All the replies raise valid points and all of them are true of course. The Panasonic DVX100 saw Sony's 'mistake' in having a lens with not much wide-angle coverage, and their zoom starts a lot wider.

I'm firmly of the opinion that having any extra glass (including filters) in front of your Sony zoom degrades the image, albeit only slightly. But if you need an anamorphic or you need more telephoto, then there's no way around this, you must shoot through more glass.

You'll also notice Pat that the 170's wide-angle adapter exagerates the barrel distortion that's inherrent in the Sony 12x zoom. This won't be noticeable with a lot of subjects, but horizons, buildings, telegraph poles will all show it up. This is one of the downsides in my view.

tom.

Hey all thanks for your replies..

This PD-170 in question is mainly used for weddings as the 1st camera up near the B&G while the PD-150 without any lenses is used for the back of the church/venue on the B&G.

I also have a Century .65x Wide Angle for the camera as well. I have used it on the PD-150 before I thought that the full zoom looked a bit funny and soft with that on. However shooting with the DV Sunshade and UV-410 4x4 glass filter I wasn't sure if it was the lens or the filter that caused this..

Now on the 170 with the Sony wide I don't notice it as much as I do with the century but I'm glad it's not just me when it comes to 100% pefect focus with these wide angles..

So in your professional opinions shooting weddings and specifically close up since this camera is usually at the front of the action it should be ok with the Wide and just try to avoid longer zooms with it?

I guess my only gripe with the 170 WA is the sunhood that comes with it and that you have to take it apart in 3 pieces to remove the lens and put the sunhood back together again or just don't use it at all.. Which brings up another question.. How many shoot with the hood and/or without the hood?

These are all pretty basic questions probably, but a little background I have spent over 6 years in editing and just started within the last year doing producing and camera work.. So forgive my ignorance..

The Panasonic DVX100 saw Sony's 'mistake' in having a lens with not much wide-angle coverage, and their zoom starts a lot wider.

And of course Sony also addressed this on the FX1 and Z1 with a wider standard lens which I think is pretty similar to the DVX. But I have some mixed feelings about this. The shorter focal length helps in many situations, but it's still not like the effect of a wide angle lens. The long end of the zoom is rather lacking. This is a problem for event work, like filming a show from 100' away, and the 72mm telephoto adaptors are real monsters.

I guess it's hard to have your cake and eat it to...

LOL! As long as stuff costs money it's will always be hard to have your cake and eat it too..

Anyways, for shows such as a seminar I have had real good success with the Century 2x Teleconvertor lens. Although you need to zoom at least halfway in order to use it, but I find it adds some distance to your zoom and at full zooms looks really good.. I guess if I taped more seminars than I do I would probably look atleast at the DSR-250 or 500, not having used those myself I could only assume quality and possible lens attachments should or would offer more of a selection and better quality?

I shoot a lot of weddings with my two VX2000s. Like you Pat the one at the back / off to the side is always devoid of any lens attachments, whereas the one that's under my control is the one that (sometimes) has to be fitted with a wide-angle converter.

I say sometimes because if I can get away without using the 0.5x wide-angle, I will. With it in place I'm reduced to having a 7.5x zoom (3 mm to 23 mm), and suddeny you can't get big, bold closeups of the ring being fitted, the tear in her mother's eye and so on. But as I say - there are times when the situation is so cramped there really is no alternative, and it's at times like these that the VX/PD focal range is not ideal.

Why the reduction from a 12x zoom to a 7.5x zoom? Because I insist on having no barrel distortion and consequently use a single element aspheric. This means the church pillars remain straight and true and the registry office ceiling remains unbowed. People satand upright rather than bending outwards in the middle.

I've looked long and hard at the FX1/Z1 as a replacement, but as a wedding and events photographer my need is for the telephoto end to be good, fast and powerful. I can always add a wide-angle when needs be, but I don't want to be having to carry a wide and a tele converter. The 12x zoom of the FX1 is from semi-wide to so-so tele. The DVX100 is even worse - the telephoto peters out at 45 mm (72 mm on the VX) so it's not for me.

For any sort of differential focus control you need long focal lengths (VX) and fast lenses (VX). And an excellent Steadyshot.

I leave it on 24/7. Perhaps I should start a new thread but... my PD-170 wide lens seems to have a problem. There's a small spec that keeps re-appearing in the same spot and I believe it's caused by a very shallow dent or something. I can clean it off and it will go away but it keeps re-appearing when I go outside and the lens picks up stuff in the air. Anyway I understand this little tiny spec is not normal and my question is this... is the only cure to purchase a new one or is there some lens maintenance method or kit that can bring it back to life?

never mind, bought a new one.

