Kenny,

Schneider/Century Optics has the following available

0HD-06WA-XLH .6X WIDE ANGLE ADAPT HD CANON
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecomm...=1385&IID=6219

0VS-08CV-72 .8X HD W/A CONVERTER 72MM
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecomm...=1075&IID=2974

Have always heard great responses on their products.

Scott Cantrell
TapeWorks Texas Inc - HDVinfo Sponser

I have this .6x from Century. It works very well:
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecomm...=1385&IID=6219

It is the same as the one sold before by Century, but it has differences in the mounting mechanisms for the XH camera.

It is also fairly lightweight.

(This is the first one listed in the post above.)

The .6x from Century is also not a zoom through W.A lens. only the higher priced ones are.

For $399 the Canon WD-H72. is the best in it's class. It is also a zoom through and it comes with a sun shade too.

May I know how heavy is it? I'm using it with Merlin so weight is pretty important I guess. Does it need any step up/down rings to be mounted onto the A1 and is there any vignetting when zoom out? Thanks.

I only had a UV filter attached to my camera lens.

how about fish eyes lens? Any recommendation?

The Century .6x wide angle weighs 8.9 ounces.

It attaches to the camera securely using the built-in bayonet mount of the camera. There is no step ring involved. It works very well. It attaches directly to the lens and does not allow a filter between the wide-angle and the camera lens.

I see absolutely no vignetting. To make sure, though, you can call Century and speak to them. They will tell you if there is any vignetting or not. I don't see any. Here is the contact info for Century:
http://www.schneideroptics.com/contact/contact.htm
(Van Nuys is the office I have called in the past. Before I bought the converter, I went into the office and they setup the .6x on their XH-A1 to show me what it looked like.)

The Century .6x is a converter (not an adapter), so it is generally not zoom through. However, on the XH cameras, if you set the camera to regular autofocus this converter _is_ zoom through for the first half of the zoom range. This makes this adapter good on the Merlin with the XH camera, which the cameras excellent autofocus.

I bought this to use on the Merlin. The combined weight with the XH-A1, small battery, tape, built-in mic mount (but no extra mic) and the Century .6x is 5 lbs. 9.1 oz.

I don't think you'll find anything better in this amount of magnification for the XH-A1.

This is the same glass as used on the .6x Century sold for previous Canon cameras. The older version will fit on the XH-A1, but not securely and Century doesn't recommend using the older one without sending it in and having the mounting changed. They said they can do this, but I don't know how much they would charge. The point is, you may be able to save money by finding the older version. You can call Century about this. They have always been straight forward in giving out accurate information about their products, not just sales spin.)

If you're interested.
One of the Dutch XH-A1 users send me an email a few weeks ago.
He just got a Canon Wide Angle Lens and told me about his experience with it.
He made some photo's of the lens and also made two photo's of his garden with the A1. It gives an impression of what you can film with and without the lens.

Here you can find the article: http://www.xha1.nl/?p=159

(Credits to Henk for all the photo's he made)

A1 and Wide Angle ??
 

Well, after spending a week with my new A1 I definitely love it...Now I am looking for wide angle adapter / lens...

Any product suggestions ?

Thanks

SC

I'd probably go for the Canon.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._75x_Wide.html

Steve,

I have the 0.75X Wide Converter for HDV Model #HDV75X82 made by 16X9 and think it's very good. Tried some less expensive ones and was not happy. The only downside was the cost. Think it was around $900 US. And by the way you need a new sunshade, that will set you back around $180. (Model # HU-104.) Oh and maybe a filter. It takes the 105mm thin filter and B&W makes some nice ones. I think the UV was about $140 and the polarizer was about $400, give or take a hundred.
You can find them for a lot less but depending on if you want focus through and can live with the distortion at the edges, but this is one area where you really get what you pay for. Good Luck!

I've read some posts suggesting you don't need a wide angle with the HX-A1. I currently have the Canon GL-2 with the wide angle. Do you know if the HX-A1 without a wide angle has as much coverage as the GL-2 with a wide angle?

Some discussions on it here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=138

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ighlight=WD-72

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...ght=wide+angle

I use the WD-72 and it is a great wide-angle, but kinda big; if you can stand how front-heavy it makes your camera it is worth the money. I hate shooting tight without it.

If memory serves me the stock XH-A1 not quite as wide as GL2 with WD-58, which I used to use as well. Once I put it on I almost never took it off.

you'll get a bit wider horizontal and a lot more vertical with the canon wa.
it's very good.

I got the Canon, it's kind of spoiled me. Great sharp lens that when mounted to the A1 doubles as a great workout. Yeah, it's heavy--but so very good.

$40 Wide Angle adapter...
 

So, I'm tempted to purchase this ridiculously cheap wide angle adapter:
http://www.bestlaptopbattery.com/b.c.../-45XWide-.htm

Obviously, it's going to be of very low quality...but given that I'd be using it to shoot a few POV "dream sequences," I might be able to live with/pass off the distorted image as being stylistic...and because it's soooo damn cheap it couldn't hurt giving it a try. If I like the angle but not the quality I can always rent or buy a nicer lens.

But what exactly should I expect from a low quality/cost lens like this other than barrel distortion and maybe some vignetting on full wide?

