Wide Angle Lens Converter for GL / XM

Don Palomaki · July 22nd, 2002, 05:36 PM

The Century 0.65x does NOT have filter threads. In any case a filter is likely to vignette at widest settings.

Jason Bagby · August 7th, 2002, 11:55 AM

I only just discovered that I can see the corners of my 82mm uv filter when zoomed out and using my .5x wide angle (which i just keep on my camera) but it only shows up on my mac. it isn't anywhere near 'tv safe area' but i assume it will show up on qt movies and the like.
i'm sure crystal optics are the wal-mart of the lens world, but the quality is good and the vignetting is minimal, besides i like the vignetting- and for 150$ it sure beats standing across the room to get a medium shot of a person.
and they have threads!
check ebay or any camera shop in chinatown for crystal optics gear.

Hagop Matossian · August 8th, 2002, 04:21 AM

As a DV newbie I am budgeting for my upcoming purchase of XM-2 and whatever else I can afford with it, hopefully the Wide Angle Adaptor, a Steadicam JR, and some filters. Does anyone know the price of the Wide Angle adaptor in the UK/US

Also, I'm hoping to make music videos for which I will need some really screwed up filters. does anyone have any reccomendations for rare/extremely weird FX filters?

I read on a separate thread about people makin their own which also interests me. Would one buy the empty threaded ring and then fit coloured translucent/transparent materials into the ring, experimenting with what works

cheers

Don Palomaki · August 8th, 2002, 06:09 AM

In the US, the benchmark wideangle adapter is the Canon WD58 which gives a 0.7x factor. Street price in the USA is on the order of US$170. There are some cheaper adapters that are also of lower quality, and some substantially more expensive models as well (e.g., Century Optics). And you can find a range of multipliers as well; e.g., 0.55, 0.65, 0.7, and so on.

Blake Haber · August 8th, 2002, 08:29 AM

My Century .55 was $226 US.

b

Craig Peer · August 8th, 2002, 12:03 PM

Where can one order the new lens shade for the WD - 58 , Canon?

Chris Hurd · August 8th, 2002, 02:24 PM

You can order the lens hood by itself, or the WD-58 with or without the lens hood, from our DV Info Net sponsors who are authorized Canon dealers... Pro-Tape, ZGC and Zotz Digital. See www.dvinfo.net/sponsors for contact info. Hope this helps,

Don Palomaki · August 8th, 2002, 03:18 PM

Note that a potentially significant factor with wide angle adapters/converters is whether or not they are full zoom thorugh. Some only allow limited zooming, which does reduce cost significantly.

Craig Peer · August 8th, 2002, 04:18 PM

Thanks Chris. I thought about Zotz ( where I bought my new GL2 2 1/2 weeks ago before taking it to the High Sierra for a " shakedown cruise ") and they said the lens shade is $ 34.00 by itself and not yet in stock ( but coming soon ).

Hagop Matossian · August 8th, 2002, 05:43 PM

thanks guys. Better not quit my job too soon then! stuff in the uk usually costs is £'s what it costs in $'s in the states, so it looks like I'm looking at at least £170 for the Wide angle adaptor. A shame, as I could really do with a new skateboard...

Steve McDonald · August 13th, 2002, 02:50 AM

Most front-end add-on lenses,
WA, telextender, etc., don't have threads for mounting filters or hoods. But, you can find a slightly larger filter that is just wide enough to snap over the outer rim of the extra lens. It can be held in place by a wrap of black gaffer's tape (my cheapo version of this is hose-bandage tape from an auto rack at most grocery stores). Using larger filters, the glass goes out beyond the rim of the shell and doesn't cause as much, if any, vignetting, as one that screws onto threads inside the shell. It may be necessary to put a few wraps of tape around the rim of the add-on, inside where the filter ring goes, to fill out the diameter and make it fit more snugly. Sometimes, I do this same thing to put a hood onto an add-on. I may pull the rubber of the hood off its solid ring and tape just the soft part over the shell.