It sounds as if there was some foreign matter between the 3 elements of the w'angle converter you had Craig - or maybe as you say a damage to one of the lens element surfaces. I had tiny specks inside two Cavision 0.5x lenses and returned them both.

When you go outside (as you mention) you camera is much more likely to be using smaller apertures, and these bring the foreign matter into sharper perspective simply because of the huge depth of field. This then shadows the image and you get the specks.

Just 2 days ago on TV there were many scenes (shot in a re-enactment of a 1960s holiday camp) where a creepy-crawly was happily walking all over the front element of the camera. The way it appeared and disappeared showed the editing order quite well.

tom.

Thanks Tom, no it wouldn't be between anything - it keeps showing up on the outside surface of the lens. I'll can clean it away but in no time it seems to collect debris again in that same tiny spot. Must be a dent.

I think I'm out $300 cookies on this one.

You might try and clean the surface of the lens with something that will drain off the static charge if there is any. Have you looked at the surface with a magnifier to see what might be there?

Hi, this is my first post here.
Just bought a sec-hand PD150P from a friend, i bought it because i know how much he cared about the cam n the cam is as good as new in and out(only 200 hrs usage).

Okay, the PD comes with a set of Cokin filters and a holder, P series. I love using the Cokins. However, im planning to add a wide angle converter (Canon WD68H or Sony VCL-HG0758, both with their hood) and the problem is, i was told by some friends that i would no longer be able to use the Cokin holder if i add the wide angle converter.

I checked on Cokin's website and found out tht they have a converter n holder for wide angle, but theres no thread in front of the wide angle converters to screw in the holder.

Is there a possible way to still use the Cokin P series set with the mentioned wide angle converters, or is there another wide angle cnvter tht can be used with the COkins?

Thanks for any input..

Please do not hijack threads. Start a new one for a new topic.

I think you're going to have trouble using the Cokins with the very large front elements of the w'angle converters Nabil. They'll also introduce flare (the Cokin hood is not very good) and you might be better off filtering in post.

Great camera BTW. Enjoy! But it sure does need more wide-angle straight out of the box.

tom.

thanks tom and sorry mike, didnt mean to hijack threads. as far as i can remember, tht was my first post in here.

well, ive done some research, and asked some friends, its impossible to use the Cokin holder in front of the wide angle converters. but nvm, i need to shoot wide angle more than i need the Cokins now.

Im from malaysia, btw.

The Cokin product, in my estimation, have never been of the highest quality but they may work for specific applications without having to spend the money for the 'big' systems.

Try to do the work in post and see if that meets your needs, as has already been suggested.

For temporary needs, consider cardboard, tin cans and other materials that can be adapted for a one-time use at little or no cost. It is amazing to see what professionals use to solve problems. Many times those solutions are made into products that we then can buy in the market.

Hi,

I just bought a Sony VCL-HG0758 Wide Conversion Lens and a Sony VCL-HG1758 Tele Conversion Lens to try on my VX2100E.

I'm not sure whether to be dissapointed or not!

Wide Conversion:

Is it normal to have (I think it is called) 'barrel distortion' with a wide angle lens. I have noticed that when fully zoomed out with the wide angle lens there is a definite but slight 'curving' or distortion of straight lines or objects in the middle of the image (top and bottom). Is this normal?

Tele Conversion:

Seems like a hell of a price to pay for a very 'slight' magnification!

Also - with both lenses - the images do not appear to be as sharp as usual i.e. without the lenses.

Are there any tips / tricks / traps to using these lenses - specifically things like aperture setting, shutter speed, ND filters, steadyshot, 'do's and dont's', etc. etc?

Regards,

Dale.

Any auxiliary lens used on a large aperature prime lens is going to affect the sharpness and distortion of the image. I have a Century WA that causes barrel distortion and softens the image. Part of the problem, I suspect, is caused by the large aperature of the prime lens.

I say this because the Century WA on my PC-110 causes no distortion and no measurable softening of the image. Fast lens systems almost always suffer from more optical distortions than those of smaller aperatures.

I thought the WA I use on my PD-150 was defective and sent it to Century. They charge me to verify that is was a good example of their product.

I had previously purchased a Canon WA and returned it for barrel distortion. The Century has very slightly better performance than the Canon at least on the two samples I've tried.

One other thing you've not yet discovered. Aux lens suck up a bit of light so your camera isn't quite as 'fast' as it is without them.

Try to stay away from the extremes of the zoom and aperature ranges.

