Wide angle choices at DVinfo.net

Michael Dalton · July 17th, 2003, 01:25 PM

I am heading off to Africa soon to do some shooting, and was wondering what my best bet is for shooting wide angle. I have read a bunch of complaints about the 3x lens, and not sure if I want to go that route now.

I am picking up an EF adapter with 35-350 lens, so I was wondering if I am better of going with a EF lens, keeping in mind that it magnifies, or going with a century optics wide angle adapter.

have people used these before, and what is the must have adapter, cause I see that there are several.

This will be for broadcast, so quality is very important.

Michael

Jacques Mersereau · July 17th, 2003, 02:58 PM

The 3X, though much softer than EOS glass, is going to work better
than the 16X with an adapter. The 16X and 3X both resolve about
the same amount of resolution IMO.

The "must have" adapter is the PS Technik (~$6K), but you then
need to get some really pricey film lens.

There is another adapter that is around $500 that only provides
a 2X magnification. I have no idea as to how well it works,
but there are a couple of threads about it somewhere on dvinfo.net.

www.xl1solutions.com

Rik Sanchez · July 17th, 2003, 08:13 PM

Michael,
I own two century adapters for my 16X XL-1 lens, the .7X full zoom through wide angle and the fisheye adapter. I like them both, except the .7X adapter is a big hunk of an adapater and does add some weight to the front of the camera. The added 30% more coverage with that adapter is great and for really tight areas I put on the fisheye.

Have fun in Africa.

Jordi Ferre · August 7th, 2003, 04:38 PM

Rik,

Does the CO .7x zoom-through converter have a thread on the front so that you can attach the fisheye adapter? Which fisheye adapter did you buy from century optics? Does the fisheye adapter have a thread on the front as well? Does it introduce a lot of distorsion towards the edges? How much light do you lose using the WA converter, the fisheye, and both combined (how many f-stops)?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm looking at the different fisheye and WA adapters that CO offers because I want to buy one, but their web site does not have a lot of info on these adapters (or I'm being quite obtuse at finding it)

Thank you

Jordi

Rik Sanchez · August 7th, 2003, 07:40 PM

Jordi,
the .7X adapter does have a thread on it but its for a filter, you are thinking about the Optex adapter. You put one on top of the other to make it a fisheye.

http://www.optexint.com/sales/lenses...eopticset.html

The Century Fisheye is a separate adapter that you put on the end of the XL-1 16x, they make adapters for all the different Canon Lenses.
Here's a link giving more details on the adapters:

http://www.johnbarry.com.au/century/...v_fitspec.html

I haven't really noticed if you lose light using the adapters. The fisheye does give some distortion which I like, if you use it on the Canon .3x lens it will give you a lot of distortion. I just checked my fisheye and there does seem to be some threads on it, although it doesn't seem to have very many.

I ordered my fisheye adapter through ZGC, Chris handled my order and was great, answered all my questions. The adapter was shipped to me in Japan in about a week.

If you end up buying one, I'd recommend getting it through them.

Hope this info helps.

Jordi Ferre · August 8th, 2003, 02:18 PM

Rik,

Thank you for the info. I noticed that century makes a .7x and .5x adapter that mount onto each other (like the OpTex ones) and that 's why I was wondering if you had a similar config.

In regards to your fisheye adapter...which one do you have? Century makes one for the 16x stock lens, another one for the 3x lens, and another one for the 14x manual. Are the adapters interchangeable? If so, what are the trade-offs?

BTW, the reference numbers are:
VS-FEWA-XL
VS-FE75-00
VS-FEWA-3XL

Arigato!!

Josh Bass · August 8th, 2003, 02:34 PM

Let's not forget Century Optics' .6x Wide angle adapter, around $300-400, and with about 40% more coverage than the stock lens.

Jeff Donald · August 8th, 2003, 05:04 PM

If the convertor is attached to the front of a lens, very little light is lost. There is always some light lost due to internal reflection etc. Good multicoated optics, like the Century, will typically lose less than 1%.

Convertors attached between the lens and camera, like 35mm SLR's and the XL1, will lose a significant amount of light. A 1.4X convertor will lose one stop, or 50% of the light. A 2X convertor will lose 75% of the light.

Rik Sanchez · August 8th, 2003, 07:13 PM

I have the .7X & the fisheye for the 16X Canon lens. The adapters are not interchangeable, they make different adapters for each of the Canon lenses.

Putting a fisheye on the 3X wide lens will give a very distorted and wide fisheye look, 116% coverage compared to 85% for the 16X lens with the fisheye. The fisheye is a great adapter, I like it a lot.

