Olympus e-m5 mark 2 with 12-50 question

Morning all, long time listener, first time caller.

After an unfortunate "flooding" incident with my old camera, I've just upgraded to the E-M5 ii with the 12-50mm lens and the Olympus housing. Would have liked bigger and badder, but pennies are an issue at the moment.

Anyway can configure buttons to give you full access to these zoom functions in the housing? I've had a look through the manuals and poked through the forum and can't seem to find any info. I know the camera has dedicated "underwater" settings that give you full zoom or full wide, but can't find anything for the inbetween.

Failing this, if it's not available has anyone designed a zoom ring that works with this lens.

Thanks in advance.

This is what you want:

https://deepshots.myshopify.com/collections/gears-for-olympus-and-panasonic

I have the 12-50 gear. works pretty well. Alignment is more of an issue because the gear is narrower and hard plastic instead of softer like the Olympus gears.

This is what you want:

 

https://deepshots.myshopify.com/collections/gears-for-olympus-and-panasonic

 

I have the 12-50 gear. works pretty well. Alignment is more of an issue because the gear is narrower and hard plastic instead of softer like the Olympus gears.

Thanks for this Vondo. That's exactly what I'm chasing.

I don't think there is any way to enable the macro mode with this lens and gear unless newer cameras can do it electronically. Certainly in my E-PL5 I cannot. But it's a nice general purpose lens that I use for some kinds of diving.

Engaging Macro mode on the go isn't going to be a concern. I'm currently running a +10 diopter from Reef, Wreck and Critter and that will get me into enough trouble I'm sure. As I run into the limitations of this combo I'll look at changing tot he 60mm macro and/or bigger diopters.

It's not possible to engage macro mode without the Nauticam gear - that requires a push of a button and a longitudinal shift of a collar, both on the lens barrel.

You may be interested in a rough and ready comparison of diopters for the 12-50 lens here - with a +10 diopter you can be in the same territory as the macro mode:

You will love the 60mm macro when you do decide to get it. But as it is a 2:1 macro 35mm equivalent lens, it is really suited for quite small stuff.

The E-M5 II will also do 'electronic zoom'. Not jump, zoom. The 1fish/3fish setting on page 67 jumps between 12mm and 50mm. On page 66 of the manual, set camera to assign function to each arrow. On page 68, set a button function to Electronic Zoom (for example Up Arrow). When using the camera, press to assigned function button to activate Electronic Zoom. Then use the arrow keys to zoom in or out. In the upper right corner of the display you will see the setting of the zoom: 12mm, 20mm, 27mm, 45mm, whatever. See Item 12 on page 19.

Bob W

Thanks for this Bob. I'll have a look through the manual again when I get home and see how I go.

The E-M5 II will also do 'electronic zoom'. Not jump, zoom. The 1fish/3fish setting on page 67 jumps between 12mm and 50mm. On page 66 of the manual, set camera to assign function to each arrow. On page 68, set a button function to Electronic Zoom (for example Up Arrow). When using the camera, press to assigned function button to activate Electronic Zoom. Then use the arrow keys to zoom in or out. In the upper right corner of the display you will see the setting of the zoom: 12mm, 20mm, 27mm, 45mm, whatever. See Item 12 on page 19.

 

Bob W