Wide Angle Lens Converter for GL / XM

Bob Benkosky · July 10th, 2003, 07:40 PM

Well, I decided on just getting the Canon's WD-58H lens int he end.

Cost $183 or something 1-day fedex.

Bud Kuenzli · July 10th, 2003, 10:31 PM

I haven't had time to shoot with it yet. I'm floating the Chulitna river tomorrow (a med/small river in Alaska) and taking my Gl2. If I take the 58 I'll let you know what I thought of it. At first blush it's quite the imposing piece of glass. I doubt I'll be screwing it on while I'm floating; too many rocks to navigate and my pelican will be configured to have the 58 unmounted. But when we camp, if the weather will cooperate, I'll try to get some video. I don't have a rain jacket for it. We'll be out 5 days so I'm crossing my fingers for one good day since it's pretty rainy right now.

Jason Keene · July 10th, 2003, 11:13 PM

I recently bought the Kenko 0.65 bayonet from Tristate for $159. You can zoom through, but I wouldn't use a filter as well. BTW I didn't notice a perceptible degradation in my IS. My initial tests are very good, very sharp as far as I can tell. I'm real pleased with it. Thats my two cents.

Tom Hardwick · July 10th, 2003, 11:54 PM

Don, you think that the the adapter may change the calibration factors for the VAP action yet to all intents and purposes the VAP OIS is insensitive to the outside world. So much so that (unlike EIS systems) it'll work just as well in *total* darkness.

Work? Yes, all that's happening (as Andre points out) is that the camera is measuring the movement that is being applied to it. With these measurements on board it vibrates the front element of the VAP by pushing and pulling at the glass in two locations - bottom and side (90 degrees apart). So if you rock the camera in a vertical motion down at the back and up at the front (as you could by tilting on a tripod say) then the VAP will push the bottom of the front element in towards the camera body to compensate.

The OIS doesn't know or care that you have a wide-angle or a telephoto or a fishtank full of water attached to the camera - it vibrates that front element just as it always will with SSSS turned on.

It reacts with such amazing speed that it alters the prism's shape in sync with your camera shake, in time to bend the light that would be heading off to another part of the chip to be seen as shake. It is for this reason that I refer to it as the closest thing to magic that you or I posess.

tom.

Neil Slade · July 11th, 2003, 12:15 AM

go to www.neilslade.com/lens.html

This works perfectly fine, and by varying your zoom, you can adjust the wide angle degree.

Works for the GL1, GL2, and any other camera of this size.

neil@neilslade.com

Neil Slade · July 11th, 2003, 12:23 AM

$40 for an excellent lens you put together yourself in an hour.

The idea of zooming through the whole focal length using a WA makes no sense to me.

Just take off the WA !!

http://www.neilslade.com/lens.html

Many folks have successfully made this and were quite happy with it.

Neil

Gints Klimanis · July 11th, 2003, 02:11 PM

>The idea of zooming through the whole focal length using a WA makes no sense to me.

I'm a fellow that needs this ability. I'm regularly tape martial arts sparring in a 15' x 20' garage space using a tripod. I need the wide angle lens
to fit most of the action. I simply can not back up outside of the door!. When the guys are fighting in a corner, I need to be able to a nearly full zoom in on the action.

Neil Slade · July 13th, 2003, 12:03 PM

I use both a little .3 clip on for my Sony mini mini DV camera and used the bigger clip on .3 for my GL2

both were very satisfactory

barrel distortion is a part of extreme wide angle lenses. The only way to get rid of this-- if you really need to-- is expensive pro software.

But part of the lure of wide angle IS the distortion.

Zoom in a bit for less wide angle effect, obviously

Tom Hardwick · July 14th, 2003, 12:21 AM

Neil - you say that part of the lure of wide angle IS the distortion. Well it may be for some (skateboarding movies seem to demand it) but for others (Krubrick's The Shining) it sure isn't. I hate it. If I track through a house I do not want to see the door frames bowing outward as I walk through them - it screams 'amateur' and 'cheepie' to me. Horizons should be straight wherever they are in the frame and telegraph poles should be vertical. Maybe it's just me.

Which is why I love the aspheric wide-angles. The Schneider (0.65x) and the Bolex (both difficult to find) give you zero linear distortion, and I have test pictures to prove it.

http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de/katalog/08_aufna/b_optike.php

tom.

Bob Benkosky · July 19th, 2003, 11:00 PM

I ended up getting the Canon's own Wide angle lens with hood and it's a beautiful piece of glass indeed. Only downfall is that it adds some serious weight to the camera.

