AOI UH-EPL10 vs Fantasea FR100iv

Hi,

despite the covid situation the gear syndrome is there and I'm now thinking if the new setup release by AOI with the Pen10 can be a valid upgrade of my compact setup with fantasea and sony rx100iv.

My key drivers for improvement are:

1) stay compact

2) improve battery life

3) improve flash recycle time and keep TTL (I use an external strobe)

4) decrease the focus distance without additional wet lens to allow CFWD and/or simil macro

I'd like to have more resolution for cropping as well but I know already that this will be a step back.

Thanks

I think that AOI UH-EPL10 with Olympus PEN E-PL10 and 14-42EZ kit lens are very interesting option for underwater photography. You can have multiple settings and use your wet lenses or use dedicated lenses with interchangeable ports (60mm for macro or 8mm Pana/Oly_pro for wide angle).

This underwater case is lightweight and compact (734g on land weight / 26g underwter weight); extra protection with a Vacuum pump and Vacuum Analyzation and Wet Detection System (VWS) and secure lock; Optical Flash Trigger saves camera battery life and eliminates the use of the camera internal flash; ready to use out of the box with housing, lens port and lens gear included (to used with 14-42EZ kit lens).

Olympus PEN E-PL10 Specifications

- Body type: Rangefinder-style mirrorless
- Size: Four thirds Live MOS
- Processor: TruPic VIII
- Max resolution: 4608 x 3456
- Effective pixels: 16 Megapixel
- ISO: 200 - 6400 (100 - 25600 expands)
- Stabilization: 3-axis (3.5 stops)
- Number or focus points: 121
- Screen size: 3" (1.040.000 dots). Touch
- Articulated LCD: Tilting
- Viewfinder: none
- Shutter speed: 60sec min // 1/4000sec
- Continuous drive: 14.1 Fps
- Flash: Built-in and External
- Flash Sync speed: 1/250 sec
- Storage: SD / SDHC / SDXC UHS-I
- USB: 2.0
- WIFI, Bluetooth: Yes
- Battery Life: 350
- Weight: 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz)

More info in this link--> https://www.aoi-uw.com/news/aoi_housing-UH-EPL10/

Looks like a well thought out solution - as long as the flash trigger performs as advertised it should be a good solution.  With M67 threads you should also be able to attach a WWL to it later which would be a great solution.

6 hours ago, ChrisRoss said:

Looks like a well thought out solution - as long as the flash trigger performs as advertised it should be a good solution.  With M67 threads you should also be able to attach a WWL to it later which would be a great solution.

I think It's not the best camera in the market, it has an old 16Mpx sensor and it's a shame not to have housing for others Micro 4/3 models an OMD EM10 MkIII (or the new MkIV), OMD EM5 MkIII, Panasonic GX9.

I think that by the camera design and colors it's a underwater case for asian market, the Olympus PEN E-PL10 was recently announced in Europe.

It's another option for underwater photography.

I think It's not the best camera in the market, it has an old 16Mpx sensor and it's a shame not to have housing for others Micro 4/3 models an OMD EM10 MkIII (or the new MkIV), OMD EM5 MkIII, Panasonic GX9.

New AOI underwater case models for Olympus cameras are on their way. Confirmed with the brand.

17 minutes ago, caolino said:

I has the same reflection and I really wonder if the latest Pen can really compete with the last generation sony Rx100 compact. 

Not with the flash sync speed ;-)

Olympus MFT is limited to 1/250 sec flash sync speed.

I'm super interested to see reviews of this. Wish they would have released it before I got my a6100 and seafrogs setup. 

The all in one vacuum, leak, and flash trigger is interesting. I wonder if it does TTL, or if it's manual only. 

I wonder if it does TTL, or if it's manual only. 

No TTL, so far

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5 hours ago, turandot said:

I think It's not the best camera in the market, it has an old 16Mpx sensor and it's a shame not to have housing for others Micro 4/3 models an OMD EM10 MkIII (or the new MkIV), OMD EM5 MkIII, Panasonic GX9.

