Ed writes:

Thanks for the mic tips. I use a Raynox model MX3000pro (great name...huh?) 0.3X wide angle on my Panasonic MX3000. Great glass, very clear, but it's not zoom through, it starts to blur at about 6X.

I also use the Raynox MX3000 .3x semi-fisheye. It's one of my favorite lenses. Like the post above says the images are clear.

The lens costed about 300 NZD , not sure what that is in cdn or us though :)

Do you see any vignetting at 0x or 1x zoom? If yes, at about how many x do you see it?

Is it one of those big globs of glass - like a giant protruding eyeball?

Thanks in advance!

Re: "Is it one of those big globs of glass - like a giant protruding eyeball?" http://www.8palm.com/rutger.gif

Gee! I thought I was the only one here with a crazy sense of humour! http://www.8palm.com/freak7.gif

Steven Khong wrote:
>
> Do you see any vignetting at 0x or 1x zoom?

I haven't seen any vignetting even at maximum wide angle
and that includes the 720x480 view in the computer's NLE
screen, not just the 640x480 "TV Safe" view.

And yes, it does look like a big flat eye mounted to the front
of my little MX3000. It has native 58mm threads, but I use
2 step-down rings (58-49 & 49-43) to mount the lens.

Raynox has just released their new "top of the line" wide lens
called the FE180pro. It's rated at .24X and is intended to
compete directly with the Century .3x lens, so it's priced at
$360 and still far less expensive than a Century.

Here's a link to the FE180pro page from the same web site
where I purchased my Raynox MX3000pro wide lens:

http://www.bugeyedigital.com/product_main/ray-dcrfe180pro.html

I don't think it comes in the 43mm thread size, for Panasonics, MX300, MX350, MX500, etc.

The Raynox FE180pro includes a 62mm to 52mm stepping ring. 52mm to 43mm rings are very common and sell for less than $10.

The FE180pro is *slightly* clearer around the edges than the MX3000pro wide lens, note the detail in the trees in the example photos below, but at triple the cost the FE180pro SHOULD be better than the MX3000pro.

http://raynox.co.jp/actualimage/vx2000-fe180-flowerboat.jpg

http://raynox.co.jp/actualimage/vx2000-mx3000-flowerboat.jpg

I know it's a horribly long url but if you'd like to see some pictures of wide-angles on the MX300, go here:

http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vx2k/lst?&.dir=/&.src=gr&.begin=17&.view=t&.order=&.done=http%3a//photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vx2k/lst%3f%26.dir=/%26.src=gr%26.view=t

tom.