Reading mode: Light Dark

Pana - why no underwater housing for LX3??!

Go to last post
W

Wickblau

Well-known member
Messages
111
Reaction score
0
Location
Lower Austria, AT
Hi,

I'd like Panasonic to read this.

I already wrote to Panasonic Germany & Austria but the first didn't answer and the second just tried to be kind ...

There already hadn't been a proper underwater housing for LX2.
Again Panasonic seems to have decided not to build a housing for LX3
which - at least for me - really is a pity.
It would be my perfect carry-around.

They sell uw-housings for other cams - why not for the LX3???

Has anyone a reason for that on hand?

cheers, Wick
 
WoodWorks said:
Dunno. But perhaps it's because of the difficulty of making it work
with the "joystick" controller?

Just a guess.

David
Click to expand...
yes, could be possible indeed .... at least some comfort ;-))
 
My guess is that Panasonic doesn't see a large enough Market. To take full advantage of the LX3, a housing would need a wired flash connection and a dome port. When I called Ikelite, they had no plans for the LX3. That leaves Patima, Sea & Sea, and possibly 10 Bar.
 
DesertEagle said:
My guess is that Panasonic doesn't see a large enough Market.
Click to expand...
thats exactly my opinion too

To take
DesertEagle said:
full advantage of the LX3, a housing would need a wired flash
connection and a dome port. When I called Ikelite, they had no plans
for the LX3. That leaves Patima, Sea & Sea, and possibly 10 Bar.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information! (still a pity ... )

10 Bar is a company?
or do you mean water pressure -> would mean only up to 10m water-proof
(I could at least live with 10 metres but 5 metres is nothing at all)
and anyway - those producers don't do for cheap
I'd prefer something neat with reasonable price just like
the popular uw housing around at the market
 
I'd like to ad that Pana must be stupid.

LX3 offers HD-video, has wide-angle (which I like for uw), a fast lens
and now improved iso-performance too

(if you don't want to use flash all the time like me, especially in clear water down to 5 metres)

it would just be a perfect (and affordable) deal for many divers
 
--

10 Bar is a housing manufacturer. I think they also make the housings for Fantasea.

A dome port would be high on my wish list. When the Olympus C-8080 came out, the Ikelite housing had a nice port for it.

The closest thing right now is the FX37. Mine just came in yesterday. A company called Inon does make a wide angle, wet-mountable lens that brings the angle of view to about 100 degrees. On top of that you can add a glass dome for about 130 degrees. The cool thing is that the 100AD adapter lens will convert the FX37's lens to a fisheye on land. Unfortunately, my FX37 doesn't seem to provide manual flash exposure so the battery will probably last only 1-2 dives. My current camera is an Olympus SP-310 with a Sea & Sea wide angle. It's slow but gives lots of control.
 
DesertEagle said:
A company called Inon does make a wide angle, wet-mountable lens that
brings the angle of view to about 100 degrees. On top of that you can
add a glass dome for about 130 degrees. The cool thing is that the
100AD adapter lens will convert the FX37's lens to a fisheye on land.
Click to expand...
At the moment I have a bit of similar setup for uw-video.
Sanyo Xacti 1000HD + housing + inon wide angle like you describe it
Video quality is quite good (though I recommend the cam especially for
uw and not for other purposes because the lack of a proper optical stabilizer
and depending on light there are AF troubles) and uw-fotos OK too

but I'd like an all time walkround cam with a uw-goody,
I'm pretty sure we'll get more alternatives either now at Photokina
or at least then at next PMA
 
Wickblau said:
DesertEagle said:
My guess is that Panasonic doesn't see a large enough Market.
Click to expand...
thats exactly my opinion too

To take
Wickblau said:
full advantage of the LX3, a housing would need a wired flash
connection and a dome port. When I called Ikelite, they had no plans
for the LX3. That leaves Patima, Sea & Sea, and possibly 10 Bar.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information! (still a pity ... )

10 Bar is a company?
or do you mean water pressure -> would mean only up to 10m water-proof
(I could at least live with 10 metres but 5 metres is nothing at all)
and anyway - those producers don't do for cheap
I'd prefer something neat with reasonable price just like
the popular uw housing around at the market
Click to expand...
 
For what it is worth, I just spoke to Ikelite. They make no housings for Panny, and it does not sound like they have any plans at this time to make any. Have to keep searching!

--

There are three kinds of people in this world - those who can count, and those who can't.
 
Joss Delage said:
Wickblau said:
but I'd like an all time walkround cam with a uw-goody,
I'm pretty sure we'll get more alternatives either now at Photokina
or at least then at next PMA
Click to expand...
Looks like the Canon G10 is going to be our best option for diver &
photo enthusiasts.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid I have to agree .... though it does only VGA ....

I think I might wait for another month to make up my mind what cam to take.

If G10 IQ is noticeable better than LX3 than I might go for Canon and
take the uw-advantage with it.

If G10 IQ is about the same OR LX3 shows much better AL-performance then it's the Panny (depends on iso400 I'd say)

as we might even not go on holiday next year at all grief
I could get happy with no lx3-uw-housing as well .....

stupid situation - lx3 no housing - G10 no HD-video - SX1 (sorry for US if that is really true what I heard about not being available there!! can't understand that!) has HD-video but not the cam I'd like to have ....
 
Hi,

just talked to UK-Germany (underwater housing folks in Germany) and they are working on an underwater housing for LX3. hooray...!

They had an LX2 housing, but LX doesn't fit - so its a brand new construction.

The plan is to have to ready for Boot 2009 trade fair (end of January 09).

The guy bought the camera himself and is very excited about the possibilities.
  • external flash
  • LW46 (18mm adapter lens)
  • possible other superwide angle adapter lenses....
No price at the moment. But he said it will definitely happen.
 
I wonder if it allows the internal flash to work (pop up). While best results will be obtained from an external strobe, there are times when snorkeling that an internal flash is the only flash (and cost) that you need. I got good results with my F30 Fuji while snorkrling, and also bought the Panny case for the TZ5, although I have not yet tried it out.

I would love to use my LX3 underwater, with its wide angle, fast lens and array of manual controls. Keep us posted on this. Thanks!
--

There are three kinds of people in this world - those who can count, and those who can't.
 
DazUlrich said:
Hi,
just talked to UK-Germany (underwater housing folks in Germany) and
they are working on an underwater housing for LX3. hooray...!

They had an LX2 housing, but LX doesn't fit - so its a brand new
construction.

The plan is to have to ready for Boot 2009 trade fair (end of January
09).

The guy bought the camera himself and is very excited about the
possibilities.
  • external flash
  • LW46 (18mm adapter lens)
  • possible other superwide angle adapter lenses....
No price at the moment. But he said it will definitely happen.
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot for your info!

I hope I keep that in mind!
I suppose you met him at Photokina?
I'm at the DSLR-forum with same user name as here.

refering to price, I hope it won't be as pricy as the
housing I found for LX2 (Pana didn't offer a housing there too): Euro 1200,-

http://www.uw-fotopartner.de/pshop/show_product.php?cPath=273_56_86&products_id=1131
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top