I think that by the camera design and colors it's a underwater case for asian market, the Olympus PEN E-PL10 was recently announced in Europe.

It's another option for underwater photography.

I think they chose the Pen to keep it small and compact the EM-10 would need a significantly larger housing I think - but if they produce a housing for other models that would be great - if we can still buy them.

1 hour ago, caolino said:

 

No TTL, so far

That would disqualify it for me immediately, and since the leak and vacuum system is integrated, I'm not sure how one would add a ttl trigger.

I think they chose the Pen to keep it small and compact the EM-10 would need a significantly larger housing

It looks quite nice and very small, but when you add a tray and arms and strobes and a focus light is it that much smaller than say the Nauticam for the EM-10?

Bill

I..is it that much smaller than say the Nauticam for the EM-10?
Bill

41 minutes ago, caolino said:

Good point would be good to have website comparing all the setup in term of size and weight

Of course it sounds good, but this is complicated, many variations, settings and brands.

On 8/11/2020 at 7:07 PM, bvanant said:

It looks quite nice and very small, but when you add a tray and arms and strobes and a focus light is it that much smaller than say the Nauticam for the EM-10?

Bill

Think it will be slightly smaller than any Nauticam; these are aluminum whereas the AOI is composite. So the Nauticam will needs slightly bigger volume to get neutral bouyancy again. And the Nauticam housing for the OM-D E-M1 has fixed arms and tray. So that one is definitely larger.
Think pricing (and availability) will be the biggest driver for AOI sales. If the Pen 10 has 75% performance of the OM-D M10 for half the price (or less) it becomes a compelling option for the more occasional UW photographers. More or less picking up the sales Olympus left behind when they quit their PEN housing series. Many divers out there with aging sets (got a PEN 3 myself; have gear fever too!)

On 8/6/2020 at 5:20 PM, turandot said:

New AOI underwater case models for Olympus cameras are on their way. Confirmed with the brand.

Can you confirm the models they might be planning to release? 

I've been Facebook stalking some diver friends of mine from Taiwan, one of them I know is connected with AOI had an obscure picture posted this week with another captioned AOI UH-EM5 Mark III (see below).

I am a bit excited because this will make it more affordable to go mirrorless for me.

5 hours ago, Pomacentridae said:

Can you confirm the models they might be planning to release? 

I've been Facebook stalking some diver friends of mine from Taiwan, one of them I know is connected with AOI had an obscure picture posted this week with another captioned AOI UH-EM5 Mark III (see below).

I am a bit excited because this will make it more affordable to go mirrorless for me.

I can't confirm models, I've only spoken by email with AOI sales departament.

About this photos: Interesting what I see in the photos. I don't like the flash system. I like the flash trigger unit that has the AOI UH-EPL10 model, it makes the underwater housing smaller and more compact. Could you contact them to give us more photos?

Configuration with EPL10 camera + 8mm WA PRO lens + 60mm Macro lens

AOi Housing: AOi UH-EPL10
Underwater Housing for Olympus PEN E-PL9/10
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ
https://www.aoi-uw.com/products/housings/aoi-uh-epl10-gry.html

60mm Extension: AOi ER-PN_PN-34
Extension Ring 34mm PEN Port to PEN Mount Housing
https://www.aoi-uw.com/products/accesories/aoi-er-pn-pn-34.html

Acrylic Dome: AOi DLP-06
4" Acrylic Dome Port for Olympus PEN Mount Housing
https://www.aoi-uw.com/products/lens-ports/aoi-dlp-06.html
 

Dome Extension: AOi ER-PN_PN24
Extension Ring 24mm PEN Port to PEN Mount Housing
https://www.aoi-uw.com/products/accesories/aoi-er-pn-pn-24.html

OLYMPUS E-PL10 UNDERWATER CAMERA & HOUSING REVIEW
https://www.backscatter.com/reviews/post/Olympus-E-PL10-Underwater-Camera-Housing-Review

AOI releases housing for Olympus E-PL9 and E-PL10
https://wetpixel.com/articles/aoi-releases-housing-for-olympus-e-pl9-and-e-pl10