Which WD
 

Canon has at least three 58mm wide angle converters for its video camera line.
WD-58H
WD-H58
WD-H58W

The first two are 0.7x and the last is 0.8x designed for the XA10 (and higher priced too!)

Any comments on using the others with the XA=10 beyond 21mm (if using the 0.7x, being rather wide.?

TIA

Re: Which WD
 

The 0.8x WA works perfect on the XA 10.
I think the 0.7x lens will vignette at full wide, particularly if the image stabilization is active.

Re: Which WD
 

I still have VCL-HG0758 since PD170 and it works just fine on G10, full zoom through , very litlle CA and distortion,
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-xa...omparison.html
you can find one on ebay very cheap

Re: Which WD
 

I am about to buy a wide angle lens adapter for my G10, and I am curious about something. What is that little sensor that sits right below the lens? It looks like it's a focus sensor, but it would be covered by the screw on wide angle lens. Which would mean that whatever this sensor does, is now being altered by the lens adapter.

Is this a problem? Are users still having solid AF with their wide angle adapters mounted?
Angelo

Re: Which WD
 

I read somewhere that night vision thingy doesn't work with WA on the camera, maybe that's it. I bet it is.

Re: Which WD
 

I don't think the camera has night-vision. It has a night and low light programs - but those don't actually use the green infrared "Paris Hilton" effect.

I dug out the manual, and that little sensor is in fact the "Instant AF" sensor.

So I ask any Wide Angle owners - how is the instant AF performance with the adapter mounted right over the auto-focus sensor. Seems like a bad place for such an important sensor! Maybe it's a non-issue, but I wanted to check before I bought one.

Thanks,
Angelo

Re: Which WD
 

Just a guess, but I suspect that given the depth of field at wide angle settings, the impact of covering the sensor would probably not be critical for most wide shots, but focus would be slower

However, the XA10 does have IR capability. The IR emitter is in the handle.

Re: Which WD
 

like almost any camera with WA lens on it works fine when there is enough light, but I have to say that even in the dark receptions G10 holds it very well, better than EX1 with Schneider, AF is fast and accurate, but I keep it wide all the time, it might behave differently at deeper aperture

Re: Which WD
 

I have a G10, which makes sense why I didn't think the camera had IR night-vision.

Thanks for the feedback, i think I am going to pick up a lens today.

Angelo

Re: Which WD
 

Angelo, I'm thinking of following Buba's example and getting the Sony for $100 on ebay.

Re: Which WD
 

Good luck with the Sony Jeff. It seems like it should work great.

I am going to try the Raynox HD-7000.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/292491-REG/Raynox_HD_7000PRO_HD_7000_Pro_58mm_0_7x.html
It's almost half the price of the Canon WD-H58W, and (most importantly for me) has 82mm filter threads up front for a lens hood. The Canons and Sony don't seem to have front threads, and I've run in to some dust problems on sunny days when I am shooting without a hood. So that seems like a must for me. I see some cheap 82mm hoods on ebay.

To answer the original posters question, these are the differences that I have found between the WD lenses. These are just assumptions, I may be incorrect:

WD-58H - .7x - Made for DV era GL cameras, might not work for 16x9 widescreen. Or maybe they do?
WD-H58 - .7x - Made for HF S10 & HF S100. Probably works fine on most HD 58mm cameras.
WD-H58W - .8x - Made for HF-G10, XA10, XF100, XF105. Probably works fine on most HD 58mm cameras.

But, I have no idea why Canon is charging so much for the WD-H58W. I've bought Schneider / Century adapters for less than that, and they are extremely well made.

I'll follow up with some feedback on the Raynox HD-7000. It seems to get good reviews on B&H, so I am hoping I have good luck with it as well.

Thanks,
Angelo

Re: Which WD
 

The Raynox lenses get mixed reviews, depending on the lens. I had a Raynox WA adapter and wasn't impressed at all, lost a lot of light, but yours might be one of the better ones. Keep us posted.

Re: Which WD
 

I would strongly recommend Sony over a Raynox WA in general, ( I've used Raynox lenses in the past) and for XA/G10 in particular, very good quality, very little distortion and CA

Re: Which WD
 

Canon charges so much because it's quality glass. The Canon WA adapters are very good, and are known as such. Raynox are really more of a poor man's lens. Not to disrespect them, but it's true. Some of their lenses are better than others, for sure. Canon is know in the photography world as making some of the best glass there is.

Re: Which WD
 

Thanks for the explanation Jeff.

I went ahead and purchased both the Raynox HD-7000 and the Canon WD-H58 from B&H and will do a shootout and post the results. I work at a TV station, and I have access to high end ChromaDuMonde test charts I can use for the shootout.

By budget was around $200 - so I couldn't go with the new WD-H58W. But at least I can compare the Canon glass to the Raynox glass - and see if I notice any results. If I don't notice a difference, and the built quality is good on both - I do like the front threads on the Raynox so I might keep it. But if the picture quality is better on the Canon, it's an obvious winner and the Raynox will be returned.

I'll post the results shortly.
Angelo