7-14 Oly vs Pana vs 9-18

Hi there,

I now use the 12-40 and 9-18 with a ZEN 170II Dome on my EM1.

I evaluate to buy a 7-14 to sometimes get a wider field of view.

I try to decide between Pana and Oly. I would cash out the money for the Oly 7-14, but the great thing about the Pana is that I can continue using my ZEN 170II Dome, I then have one dome which works for 7-14, 12-40, 9-18.

I can see how f2.8 can be an advantage when going deep/if there is not so much light, but f4.0 is not that bad.

How would those 2 lenses compare otherwise? I read somewhere else that the Oly should be somewhat better in the edges, but the Pana to have a ltiilr less field curvature/distorsion.

Which one do you guys use?

Also, in the comparable range of 9-14mm, would the 7-14 be clearly better optically than the 9-18?

Thanks for any feedback, experience.

Tom

While I upgraded to the Oly 7-14 from the Pany along with the necessary ports and gears, for this summer I have exclusively used the Oly 8 mm fisheye lens for all video work. Clearly It let me go down below f2 for the dark 50 msw wrecks I sometime shoots.

A quick 60 sec video shoot with the 8 mm fisheye at approx 20 msw:

For what it's worth, I use the Oly 7-14 and 12-40 in the same Inon 170mm dome with my E-M1 and Olympus housing. I have no experience with the Zen 170mm but I would think you should be able to use both lenses- maybe check with a dealer? The Oly 7-14 is significantly better than the 9-18 across it's shared focal lengths topside, and in my experience underwater, it's also better. However, I shot the 9-18 in a mini-dome so it may not be an accurate comparison. Once I got the 7-14, I never touched the 9-18 again.

While I upgraded to the Oly 7-14 from the Pany along with the necessary ports and gears, for this summer I have exclusively used the Oly 8 mm fisheye lens for all video work. Clearly It let me go down below f2 for the dark 50 msw wrecks I sometime shoots.

 

A quick 60 sec video shoot with the 8 mm fisheye at approx 20 msw:

 

Hi there, I can not open the video in Germany - it says because the rights of the music it doesnt open ;(

I also own a fisheye but dive in mediterean sea where fishes are not so many and not so big.

For what it's worth, I use the Oly 7-14 and 12-40 in the same Inon 170mm dome with my E-M1 and Olympus housing. I have no experience with the Zen 170mm but I would think you should be able to use both lenses- maybe check with a dealer? The Oly 7-14 is significantly better than the 9-18 across it's shared focal lengths topside, and in my experience underwater, it's also better. However, I shot the 9-18 in a mini-dome so it may not be an accurate comparison. Once I got the 7-14, I never touched the 9-18 again.

Thanks! I checked and my ZENII dome seems to not work for the Oly 7-14 just for the Pana 7-14,Oly 9-18 and 12-40

Your video got taken down, at least for viewing in the U.S.

While I upgraded to the Oly 7-14 from the Pany along with the necessary ports and gears, for this summer I have exclusively used the Oly 8 mm fisheye lens for all video work. Clearly It let me go down below f2 for the dark 50 msw wrecks I sometime shoots.

 

A quick 60 sec video shoot with the 8 mm fisheye at approx 20 msw:

 

 

Thanks for your help guys,

I am now trying to find a 7-14mm lens! (panny or olympus).

Also nice video! (it still works here in australia).

If I didnt have a ZEN170mm Dome allready I would probably go for the 180mm Nauticam Dome and buy the Oly 7-14.

Since the Oly seems to not work with the ZEN I will probably buy the PANA 7-14 and live with f4.

But what is the problem with the Zen dome? You just need an extender, everything else will fit.

But what is the problem with the Zen dome? You just need an extender, everything else will fit.

From what I read here the ZEN170II which I own doesnt work at all for the 7-14 Oly.

Or do I understand something wrong?

Or do I understand something wrong?

I don't see anything wrong, except that you will need an extension ring. The issue is not the lens width, but the length - you need to extend the distance between the housing and the dome in order to fit 7-14 f2.8 Pro and to be able to zoom.

I am currently doing the same setup, which Wapiti has described - Inon dome + extenders, since the zen dome is a bit more expensive. But the issues are similar with your setup.

