Wide Angle Lenses

Dave Valencic · April 2nd, 2003, 09:26 PM

Hmm... I'm a skateboard videographer, and I've filmed with the VX2000 with the Century fisheye and also the XL1 with the 16x lens with the Century fisheye and I can honestly say that the 0.7x Century does not even remotely approach the wideness of the XL1 fisheye even when mounted on the 3X wide lens.

Tom Hardwick · April 3rd, 2003, 09:05 AM

Thing is Dave that the DVX100 starts life with a wide-angle end of the standard zoom the equivalent of the VX2000 fitted with a 0.7x converter! So anything you fit over the DVX100's lens is a lot more powerful than the same converter on the VX.

But the wince-factor is that huge 72mm filter thread. This limits your options hugely, and at the same time ups the prices dramatically.

tom.

Brian Cupini · April 14th, 2003, 01:58 PM

First off, please forgive my general ignorance - I am a hobbyist, and have no formal photography training, so I may ask questions or require clarification about lens technology/effects/etc that you all may take for granted.. =]

The Panasonic accessory list for the DVX-100 lists a wide angle lens adapter for about $450 USD.. Is this a "wide angle lens", or is this just an adapter for another wide angle lens? I'm trying to decide what wide angle lens to buy, and I would like to get the crystal optics .7 wide angle. Will I need this adapter in addition to the lens?

I figured $450 was too cheap for a wide angle, especially since somebody here told me they got their crystal optics for ~$670.. Thanks in advance for any help / insight. This forum has been great for info ever since I bought my camera.

David Slingerland · April 14th, 2003, 02:32 PM

there is a difference between an adapter and a wide angle lens.. the adapter can be fitted on to a standard/long lens and will then give a view witch will simulate that of a wide angle lens. The quality of the wider angle however is most of the time less then that of a real wide angle, distortion, extra glass in front so less light and less quality of picture, or worse some adapters are not completely zoom through... the adapter is an adapter and nothing more! but i think, that you cannot change the lens of the agdvx100 so you will have to make do with the adapter anyway, but you will see the distortion at the edges, you can somewhat work around it by never using the wide angle in its widest setting....that will take the "edge" of it!!

David

Peter Richardson · June 16th, 2003, 05:37 PM

Hey guys--I'm need to get the Panasonic Wide Angle adapter for a shoot this weekend but B&H is out of stock. Anyone know where else I can find it? Thanks!

Peter

Stephen van Vuuren · June 16th, 2003, 05:42 PM

Did you try Zozt Digital or ProMax? Zotz is a forum sponors (others are in that forum here - might look around.

Peter Richardson · June 16th, 2003, 06:04 PM

I'll try them. THanks Stephen.

Peter Richardson · June 16th, 2003, 06:54 PM

Anybody have a preference between these two? Is the Panasonic Wide Angle adapter full zoom through, like the Centruy Optics .7mm? Thanks!

Peter

Stephen van Vuuren · June 16th, 2003, 07:09 PM

I believe it is, from the press release /NAB reports. The .6x from Century does not zoom through.

Peter Richardson · June 16th, 2003, 07:12 PM

Thanks Stephen. What about optical quality? Everyone on the boards seems to like Century Optics. Any difference in the Panasonic? Also, is the Panasonic a .7 or a .6? Thanks,

Peter

Stephen van Vuuren · June 16th, 2003, 07:15 PM

I'm pretty sure that the Panasonic is .7x but don't hold me to it. I've always been happy with Century Optics quality - not sure about the Panny. I have seen a side by side yet.

Brian Cupini · June 19th, 2003, 11:29 AM

Hi, can someone explain the "zoom through" process? I'm a total camera noob, and I'm learning a lot w/ my DVX100.. Is the zoom-through meaning the wide angle effect will be continuous throughout a zoom, whereas the .6 will only show the wide angle effect with no zoom? I want to buy a wide angle adapter for my camera, and the .6 is about $350 from b&hphoto/video, while the .7 adapter is about $679.. Is there no point to owning the .6 adapter? Thanks in advance for the help.

