Wide Angle Lens Converter for GL / XM

Darko Flajpan · March 9th, 2006, 03:01 AM

I just bought recently Cokin Digi 0.5 wide adaptor. It works absolutely fine, but (off course) have some problems in 15-20x range. Otherwise, everything else is fine, They are cheap and fits into original lens hood of XM2.

Michael Claerbout · March 16th, 2006, 12:13 PM

Hi all,

I just recieved my Bower wide angle lens for my canon xm2 camera.
and i have question.

As you can see on http://www.bowerusa.com/Lens-WA.html --> near the end of page Lens: VL558 The lens has 2 parts, a bigger and a smaller one.
Now the smaller one is a macro lens and the bigger one is the wide angle is assume. I can connect the complete lens onto my camera, but here's the question isn't this stuppid ? Macro lens with wide angle, i seem to be confused cause i can't screw the bigger part on my camea without the macro.
Do you guys think that it is right to have wide angle with macro together? I also tryd holding it against my camera and i can see a much larger wide angle range, but the edge of the lens is clearly visible. I know this question is confusion but i hope somebody understands me!

Hope to get some help,

Greets Michaël

Michael Claerbout · March 16th, 2006, 12:15 PM

I would like to add, that i was placing the bigger part on its on against the camera, and so i saw the edges.

Prech Marton · March 27th, 2006, 08:57 AM

What price is this lens?

Darko Flajpan · March 27th, 2006, 10:23 AM

Cokin 0.5 /58mm is 55 Euros here, so very cheap compared to others.

Prech Marton · March 27th, 2006, 10:39 AM

Thx, i just have to search a dealere here, in Europe.
The 15-20x range problem is not a big problem, because why use the wide lens? Because i want a wider look than with the normal lens.
At widest zoom range everything is OK? No vignetting? No distorsion effect?
Smear?

thx

Darko Flajpan · March 29th, 2006, 02:00 AM

At widest zoom range there are very small portions of black at the edges of picture, but I can see those only on PC when editing. There is also very, very slight distorsion effect, which is normal thing in 0.5 wide and which i prefer in very wide shots. And no problems vith vignetting. Anyway for the price gap between WD58H, this is great "low budget" lens. I also like presence of the front filter thread. Here's the picture: http://www.praxis.hr/proizvodi/getImgXL.asp?ID=42

Bill Wilson · March 29th, 2006, 02:11 AM

This advice will run counter to the conventional wisdom. I shot with a GL1 for 5 yrs., now have a GL2. I used a Kenko .7 wide angle adapter & am waiting delivery of one for GL2. It is a good piece of glass with no vignetting around the edges of the image. I saw no visible degradation of the images with the adapter as opposed to the GL's lens.

The best news is that the Kenko can be purchased for as low as $77-us. It is truly a bargain. Being the thrifty type I am not into spending $200- or more when it is not absolutely necessary. Bought mine from www.bluecraze.com.

Hope this helps.

Chris C. Corfield · March 29th, 2006, 09:00 PM

Props to the WD58H. Great lens

Chris

Prech Marton · April 12th, 2006, 07:21 AM

Bill and Darko (or somebody, who have):

please could you send me some captured image, shooted with your Kenko/Cokin wide lens?
I cannot make a decision, which is better, you guys can help me a lot!

My email adress can be found on my homepage (ismerteto/elerhetoseg).
I dont want to write it here, because of the spam email.

Thank you!
Marton

Chris Boykins · April 23rd, 2006, 06:06 AM

I have a WD-58 Wide Angle Convertor that came with my GL1. Why is the WD-58 (or any other wide angle lens convertor) important? When is the best time to use a wide angle lens and when is it not appropriate to use one?

Michael Claerbout · April 23rd, 2006, 06:17 AM

Hé Chris,

well a wide angle is very handy when you have to work in small places like in a car, small room, enc. You then have the ability to make wider images. With a wide angle you alsaw get more distance between front and background, so you can achieve a more dramatic look on close ups, ore get a person to step out of the background. The downfall of wide angle is that you get perspectif changes (a straight line will gecome a cerved one) near the edge of your picture, this is normal cause you pull light from a "wider angle" the less the wide angle lens/converter costs the more likely to have more perspectif changes.

greets,

Michael.

Graham Bernard · April 23rd, 2006, 07:34 AM

. . also, external, if you gotta get a whole load of a building! PLUS Landscape shots - oh yes! NOW try this with the camera's 16:9? I recently did a complete shot of the new Wembley Stadium. I got the whole shebang within frame from about 150 metres away .. Completely astonished me . .. !
WD58! It stays on all the time . . .

Don;t use? Well, at the edges you can get lampposts "bowing" in - looks as if they are praying! So as long as you are aware of this and just zoom in a tad and "move" inwards, I've found it's fine.

Grazie

Chris Boykins · April 23rd, 2006, 02:48 PM

Thanks Graham, thanks Michael. I'll keep you're suggestions in mind. Nice to see someone here from Belgium. Have a nice day.

