THE OLYMPUS OM-D E-M10 II CAMERA
The second iteration of the E-M10 mirrorless Micro Four Thirds (MFT) adds Olympus' much touted 5-axis in-body stabilization to the previous models 16MP CMOS sensor reducing shake by up to 4 stops.
Precise composition is achieved on the 2.36M-dot OLED EVF or the tilting 3" touchscreen display.
The E-M10 II can shoot 1080 at 60p in H.264 Motion JPEG at 77Mbps and has a continuous RAW still image frame rate of 8 fps and even includes a 4K time-lapse mode.
Olympus OM-D E-M10 II Key Camera Specifications
- 16MP Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
- 5-axis in-body stabilization
- 8fps continuous shooting
- ISO range of 100-25,600
- 1080/60p H.264, Motion JPEG
THE NAUTICAM NA-EM10II UNDERWATER HOUSING
No other underwater housing manufacturer can match the experience of Nauticam in mirrorless camera support. NA-EM10II is the sixth Olympus Mirrorless Product designed and manufactured by Nauticam, and the sixteenth model built around the Micro Four Thirds lens lineup! Twenty micro four thirds lenses, including all popular lenses for underwater photography, are supported by this system. This experience results in the most refined, reliable, and ergonomic solution available today for the Micro Four Thirds user.
The compact design is sculpted to provide convenient access to shutter release, front command dial, rear command dial, Fn1, Fn2, Movie, and even the EVF/LCD selector lever at the photographer’s right hand. A rubberized zoom and focus control provides ergonomic, tactile lens control.
More than just good looking, this is a rugged housing, ready to tackle thousands of hours of underwater abuse. Crafted from solid aircraft aluminum, the housing can reach depths of 100m with ease. The secure single rotating housing latch opens the housing back. The camera drops in easily, with no controls needing to be preset. The rear mounted housing o-ring makes maintenance simple. Dual fiber optic synch ports are standard and take advantage of the camera’s built in flash for strobe triggering. To make the most of the E-M10 Mark II’s excellent electronic view finder (EVF), Nauticam allows for installation of the acclaimed 45º and 180º magnified viewfinders, providing the ultimate in composition and focus ability. NA-EM10II accepts the new MIL Style Viewfinders (32205 and 32204), so no accessory window is required to mount the viewfinder!
PREMIUM PROFESSIONAL OPTICS
It’s all about the glass, and lenses are the key to terrific photography. This has always been a strength of Olympus systems, and the lineup is now stronger than ever thanks to the Nauticam Wet Wide Lens (WWL-1).
WWL-1, paired with an Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ Lens, provides a full zoom through ultra wide angle field of view. In our tests, this lens exceeds the corner sharpness and clarity of even very good micro four thirds wide angle lenses behind dome ports. WWL-1 will focus on its front element for unmatched close focus side angle performance, and full zoom through means you can zoom to crop in camera for tighter framing.
WWL-1 is mounted via a quick change bayonet system (PN 83213) that allows fast and easy one handed mounting and removal. An optional lens caddy provides a place to park the WWL-1 lens when not in use. For closeup and macro work, the Nauticam Compact Macro Converter (CMC-1, PN 81301) allows images smaller than 1″ wide to be captured. Ultra wide, mid-range and macro imaging capability, all on the same dive!
The MFT system supports a large range of high quality lenses produced by Olympus and Panasonic (partnering with Leica), and third party lenses from Sigma are starting to appear. Several lenses that perform extremely well underwater are available (and reasonably priced!). Some examples:
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Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ: The ultimate jack of all trades tool, this lens covers a very usable mid range, and features a unique macro mode. Shoot dolphins and nudibranchs on the same dive!
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Panasonic Lumix G Fisheye 8mm/F3.5: This 180º fisheye lens focuses close and is razor sharp. Combines with a small port, there is no better CFWA (close focus wide angle) option on the planet.
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Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro: This is an ideal macro lens for m4/3, and by adding the Nauticam CMC, it becomes a super macro monster. Imagine filling the entire width of the frame with something only 8mm wide!
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Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm f/4.0 ASPH: The 7-14mm is a rectilinear lens, ideal for shooting people or sharks or wrecks… subjects where the fisheye distortion is not welcome. On the wide end, this lens 114º wide, ideal for getting close to subjects to reduce the amount of water shot through. But a zoom gets to 75º – ideal for reaching out to that subject that is a little more skittish. The very similar Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 can serve the same basic role at a lower cost.
There are many more options for the underwater photographer, including any of the several 14-42mm options, the Panasonic Lumix G X VARIO 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH. POWER O.I.S., Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO, Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH, Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH, and the Leica DG Macro Elmarit 45mm F2.8 ASPH.
VIEWFINDER OPTIONS
Nauticam 45º and 180º Magnifying Viewfinders provide a large, clear, corner-corner view of the Olympus 2.36 mdot LCD Electronic Viewfinder and can be installed without tools o the NA-EM10II.
FLASH CONNECTORS FOR INON S-TTL
Reliable automatic flash exposure is available with the NA-EM10II and a variety of optically fired flashes. The Inon Z-240, D-2000, S-2000, and Sea & Sea YS-D1 strobes provide automated lighting, precisely reproducing the camera’s onboard flash at a proportionally greater intensity. This system yields accurate automatic TTL flash performance – even in manual mode – with no electrical sync cables to flood! The NA-EM10II comes fiber optic ready and accepts standard Sea & Sea style bushing connections. Nauticam Fiber Optic cables, available for both Inon and Sea & Sea strobes, provide the best light transmission and therefore more accurate TTL of any fiber optic cable on the market.
Strobes can be attached to the housing via optional strobe mounting balls secured to the handles of the Nauticam accessory tray systems or a single strobe mounting ball location on the housing. The housing also features a cold-shoe mount for a focus light or other accessory mounting options