Tom Christensen · July 20th, 2003, 08:53 PM

Neil,

Can you post a still image from some footage from your w/a lens. I'd like to see a side be side with the lens on and off.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

Devin Doyle · July 24th, 2003, 07:40 PM

Just been kicking around the net recently and saw that Tiffen specifically makes 'wide' filters (I'm interested in UV and polarizer) that are slim (3 mm thick to be exact) so as to hug close to the camera so you can throw a wide angle in front and avoid vignetting. I've got a bone to pick however. At B&H I was reading the description and it read:

"...They do not have a front thread."

What?! If it's designed to go in front of your wide angle lens, then why on earth wouldn't it have threads in the front?

I'm semi interested in getting one, because I'd like to use a UV or polarizer with my wide angle whenever shooting landscapes and the sky. Vignetting is kinda unavoidable at this point with my current UV and polarizing filters. I got duped when ordering my GL1 into getting a 'pro filter set' (crystal vision to be exact) and it's quality is definately questionable.

I'd like to hear if anyone else around has these or has used them and what their take is on them. BTW - I'd be using it with a WD-58....well, thanks for your help/comments in advance!

Gints Klimanis · July 24th, 2003, 08:03 PM

Hi,

Yeah, you really have to be careful with filters and front threads.
I was sharp enough to look at the picture carefully before I ordered. I thought the B&H salesman should have caught this
because I mentioned I was ordering filters for the Canon WD-58H wide angle lens.

Well, guess what? The Canon WD-58 WA lens doesn't have front threads, either. My Raynox WA has front threads, so I'm able to
attach 72 mm filters.

>"What?! If it's designed to go in front of your wide angle lens, >then why on earth wouldn't it have threads in the front? "

Read your own words, my friend !

Gints Klimanis · July 24th, 2003, 08:04 PM

Yeah, the Crystal Optics filters sell for anything from $40-200.
The higher prices are reserved for the retail outlets that sell
the camcorders at a lower price, but only as part of a set that
includes the filters.

Devin Doyle · July 24th, 2003, 08:15 PM

ahso. Since I know the WD-58 doesn't have front threads I never considered attaching any glass to the front of it. Thanks for the responses guys.

July 10th, 2003, 07:40 PM	#181
Bob Benkosky Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Lake Park, Florida Posts: 202	Well, I decided on just getting the Canon's WD-58H lens int he end. Cost $183 or something 1-day fedex. __________________ http://www.veoh.com/channels/filmmaker My clips and films.

July 10th, 2003, 10:31 PM	#182
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	just got the wd58 I haven't had time to shoot with it yet. I'm floating the Chulitna river tomorrow (a med/small river in Alaska) and taking my Gl2. If I take the 58 I'll let you know what I thought of it. At first blush it's quite the imposing piece of glass. I doubt I'll be screwing it on while I'm floating; too many rocks to navigate and my pelican will be configured to have the 58 unmounted. But when we camp, if the weather will cooperate, I'll try to get some video. I don't have a rain jacket for it. We'll be out 5 days so I'm crossing my fingers for one good day since it's pretty rainy right now. __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are

July 10th, 2003, 11:13 PM	#183
Jason Keene New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California. U.S.A. Posts: 8	Kenko 0.65 Bayonet I recently bought the Kenko 0.65 bayonet from Tristate for $159. You can zoom through, but I wouldn't use a filter as well. BTW I didn't notice a perceptible degradation in my IS. My initial tests are very good, very sharp as far as I can tell. I'm real pleased with it. Thats my two cents.

July 11th, 2003, 12:15 AM	#185
Neil Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 131	DIY lens go to www.neilslade.com/lens.html This works perfectly fine, and by varying your zoom, you can adjust the wide angle degree. Works for the GL1, GL2, and any other camera of this size. neil@neilslade.com

July 11th, 2003, 12:23 AM	#186
Neil Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 131	DIY WA lens $40 for an excellent lens you put together yourself in an hour. The idea of zooming through the whole focal length using a WA makes no sense to me. Just take off the WA !! http://www.neilslade.com/lens.html Many folks have successfully made this and were quite happy with it. Neil

July 10th, 2003, 11:54 PM	#184
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Don, you think that the the adapter may change the calibration factors for the VAP action yet to all intents and purposes the VAP OIS is insensitive to the outside world. So much so that (unlike EIS systems) it'll work just as well in total darkness. Work? Yes, all that's happening (as Andre points out) is that the camera is measuring the movement that is being applied to it. With these measurements on board it vibrates the front element of the VAP by pushing and pulling at the glass in two locations - bottom and side (90 degrees apart). So if you rock the camera in a vertical motion down at the back and up at the front (as you could by tilting on a tripod say) then the VAP will push the bottom of the front element in towards the camera body to compensate. The OIS doesn't know or care that you have a wide-angle or a telephoto or a fishtank full of water attached to the camera - it vibrates that front element just as it always will with SSSS turned on. It reacts with such amazing speed that it alters the prism's shape in sync with your camera shake, in time to bend the light that would be heading off to another part of the chip to be seen as shake. It is for this reason that I refer to it as the closest thing to magic that you or I posess. tom.

