Wide Angle Adapter

[Mike Rehmus]

That makes no sense (the action, not you). The same lens is being operated by the same signals. What you describe is controlled by the Back focus adjustment on the camera, an adjustment that is not accessible to the user.

If you set the focus at the full zoomed out position (the only position at which you should focus in this case), the lens should stay in focus across the zoom range. The only effect the WA adapter will make, regardless of brand, is to slightly soften the focus across the entire range of zoom positions.

[Jim Hines]

Hi Mike,

First of all ...amature alert here...that would be me, so all I can do is describe what happens when I zoom. Up until reading these posts I had no idea the lens should stay focused all the way across the zoom. Since reading this thread and your recent post I have been experimenting with zooming on a tripod...no difference....and cleaning the WA and the built in lens. Still the same. Loss of focus about mid way through the zoom.

What seems odd and I can't confirm that this is absolute, but after zooming all the way in...when I zoom back out it seems to stay in focus ....or at least looks better.

BTW this is with both the WA and the built in. You think it's possible I got some bad glass? Wouldn't make a difference now as I'm out of warranty. Like I say I thought this was normal behaviour. Who knew it was supposed to stay focused? (Just now getting the time to get to know this camera after little over a year of owning it.)

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[Mike Rehmus]

OK, terminology mixup here.

You focus the lens at maximum zoom (narrowest field of view). It will then stay in focus as you zom towards the minimum zoom, (widest field of view).

All lens designs 'breath' to some extent. That is, their focus does shift a little bit as you zoom the lens. But not to a great extent.

[Devin Eskew]

I am almost ready to purchase my 170, when they are back in stock at B&H. I am interested in the wide angle adapter. Is this for adding a wide angle lens? Or will it adjust the 12X lens that is incorporated to a wide spec? Any ideas, none of the information I can find is that forth coming.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Hi Devin. On B&H's website, click on the "Item Includes" tab on the PD-170 page and you'll see it lists the VCL-HG0758 Wide Angle Adapter. This is a screw-in wide angle adaptor which is added to the front of the builtin lens. It's a .7x adaptor, so that means it makes the lens' existing focal length 70% of what it would be normally. So, for an easy example, if you zoomed the lens to its full-wide position of 6mm the adaptor would make it behave like a 4.2mm lens (6.0mm x 0.70 = 4.2mm).

I have one of these lenses for my VX-2000 and it produces a very nice image with little noticeable distortion or softness. The only downside is that it doesn't have filter threads on the front.

Here's some more info on the adaptor lens from B&H's website:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

[Pat Sherman]

If you want a good wide angle buy yourself the bayonet mount Century Optics .65 lens.. I have one and it's great, if you want bigger, I own a Extreme Fish Eye from Century and that lens is just crazy..

[Tom Hardwick]

I can vouch for the Century 0.65x wide-angle converter, and once you've used a bayonet, who would go back to screw threads? Pentax realised this back in 1974, and here we are, still faffing about with plastic threads.

The Century is beautifully made, heavy, expensive, doesn't vignette the image and has excellent anti-reflection coating. The only thing I'd say is that for the price (and the power) I think it should barrel distort less.

tom.

[Jeff Toogood]

So would you say the Century 0.65X is better or at least as good (optically) as the Sony Wide Angle lens?
I really really hate the screw on design of this lens and I am always afraid I am going to strip the threads especially when I am trying to get it on in a hurry.

[Tom Hardwick]

Optically (apart from the barrel distortion as I've said) the Century 0.65x lens was the best of a group test of wide-angle converters that I carried out. The Sony wasn't included in the test, but my guess is that although the Century has a bayonet that enables rapid fit and removal, the optical qualities are such that you would be happy to leave it in place all the time.

I really really hate the screw thread as well. Never sure when it's going to drop off as you unscrew it, the 4:3 hood is never perfectly aligned (depends how tightly you screw the lens in place) and of course there's always the fear of cross-threading. The latter means you take more time, and very often when you suddenly need a wider view, that's exactly what you don't have.

tom.

[Pat Sherman]

Originally Posted by Jeff Toogood

So would you say the Century 0.65X is better or at least as good (optically) as the Sony Wide Angle lens?
I really really hate the screw on design of this lens and I am always afraid I am going to strip the threads especially when I am trying to get it on in a hurry.

Comparing the two just makes me gasp! Seriously though, hands down the quality of the Century Lens .65 or any of there lenses are amazing. I own 4 Century lens for my PD150. I also couple that with a sunshade with 4x4 glass filter holder for those lenses since the stock sunhood won't fit..

Extreme Fish Eye
.65 Wide Angle
2x Tele-Photo Convertor
16:9 Ratio Convertor which I will probably sell since I don't really do anything in widescreen..

[John Godden]

Greeting from a new member

Hope I have this posted in the right place.

I'm interested in comments on the Sony "High Grade" .7X adapter for use on an HC90.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ist&sku=250110

I might "need" this adapter when I do walking tours on trails. I like the idea of Ron Dexters low POV mount and thought that maybe a 'wide' would help with the overall effect. I.e. I want to get a dog's eye view of a trail:
http://www.rondexter.com/stop_motion...ow_pov_rig.htm

Thanks for any help (and or re-direction to the correct post forum).

JohnG

[Laurence Kingston]

Well the screw on design of the Sony wide angle lense is inconvenient if you take it off. I never do though. Sony also makes a hood just like the factory one only larger called the LSF-S58 for about $50 that fits right over the screw in Sony lense using the bayonet mount. If you're like me and leave the wide angle lense on constantly, it's really a convenient setup.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Getting back to the original question... regardless of the optical quality, the standard version of the PD-170 includes the Sony wide angle lens, so if you're buying one just be aware of this:

http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Broadcastan...sp=11&id=71949

Wide conversion lens included as standard

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

Item includes
DSR-PD170 3-CCD Mini DVCAM Camcorder
VCL-HG0758 Wide Angle Adapter

BTW, just looking on B&H's website I see that all their PD-170 packages are listed as out of stock. Hmm.....

[Joe Moore]

Hey Folks,

I need some advice on a good wide angle lense for a good price. I will be using it to shoot various things but especially working accident scenes for training and development purposes. Thanks for your help.

Joe

[Boyd Ostroff]

This has been pretty thoroughly covered here, as well as other threads if you do a search

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=47930

Anything which works on the PD-170 will also work on the VX-2000