Large and long-established film camera stores often have boxes full of an odd assortment of filters and hoods, that they like to sell cheaply, just to get rid of them.

Steve McDonald

Steve McDonald · August 13th, 2002, 03:13 AM

Speaking of 58mm WA lenses, 14 years ago, I paid $160. for an extraordinary WA add-on. It is a .5X and carries the Telesor brand, and is marked as made in Japan. It has flawless quality, with no distortion at any point in the image and no vignetting in any light level or even when backed all the way off on the zoom. I've been using it with step-rings on smaller lenses all these years and if I grab a GL2, I'll have another use for it. I've tried to identify the manufacturer of this solidly-built lens, without success. I suspect the "Telesor" name is just one of numerous marketing brands, that have no obvious connection to its maker. Maybe one of you has run across this brand or knows someone who sells them currently?? I'd recommend one highly, if it could be located. I'd get very combative, if someone tried to deprive me of this one.

Steve McDonald

Chris Hurd · August 13th, 2002, 05:53 AM

Steve, in Texas we'd say that we'd have to wrassle for it.

A quick check of the Google search engine reveals an interesting link at http://people.smu.edu/rmonagha/third/mfg.html which in turn indicates that the Telesor name comes from Masel Supply Inc., a company which I suspect may be out of business now.

Joshua Wachs · August 15th, 2002, 07:12 PM

Am I correct in assuming you can get the Wide Angle hood for the WD58 afterwards?

Chris Hurd · August 15th, 2002, 08:09 PM

You're asking if the hood can be purchased separately, and the answer is yes, it can. Hope this helps,

August 7th, 2002, 11:55 AM	#17
Jason Bagby Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Longmont CO Posts: 39	crystal optics .5x and nle I only just discovered that I can see the corners of my 82mm uv filter when zoomed out and using my .5x wide angle (which i just keep on my camera) but it only shows up on my mac. it isn't anywhere near 'tv safe area' but i assume it will show up on qt movies and the like. i'm sure crystal optics are the wal-mart of the lens world, but the quality is good and the vignetting is minimal, besides i like the vignetting- and for 150$ it sure beats standing across the room to get a medium shot of a person. and they have threads! check ebay or any camera shop in chinatown for crystal optics gear.

August 8th, 2002, 04:21 AM	#18
Hagop Matossian Woodyfang Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London/Nicosia Posts: 125	wide angle adaptor - price As a DV newbie I am budgeting for my upcoming purchase of XM-2 and whatever else I can afford with it, hopefully the Wide Angle Adaptor, a Steadicam JR, and some filters. Does anyone know the price of the Wide Angle adaptor in the UK/US Also, I'm hoping to make music videos for which I will need some really screwed up filters. does anyone have any reccomendations for rare/extremely weird FX filters? I read on a separate thread about people makin their own which also interests me. Would one buy the empty threaded ring and then fit coloured translucent/transparent materials into the ring, experimenting with what works cheers __________________ 10 films online http://www.undeadarmy.org STOP PRESS!! http://www.honeyweasel.com STOP PRESS!! Lighting Cameraman / Director / Producer / Music Producer / DJ / Web Designer / Visualist / Media Student / IT Tutor / Digital Artist W00dy See, W00dy d00...

August 8th, 2002, 12:03 PM	#21
Craig Peer Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 72	new wide angle lens shade Where can one order the new lens shade for the WD - 58 , Canon?

August 8th, 2002, 02:24 PM	#22
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	You can order the lens hood by itself, or the WD-58 with or without the lens hood, from our DV Info Net sponsors who are authorized Canon dealers... Pro-Tape, ZGC and Zotz Digital. See www.dvinfo.net/sponsors for contact info. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

August 8th, 2002, 04:18 PM	#24
Craig Peer Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 72	lens shade Thanks Chris. I thought about Zotz ( where I bought my new GL2 2 1/2 weeks ago before taking it to the High Sierra for a " shakedown cruise ") and they said the lens shade is $ 34.00 by itself and not yet in stock ( but coming soon ).