July 11th, 2003, 02:11 PM	#187
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	>The idea of zooming through the whole focal length using a WA makes no sense to me. I'm a fellow that needs this ability. I'm regularly tape martial arts sparring in a 15' x 20' garage space using a tripod. I need the wide angle lens to fit most of the action. I simply can not back up outside of the door!. When the guys are fighting in a corner, I need to be able to a nearly full zoom in on the action.

July 13th, 2003, 12:03 PM	#188
Neil Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 131	Raynox I use both a little .3 clip on for my Sony mini mini DV camera and used the bigger clip on .3 for my GL2 both were very satisfactory barrel distortion is a part of extreme wide angle lenses. The only way to get rid of this-- if you really need to-- is expensive pro software. But part of the lure of wide angle IS the distortion. Zoom in a bit for less wide angle effect, obviously

July 14th, 2003, 12:21 AM	#189
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Neil - you say that part of the lure of wide angle IS the distortion. Well it may be for some (skateboarding movies seem to demand it) but for others (Krubrick's The Shining) it sure isn't. I hate it. If I track through a house I do not want to see the door frames bowing outward as I walk through them - it screams 'amateur' and 'cheepie' to me. Horizons should be straight wherever they are in the frame and telegraph poles should be vertical. Maybe it's just me. Which is why I love the aspheric wide-angles. The Schneider (0.65x) and the Bolex (both difficult to find) give you zero linear distortion, and I have test pictures to prove it. http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de/katalog/08_aufna/b_optike.php tom.

July 19th, 2003, 11:00 PM	#190
Bob Benkosky Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Lake Park, Florida Posts: 202	I ended up getting the Canon's own Wide angle lens with hood and it's a beautiful piece of glass indeed. Only downfall is that it adds some serious weight to the camera. __________________ http://www.veoh.com/channels/filmmaker My clips and films.

July 20th, 2003, 08:53 PM	#191
Tom Christensen Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cave Creek, AZ Posts: 87	Neil, Can you post a still image from some footage from your w/a lens. I'd like to see a side be side with the lens on and off. Thanks in advance, Tom

July 24th, 2003, 07:40 PM	#192
Devin Doyle Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 188	tiffen 'wide' filters and vignetting Just been kicking around the net recently and saw that Tiffen specifically makes 'wide' filters (I'm interested in UV and polarizer) that are slim (3 mm thick to be exact) so as to hug close to the camera so you can throw a wide angle in front and avoid vignetting. I've got a bone to pick however. At B&H I was reading the description and it read: "...They do not have a front thread." What?! If it's designed to go in front of your wide angle lens, then why on earth wouldn't it have threads in the front? I'm semi interested in getting one, because I'd like to use a UV or polarizer with my wide angle whenever shooting landscapes and the sky. Vignetting is kinda unavoidable at this point with my current UV and polarizing filters. I got duped when ordering my GL1 into getting a 'pro filter set' (crystal vision to be exact) and it's quality is definately questionable. I'd like to hear if anyone else around has these or has used them and what their take is on them. BTW - I'd be using it with a WD-58....well, thanks for your help/comments in advance! __________________ http://devin.par-t-com.net

July 24th, 2003, 08:03 PM	#193
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Hi, Yeah, you really have to be careful with filters and front threads. I was sharp enough to look at the picture carefully before I ordered. I thought the B&H salesman should have caught this because I mentioned I was ordering filters for the Canon WD-58H wide angle lens. Well, guess what? The Canon WD-58 WA lens doesn't have front threads, either. My Raynox WA has front threads, so I'm able to attach 72 mm filters. >"What?! If it's designed to go in front of your wide angle lens, >then why on earth wouldn't it have threads in the front? " Read your own words, my friend !

July 24th, 2003, 08:04 PM	#194
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Yeah, the Crystal Optics filters sell for anything from $40-200. The higher prices are reserved for the retail outlets that sell the camcorders at a lower price, but only as part of a set that includes the filters.

July 24th, 2003, 08:15 PM	#195
Devin Doyle Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 188	ahso. Since I know the WD-58 doesn't have front threads I never considered attaching any glass to the front of it. Thanks for the responses guys. __________________ http://devin.par-t-com.net