Wide angle options?
 

At this point what are the options for a wide angle lense or attachment with the H1? It sounds like some of the SD lenses for the XL series are working better than expected? I am shooting a narrative doc on the environment and it would great to have a wider option for beauty shots of mountains, forests, oceans, etc.

Jeff,
I'm glad you brought this up. I noticed that one of the sponsers here 16X9 Inc. has a 0.7 wide converter that they show used on the Z1, L-2, ect. Does anyone out there know if this would be good to use on the H1 lens? I like to shoot wide indoors sometimes. I plan on getting an H1 in the next few weeks. I just moved to Clifton Park, NY, and will drive down to B&H to buy it. I'm sure they will let me try the attachment on a demo H1 first, but any pre info before I go will help. Happy Holiday's to everyone at this site. Ray

Yes, the 3X works better than I had expected. On resolution chart tests it shows that it can resolve modulations up to the same frequencies as the 20X HD lens but at the same time images made with it appear softer. I suspect that the MTF of the HD lens is better at high frequencies than the MTF of the 3x even though the 3x has good enough MTF to show these patterns in the resolution chart. Thus I am not quite sure whether one could intercut scenes taken with the 3x with scenes taken with the 20X.

Thanks everyone, look forward to hearing your report Ray.

Wide angle with XL H1
 

ey Guys, I just got Xl H1, and would like to purchase wide angle adapter, can you guys help me to get the right adapter to get nice wide shots.


Thank you

Right now your best bet is the Century Optics .8x wide angle adapter:

http://www.centuryoptics.com/product..._wac/index.htm

16X9 .7 Wide Angle Adapter
 

Just installed on the adapter on the H1 this morning.

Will monitor it live on a 67DLP 1080i monitor to check for vignetting and zoom thru capabilities as well as image degradation.


Keep in mind that tentatively an actual wide angle lense will be forthcoming from Canon in Nov 06 for the H1. So you may want to way spending the $600 bones now and then obsoleting it if you go for the obviously more expensive real lense in a few months.

Ray,
The 16x9 converter does fit on the lens but has some picture issues which after testing with John Benton's crossed it off my list. As Chris Hurd says The Century .8X HD with XLH1 adapter ring is a better option although not as wide as the 16x9.
In the July 2006 DV mag there is an article of someone testing the manual SD 16x lens with Standard 20x XLh1 lens. There is a reason we are waiting for the HD lenses but the SD lenses can be used with decent results under some conditions.
I bought the Century .8x and have an XLH1 if you want to check it out when you are in the city.

I have to concur with Chris on this. Having just used the .8x extensively for two weeks - I was unable to notice any depreciation in picture quality. And in speaking with the staff at Century Optics, it is the best choice that they offer atm - and most likely for the forseeable future (unless demand outstrips the cost of developement of a new lense).

Word of warning though - make sure the adapter ring is in the box with the lense (some of the older lenses were shipped without) or else it'll have to be shipped seperately from Century.

16X9 Brand .7 Wide Angle Adapter
 

Ok-completed my testing of this adapter via firewire and component to a 67" 1080i/p DLP monitor.

Very disappointed. Clearly it blurs a good portion of the frame edges - it almost is like a fisheye lense effect. I had several people review the monitored picture and they all noticed the same thing. Even when you don't go full wide angle the 'fisheye' effect is still apparent at the edges.

It's just not usable in my opinion for the purpose of opening up a room or wide landscape vistas.

The other wierd effect was what appeared to me a magenta chromatic abberation around edges of fine detail.

I'm hoping the selling dealer will allow me to return it.

That's why I prefer the 3x SD lens from Canon.

New Century Wide Angle Converter about Here!
 

The new H1 capable Century wide angle converter is about a week away from being available.

The specific model # is:
OVS-08CV-72

It is for the H1 and is claimed to have no edge softening/vignetting/barrelling throughout the entire zoom range.

So maybe we will have a wide angle converter that works now?

If anyone gets a hold of one, please post your actual results.

That is the model number of the adapter I bought about a month ago (see my post of June 2nd).

http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecomm...=1075&IID=2974

It works great and eliminates any of the problems of the .7 adapter. If I can get samples to post, I will - however, atm I am short of some of the necessary equipment. If someone in the LA area wants to see what I shot, we could work it out and maybe post it together.

Something is strange.
After Birns & Sawyer reported that the "new" Century wide angle "converter" for the H1 was due out shortly, I contacted Century for a direct update.

Century's David Contrerres responded that their new wide angle for the Century would be out in a week and he gave that model part #.

John,
I have had the Century .8X HD Wide angle for a little while now. They had to make an adpater ring for it so it didn't damage the 20X lens front. It works very well. They were debating about including the ring with all of them or giving it a seperate code number so this might be the source of the confusion.
They were said to be working on a .7x bayonet mount version which would cost over 1 thousand. This was supposed to be the same lens they made for the HVX-200 with a different mount. The actually difference between the two adapters was less than .1X so it seemed unwise to wait.