With convertors, rule is shoot them only if you need them. I have both of same lenses for my VX2K. The gives a very nice image, and in tight places you absolutely need it. It does soften things up a bit. I've used telephoto only on a limited basis. I did use it to shoot "kite surfing", and it worked well on tripod. If it the same lense I have, you get vignetting right at about half zoom, so the lower end of the zoom range is usless.

With convertors, rule is shoot them only if you need them. I have both of same lenses for my VX2K. The gives a very nice image, and in tight places you absolutely need it. It does soften things up a bit. I've used telephoto only on a limited basis. I did use it to shoot "kite surfing", and it worked well on tripod. If it the same lense I have, you get vignetting right at about half zoom, so the lower end of the zoom range is usless.

I use the Sony VCL-HG1758 almost all the time on my VX2100. I have made several tests with and without it and can detect no loss of resolution and no softening when it's used. I have a 58mm Telesor .5X wide-angle lens I bought in 1988. I works great on the VX2100 and causes no distortion anywhere at any zoom point. Its resolution is very high. If either of these add-on lenses was lowering resolution, I'd see it on my monitor, which is rated at 700 horiz. lines for SD.

I got a Vision Optics High Definition Pro-Digital Lens with Macro 0.5 XAF 58mm Wide Angle Lens.

I really like it but notice when I maximize the wide angle feature, I get a circle...not the fisheye type. How can I get a maximized wide angle feature.

Truth is, without the wide angle lens, I get a wider shot with the standard Sony Lens cause when you add the wide angle lens it adds the corners and you don't get a full picture...

Whats up? Is it the lens, or is it a setting? Do all wide angle lens do this or is this just a cheap lens?

I've never heard of the Vision Optics make Michael, and generally that doesn't bode well. Does the lens come with a 58 mm screw fitting right out the box, or are you using a step-up ring, maybe from 43 mm to 58 mm, something like that?

What you're seeing is vignetting of the image, and generally it means the wide-angle's entry and exit pupils are too small in diameter, or that you're using filters between the lens and your camera's zoom. Take them off.

0.5x is not madly wide on the VX/PD and you certainly should choose a lens that doesn't vignette. Beware - some vignette the full frame but the v'finder masking doesn't alert you to this.

I think it's time to swap it out for a proper 0.5x that allows you full use of the lens. Have a look at Raynox, Kenko, Tecpro, Century, Tokina.

tom.

Tom....thanks! A lot! I'm assuming that at a true .5x you get some distortion kinda like a fish-eye effect...which is good. Is there a such thing as a wider angle lens vs. a .5x?

This forum has been so helpful.

You didn't answer my questions Michael, so why should I answer yours?

:-)


Generally yes, a 0.5x wide-angle converter will give you very noticeable barrel distortion, where door frames bow outwards as you track room to room. Some don't (mine don't) but then I use expensive aspherical elements.

There are indeed wider lenses than the 0.5X, but generally these come with intentional vignetting, lots of barrel distortion and are not good for brides and grooms and buildings.

tom.

Tom,

I got the UV filter off and lost the barrell distortion - completely. Picture looks great. I'm looking for a little more field of view...anyone know of a reputable wider angle lens that has a bit of fish-eye relevance?

Have a look here Michael - Raynox have a good demo site.
http://www.raynox.co.jp/english/dcr/egindex.htm

Hi there,

I rented this camera with the wide angle adapter this weekend and someone took the lens cap (Sony, 0.7). Can anyone tell me where to get another and how much it will cost?

Thanks.

Ronald

I just picked up a wide angle lens (0.45x) on ebay for my vx2100 and Im not too happy with the results. When I put the lens on, all 4 corners of the screen have these black circular spots, which disappear if I zoom in.... but that kinda defeats the purpose of the wide angle lens.

Is this a defect, or normal behavior?

I use a Canon WA58 which is about .65x magnification. It is about $170. Sony makes a version and the best is probably one of the more expensive Century Optics models. Unless you like the fisheye effect, I would stick with a .7x or .65x model.

Does 0.7x really have much of an effect? The difference cant be that big.....

Past about an .55 WA you will start to experience Vignetting-the cutting off of the corners. some people like the look and attempt to get it regardless of the lens they are using.
If you want a WA look but no vignetting then you will need to go to something around a .65 or .7 WA and yes they are wide enough to make a difference HOWEVER it depends on what it is you are trying to accomplish.
For example, you might have a shot that calls for the use of a FISHEYE and another that calls for a .65WA lens and another that anything can be used.
I use the .65WA-don't own anything wider than that as I have no need for it and find the 65 works just fine. A 45 will definately vignette.

Don

Thanks for the input, Don.
I cant seem to find anything over 0.5x on ebay. Grr....