Peter Richardson · June 19th, 2003, 04:32 PM

Hi Brian--The "zoom through" means that the camera gives a usable image through the entire range of the zoom. The .6 mm from Century Optics is an adapter (meaning it has no zoom through. You can zoom for a while, but then the image goes completely out of focus and you cannot render anything but a blurred image). The .7mm from Century is a converter, which means you can zoom through the entire range of the lens and still have a usable image. I'm not sure of the actual optics and physics involved here, leave that to someone more experienced than me to explain. I just got a .6 mm from Century Optics about five minutes ago and did some quick testing. On the widest lens there is quite a bit of barrelling...like a lot, which I'm not particulary a fan of. The overall build and construction seems very high, though. The only reason I would get the .7mm is if you want to leave the converter on and if it has less barrelling (like I said, the .6 mm has a lot). Otherwise, there is overlap between the longest lens you can use with the .6mm adapter and the shortest lens on the DVX100 without adapter, so you have all your focal lengths covered.

So does anyone have side by side experience with the .6 and the .7? Is there any less barrelling with the .7? Certainly it's not as wide, but at the equivalent short focal lenghts to the .6 is there less barrellling distortion? Thanks!

Peter

Mark Randall · June 20th, 2003, 12:14 AM

Peter,

I'm considering getting a wide angle adaptor/converter. If you have a chance could you please try a little experiment for me?

At the widest angle, how many feet away from the front of the lens does a 5'8 or so person need to be for you to just barely see the top of their head and the tips of their shoes at the extreme top and bottom of the frame?

Thanks very much,

--- Mark

Brian Cupini · June 20th, 2003, 12:23 AM

Peter, thanks very much for answering.. Can you describe what 'barrelling' is? Is this a distortion of the images around the edges of the frame, where the image is manipulated? Thanks again for your help. I will be happy to trade you back in car/computer information - I know more about those than videography. =]

- Brian

April 14th, 2003, 01:58 PM	#18
Brian Cupini New Boot Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 12	Wide angle lens / Wide angle lens adapter - difference? First off, please forgive my general ignorance - I am a hobbyist, and have no formal photography training, so I may ask questions or require clarification about lens technology/effects/etc that you all may take for granted.. =] The Panasonic accessory list for the DVX-100 lists a wide angle lens adapter for about $450 USD.. Is this a "wide angle lens", or is this just an adapter for another wide angle lens? I'm trying to decide what wide angle lens to buy, and I would like to get the crystal optics .7 wide angle. Will I need this adapter in addition to the lens? I figured $450 was too cheap for a wide angle, especially since somebody here told me they got their crystal optics for ~$670.. Thanks in advance for any help / insight. This forum has been great for info ever since I bought my camera.

April 14th, 2003, 02:32 PM	#19
David Slingerland Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Soest ,Holland Posts: 307	there is a difference between an adapter and a wide angle lens.. the adapter can be fitted on to a standard/long lens and will then give a view witch will simulate that of a wide angle lens. The quality of the wider angle however is most of the time less then that of a real wide angle, distortion, extra glass in front so less light and less quality of picture, or worse some adapters are not completely zoom through... the adapter is an adapter and nothing more! but i think, that you cannot change the lens of the agdvx100 so you will have to make do with the adapter anyway, but you will see the distortion at the edges, you can somewhat work around it by never using the wide angle in its widest setting....that will take the "edge" of it!! David __________________ D.Slingerland director/cameraman http://www.slingerlandproductions.nl

June 16th, 2003, 05:37 PM	#20
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Where to buy Panasonic wide angle adapter Hey guys--I'm need to get the Panasonic Wide Angle adapter for a shoot this weekend but B&H is out of stock. Anyone know where else I can find it? Thanks! Peter

June 16th, 2003, 05:42 PM	#21
Stephen van Vuuren Space Hipster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,508	Did you try Zozt Digital or ProMax? Zotz is a forum sponors (others are in that forum here - might look around. __________________ stephen v2 www.insaturnsrings.com

June 16th, 2003, 06:54 PM	#23
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Century Optics vs. Panasonic Wide Angle Adapter Anybody have a preference between these two? Is the Panasonic Wide Angle adapter full zoom through, like the Centruy Optics .7mm? Thanks! Peter

April 2nd, 2003, 09:26 PM	#16
Dave Valencic Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cleveland OH Posts: 34	Hmm... I'm a skateboard videographer, and I've filmed with the VX2000 with the Century fisheye and also the XL1 with the 16x lens with the Century fisheye and I can honestly say that the 0.7x Century does not even remotely approach the wideness of the XL1 fisheye even when mounted on the 3X wide lens.