Janice DeMille · May 2nd, 2006, 07:11 AM

I just purchased a WD-58 wide angle lens for my GL2. Would anyone recommend leaving it on the camera for a weddings? I've read other posts on leaving it on but didn't find one in regards to weddings.

thanks

March 9th, 2006, 03:01 AM	#406
Darko Flajpan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bjelovar, Croatia Posts: 153	I just bought recently Cokin Digi 0.5 wide adaptor. It works absolutely fine, but (off course) have some problems in 15-20x range. Otherwise, everything else is fine, They are cheap and fits into original lens hood of XM2. __________________ XM2 Sony DXC637P BetaSP

March 16th, 2006, 12:13 PM	#407
Michael Claerbout Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 53	.: Bower wide angle lens for xm2 not working without macro atachment!? :. Hi all, I just recieved my Bower wide angle lens for my canon xm2 camera. and i have question. As you can see on http://www.bowerusa.com/Lens-WA.html --> near the end of page Lens: VL558 The lens has 2 parts, a bigger and a smaller one. Now the smaller one is a macro lens and the bigger one is the wide angle is assume. I can connect the complete lens onto my camera, but here's the question isn't this stuppid ? Macro lens with wide angle, i seem to be confused cause i can't screw the bigger part on my camea without the macro. Do you guys think that it is right to have wide angle with macro together? I also tryd holding it against my camera and i can see a much larger wide angle range, but the edge of the lens is clearly visible. I know this question is confusion but i hope somebody understands me! Hope to get some help, Greets Michaël

March 27th, 2006, 08:57 AM	#409
Prech Marton Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: hungary Posts: 462	What price is this lens? __________________ Relaxing clips with waterfalls and music, 3D photos, 3D videos: www.3d-video.hu

March 27th, 2006, 10:23 AM	#410
Darko Flajpan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bjelovar, Croatia Posts: 153	Cokin 0.5 /58mm is 55 Euros here, so very cheap compared to others. __________________ XM2 Sony DXC637P BetaSP

March 27th, 2006, 10:39 AM	#411
Prech Marton Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: hungary Posts: 462	Thx, i just have to search a dealere here, in Europe. The 15-20x range problem is not a big problem, because why use the wide lens? Because i want a wider look than with the normal lens. At widest zoom range everything is OK? No vignetting? No distorsion effect? Smear? thx __________________ Relaxing clips with waterfalls and music, 3D photos, 3D videos: www.3d-video.hu

March 16th, 2006, 12:15 PM	#408
Michael Claerbout Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 53	I would like to add, that i was placing the bigger part on its on against the camera, and so i saw the edges.

March 29th, 2006, 02:00 AM	#412
Darko Flajpan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bjelovar, Croatia Posts: 153	At widest zoom range there are very small portions of black at the edges of picture, but I can see those only on PC when editing. There is also very, very slight distorsion effect, which is normal thing in 0.5 wide and which i prefer in very wide shots. And no problems vith vignetting. Anyway for the price gap between WD58H, this is great "low budget" lens. I also like presence of the front filter thread. Here's the picture: http://www.praxis.hr/proizvodi/getImgXL.asp?ID=42 __________________ XM2 Sony DXC637P BetaSP

March 29th, 2006, 02:11 AM	#413
Bill Wilson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Leesburg, Fla Posts: 86	GL1/2 wide angle adapter lens This advice will run counter to the conventional wisdom. I shot with a GL1 for 5 yrs., now have a GL2. I used a Kenko .7 wide angle adapter & am waiting delivery of one for GL2. It is a good piece of glass with no vignetting around the edges of the image. I saw no visible degradation of the images with the adapter as opposed to the GL's lens. The best news is that the Kenko can be purchased for as low as $77-us. It is truly a bargain. Being the thrifty type I am not into spending $200- or more when it is not absolutely necessary. Bought mine from www.bluecraze.com. Hope this helps.

March 29th, 2006, 09:00 PM	#414
Chris C. Corfield Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 44	Props to the WD58H. Great lens Chris

April 12th, 2006, 07:21 AM	#415
Prech Marton Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: hungary Posts: 462	Bill and Darko (or somebody, who have): please could you send me some captured image, shooted with your Kenko/Cokin wide lens? I cannot make a decision, which is better, you guys can help me a lot! My email adress can be found on my homepage (ismerteto/elerhetoseg). I dont want to write it here, because of the spam email. Thank you! Marton __________________ Relaxing clips with waterfalls and music, 3D photos, 3D videos: www.3d-video.hu

April 23rd, 2006, 06:06 AM	#416
Chris Boykins Tourist Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Deleware, USA Posts: 4	Wide Angle Lens--when to use-Question? I have a WD-58 Wide Angle Convertor that came with my GL1. Why is the WD-58 (or any other wide angle lens convertor) important? When is the best time to use a wide angle lens and when is it not appropriate to use one?

April 23rd, 2006, 06:17 AM	#417
Michael Claerbout Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 53	Hé Chris, well a wide angle is very handy when you have to work in small places like in a car, small room, enc. You then have the ability to make wider images. With a wide angle you alsaw get more distance between front and background, so you can achieve a more dramatic look on close ups, ore get a person to step out of the background. The downfall of wide angle is that you get perspectif changes (a straight line will gecome a cerved one) near the edge of your picture, this is normal cause you pull light from a "wider angle" the less the wide angle lens/converter costs the more likely to have more perspectif changes. greets, Michael.

April 23rd, 2006, 07:34 AM	#418
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	. . also, external, if you gotta get a whole load of a building! PLUS Landscape shots - oh yes! NOW try this with the camera's 16:9? I recently did a complete shot of the new Wembley Stadium. I got the whole shebang within frame from about 150 metres away .. Completely astonished me . .. ! WD58! It stays on all the time . . . Don;t use? Well, at the edges you can get lampposts "bowing" in - looks as if they are praying! So as long as you are aware of this and just zoom in a tad and "move" inwards, I've found it's fine. Grazie

April 23rd, 2006, 02:48 PM	#419
Chris Boykins Tourist Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Deleware, USA Posts: 4	Thanks Graham, thanks Michael. I'll keep you're suggestions in mind. Nice to see someone here from Belgium. Have a nice day.

May 2nd, 2006, 07:11 AM	#420
Janice DeMille Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nebo, NC Posts: 111	Wide angle lens for weddings I just purchased a WD-58 wide angle lens for my GL2. Would anyone recommend leaving it on the camera for a weddings? I've read other posts on leaving it on but didn't find one in regards to weddings. thanks