z1 wide angle recommendations
 

I'm looking for the perfect wide angle lens to get for the z1. What would you guys recommend? price isn't an issue.. Thanks

Centuary Optics 0.6x

.06 16x9, available at BandPro. only better than the century at full wide. Otherwise, I can't tell which is which.

I have the Cenutry .6x and I find it useful. But the image is definitely a little soft, and it will give you a lot of barrell distortion. Lots of discussion on this topic already:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=58525
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=67014
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=72949
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=58390

Expensive the little thing!

Though it's 0.7 instead of 0.6.

thanks for the catch! I have always thought it was a .6, and now know why I can see a difference between it and the Century. The additional angle on the Century would account for the edge distortions.
Yeah, it's expensive, but worth it for what we do.

If I were to believe you as stated then there can only be one...

Canon WA75HD with the adapter 85II, plus you will need a 72-85 step up ring.

Raynox DCR7900ZD
 

Has anyone tried this wide-angle adapter in HDV?

Some time ago an ad came to my mail from Raynox's Brazilian rep, suggesting the 7900 for the Sony Z1.

In the US only Amazon is selling it, for $257.25, which is not too cheap for this brand and might suggest a more serious product.

Raynox DCR-7900ZD
 

This is what I could find out about this lens:

With an adapter ring of RA6272, sold separately, the DCR-7900ZD lens fits on Sony HDR-FX1/HVR-Z1 high vision cameras and increases the chance of wide angle shooting, with superb image quality. It is the first lens we developed with the lowest distortion percentage of 0.92%, yet with a high resolution power of 230L/mm at center and 210L/mm in fringe (MTF 30%). The conversion lens itself has almost none distortion independently.

It is limited to use the lens at the widest point of zoom lens.

Made of a sturdy metal construction
Magnification: Nominal 0.79X Actual 0.79X ( diagonal. 0.79X horizontal 0.79X)
Distortion : -0.92%
Lens Construction : 2-Group/4-element, high index optical glasses all surfaces fully coated
Front Filter-92mm Mounting thread : Originally shipped with 58mm (exchangeable)
Measurements: 95mm x 33mm 293g
Effective Zoom range: 1X(16 : 9 Mode) 1X(4: 3 mode)

I don't quite like the fact that you only can use the adapter at the zoom's widest angle.

At least the Century seems to allow using half of it, right?

Yes, IIRC you can zoom about halfway out with the Century .6x before you lose focus. But I think the Century .7x is full zoom through.

16x9inc has a nice .7 wide that lets you use full zoom. I have one and love it. My only wish was that it was a little wider.

http://www.16x9inc.com/images/produc...rCanonXLH1.jpg

www.16x9inc.com

My only wish is it was little less expensive...;)

You get what you pay for ;)

May I suggest the Sony VCL-HG0872? It's the one Sony sells for the camera family, and it's a very sweet zoom-through lens. Magnification is 0.8, which is not quite as wide as the Century but it also shows less barrel distortion. Anyway, keep in mind that the 16:9 format of the Z1/FX1 camera already is surprisingly wide, considerably wider than the VX2000 I sold.

I bought my lens via eBay last March for about $250.

My guess is it should be very good. Is it bayonet mount?

One thing I found to be very good on the Century is it being bayonet mount, which is great for documentary work.

There's one Sony VCL-HG0872 on Ebay now.

Well, I just scored a used but perfect shape Canon .8 72mm wide angle adapter lens for land use.....unless anyone has this lens and can offer an opinion, I guess I will find out how good it is the hard way, lol.

The 0872 appears like one of the best choice right?Anyone that uses it?

Apart from when I'm using a Brevis 35mm, my HG0872 hasn't been off my Z1 since I bought it. (When it first came out).

Great bit of glass with little lens flare, CA or distortion compared to an early Optex WA which was total crap, perhaps they have improved since?


This short reel was all shot through it:

My Short Video Showreel on Vimeo

Some of the adverts on here - CDC, Victoria, Artisan:

http://www.darkhorsegraphics.co.uk/s...howreel_08.mov

Duncan.

Also to say, it's a heavy bit of glass.

My Vocas Wide mattebox clips straight onto it, it's exactly the right size. So I don't need rails, which is great. Some pics

You've probably worked it out but it threads onto the front of the Z1, some people says it's a sticky thread, but I get no problems if I thread it slowly and carefully.

More clips: Index of /JIB_SHOTS
In fact, lots of the wedding footage on that site is through the WA lens.

Tom Hardwick swears by a Bolex Aspheron that he uses on his Z1. Here's a link to some test photos:

Tom's Photo Album

Here's a discussion between Tom and other's on how to mount it:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-hvr-...ow-attach.html

Tom lens is great, buying one and getting filter/mattebox etc is the problem though ;-0

Here's another recent video reel just for you guys, all lit/shot/edited/graphics by me on an old Z1 with the Sony WA:

http://www.ytvweddingvideos.co.uk/sh...ith_HG0872.mov


Duncan.

I know a lot of people who have never taken it off from the z1 once it has been mounted on.When you exactly suggest to use it?I mean when your shooting ouside and you find a nice landscape it's ok to leave it on, but what if you have to shoot an interview with the interviewd guy in front of mountains or a landscape,Should i leave it on?Cause it's what i always do....

Well that's fine if you're happy with the fairly mild conversion of the Canon lens. But if you want something wilder and wider, have a look at the Bolex Aspheron. You'll have to get an adapter made to attach it's 85 mm thread to the Z1's 72 mm (though I've made a bayonet fitting) but it sees real wide ().52x, so a 17 mm equiv) and has zero barrel distortion.

tom.

You woke me up Tom :) for a thread started in 2006! - makes me feel like Rip Van Weitwinkel.

Of course that was then, if I had the $4000 (for that Canon adapter) to spend today, I would probably aim it in the direction of a Nikon 14-24/2.8 UWA seated snugly on the about to be announced 1080p/24 Nikon D400.

well the d400 will still be aps so the 14mm will be 21mm - might think about the new tokina 11-16mm f2.8-cheers

Hi,i ve just seen on the bay a wide sonyhg0872.AE,is this AE the right one for my camcorder z1?
thx

Yes, just right for your Z1.

thx tom................

I'm very interested in a bolex aspheron, but I can't find anyone who sells it.

Can anyone suggest somewhere I can get one, and what sort of money I would be likely to pay? I don't mind doing a spot of engineering on the mounting :-)

Chris, I bought my first one second hand in a camera shop in London. That sold me and showed me - I emailed Bolex in Switzerland (in English) and they sent me a new one. Cost about £420 three or so years ago. 17 mm equiv (you listening?) on the Z1, and nobarreldistortion.

That's good news then - I was worried that it could only be found in antique shops or something like that! :-)

thanks very much!

ebay every few months

I have the drawing showing the 85 mm to 72 mm adapter you'll need to have made. In fact if you have questions I (hopefully) have the Aspheron answers.

Quite so - often for far more than they cost new. I can't go figure.

Hola chicos,
just a question:how come if i mount that kind of plastic ring on my sony wideangle i see vignetting on my video on maximum wide excursion?
thx

Marcus - can you explain further? What's this 'plastic ring' of which yee speak?

sorry 4 my english Tom:this is it
Risultato della ricerca immagini di Google per http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/product_images/altimage/12%2002%202006sony_vcl-hg0872.jpg

what's the name of it?

The lens hood. A petal hood (like the one shown on that web page) must be mounted correctly otherwise it will indeed vignette the image.

LOL i ve never used it,just yesterday for the first time;it helps against the Sun rays right?

thx