Optura 20 various questions at DVinfo.net

Gustavo Godinho · June 1st, 2004, 09:14 PM

Anyone knows when Optura10 and 20 be discontinued? Brazil´s mail service lost my Optura10 and I think that, by the time they will pay it for me, the cam will be already discontinued.

Chris Hurd · June 3rd, 2004, 02:19 AM

The Optura 20 / 10 models have indeed been recently replaced by the Optura 40 / 30. Perhaps they will provide you with one of these newer cams instead ?

Roy Beazley · June 20th, 2004, 10:02 PM

I think the xl mic is pretty good .Will this be compatible on the Optura 20?

Thanks

RB

Chris Hurd · June 20th, 2004, 11:06 PM

It is not compatible. You would have to fabricate an adapter for the mic connection, as well as some sort of bracket as a mic holder. For all of the time and effort you'd spend on doing those two things, why not just get the DM-50 mic, plug it into the Advanced Accessory Shoe on the Optura 20 and be done with it.

Roy Beazley · June 20th, 2004, 11:16 PM

Chris
OK. DM 50 it is.

Thanks

RB

Kevin Girard · July 22nd, 2004, 12:47 AM

i just received an optura 20 today and i am already starting to think i made a good decison with what money i had.

i will be making a documenrty about me and my friends senior year in highschool. will this be a good cam for the job?

i was thinking of picking up the dm-50 mic and possibly a wide angle or fisheye. (there will be lots of skating in it)

what lense would be good for the job around $100? i dont really know alot about lenses yet so any adice would be appreciated.

Earon Kavanagh · July 22nd, 2004, 08:53 AM

<<<-- ... i was thinking of picking up the dm-50 mic and possibly a wide angle or fisheye. (there will be lots of skating in it)

what lense would be good for the job around $100? i dont really know alot about lenses yet so any adice would be appreciated. -->>>

Kevin,
I just bought the Canon WD-H46 wide angle converter for my Opura Xi. It is a great lens and widens the view very nicely. I'm very satisfied. I think that's the one that will fir the Optura 20 (but check the specs in your manual).

In Canada, where I live, it retails for $279.00 CDN. I got it at my local pro dealer for $229.00 CDN.

If you buy the dm-50 mic can you post a review here, because a mic is my next purchase.

Hope this helps,
Earon

Michael Wisniewski · July 22nd, 2004, 10:24 AM

1. Fish-eye lenses are great for street skating, they just catch a lot of stuff. Think about getting an inexpensive fish-eye just in case you get in a skateboarding accident!

2. Wide angle lenses are used for indoor shots and wide landscape/panoramic shots. Many people never take off their wide angle lenses, myself included.

You can use your wide angle lense for street skating, and they're also great for vert. For an all-around lense, the wide angle is the way to go. Get the best you can afford.

FYI: I also have the Canon WD-H46. It's a good lens.

Kevin Girard · July 22nd, 2004, 11:16 AM

thanks for your advice.

i was checking lenses on B&H and i saw lots of inexpensive kenko lenses that seem to be alright.

do you recomend these lenses? or should i buy a canon lense because i have a canon camera?

Earon Kavanagh · July 22nd, 2004, 11:35 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Michael Wisniewski : 1. Fish-eye lenses are great for street skating, they just catch a lot of stuff. Think about getting an inexpensive fish-eye just in case you get in a skateboarding accident!

2. Wide angle lenses are used for indoor shots and wide landscape/panoramic shots. Many people never take off their wide angle lenses, myself included.

Hi Michael:
Can you recommend a decent (but inexpensive) fish-eye for the Xi?

Also, just as you mentioned, as soon as I put the Wd-H46 wide angle on the Xi I thought "this is how it should be" and plan to leave it on.
Earon

Michael Wisniewski · July 22nd, 2004, 11:45 AM

Kevin,

The filter/lens thread on the Optura 20 is 37mm.
The recommended Canon wide angle lens for the Optura 20 is the Canon WD-H37.

But the Kenko's are fine to use. Do a search on B&H's site for "37mm wide angle", then sort low to high. There are a lot of lenses to select from.

