Need advice: wide angle lens

[skydiverton 0]

Need advice:
I need a wide angle lens (about .5) for 30mm thread.
Most important issue:
The lens shall not be succeptible to fogging during freefall (moisture on lens) I jump in a very moisty climate with a large temperature difference
(About 0degC at 4000m while 20deg C onthe ground)

Which barnd lens can be used best

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit,
Especially when you are jumping a sport rig

[mr2mk1g 10]

Sony VCL-0630s

Nice, high quality lens with 30mm thread. 0.6 by label but generally comparable to lenses between 0.43 - 0.46 depending on the manufacturer. Also relatively low profile.

Far less susceptible to fogging than most but nothing is immune. I hear good things about "Catcrap" (the product not the deposit).

[FeFe 0]

VCL-0630 does a great job (and very affordable), but, as any unsealed lens, is susceptible to fogging - if moisture gets inside of the lens, you get a dim dot in the center which keeps growing if you don't take care of it.
If moisture gets inside treat the lens with a hairdrier. Keeping it in a sealed bag with some moisture-absorbing gel (like ones found in boxes with electronics, medicines, etc.) and flying camera in a box and with a filter normally does the trick.
All this being said, I'm using VCL-0630 for the last three years and pretty happy with it.
If you're looking for something wider check Royal - they've got a very nice low-profile 0.5.

[skydiveoc 0]

Century Optics are for professionals who know how to take care of a $300 lens. Not for learning but if you are doing commercial tandems with a century, all the other students will say "how come my video isnt as sharp as his?"

fogging...keep your camera out of AC long term and away from the cold door as long as possible. dont sit next to the door when its humid out and keep the door shut as long as you can.

[Zee 0]

Quote

Sony VCL-0630s

Nice, high quality lens with 30mm thread. 0.6 by label but generally comparable to lenses between 0.43 - 0.46 depending on the manufacturer. Also relatively low profile.

There has been a lot of speculation on this site about wide angle lenses and despite what you may have heard, I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that a Kenko 0.42 is MUCH wider than a Sony 0.6

You've probably already checked out Paul Quade's very informative site where he has several examples of wide angle lenses -but-, the Titanium 0.45 he uses as an example is, at least in my experience, a very low grade poor quality lens (I chucked mine at a speed limit sign from my bike at 140 mph). And just as Quade points out, the Sony 0.6 -is- wider than the Titanium 0.45 (it's not a Kenko lens)

As Quade also points out: There -are- differences between manufacturers -but- it has been my experience that both Sony and Kenko are pretty accurate when it comes to the specifications of their products.

So, for shits and giggles, I took a few pictures of my Jeep using a Kenko 0.42 and a Sony 0.6 just to illustrate the difference.

First, I took my Sony TRV-30 ( 37mm lens mount) and attached a Kenko 0.42 and backed away to a distance where the entire Jeep is in frame (6.5 feet). Then I swapped lenses to a Sony 0.6 and snapped another shot. After that, I backed away to 10 feet and took another picture with each lens. As you can clearly see from these shots, there is a HUGE difference.

As for what lens you should use - Since you're just beginning, my advice would be to start without using a lens at all. Once you get to a point where you can consistently and accurately judge distance and center your subject, move on to a Sony 0.6 and then on to the Kenko 0.42 or any other wide angle of your choice.

A few things to keep in mind before you buy a new lens: The diameter of the lens mount, the use of an adapter or step-up ring (moves the focal point further away from the CCD), and the size of the CCD chip in your specific camera, ALL have an effect on how the lens will perform with your specific camera.

Personally, I use a Kenko 0.42 for Tandem Video Video shot with Kenko 0.42 and a Sony 0.6 or no lens at all for 4-way and larger formations.

Keep in mind that shooting without a wide angle or even zoomed in, can produce some very cool results - Shooting a tandem opening from above and falling past them as the canopy inflates, is one of my favorites.



Hope it helps,
Z

Action©Sports

[Zoter 0]

Quote

"Catcrap" (the product not the deposit).

what about when the product IS the Deposit

Hey anybody got any views on how the Diamond lenses compare to the Sonya nd Kenko equivalents..??
and what lenses are 'sealed'..??

[skydiveoc 0]

Quote

Quote

Sony VCL-0630s
Are you saying you hit the zoom as the tandem is opening?


