Feedback on Raynox lenses for HC7

[Scott Brickert]

Hi Y'all,
I'm getting an HC7 in the next few days and am looking for feedback on a couple Raynox Lenses:

1. the .5x WA (model HD-5050PRO)
2. the 2.2x Teleconverter (model HD-2200PRO)

Are they zoom through? How do the edges look when completely zoomed out? What about vignetting, CA, any other color skewing, and ease of intallation?

[Tom Hardwick]

Haven't tried any lenses on the HC7, but have tried quite a few Raynox lenses on other camcorders. Always found them to be fine, and the Raynox site is very comprehensive in it's listings, demos and descriptions.

http://raynox.co.jp/english/video/hd7000pro/index.htm

Both are zoom throughs, but of course the 2200 will quickly vignette the corners as you zoom back. That's no big deal as you've bought it to extend your focal length, not to match what you already have in your 'prime' zoom.

tom.

[Idar Lettrem]

1. the .5x WA (model HD-5050PRO) = excellent on my a1e

[Carl West]

I'm using the 5050 on my Hc7, it falls off on the edges at full wide angle. But not enough to really be picky on. It is zoom through, and resides on the camera basicly all the time, for my use it gives the camera a very usable range for handheld use with a monopod.

[John Helms]

Originally Posted by Carl West

I'm using the 5050 on my Hc7, it falls off on the edges at full wide angle. But not enough to really be picky on. It is zoom through, and resides on the camera basicly all the time, for my use it gives the camera a very usable range for handheld use with a monopod.

Totally agree 100%. At first I used a kit WA lens that B&H sent me, and it was worse than SD quality.

The Raynox is great. Also fits inside the HCC underwater sports pack, so that's pretty cool too.

[George Ellis]

Originally Posted by John Helms

Totally agree 100%. At first I used a kit WA lens that B&H sent me, and it was worse than SD quality.

The Raynox is great. Also fits inside the HCC underwater sports pack, so that's pretty cool too.

A footnote on John's comment. To fit the HCC, you need to use another rail than the one suggested in the manual.

John, which one did you use or did you modify one?

[John Helms]

Originally Posted by George Ellis

A footnote on John's comment. To fit the HCC, you need to use another rail than the one suggested in the manual.

John, which one did you use or did you modify one?

Good question, I need to post up some pics of this - I actually use a foam canned drink 'koozie' as the bottom rail, and roll a 2nd one up and put it near the door latch for the HCC. Similar to these - http://www.imprintedkoozies.com/drink-koozie.html

Despite how 'rigged up' and unprofessional that sounds it actually snugs up the camera very well. It doesn't roll around or shake or anything.

It would probably be a much safer idea to modify one of the rails though. You'd need to use one of the thicker rails (D maybe?) and offset it to the far left, because using the 'stock' rail designed for the HC7, it puts the lens to the bottom right (which is fine with no lens attachment, but doesn't work for the WA).

[J. Stephen McDonald]

I'm considering the Raynox HD-2200 PRO for my HC9. Has anyone used this for an HC-series camcorder and can give a report on its performance? I'm especially interested in finding what the point in the zoom range is, that it starts causing vignetting.

[J. Stephen McDonald]

I've been using it on a Sony HC9 and it is very sharp and gives undistorted images, all the way to the edge. It causes vignetting starting at 60% full zoom and below. The much larger Raynox DCR-2020PRO, now sold as the DCR-2025PRO (2.2X with 62mm mounting threads) also does fine on the small HC-series camcorders and probably on any other camcorders with 37mm mounting threads. On the HC9, it starts vignetting at 70% full zoom and below, so the small HD-2200PRO is a better choice and more suitable for these little camcorders. The DCR-2020/2025PRO needs a 37-62mm step-up ring or some combination of rings to fit an HC-series model. The HD-2200PRO is now sold with a slightly different model number, but is the same lens, except it has a different selection of small step-rings furnished with it.

Be careful about using these small step-rings, as they're made of plastic and don't have very deep threads. I get less than one full turn in using one to mount it on a smaller camera and being plastic, it could pop off anytime. I'd advise finding a metal step-ring to use instead, if you put it on something other than a 37mm thread. Even then, since the telextender has plastic threads, you need to be careful not to cross the threads or strip them out, by turning it on too tightly.