Wide angle lens decision

Hi all. I have ~$1000 to spend on a wide angle lens setup for my e-m5. I was thinking of going with the panny 7-14mm behind the nauticam 6" port for around $1100. But, I recently stumbled across nauticam's new wwl-1 wet lens which is going for around $950. I am not so much worried about the price difference, just wondering which direction would give me the most versatility and image quality. Thanks!

It depends on what you mean by versatility. If the goal is to be able to shoot close ups or macro as well as very wide angle shots on the same dive, and without going to a compact camera, then the WWL-1 is certainly worth consideration and may be the only solution. But if the goal is to find the best wide angle zoom solution on an interchangeable lens camera, I am not sure the WWL-1 is the way to go. My thoughts are based somewhat on assumptions, because so far I have not seen anyone actually compare the results of a 7-14 (or the 9-18) in a 170 or 180 glass dome to a 12-50 or 14-42 with a WWL-1. Maybe this has been done and I missed it. If some reliable comparison shows the WWL-1 to provide still photo results superior to the 7-14 options in 170 and 180 glass domes, then that might change my opinion. Otherwise, I would be inclined to go with the 7-14 (in a glass dome instead of the 6" acrylic port).

I also have concerns about the practicalities of diving with a $1000.00 hunk of glass weighing 3 lbs in water and that I intend to attach/detach at various points during a dive. I can foresee a lot of opportunities for loss of or damage to the lens.

By the way, you would need a flat port with the WWL-1 (unless you already have a suitable one), so you would be looking at more like $1,200-1300. A glass dome would run about $1000 and depending on which dome you chose, you might need an extension or adapter that could add $200-$400.00. The right dome could be used with several lenses.

Thank you for your input. I Like the idea of being able to shoot macro or wa on the same dive, but your point about hauling a $1000 piece of glass in an already unpredictable environment is a valid one, and a good argument for going with the other setup. I haven't seen a direct comparison between the two options either, but I think I am going to go with my original decision and go with the 7-14mm behind the dome. Thanks again!