I wonder if the 0.45x lens you gor from ebay had a 58 mm attachment thread. Maybe it had an adapter to take the VX's 58 down to the lens's 43 or so?

You're right, you shouldn't have vignetted corners. So you haven't got a filter between lens and zoom, have you, or on the front of the w/angle? Maybe you're using a hood thet vignettes the image?

Has your lens got a maker's name? The boys are right - stick to Century, Canon, Sony, Raynox andf you'll not go far wrong.

tom.

Does 0.7x really have much of an effect? The difference cant be that big.....

If you are looking for fisheye effect, no, but to get a decent wide angle, for small room shooting, its great. Ideal forwedding changing rooms, and so on.

Even with Sony .7x I have, you see some distortion. (curved vertical posts, an such at the edges.

Raynox's mx3000 "fisheye" is actually pretty wide without vignetting. It DOES however have a pretty noticeable amount of distortion so if you can't have that then this isn't for you. It has a .3x rating but it's nothing like a real .3x fisheye. Also, it's 58mm so you don't have to mess with step up/down rings.

Here's an example of a Vx2100 with long lens first and then with the mx3000, no zooming was done.
http://img152.exs.cx/img152/8473/withoutlens4st.jpg

http://img152.exs.cx/img152/8858/withmx30009mf.jpg

I'd post it with the proper HTML so it just shows the pictures but I've never seen anyone else do that so I figured I wasn't aloud to post pictures.

I'd have to say either stick with a 58mm Sony Wide Angle lense or go for the Canon WD-58H (I use one with my GL1 and I put it on a friend's VX2100 to great effect). At this point in time, it isn't worth it to get a really expensive wide angle lense from Century or 16x9 or any of those specialized manufacturers for cameras in this range.

It's the same thing with buying an anamorphic adapter right now, for the price of the adapter you could almost buy a new HDV camera with native 16:9 (ie. Sony HC1, HC3, A1, or the new consumer Canon HDV camera).

I've been using the Sony wide conversion lens (VCL-HG0758) with my VX for about the past 6 months, and finally got around to buying the Sony WA lens hood (LSF-S58) that's supposed to work with this lens & this camera.

The hood arrived today, but, as I wrote in the title to this thread, it doesn't fit.

You're thinking, hmmmmmmm, probably an eBay ripoff. Nope. B&H doesn't carry these, so I ordered it brand new from J&R.

For those not familiar with this hood, it comes in two parts: the base that locks on to the camera, and the hood that locks on to the base. The lens is supposed to fit between the two.

The base locks on to the camera just fine, and the WA lens screws into the camera just fine. Then come the problems.

The first problem is that the hood isn't wide enough to fit over the front end of the lens. The second problem is that even if the hood did fit over the conversion lens, the body of the lens would stick out about a half-inch or more beyond the front end of the the hood if the hood could be locked to the base.

All I can think of is that I have the first generation of the VCL-HG0758 WA lens. Sony apparently modified the second generation to something smaller, but still kept the same VCL-HG0758 designation -- didn't add an "A" or something to the end to indicate a difference.

Interestingly, right on the front of the retail box the hood is packed in is a picture of my exact setup: VX2100+VCL-HGO758+LSF-S58.

I can't make the lens any shorter, so the only option is to just send the hood back. Anyone reading this have a suggestion as to what else might work?

There are all matter of hoods out there that will probably fit. It is reasonable to expect that Sony made the front of the lens to a 'standard' size.

When I went looking for a lens hood for my Century Optics WA, I looked no further than my old Mamiya RB67. The wide angle lens (65mm) for that camera has a slip-on rubber lens hood that exactly fits. If you were to buy the lens hood, I'm told it is about $250.

I'd go find an old photographic dealer (not many of them left) and look through their junk bins.

Got a machine shop? Make your own! :-)

I have the same setup, vx2100 with vcl-hg0758 and the lsf-s58.

I know with that final part of the hood, you can put it either on two differnt ways, with it completing a box like look and the other with the front creating a lip (which also doesn't allow you to fit the wide angle lens). Are you possibly trying to snap it in using this second way?

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the response. The hood was assembled "backwards" in the retail package, so at first I thought that was the problem. But, when I switched it around, it still didn't fit properly.

The base unit of the hood clicks on to the camera just fine. But the inside diameter of the actual hood part is too small for the end of the lens to fit into.

And, even if the lens did fit inside, the front end of the lens would extend about three-quarters of an inch beyond the front end hood.

I've seen these Sony lenses on eBay, and I noticed some are described as having a black coating and others have a silver coating. Mine is silver, and that may be an older version. Both are designated as being the LSF-S58.

