Wide Angle Lenses

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So, I google "wide angle lens for dvx 100a". I get this:

http://www.bestlaptopbattery.com/b....-Superwide-multi-coated-45X-lens-Titan45X.htm

...now, this looks pretty good....right up to the point where I can't find it on B&H....and the fact that the other wide angle lenses are .6x or .7x, nothing that says .45x. The only lens that actually says it will fit a DVX has a $400 price tag. (There were other lenses in the price range of the one I've linked on B&H).

Needless to say, I am now very skeptical. Does anyone know anything about these lenses? I could afford $70 bucks on a lens, but I don't want to "buy twice" because I bought cheap.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this lens? Should I just keep my money in my pocket?....I would really like a wide angle lens, but I could survive without it until I can afford one..... :huh:

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What are you using the wide angle adapter for? Is it for shooting people, or architecture? My experience with wide adapters is that they produce some barrel distortion (straight lines appear curved). It's no big deal with some subjects. It can look pretty bad with others. I have the Panasonic 16x9 adapter, and that gives me a wider field of view, but it also produces some barrel distortion and when I zoom in all the way, my image is not sharp from edge to edge.

So, if you plan on shooting through it all the time, you want the highest possible quality, but if you just want it for an occasional "special effects" type shot, then buy something you can through in your camera case and be aware of it's limitations. The bottom line is that anything you put in front of your lens will produce some quality degradation. It may or may not be noticeable, but you have to assume that cheap glass will generate some chromatic distortion and possibly soften your image.

Good glass is expensive, but it is also very important for imaging.
 
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Well, right now I am doing the live band footage thing. I don't have the slightest interest in the 'fisheye' look of some lenses, but to be able to possibly get more of the stage would be a good thing. I'm getting all of the stage now, but once I'm zoomed all the way out there is no 'wiggle room'.

So if I get a cheapo lens, I have to worry about my picture not being clear? ...maybe I'd rather go without the lens...
:huh:

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There are several types of distortion, some more noticeable than others. On stage, I'd also worry about lens flares on an adapter if you're using the standard lens hood. I hate to discourage you from buying one, but if you buy it and it messes up some good shots, it's worse than just wasting money on glass. I didn't realize that the edges were soft (out of focus) when I zoomed in with mine, until I had it happen on a live performance video I shot. It was pretty noticeable that 30% of the frame wasn't sharp when looking at the footage afterward, but there was nothing I could do to fix it at that time. In retrospect, I should have tested the adapter over the full zoom range, and with the various aperture settings.
 
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As someone who watches a ton of live music footage, I'd say you're better off holding onto the money. Like the others said, this definitely strikes me as a case where a little more money might sting a little harder than you were hoping, but the end result will make it worth the trouble in the long run.

It just seems like one of those long-term investments.
 
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Cheap lenses mean cheap glass. You'll most likely get goofy color fringing in the non-center areas of your image and weird softening on sharp edges.

Just like in Audio, you get what you pay for.
 
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Thanks, for the advice.

Does this 'fisheye' effect happen with all wide angle lenses regardless of the camera?

Also, I just saw a telephoto lens. What are your opinions on those?

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fisheye is just another name for an extreme wide angle lens. The barrel distortion happens to varying amounts on all lenses as they approach the wide end. The wider the lens, the more distortion. There are plugins you can find to undo the distortion (specifically, a spherize plugin can undo if used carefully).
 
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I have still been looking around trying to figure out the best way to get more 'picture' into my camera and it occurred to me that maybe I am asking about the wrong thing. Maybe I should be asking about a telephoto lens instead of a wide angle lens.

So, I have been looking around to find something that will be reliable without costing the $700+ that I was finding on B&H.

Any thoughts on TELEPHOTO LENSES??

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If you want to get a wider field of view, you want a wide angle lens. A telephoto will give you a narrower field of view ... e.g. More magnification

I love my 16x9 adapter which gives me a wider field of view, but it is not cheap.
 
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...so would that mean it would be like looking through a tube? It would seem that if you could see further away, that some of that would have to be alittle wider.....????

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You have a 10 to 1 zoom (4.5 to 45mm) on your camera, so zoom all the way in (to 45mm ... when you are zoomed all the way in, a license plate that is 50 feet away will just about fill the frame) and see if that is what you want more of. If so, then you want a telephoto adapter, but for most of us, a 10x zoom is more than enough for shooting everything but the most exotic shots.

Now, zoom all the way out, and if you find the zoom stops before you get enough of the scene in the camera's viewfinder, then you want a wider field of view (a wide angle adapter).

I believe the big zoom rocker on your camera has a "W" and a "T" on it. "W" stands for wide, and "T" stands for telephoto. To zoom in, you'll hold down the "T" end of the zoom rocker and to zoom out you hold down the "W" end of the rocker. If you find you're wanting to go further in the "W" direction, you need a wide angle adapter, and if you find the "T" direction doesn't get you in close enough, then you want a telephoto adapter. Generally, you'd use a telephoto adapter for shooting wildlife, stage shots from the back of the auditorium, or other things like that.

I hope I explained it well enough. I'm not the best at explaining things.
 
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Yes, that was fine, I understand the "W" and the "T". But considering the problem I have been describing, the "T" and the "W" are doing less than I would like. And by your explanation, I guess I was right the first time when I said I needed a wide angle lens.

When I am shooting, often I have to get really close to the subjects, like close enough that once the bassplayer konked me right in the head. Since sometimes the crowd is too big to move through or uncooperative, sometimes I get stuck where I am which means I only get one angle. And the last job I did, there was no way I was even going to leave my small camera unattended. (basically...a bunch of friendly yet drunk guys asking me to take pictures of their girlfriends boobs.) :rolleyes:

Anyway, sometimes the only way I can get both the patrons and the band is to 'cant' the shot. Which isn't always bad, but I just wanted to get more into the picture.

As much as I hate to admit it, maybe I will just have to be happy with what I have. I don't want the anamorphic effect or the vignetting of the wide angle. I just wanted alittle more in terms of picture.

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I built a jib that helps in some of the situations you describe, because I can get my camera 9 feet in the air, above the crowd and shoot from further back. Then I get the backs of some of the patrons and a decent view of the stage. Given the situations you discuss, I'm not sure you'd be happy even with a wide angle adapter, because it would only make a small difference (25% more?).

Although a jib does require some additional equipment and can be inconvenient to set up, it could make a huge difference in being able to get a good view of the performers without being on stage with them. Just a thought.
 
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To what were you referring?

Are monopods expensive? No, a good one might go for $50-$100, and those are Bogen

Are wide angle lenes expensive? There are some that go for $200 and down, but the next step up is to $700

Are telephoto lenses expensive? About the same as the wide angle lenses...


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