Bob