Even at a "great price," if the thing is junk, it is very EXPENSIVE junk--as it appears to be.

But it has PROFESSIONAL written on the box--and the word TITANIUM! It must be good!

LOTS of chroma aberration. And that can't be passed off as "stylistic" as hard as you may try.

Travis, if I were you, I'd put that $40 in my gas tank instead.

You get what you pay for in this business.

Ha ha, okay. Rental it is then!

And it is what ever that happens to mean in this case <G>.

It probably means it has the right threads, ha.

canon wide angle adaptor and DOF
 

Am I right in assuming that using Canon's wide angle adaptor will decrease the depth of field at a given stop compared to using the primary lens?

Surely shome mishtake? The reverse is true or am I misunderstanding the question?

yes, your right I mistyped I meant "increase" I have the flu and 103 degree fever so I'm somewhat out of it right now... But after thinking about it some more would it really have any affect of the DOF as its just gathering more light to pass through the primary lens as it normally would?

I've been tempted in the past to get stuff like this, but my better judgment says not to. If it too good to be true...... Although I really would like someone to get one and then tell us if it works... I've already been suckered a couple times, so I'm not volunteering this time...

But anyone else willing to make the plunge for the "good of the community"? :) j/k... kind'a.

Glad you don't work in Air Traffic Control :-)

Sorry to hear that :-(

But the whole point is that the adapter changes the focal length and the laws of optics still apply. The primary lens is now part of a new array - if you change the focal length, you change the DOF.

Do you mean using the same aperture and effective focal length but with the 0.8 WA adapter on? (What would be the point?)

Might be a low cost way to obtain a "cheap consumer camcorder look" effect on your footage for productions that need it without having to buy a cheap camcorder or use additional rendering time in post

Heck, $40 is less than the price of a good 72mm UV filter.

I would be intrigued to see what a $40 WA actually does. Go on buy it and post a few screen grabs.. or just buy yourself a couple of nice bottles of wine and enjoy!

Jon

Now THAT'S funny!

A great suggestion. Wine goggles!!! Lots of things look better after plenty of booze. Buy the adapter and some modest priced wine, drink the wine (plenty of it), and than evaluate the lens results.

For a dream sequence it could be perfect. I make my living as a (still) photographer and usually shoot with a $3,000 camera body, but I've had pretty swell results with my $20 Holga as well.

I couldn't get the link to work--my only concern would be buying from an unknown dealer, and getting overcharged or something.

Why not? In my experience, it's possible to get fantastic results with cheap/toy gear (Holga, Diana, Pixelvision, consumer-grade Super 8, etc.). If the CA was extreme, it might look very cool, if used well.

I actualy got one of these cheap things for free when I bought my A1 online. They threw it in. It is very cheap. Designed more for consumer cameras. It only ads an extra 2 - 5 degress of view but it's very warped and fisheyed. But it probably could look cool for a freaky dream or something.

Wide angle options
 

Hi everyone,

(considering I have the Xh A1)

Quick questions:

If I want to film with a wide angle lens. Would it be better in your opinion to
-mount a wide angle adapter on your lens or
-buy a DOF adaptor and use a still photography les you happen to have.

Also: is is possible to shoot with the A1 and (let's say) the Letus Economy without a expensive external HD monitor? Just by checking it on your A1 flip-out? If not, what would be the best lcd-screen?
And do you need a followfocus or would a dop be able to do simple focussing with the lens-ring?

Thank you in advance,

Ivo van Aart

If I had the money for a 35mm adapter and wide angle lenses for that I would totally do that. It really depends what you want to do and how much of it you are going to do for the money. Obviously the Canon 72mm Wide Angle adapter is much cheaper than a 35mm setup but it is also more limited (no matte box/filer capabilities etc).

What do you mostly film?

About the Letus and monitor issue there is a post a few below this that discusses exactly that...

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'm doing only narative work. Long filmprojects. This summer, I want my DOP to mount the xh a1 on his shoulder and use a wide angle lens. I will probably have around 2000 euro (about 3000 dollar) to spend. So a Letus Economy with railsystem, shouldermount and maybe a follow focus I can afford.

Is a follow focus important to have in your setup?

So then do you already have a set of lenses for the 35mm adapter? Or at least the wide angle lens you want to use?

I don't own a 35mm adapter and follow focus, but I've used one and found the follow focus to be very helpful in obtaining very precise focused shots. Once you get an adapter and lenses and all that, and then throw it on your shoulder the follow focus make sit easier to adjust focus for sure.

I'm sure others on here who own a 35mm adapter and follow focus will give input...

I hope so :)

I have a lot of still lenses. Personally I have a wide angle, normal (like 50mm) and a zoomlens (canon, exept the zoomlens) but I know a still photographer who still works analogue so he has a lot of lenses.

After reading through this whole thread, is it safe to deduce that the Canon is the best for image quality, price, and accessories (bag, hood, etc.) but the only downside is the weight?

I'm going to be using it for a LAST MINUTE gig in a week and I'm researching like a madman trying to find a suitable wide angle in time.

Back story is my friend/client lost my number and only now found it a WEEK away from his event. Didn't have time to prepare as far as tapes/cleaning/prepping goes so scrambling a bit and will have to 2day or overnight a lens here.

Thanks for all the info posted so far.