Olympus 12-40 F/2.8 and the Zen Underwater DP 170 n85 port

The 12-40mm F/2.8 gives you a little less magnification in auto focus than it does if you go to manual focus and crank the lens as far out as it will go, same same with all zoom lenses. So in practical terms using auto focus and the Zen DP-170 n85 II dome port you are looking at getting to around 1:1.5 in 35mm terms or about 55mm on the long side by 41.25mm.

The 12-40mm F/2.8 gives you a little less magnification in auto focus than it does if you go to manual focus and crank the lens as far out as it will go, same same with all zoom lenses. So in practical terms using auto focus and the Zen DP-170 n85 II dome port you are looking at getting to around 1:1.5 in 35mm terms or about 55mm on the long side by 41.25mm.

Thank you Phil. In case we ever meat I will owe you more than one drink for all the info.

It sounds like a very flexible lens under water. I wonder why we do not hear/see more from it.

Maybe because the Dome is quite an investment. Anybody else here besides Phil who uses the combo already?

I wonder if using the 9-18 behind this port if a close up filter on the lens is recommended or not. Any experience?

I decided to shift a full macro lens in the future and therefore use the 12-40 on dives where I expect "smaller subjects" - so I also would like the ZEN170 with the 9-18.

No filter required for the 9-18mm zoom and better overall performance than a 4" (100mm) port. The smaller port will obviously work better for confined spaces and at closest focus.

In case you have already purchased the DP-170 port (first short version) and would like to use the 12-40mm lens with this port, you can have an extension made with a larger inner diameter so it can be used with the wider 12-40 lens...

As I have studied CNC Software Programming and know how to use milling and lathe machines, I went to a machining shop I know the owner of and have it made within 3-4 hours. The next process I need to do is getting it anodised which I will do as soon as I am back to the UK, right now traveling across Europe...

No filter required for the 9-18mm zoom and better overall performance than a 4" (100mm) port. The smaller port will obviously work better for confined spaces and at closest focus.

Thanks Phil,

I hope to receive the ZEN Dome in a few days.

Thx Phil for all the information provided, was a new Em1 users with 12 40 lens in hand, currently I used 60mm f2.8 and 8mm f3.5 with their ports under water, was so eager to look for a port for 12 40 len, your setting just fit my needs,

One very stupid question, can I zoom with this Zen Underwater DP 170 n85-II port under water? meaning I can zoom from 12mm to 40mm when I need to shoot from wide to macro?

and how do you compare the photos result with this 12mm end with 8mm len and 40mm with 60mm? thx!

Cheers

Yes, Nauticam has a gear to zoom the 12-40mm lens. The 40mm end is not macro in the true sense and the 170mm dome will get in the way V. a macro port. It does however give greater magnification at 40mm than the 12-50 does at 50mm also at F/2.8.

The 12mm end is wider than the 12-50 under a flat port but apples to oranges V the 8mm which is an intra wide fisheye.

Thx for replying Phil, the gear sold separately or together with the Zen port?

Nauticam gear sold by Nauticam, no Zen gear. No one sells port and gear as a package for any housing system.

Phil,

Barbara has been using the 12-40mm and likes it much better than the 12-50.

I know the DP170 N85II dome is the best thing to do, but what would be a good flat port alternative?

She has the Macro port with built-in macro knob.

Could that be used with an extension and if so which one would you recommend?

Is there another flat port alternative with no need for extensions?

Or do I bite the bullet and get the dome???

We're going to Palau and Truk for a month in a couple weeks.

Thanks,

Ted

I have attached the Nauticam gear and acrylic port offerings. The gear is of excellent quality and fits like a glove. The Zen port also works with the Panasonic 7-14, 12-35 the 12-50 and more.

As Barbara is finding out the 12-40 blows the 12-50 out of the water in regard to speed, (F/2.8) and overall image quality and it will focus closer at 40mm than the 12-50 will at 50mm. Nauticam flat ports would not work with the 12-40 because the Nauticam flat ports are to narrow to fit the bigger (more girth) lens.

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=161_168&products_id=6280

http://reefphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=161_166&products_id=6942

Thanks Phil,

I think that fits the budget better!

Ted

I finally got my 12-40 with Zen dome in the water recently and was very pleased to find it had very little tendency to want to rotate upwards like acrylic ports seem to. I have not used the acrylic port for the 12-40 but compared to Nauticam 6" acrylic domes I have used with other lenses, the Zen glass port is much more pleasant to use in that regard. Probably does not matter to some and there are ways around the problem with lighter domes, but I wanted to at least mention it.

Interesting point!

Hadn't really noticed that much with my NEX-7 and the acrylic dome.

Will the 60mm Macro Oly lens work behind the acrylic port on the EM-1?

Hi Phil,

I got a dome port original designed for Panasonic 8mm fisheye with the link listed below, is it possible to use the gear and port from zen to fit 12-40mm len?

https://www.aditech-usa.com/en/shop/1609-nauticam-433-dome-port-36132.html

No, it will not work for several reasons.

Phil,

Was that no to the gear mentioned above or to the 60mm not working behind the dome?

That was no to the 12-40 working in the Nauticam 4.33" dome port for shotawong.

For Ted, yes the 60mm would work but you will need to get even closer to the subject and part of the focus area would be inside the dome. So good for the same larger subjects you would be shooting at the 40mm end of the 12-40 zoom and not good at all for the super close subjects like the 1:1 subjects.

Thanks Phil,

The dome and gear should be here tomorrow for Barbara's 12-40mm.

I decided to use the Sony 10-18mm in the same dome for our trip to Palau/Truk.

I just didn't get it together to assemble my old Subal glass dome for the zeiss 12mm.

We'll see what happens.