Robert Kamrowski · July 22nd, 2004, 12:55 PM

I have a Kenko SGW-05 Pro 37mm 0.5x Pro Wide Angle Converter Lens that I purchased from B&H for $80. I am happy with it's quality, and like that it has zoom thru. I use it with both my Optura 10, and my Panasonic 901 as they both have 37mm threads on the lens.

Michael Wisniewski · July 22nd, 2004, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Can you recommend a decent (but inexpensive) fish-eye for the Xi?

I've never used a fish-eye on my Xi ... :-) but there are two 46mm Kenko's at B&H that look interesting. I've used the Century Optics fisheye on a GL-2 but it's expensive.

Jeremy Davidson · June 24th, 2005, 11:10 AM

Hello all! I've got a mini shoot this weekend that I need to use my Optura 20 cam with an external mic setup (two condensers running through a pro-audio mic preamp). I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for setting the levels so that I don't drive the camera nuts by either being too loud or too quiet. Is headphone monitoring pretty much the only option? Sorry, I've gotten spoiled with the VU meters on my GL2.

I'm planning to use two ADK condenser mics with an ART TPS tube preamp in case anyone was interested. I'll be taping a band on stage. I'd use my GL2 instead, but it's already assigned to a different task (actually, it'll have a backup audio track in case the stereo Optura audio doesn't work out).

I realize that the 20 is now discontinued, but if anyone has any ideas or suggestions for other techniques I'd certainly be interested in hearing about them.

Locke Morgan · April 25th, 2006, 12:55 PM

I'm trying to pick out a wide angle adapter for my camera and almost bought a Raynox 5005pro, but then I saw the distortion results...

http://www.lensmateonline.com/newsite/A620A610wide.html

Now I'm trying to find one that has less distortion. The Raynox 6600pro looks good but I would have to adapt up to 52mm. Can that even be done w/o vignetting?

June 1st, 2004, 09:14 PM	#1
Gustavo Godinho Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Belém - Pa - Brazil Posts: 130	Optura 20 various questions Anyone knows when Optura10 and 20 be discontinued? Brazil´s mail service lost my Optura10 and I think that, by the time they will pay it for me, the cam will be already discontinued. __________________ lml

June 3rd, 2004, 02:19 AM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	The Optura 20 / 10 models have indeed been recently replaced by the Optura 40 / 30. Perhaps they will provide you with one of these newer cams instead ? __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

June 20th, 2004, 10:02 PM	#3
Roy Beazley Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: tampa fl Posts: 92	Using the xl-1 mic on a Optura 20 I think the xl mic is pretty good .Will this be compatible on the Optura 20? Thanks RB

June 20th, 2004, 11:06 PM	#4
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	It is not compatible. You would have to fabricate an adapter for the mic connection, as well as some sort of bracket as a mic holder. For all of the time and effort you'd spend on doing those two things, why not just get the DM-50 mic, plug it into the Advanced Accessory Shoe on the Optura 20 and be done with it. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 22nd, 2004, 12:47 AM	#6
Kevin Girard New Boot Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 13	optura 20 questions i just received an optura 20 today and i am already starting to think i made a good decison with what money i had. i will be making a documenrty about me and my friends senior year in highschool. will this be a good cam for the job? i was thinking of picking up the dm-50 mic and possibly a wide angle or fisheye. (there will be lots of skating in it) what lense would be good for the job around $100? i dont really know alot about lenses yet so any adice would be appreciated.

June 20th, 2004, 11:16 PM	#5
Roy Beazley Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: tampa fl Posts: 92	Chris OK. DM 50 it is. Thanks RB

July 22nd, 2004, 08:53 AM	#7
Earon Kavanagh Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 65	Re: optura 20 questions <<<-- ... i was thinking of picking up the dm-50 mic and possibly a wide angle or fisheye. (there will be lots of skating in it) what lense would be good for the job around $100? i dont really know alot about lenses yet so any adice would be appreciated. -->>> Kevin, I just bought the Canon WD-H46 wide angle converter for my Opura Xi. It is a great lens and widens the view very nicely. I'm very satisfied. I think that's the one that will fir the Optura 20 (but check the specs in your manual). In Canada, where I live, it retails for $279.00 CDN. I got it at my local pro dealer for $229.00 CDN. If you buy the dm-50 mic can you post a review here, because a mic is my next purchase. Hope this helps, Earon

