What lens for Olympus OM for rhinopias

I'm trying to translate all the FF talk in another thread to my Olympus 4/3.

Apparently my 30mm macro will be my best bet for Rhinopias?

My other choices are 60mm macro, 12-50 (43mm in macro setting), 14-42 with a CMC, and a WWL in front of the 14-42 for CFWA.

Going to Ambon for Rhinopias, want to do this right!

I think your 30mm macro is the right choice. I have used both the 12-50 in macro mode and the 60 and they are both definitely too long, especially if the vis isn't great and you have to back off, unless you want a tight 3/4 portrait of one eye and the mouth! However if you have the port and gear for the 12-50 that enables zoom and macro, that would be ideal for both portraits and CFWA.

I have used the 12-50 with my EM1 in normal zoom mode, electric zoom from the body in the Macro 65 port, for rhinopias in Bali and I had a macro diopter on too (Nauticam CMC) which gives 0.8 magnification at 50mm in case you see something interesting that is small.

All taken with EM1 and 12-50 zoom.

Is the 12-40 an option? I typically shoot mine behind a dome, but for night or low viz dives I put it in a flat port with a swing away diopter. I've gotten nice shots of critters down to about an inch long with this combo.

The adult Rhinopias is about 6+ inches long. I used the 12-50 on the E-M5 (older mark I) in Indonesia. The water was fairly clear. I did not need macro close focus. What is the minimum focus distance for the 12-42?

I recently bought the panasonic 12-35mm for rhinopias (I shoot video)

Think this would be a bad choice?

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I recently bought the panasonic 12-35mm for rhinopias (I shoot video)

Think this would be a bad choice?

 

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On the pany G5?

On the pany G5?

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If you have a Pana Fisheye and the Nauticam 3.5" dome - take it with you!

I've got the WWL-1 on the 14-42; that's my CFWA fall-back.

The 12-40 would do fine on this subject focuses almost on the dome and achieves 0.3x magnification on the chip, so at 40mm that would have a subject 57mm long filling the chip from one edge to the other (horizontally). Very sharp lens at all focal lengths.

I have used both the Olympus 60mm and the 30mm on Rhinopias

60mm

Rhiprofile by Interceptor121, on Flickr

30mm

Purpleside by Interceptor121, on Flickr

In my opinion for shooting a single one of the size I had both lens work fine and if you have the 60mm you don't need to invest in a 30mm

However for two subjects the 30mm allows you to get closer reducing the possibility of photobombing form other fish that I find to be a more significant issue to backscatter. One thing I do not like is the wide field of view so the background looks always busier

60mm

Found you by Interceptor121, on Flickr

30mm

Back again by Interceptor121, on Flickr

Ultimately the work can be done with both lenses however once you put the 30mm on you are severely limited to larger subject as for small stuff that moves the working distance is too close and the critter may move

I don't have the 45mm but I think that lens is probably the best compromise in terms of working distance and field of view but it it expensive

As I wrote before, a fisheye lens is another option.

As I wrote before, a fisheye lens is another option.

But indeed fisheye is good for wam of frogfish and other slow moving

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