Who Came up with the Best WA? PDX10 at DVinfo.net

Steve Tapping · October 29th, 2003, 01:37 AM

Heard so many bad reviews about the Century .05, lucky cause I was going to buy it.
I have been reading through this forum and it has been discussed a million times but how did everyone end up going with there wide angle?

I need one that has full zoom capabilities but is wider than .65.
Did anyone end up testing the Century DS-HR65-37 I would be really intested in this one. Otherwise who else has a wider lens that provides super good quality with the 37mm format?

Frank Granovski · October 29th, 2003, 04:42 AM

The Tiffen 37mm threaded wide angle is very good, .5X. I don't know if it's 'zoom through' however.

Tom Hardwick · October 29th, 2003, 07:28 AM

I'm sorry to say but there's no "best" wide-angle converter. I've tested many, but there's many more out there. You need to ask yourself how much you want to pay, how wide you want to go, how much (if any) distortion you can accept, how well you want it coated, if you want zoom through, if you want filter threads or fitted hoods, if you want a macro facility and if weight, bulk and balance matter. (it will inside a waterproof housing).

If at all possible try the converter on for size. Shoot stills to memory and movies to tape. Use a tripod, shoot into the light, wave the camera about, film brick walls, zoom and inspect. Go home, open the files on the PC and look carefully at the results.

tom.

Steve Tapping · October 29th, 2003, 06:55 PM

Cost: Under $200
WA: Wider than .65
Distortion: I want pretty much none
Zoom: Definatly need zoom through
Filter Thread: Could manage without
Macro: Not required
Weight: I will have a NP-FM91 on the back
Size: Can't be huge

I would try all wide angles accept the only ones they sell here are around $30

Thanks for input

Ignacio Rodriguez · October 29th, 2003, 09:22 PM

Somebody posted something about the TecPro some time ago. Never tried it myself.

At this brit site, they list distortion and zoom thru capability for each model Very interesing. Here is the link:

http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/

The cheapest one is:
http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/cgi-b...ecpro_037-045s

The best and most expensive (58mm) is this one:
http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/cgi-b...ecpro_058-065s

Tom Hardwick · October 30th, 2003, 02:08 AM

It was me with the Tecpro 0.5S, but I have that for my VX2k and Steve is probably looking for a 37mm threaded lens (about the only specification detail he doesn't give). I'm very pleased with the Tecpro on a power /weight/ cost/ size/ sharpness ratio, so it might be that the ones they make for the PDX10 size are just as good. Untill it's tested. we'll never know.

http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/gimme....php?view=item

tom.

Frank Granovski · October 30th, 2003, 02:28 AM

Steve, Tiffen wide angle 37mm is very good. This Tiffen beats the hell out of the Tiffen 43mm wide. Someone locally tested some wides for his Sony, TRV950 I think. He went with the Tiffen 37mm over everything else.

-----------------------------------------------
If only I could replace the Nikon E 100mm lens on my Nikon with the Leica 100mm lens. :)

Steve Tapping · October 30th, 2003, 05:58 AM

<<<-- good quality with the 37mm format? -->>>

I quote myself
My first post says I require a 37mm format like you said Tom.

Steve Tapping · October 30th, 2003, 06:04 AM

I'll check the Tiffen out although I have a feeling it's not 100% zoom through.

Bryant Wang · October 30th, 2003, 10:32 PM

i tested the canon .7x 37mm WA ($110) against the sony highgrade .7x 37mm WA ($131) and found the sony to have truer straight lines. They both seemed to be equally sharp. I got the sony. One thing to note is that both these lenses are designed for video and still digital camera. This is kinda nice because if it's designed for a still camera you now it's designed to be used with something with a higher resolution than the pdx10. I think this is why the century .5x WA sucks on the pdx10, because it was design for one chip video camcorders.

Frank Granovski · October 30th, 2003, 11:25 PM

Steve, I played with Tiffen 37mm wide on my DVL cam. It looked very good, but I don't think it has zoom through. (It was hard to tell because I only had my cam's low resolution LCD and viewfinder to go with.) Tiffen also now has 2 versions. I only tried the less expensive version.

