Diving Silfra with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

Mar 09

In January I had a chance to take the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera and PT-EP14 housing out for a spin while on vacation in Iceland. We were diving Silfra, famed for its extremely clear water. This dive falls on many must do lists, and I would highly recommend it, just not in the dead of winter! It was about 17° Fahrenheit (-8° Celsius) outside, making the 40°F (5° C) feel really inviting! If interested, definitely hit it up during summer, when the warmer air makes getting into and out of your drysuit easier, and the long summer sunlight will add to your photo taking experience!

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II however performed admirably! Even with the low light conditions of winter, the quality from shooting at a higher ISO is not noticeable, and the image stabilization for shooting at a slower shutter speed worked well. I was impressed with the Olympus housing in particular. It was comfortable and easy to use. Controls were placed where they were easy to access and the housing offered full camera control. The locking bayonet ring to attach the ports is so much nicer than the old push and turn style of the PEN housings, making port changes a breeze. All in all the camera was laid out well and the housing matched that.

With a full line of lens options to choose from and even a new dedicated macro port for the 60mm, the Olympus housing is a great option for someone looking to get shooting on the new E-M1 Mark II, but not ready for the expense of the higher end aluminum housings like Nauticam and Aquatica.

Here are a few sample images from the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II from Silfra!