July 22nd, 2002, 05:36 PM	#16
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	The Century 0.65x does NOT have filter threads. In any case a filter is likely to vignette at widest settings.

August 8th, 2002, 06:09 AM	#19
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	In the US, the benchmark wideangle adapter is the Canon WD58 which gives a 0.7x factor. Street price in the USA is on the order of US$170. There are some cheaper adapters that are also of lower quality, and some substantially more expensive models as well (e.g., Century Optics). And you can find a range of multipliers as well; e.g., 0.55, 0.65, 0.7, and so on.

August 8th, 2002, 08:29 AM	#20
Blake Haber Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 34	My Century .55 was $226 US. b

August 8th, 2002, 03:18 PM	#23
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	Note that a potentially significant factor with wide angle adapters/converters is whether or not they are full zoom thorugh. Some only allow limited zooming, which does reduce cost significantly.

August 8th, 2002, 05:43 PM	#25
Hagop Matossian Woodyfang Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London/Nicosia Posts: 125	thanks guys. Better not quit my job too soon then! stuff in the uk usually costs is £'s what it costs in $'s in the states, so it looks like I'm looking at at least £170 for the Wide angle adaptor. A shame, as I could really do with a new skateboard...

August 13th, 2002, 02:50 AM	#26
Steve McDonald Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 366	Most front-end add-on lenses, WA, telextender, etc., don't have threads for mounting filters or hoods. But, you can find a slightly larger filter that is just wide enough to snap over the outer rim of the extra lens. It can be held in place by a wrap of black gaffer's tape (my cheapo version of this is hose-bandage tape from an auto rack at most grocery stores). Using larger filters, the glass goes out beyond the rim of the shell and doesn't cause as much, if any, vignetting, as one that screws onto threads inside the shell. It may be necessary to put a few wraps of tape around the rim of the add-on, inside where the filter ring goes, to fill out the diameter and make it fit more snugly. Sometimes, I do this same thing to put a hood onto an add-on. I may pull the rubber of the hood off its solid ring and tape just the soft part over the shell. Large and long-established film camera stores often have boxes full of an odd assortment of filters and hoods, that they like to sell cheaply, just to get rid of them. Steve McDonald

August 13th, 2002, 03:13 AM	#27
Steve McDonald Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 366	Speaking of 58mm WA lenses, 14 years ago, I paid $160. for an extraordinary WA add-on. It is a .5X and carries the Telesor brand, and is marked as made in Japan. It has flawless quality, with no distortion at any point in the image and no vignetting in any light level or even when backed all the way off on the zoom. I've been using it with step-rings on smaller lenses all these years and if I grab a GL2, I'll have another use for it. I've tried to identify the manufacturer of this solidly-built lens, without success. I suspect the "Telesor" name is just one of numerous marketing brands, that have no obvious connection to its maker. Maybe one of you has run across this brand or knows someone who sells them currently?? I'd recommend one highly, if it could be located. I'd get very combative, if someone tried to deprive me of this one. Steve McDonald

August 13th, 2002, 05:53 AM	#28
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Steve, in Texas we'd say that we'd have to wrassle for it. A quick check of the Google search engine reveals an interesting link at http://people.smu.edu/rmonagha/third/mfg.html which in turn indicates that the Telesor name comes from Masel Supply Inc., a company which I suspect may be out of business now. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

August 15th, 2002, 07:12 PM	#29
Joshua Wachs Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 95	Hood later? Am I correct in assuming you can get the Wide Angle hood for the WD58 afterwards?

August 15th, 2002, 08:09 PM	#30
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	You're asking if the hood can be purchased separately, and the answer is yes, it can. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!