October 29th, 2003, 01:37 AM	#1
Steve Tapping Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Australia WA Posts: 41	Who Came up with the Best WA? PDX10 Heard so many bad reviews about the Century .05, lucky cause I was going to buy it. I have been reading through this forum and it has been discussed a million times but how did everyone end up going with there wide angle? I need one that has full zoom capabilities but is wider than .65. Did anyone end up testing the Century DS-HR65-37 I would be really intested in this one. Otherwise who else has a wider lens that provides super good quality with the 37mm format?

October 29th, 2003, 09:22 PM	#5
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	TecPro seems good Somebody posted something about the TecPro some time ago. Never tried it myself. At this brit site, they list distortion and zoom thru capability for each model Very interesing. Here is the link: http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/ The cheapest one is: http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/cgi-b...ecpro_037-045s The best and most expensive (58mm) is this one: http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/cgi-b...ecpro_058-065s __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.

October 30th, 2003, 05:58 AM	#8
Steve Tapping Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Australia WA Posts: 41	Re: Who Came up with the Best WA? PDX10 <<<-- good quality with the 37mm format? -->>> I quote myself My first post says I require a 37mm format like you said Tom.

October 29th, 2003, 04:42 AM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	The Tiffen 37mm threaded wide angle is very good, .5X. I don't know if it's 'zoom through' however.

October 29th, 2003, 07:28 AM	#3
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	I'm sorry to say but there's no "best" wide-angle converter. I've tested many, but there's many more out there. You need to ask yourself how much you want to pay, how wide you want to go, how much (if any) distortion you can accept, how well you want it coated, if you want zoom through, if you want filter threads or fitted hoods, if you want a macro facility and if weight, bulk and balance matter. (it will inside a waterproof housing). If at all possible try the converter on for size. Shoot stills to memory and movies to tape. Use a tripod, shoot into the light, wave the camera about, film brick walls, zoom and inspect. Go home, open the files on the PC and look carefully at the results. tom.

October 29th, 2003, 06:55 PM	#4
Steve Tapping Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Australia WA Posts: 41	Cost: Under $200 WA: Wider than .65 Distortion: I want pretty much none Zoom: Definatly need zoom through Filter Thread: Could manage without Macro: Not required Weight: I will have a NP-FM91 on the back Size: Can't be huge I would try all wide angles accept the only ones they sell here are around $30 Thanks for input

October 30th, 2003, 02:08 AM	#6
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	It was me with the Tecpro 0.5S, but I have that for my VX2k and Steve is probably looking for a 37mm threaded lens (about the only specification detail he doesn't give). I'm very pleased with the Tecpro on a power /weight/ cost/ size/ sharpness ratio, so it might be that the ones they make for the PDX10 size are just as good. Untill it's tested. we'll never know. http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/gimme....php?view=item tom.

October 30th, 2003, 02:28 AM	#7
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Steve, Tiffen wide angle 37mm is very good. This Tiffen beats the hell out of the Tiffen 43mm wide. Someone locally tested some wides for his Sony, TRV950 I think. He went with the Tiffen 37mm over everything else. ----------------------------------------------- If only I could replace the Nikon E 100mm lens on my Nikon with the Leica 100mm lens. :)

October 30th, 2003, 06:04 AM	#9
Steve Tapping Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Australia WA Posts: 41	I'll check the Tiffen out although I have a feeling it's not 100% zoom through.

October 30th, 2003, 10:32 PM	#10
Bryant Wang New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: new york Posts: 8	i tested the canon .7x 37mm WA ($110) against the sony highgrade .7x 37mm WA ($131) and found the sony to have truer straight lines. They both seemed to be equally sharp. I got the sony. One thing to note is that both these lenses are designed for video and still digital camera. This is kinda nice because if it's designed for a still camera you now it's designed to be used with something with a higher resolution than the pdx10. I think this is why the century .5x WA sucks on the pdx10, because it was design for one chip video camcorders.

October 30th, 2003, 11:25 PM	#11
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Steve, I played with Tiffen 37mm wide on my DVL cam. It looked very good, but I don't think it has zoom through. (It was hard to tell because I only had my cam's low resolution LCD and viewfinder to go with.) Tiffen also now has 2 versions. I only tried the less expensive version.