"but can someone tell me the differrences between the two manual lenses? (14x and 16x)."

There's more to it then this, but I think the 16 has a power zoom, a servo so you can do slow creep ins and other cool stuff

I have not had time to try this but I notice that with my .6x adapter on the 20x lens I get varying results. IN other words some shots are crystal clear across the entire frame. Then other shots have a softness around the edges. It is inconsistent and I need to test to see what contributes to the softness.

Can anyone enlighten me on what circumstances/settings would add to the soft focus on the perimeter? I could then try to avoid those settings or situations.

Thanks

f stop?
light level?
content of the image?

Just throwing stuff out there. . .really no idea.

<<<-- Originally posted by Josh Bass : f stop?
light level?
content of the image?

Just throwing stuff out there. . .really no idea. -->>>

DUH!!!! Just kidding but I knew what parameters would be involved. I was hoping someone could say it occurs when fstop is at X and zoom is at X and shutter is a X. X being some currebtky unkown value.

So I need to find the combination of these settings that cause the perimeter focus problem.

Bruce, check out this great article Ken Tanaka wrote on the Canon 16X manual lens for differences between the 16X and 14X lenses: 16X Canon Manual Lens Review. Really good info there.

Thanks, Chris...ken's article is exce;llent. Clear enough for me to deceide to stick with the stock lens, and maybe think about the Canon WA.
bruce Yarock

Century has wide angle converters for all of the Canon XL1/2 lenses. The thing is that they are not all interchangeable. Due to the optics of the individual lens, they aren't interchangeable. For example the .7 W/A Converter for the 16x lens won't work on the 20x. Blame physics :~) .

The .7 wide angle converters allows zoom through all of the focal lengths. The .6 is wider, but only allows zooming out to around 5x or 8x from the widest, not the full range. There are different .6 and .7 converters for each different lens.

Here is the page for the info:

http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/prodv/xl1/xl1.htm

Here is the lens/converter chart

http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/prodv/xl1/chart.htm

I will be getting my XL2 in the next couple of days and will be doing some testing on the Century .7 wide angle converter. I opted for this over getting the 3x zoom lens since it will allow me to zoom through the all focal lengths on the 16x manual lens. Almost all of the time I will be at a particular focal length and stay there. I tend to shoot kinda wide, so I like the converter. We'll see what I say after I actually get and use it :~) .

There are several different .7 adapters, depending on which lens you have. I am getting my package from ZGC in NJ, USA, but the data is for current Century converters.

.7 W/A Converter
http://www.zgc.com/zgc.nsf/active/41358A6F80B7C64585256D8300500D7B

.6 W/A Converter
http://www.zgc.com/zgc.nsf/active/B7C378A12C4BA4A485256D83004C0F0B

Test Screen Shots & Footage with XL2 & .6X Wide
 

I just received my .6X Wide Adapter for the 16X Manual lens for my new XL2. Here are some screen shots and one video clip up-res'd to DV50 after color smoothing - (30MB).

http://www.holyzoo.com/111/video/XL2/

First surprise was that I had to focus the thing myself using Macro mode. Bummer. I was used to the Wide Converter on the GL1. That was a no-brainer. I think I just need to bring a resolution chart on shoots, and I know it will help to have a broadcast monitor as well.

I don't really see much softness on the edges particularly, but I wouldn't be surprised to know there's a little happening. It's a lot of glass at that point.

-steev
http://www.holyzoo.com

thanks for those tests Steev, that's really helpful. It concurs what Century Optics told me:

>>> Hi Oliver,

The .7x is going to be your best bet._ It allows for full zoom capability._ The .6x will distort, the .7x barely.

Best regards,

Robert Orlando

Schneider Optics - Century Division

--- Oliver Power <oliver@60-hz.com> 11/15/2004 2:04:22 PM ----

Hi Robert,

Thanks for getting back to me. Also, just wondering if there is any
edge softness with the 0.6x adapter on the 16x manual lens? If so,
would the 0.7x convertor be a better bet?

thanks,

Oliver >>>>>

I think there is some confusion. There are 2 potential problems using the WA adapter:

1> Distortion as in barrel distortion...the images will look kinda fisheyed on the sides and straight lines will be curved.

2> Focus issues....the image is not is perfect focus on the edges when it is in the center.

I guess I'd like to know what the Century OPtics guy is referring to specifically here. Cause I don't get the feeling it is the focus.