April 3rd, 2003, 09:05 AM	#17
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Thing is Dave that the DVX100 starts life with a wide-angle end of the standard zoom the equivalent of the VX2000 fitted with a 0.7x converter! So anything you fit over the DVX100's lens is a lot more powerful than the same converter on the VX. But the wince-factor is that huge 72mm filter thread. This limits your options hugely, and at the same time ups the prices dramatically. tom.

June 16th, 2003, 06:04 PM	#22
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	I'll try them. THanks Stephen.

June 16th, 2003, 07:09 PM	#24
Stephen van Vuuren Space Hipster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,508	I believe it is, from the press release /NAB reports. The .6x from Century does not zoom through. __________________ stephen v2 www.insaturnsrings.com

June 16th, 2003, 07:12 PM	#25
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Thanks Stephen. What about optical quality? Everyone on the boards seems to like Century Optics. Any difference in the Panasonic? Also, is the Panasonic a .7 or a .6? Thanks, Peter

June 16th, 2003, 07:15 PM	#26
Stephen van Vuuren Space Hipster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,508	I'm pretty sure that the Panasonic is .7x but don't hold me to it. I've always been happy with Century Optics quality - not sure about the Panny. I have seen a side by side yet. __________________ stephen v2 www.insaturnsrings.com

June 19th, 2003, 11:29 AM	#27
Brian Cupini New Boot Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 12	Hi, can someone explain the "zoom through" process? I'm a total camera noob, and I'm learning a lot w/ my DVX100.. Is the zoom-through meaning the wide angle effect will be continuous throughout a zoom, whereas the .6 will only show the wide angle effect with no zoom? I want to buy a wide angle adapter for my camera, and the .6 is about $350 from b&hphoto/video, while the .7 adapter is about $679.. Is there no point to owning the .6 adapter? Thanks in advance for the help.

June 19th, 2003, 04:32 PM	#28
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Hi Brian--The "zoom through" means that the camera gives a usable image through the entire range of the zoom. The .6 mm from Century Optics is an adapter (meaning it has no zoom through. You can zoom for a while, but then the image goes completely out of focus and you cannot render anything but a blurred image). The .7mm from Century is a converter, which means you can zoom through the entire range of the lens and still have a usable image. I'm not sure of the actual optics and physics involved here, leave that to someone more experienced than me to explain. I just got a .6 mm from Century Optics about five minutes ago and did some quick testing. On the widest lens there is quite a bit of barrelling...like a lot, which I'm not particulary a fan of. The overall build and construction seems very high, though. The only reason I would get the .7mm is if you want to leave the converter on and if it has less barrelling (like I said, the .6 mm has a lot). Otherwise, there is overlap between the longest lens you can use with the .6mm adapter and the shortest lens on the DVX100 without adapter, so you have all your focal lengths covered. So does anyone have side by side experience with the .6 and the .7? Is there any less barrelling with the .7? Certainly it's not as wide, but at the equivalent short focal lenghts to the .6 is there less barrellling distortion? Thanks! Peter

June 20th, 2003, 12:14 AM	#29
Mark Randall Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 47	Peter, I'm considering getting a wide angle adaptor/converter. If you have a chance could you please try a little experiment for me? At the widest angle, how many feet away from the front of the lens does a 5'8 or so person need to be for you to just barely see the top of their head and the tips of their shoes at the extreme top and bottom of the frame? Thanks very much, --- Mark

June 20th, 2003, 12:23 AM	#30
Brian Cupini New Boot Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 12	Peter, thanks very much for answering.. Can you describe what 'barrelling' is? Is this a distortion of the images around the edges of the frame, where the image is manipulated? Thanks again for your help. I will be happy to trade you back in car/computer information - I know more about those than videography. =] - Brian