Micro 4/3 cameras .. any considerations?

Hey everyone -

I currently have a Canon G9 & looking to add to the canon loving with a G11... with the advent of these new Micro 4/3 cameras (Olympus/Panasonic), I've been considering these as an alternative to the prosumer G-series. Has anyone had the same thoughts? I love the portability of the G-series which is why I've stuck with them tooth/nail, and am really really happy with the photos they take. But then I see the 4/3 capabilities and wonder if the cameras are competitors...

My main reasons for prosumer cameras are the size (small!) and creative choices underwater with aperture/shutter speed control..

Thoughts?

Available housings would be my only concern.

Available housings would be my only concern.

Yup, I love the Panasonic GH1, but there are no commercially produced housings yet. Also keep in mind that the technology is still evolving and what we are seeing is probably the first of quite a few evolutions which will come around quite quickly. This would mean that the cameras you buy today may well be out of date by two years time.

Yup, I love the Panasonic GH1, but there are no commercially produced housings yet. Also keep in mind that the technology is still evolving and what we are seeing is probably the first of quite a few evolutions which will come around quite quickly. This would mean that the cameras you buy today may well be out of date by two years time.

GH-1, available now

Seatool GH-1 housing

GF-1, available soon November

GH-1, available now

Seatool GH-1 housing

GF-1, available soon November

Nice. Thanks for that, but I am not paying over USD 3K for a housing. I guess I should have said, reasonably priced housing.

Nice. Thanks for that, but I am not paying over USD 3K for a housing. I guess I should have said, reasonably priced housing.

We're working on an EP1 housing, for what should be a fairly unique solution to getting sharp, low distortion underwater images. We will have prototypes by the end of this month, and should be shipping by the end of November (or very early December, depending on our vendors' shutdowns for the US Thanksgiving holiday). Although it depends on the level of interest we get, we hope to sell housings in the $2K range.

Unfortunately, any housing for MFT cameras is likely to be in the price range of an SLR housing, because it will need the same capability to deal with multiple lenses as an SLR housing.

David Lewinnek

www.piratepro.com

david@piratepro.com

SeaTool also has a housing in the works, due out in Japan Nov. 10 for the Pany GF-1 body.

Phil Rudin

http://www.sfups.org/Galleries/PhilRudin/index.html

Just saw Athena has an E-P1 housing. Not sure if it would also fit the E-P2, given the very minor updates reported.

Sorry for indirect link, this is the only one I found (43rumors.com). Also sorry if this has been posted before.

http://www.unterwasserkamera.at/shop/catal...50aefac5bbf851d

You should expect housings for these cameras to be priced similar to SLR cameras because essentially they are minus the mirror. The need to be able to swap domes, ports, lenses are all reasons it should not be expected to see anything less than 1,500 dollars or so.

What M4:3 needs now is a small zoom fisheye lens. Oh, and some cameras and housings to go with it.

You should expect housings for these cameras to be priced similar to SLR cameras because essentially they are minus the mirror. The need to be able to swap domes, ports, lenses are all reasons it should not be expected to see anything less than 1,500 dollars or so.

 

What M4:3 needs now is a small zoom fisheye lens. Oh, and some cameras and housings to go with it.

10Bar GF1 housing $750 with 20mm lens port. 14-45 port also available. I love this camera and can't wait for my housing to arrive. $980 with both ports.