July 22nd, 2004, 10:24 AM	#8
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	1. Fish-eye lenses are great for street skating, they just catch a lot of stuff. Think about getting an inexpensive fish-eye just in case you get in a skateboarding accident! 2. Wide angle lenses are used for indoor shots and wide landscape/panoramic shots. Many people never take off their wide angle lenses, myself included. You can use your wide angle lense for street skating, and they're also great for vert. For an all-around lense, the wide angle is the way to go. Get the best you can afford. FYI: I also have the Canon WD-H46. It's a good lens.

July 22nd, 2004, 11:16 AM	#9
Kevin Girard New Boot Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 13	thanks for your advice. i was checking lenses on B&H and i saw lots of inexpensive kenko lenses that seem to be alright. do you recomend these lenses? or should i buy a canon lense because i have a canon camera?

July 22nd, 2004, 11:35 AM	#10
Earon Kavanagh Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 65	<<<-- Originally posted by Michael Wisniewski : 1. Fish-eye lenses are great for street skating, they just catch a lot of stuff. Think about getting an inexpensive fish-eye just in case you get in a skateboarding accident! 2. Wide angle lenses are used for indoor shots and wide landscape/panoramic shots. Many people never take off their wide angle lenses, myself included. Hi Michael: Can you recommend a decent (but inexpensive) fish-eye for the Xi? Also, just as you mentioned, as soon as I put the Wd-H46 wide angle on the Xi I thought "this is how it should be" and plan to leave it on. Earon

July 22nd, 2004, 11:45 AM	#11
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	Kevin, The filter/lens thread on the Optura 20 is 37mm. The recommended Canon wide angle lens for the Optura 20 is the Canon WD-H37. But the Kenko's are fine to use. Do a search on B&H's site for "37mm wide angle", then sort low to high. There are a lot of lenses to select from.

July 22nd, 2004, 12:55 PM	#12
Robert Kamrowski New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lake George, Minnasota Posts: 23	I have a Kenko SGW-05 Pro 37mm 0.5x Pro Wide Angle Converter Lens that I purchased from B&H for $80. I am happy with it's quality, and like that it has zoom thru. I use it with both my Optura 10, and my Panasonic 901 as they both have 37mm threads on the lens.

June 24th, 2005, 11:10 AM	#14
Jeremy Davidson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Eau Claire, WI Posts: 167	Optura 20 external mic levels Hello all! I've got a mini shoot this weekend that I need to use my Optura 20 cam with an external mic setup (two condensers running through a pro-audio mic preamp). I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for setting the levels so that I don't drive the camera nuts by either being too loud or too quiet. Is headphone monitoring pretty much the only option? Sorry, I've gotten spoiled with the VU meters on my GL2. I'm planning to use two ADK condenser mics with an ART TPS tube preamp in case anyone was interested. I'll be taping a band on stage. I'd use my GL2 instead, but it's already assigned to a different task (actually, it'll have a backup audio track in case the stereo Optura audio doesn't work out). I realize that the 20 is now discontinued, but if anyone has any ideas or suggestions for other techniques I'd certainly be interested in hearing about them. __________________ There's no way for you to know if what I'm saying is true unless you know what the truth is, and there's no way for you to know what the truth is unless there is a truth that you can know. -- Frank Peretti

April 25th, 2006, 12:55 PM	#15
Locke Morgan New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hansville, WA Posts: 8	Best Wide adapter for Optura 20 (37mm) I'm trying to pick out a wide angle adapter for my camera and almost bought a Raynox 5005pro, but then I saw the distortion results... http://www.lensmateonline.com/newsite/A620A610wide.html Now I'm trying to find one that has less distortion. The Raynox 6600pro looks good but I would have to adapt up to 52mm. Can that even be done w/o vignetting?