BY the way, last time I've contacted Phil Burghardfrom from Zen Underwater at glass@zenunderwater.com. He was really helpful to all my queries on compatibility and how to fit whatever setup I want.

Thanks ! I contacted ZEN. my version of the 170ZEN is too small. I think I will go with the Pana since selling my used dome and buying a new one + extension is too expensive for my limited use

Hi there, I can not open the video in Germany - it says because the rights of the music it doesnt open ;(

Its on instagram: #60secscuba

https://www.instagram.com/p/BInC7Wsj_DI/?taken-by=espen_b

I just shot my Olympus 7-14 f2.8 in a Nauticam 180 port this past weekend along with my E-M1. The lens seems to focus much faster than the 9-18 and I was very happy with it! To me it seems like a significant upgrade with a good zoom range.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey!

I started with E-M1 and Oly housing with Zen mini-dome and 9-18. It was better than any other camera/lens used to date.

Then I upgraded to the Oly 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO. Had to upgrade the port: PAD-EP08 adapter; PER-E01 extension ring; Oly glass dome PPO-E04. The results have been amazing!

I also wanted to be able to use the Oly 8mm f/1.8 FE PRO. Just remove the extension ring and Voila! you're in!

Of course now Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) has set in with the recently announced E-M1 MK II!!

Kent

I would also consider using a standard zoom and the WWL-1.

 

I don't see anything wrong, except that you will need an extension ring. The issue is not the lens width, but the length - you need to extend the distance between the housing and the dome in order to fit 7-14 f2.8 Pro and to be able to zoom.

I am currently doing the same setup, which Wapiti has described - Inon dome + extenders, since the zen dome is a bit more expensive. But the issues are similar with your setup.

BY the way, last time I've contacted Phil Burghardfrom from Zen Underwater at glass@zenunderwater.com. He was really helpful to all my queries on compatibility and how to fit whatever setup I want.

Hi Popadiys,

Thanks, for the info just wondering the extenders that u mentioned, apart from the PAD-EP08, do you use the olympus PER-01 or PER-02 to fit the oly 7-14 F2.8 pro ? Thanks !

Wira

Hi Popadiys,

 

Thanks, for the info just wondering the extenders that u mentioned, apart from the PAD-EP08, do you use the olympus PER-01 or PER-02 to fit the oly 7-14 F2.8 pro ? Thanks !

 

Wira

I found PER-02 for cheap in ebay, since on the most places it is deprecated product. Here how it looks on 7mm and 14mm focal length with the 170mm Inon dome:

The Olympus PPO-EO1-EO5 ports, the PER-EO2 extension and several gears are carry overs from the Olympus 4/3 format DSLR underwater housings. This is the reason you need the threaded port adapter for them to work with the PT-EP housing line rather than just pushing in like the newer ports designed for M43 PT-EP housings.

Ports were also made by Athena, Inon and others for the DSLR line of housings. Olympus is the only camera manufacture that has consistently released housings for their interchangeably lens auto focus housing going all the way back to the E-300.

I have included photos of the Olympus E-300 and E-520 housings with some of these ports.

The PPO-EO4 port and extension pictured above came with a metal dome shade not pictured above.

These were high quality ports and it is nice that Olympus has allowed them to be used with current housings.

 

The PPO-EO4 port and extension pictured above came with a metal dome shade not pictured above.

 

These were high quality ports and it is nice that Olympus has allowed them to be used with current housings.

 

Indeed the Inon dome has a metal dome shade as well, I've not attached it for the photos.

I don't think Olympus had any other chance than "allowing" us to use the old domes. They haven't developed any new dome, which is capable of holding the Pro lenses they sell - 12-40,7-14 and 8 fisheye. So their workaround was to create an adapter for the DSLR E-domes. I would be more than happy to purchase newly designed parts instead of the adapter, which costs 130 euro + dome.

The PT-EP13 was not really consistent with the PT-EP08 and PT-EP11, since it didn't allow dome changes, without unscrewing bolts and breaking the warranty. You can easily see what was the available accessory chart. Good that they are not continuing with the same trend with PT-EP14 for the EM1 MKII.