Anyway, I already received a full refund. Apparently if there ever was a hood made for my version of the lens, it's been discontinued.

Do you have a UV filter between the camera and the wide angle lens?

Hi
Did anyone try this one on VX2100? Looks like it is not designed for this camcoder. Are there any distorsions? This one is about half the price of the VCL-HG0758 which is advised by Sony for this device, that is why I am considering buying it.

thanks

i AM thinking of adding this for my vx2100 if i keep it.

Can anyone out there that uses it tell me from first hand experience about how it affects the image quality? I know the more glass you shoot through the image is degraded a little....how much with the use of this WA adapter?

WOuld it affect the low light capabilites? I know on DSLR's sometimes you add a zoom lens and you lose a stop or two of aperture.

So do you lose any sharpness using this adapter also?

Or is the degradation in the image quality negligible?


Same questions on the zoom adapter VCL-HG1758 58mm High Grade 1.7X Telephoto Lens?

thanks
Jerry

oh
and do these adapters have threads and can a protective filter be placed on them?

Also is the WA adapter set or will it telescope any? and what is the 35mm equivalent of the WA adapter.

One othe accessory question LSF-S58 Handycam® Lens Hood...is this the same hood that came with the 2100? if not does it attach to the hood that came with it or would you need to take that hood off to use this accessory hood?
thanks
Jerry

hi ,
what does these wide lens adaptors do ?

do they improve the DOF ?

zoom ?

picture quality ?


bye

ive had a mx3000 and it was pretty good, the only thing is that somehow i got alot of dust in the lense. anyway im looking to get a new wide angle, i dont want to spend alot of money, and i want it to be about just as wide as the mx3000. anyone got some advice?

anyone? i really need some help soon

Have you had a look at the Raynox site? It's quite fun to see their demos of what widies will do for you.

http://www.raynox.co.jp/english/dcr/egindex.htm

I've bought a Century optics 0.65 wide angle for the VX2100... On the instructions it states that the 2 yellow dots must line up, however when I hired one of these lenses before I seem to remember that the lower yellow dot wouldn't go past the upper yellow dot (to the left)... The one that I've purchased rotates both ways???... I also noted that this one is hard to attach to the camera and the first rotation only goes about 20 degrees and not the 45 that it states in the instructions. Any ideas??? Is it faulty? It's a bayonet fitting...

Purchased online from BH and sent to Australia, so it's not going to be easy to return.

Thanks in advance...

I've bought a Century optics 0.65 wide angle for the VX2100... On the instructions it states that the 2 yellow dots must line up, however when I hired one of these lenses before I seem to remember that the lower yellow dot wouldn't go past the upper yellow dot (to the left)... The one that I've purchased rotates both ways???... I also noted that this one is hard to attach to the camera and the first rotation only goes about 20 degrees and not the 45 that it states in the instructions. Any ideas??? Is it faulty? It's a bayonet fitting...

Purchased online from BH and sent to Australia, so it's not going to be easy to return.

Thanks in advance...

Mark,

I have contacted my service department and they will get me an answer soon. The lock ring going both ways is not a major concern as that is normal with that attachment. It is possible that the timing is off on the lock ring at which point I may be able to get my service guys to help you over the phone. As far as it only going 20 degrees, both rings should rotate a few degrees in the direction you lock it on.

I will get you more info as I get it.

Thanks,
Ryan Avery
Schneider Optics

I've bought a Century optics 0.65 wide angle for the VX2100... On the instructions it states that the 2 yellow dots must line up, however when I hired one of these lenses before I seem to remember that the lower yellow dot wouldn't go past the upper yellow dot (to the left)... The one that I've purchased rotates both ways???... I also noted that this one is hard to attach to the camera and the first rotation only goes about 20 degrees and not the 45 that it states in the instructions. Any ideas??? Is it faulty? It's a bayonet fitting...

Purchased online from BH and sent to Australia, so it's not going to be easy to return.

Thanks in advance...

Mark,

My service department has let me know that you likely have an older design of the .65x which the lock ring does not function properly on some non US versions of the sony cameras. We made a kit that works for these cameras but it requires some technical adjustment that may be too dificult for you unless you have some repair background. I suggest you see one of our agents in your country to see if they can adjust it.
Otherwise, you may send it to us and we will fix it under warranty if you purchased it in the last year. We would pay for the shipping on the return but not getting it here to the US. We can also send you the repair kit but again you need to be fairly technically inclined to fix it.

Below is a link to our distributors in Australia.

http://www.schneideroptics.com/dealers/int.asp

Ryan Avery
Schneider Optics