July 17th, 2003, 01:25 PM	#1
Michael Dalton Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Torotnto, Canada Posts: 139	Wide angle choices I am heading off to Africa soon to do some shooting, and was wondering what my best bet is for shooting wide angle. I have read a bunch of complaints about the 3x lens, and not sure if I want to go that route now. I am picking up an EF adapter with 35-350 lens, so I was wondering if I am better of going with a EF lens, keeping in mind that it magnifies, or going with a century optics wide angle adapter. have people used these before, and what is the must have adapter, cause I see that there are several. This will be for broadcast, so quality is very important. Michael

July 17th, 2003, 02:58 PM	#2
Jacques Mersereau Trustee Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,334	The 3X, though much softer than EOS glass, is going to work better than the 16X with an adapter. The 16X and 3X both resolve about the same amount of resolution IMO. The "must have" adapter is the PS Technik (~$6K), but you then need to get some really pricey film lens. There is another adapter that is around $500 that only provides a 2X magnification. I have no idea as to how well it works, but there are a couple of threads about it somewhere on dvinfo.net. www.xl1solutions.com __________________ Jacques Mersereau University of Michigan-Video Studio Manager

July 17th, 2003, 08:13 PM	#3
Rik Sanchez ChorizoSmells Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 424	Michael, I own two century adapters for my 16X XL-1 lens, the .7X full zoom through wide angle and the fisheye adapter. I like them both, except the .7X adapter is a big hunk of an adapater and does add some weight to the front of the camera. The added 30% more coverage with that adapter is great and for really tight areas I put on the fisheye. Have fun in Africa. __________________ ChorizoSmells Video Barrio Tamatsukuri, Osaka, JAPAN

August 7th, 2003, 04:38 PM	#4
Jordi Ferre New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 6	CO wide angle adapters Rik, Does the CO .7x zoom-through converter have a thread on the front so that you can attach the fisheye adapter? Which fisheye adapter did you buy from century optics? Does the fisheye adapter have a thread on the front as well? Does it introduce a lot of distorsion towards the edges? How much light do you lose using the WA converter, the fisheye, and both combined (how many f-stops)? Sorry for all the questions. I'm looking at the different fisheye and WA adapters that CO offers because I want to buy one, but their web site does not have a lot of info on these adapters (or I'm being quite obtuse at finding it) Thank you Jordi

August 7th, 2003, 07:40 PM	#5
Rik Sanchez ChorizoSmells Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 424	Jordi, the .7X adapter does have a thread on it but its for a filter, you are thinking about the Optex adapter. You put one on top of the other to make it a fisheye. http://www.optexint.com/sales/lenses...eopticset.html The Century Fisheye is a separate adapter that you put on the end of the XL-1 16x, they make adapters for all the different Canon Lenses. Here's a link giving more details on the adapters: http://www.johnbarry.com.au/century/...v_fitspec.html I haven't really noticed if you lose light using the adapters. The fisheye does give some distortion which I like, if you use it on the Canon .3x lens it will give you a lot of distortion. I just checked my fisheye and there does seem to be some threads on it, although it doesn't seem to have very many. I ordered my fisheye adapter through ZGC, Chris handled my order and was great, answered all my questions. The adapter was shipped to me in Japan in about a week. If you end up buying one, I'd recommend getting it through them. Hope this info helps. __________________ ChorizoSmells Video Barrio Tamatsukuri, Osaka, JAPAN

August 8th, 2003, 02:18 PM	#6
Jordi Ferre New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 6	Rik, Thank you for the info. I noticed that century makes a .7x and .5x adapter that mount onto each other (like the OpTex ones) and that 's why I was wondering if you had a similar config. In regards to your fisheye adapter...which one do you have? Century makes one for the 16x stock lens, another one for the 3x lens, and another one for the 14x manual. Are the adapters interchangeable? If so, what are the trade-offs? BTW, the reference numbers are: VS-FEWA-XL VS-FE75-00 VS-FEWA-3XL Arigato!!

August 8th, 2003, 02:34 PM	#7
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Let's not forget Century Optics' .6x Wide angle adapter, around $300-400, and with about 40% more coverage than the stock lens. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

August 8th, 2003, 05:04 PM	#8
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	If the convertor is attached to the front of a lens, very little light is lost. There is always some light lost due to internal reflection etc. Good multicoated optics, like the Century, will typically lose less than 1%. Convertors attached between the lens and camera, like 35mm SLR's and the XL1, will lose a significant amount of light. A 1.4X convertor will lose one stop, or 50% of the light. A 2X convertor will lose 75% of the light. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 8th, 2003, 07:13 PM	#9
Rik Sanchez ChorizoSmells Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 424	I have the .7X & the fisheye for the 16X Canon lens. The adapters are not interchangeable, they make different adapters for each of the Canon lenses. Putting a fisheye on the 3X wide lens will give a very distorted and wide fisheye look, 116% coverage compared to 85% for the 16X lens with the fisheye. The fisheye is a great adapter, I like it a lot. __________________ ChorizoSmells Video Barrio Tamatsukuri, Osaka, JAPAN