Nice, high quality lens with 30mm thread. 0.6 by label but generally comparable to lenses between 0.43 - 0.46 depending on the manufacturer. Also relatively low profile.

There has been a lot of speculation on this site about wide angle lenses and despite what you may have heard, I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that a Kenko 0.42 is MUCH wider than a Sony 0.6

You've probably already checked out Paul Quade's very informative site where he has several examples of wide angle lenses -but-, the Titanium 0.45 he uses as an example is, at least in my experience, a very low grade poor quality lens (I chucked mine at a speed limit sign from my bike at 140 mph). And just as Quade points out, the Sony 0.6 -is- wider than the Titanium 0.45 (it's not a Kenko lens)

As Quade also points out: There -are- differences between manufacturers -but- it has been my experience that both Sony and Kenko are pretty accurate when it comes to the specifications of their products.

So, for shits and giggles, I took a few pictures of my Jeep using a Kenko 0.42 and a Sony 0.6 just to illustrate the difference.

First, I took my Sony TRV-30 ( 37mm lens mount) and attached a Kenko 0.42 and backed away to a distance where the entire Jeep is in frame (6.5 feet). Then I swapped lenses to a Sony 0.6 and snapped another shot. After that, I backed away to 10 feet and took another picture with each lens. As you can clearly see from these shots, there is a HUGE difference.

As for what lens you should use - Since you're just beginning, my advice would be to start without using a lens at all. Once you get to a point where you can consistently and accurately judge distance and center your subject, move on to a Sony 0.6 and then on to the Kenko 0.42 or any other wide angle of your choice.

A few things to keep in mind before you buy a new lens: The diameter of the lens mount, the use of an adapter or step-up ring (moves the focal point further away from the CCD), and the size of the CCD chip in your specific camera, ALL have an effect on how the lens will perform with your specific camera.

Personally, I use a Kenko 0.42 for Tandem Video Video shot with Kenko 0.42 and a Sony 0.6 or no lens at all for 4-way and larger formations.

Keep in mind that shooting without a wide angle or even zoomed in, can produce some very cool results - Shooting a tandem opening from above and falling past them as the canopy inflates, is one of my favorites.



Hope it helps,
Z

[BETO74 0]

Where can you find that Century Object lens, any link? I would like to check it out

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[Zee 0]

Quote

Are you saying you hit the zoom as the tandem is opening?

LOL! No no no - I got the idea after bumping my zoom on exit and not noticing it until reviewing the footage on the ground - It was on an eight way and it turned out to be some pretty cool footage - Not great to judge by, but it looked really wild.

So I decided to try it on a few non-paying tandems - I zoomed in about half way and shot the entire video from about 30 feet away.

Give it try some day if you get bored. It's not as easy as it sounds It's quite the challenge to keep everything in frame when you're that far away.
Peace,
Z

Action©Sports

[Zee 0]

Quote

Where can you find that Century Object lens, any link? I would like to check it out

Here it is Century Optics

Action©Sports

[BETO74 0]

So what's the difference between this one and .3
from waycool industries, seem like a bigger lens same deph field, you say you could tell the difference.
Thanks

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[Zee 0]

Quote

So what's the difference between this one and .3
from waycool industries, seem like a bigger lens same deph field, you say you could tell the difference.
Thanks

Actually, I never mentioned either of those - That was Skydiveoc that brought up the Century Optics. I've never tried either the Century or the one from Waycool.

Ask Skydiveoc, maybe he's had a chance to compare the two.

Peace,
Z

Action©Sports

[skydiverton 0]

Thanks for the info.

By the way. Nice jeep. I really want one like that, but they are way to expencive in europe

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit,
Especially when you are jumping a sport rig

[skydiveoc 0]

The diamond .3 and others like it (waycool) get grainy and blurry toward the edges. They also seem to do weird polarizing things to light when backlit or lowlit. The C.O. is sharp all the way to the edge and does not cause any polarization when backlit.

Drawbacks: it is heavier, much larger causing more weight your already fragile lens mount pins. Also the price.

I use it with a PC 330 and get outstanding results. Just dont bump it!. I support the lens threads with a good 3 layers of gaffers.

It is definitely a sweet piece of glass but might not be the best choice for a new camera flyer. Wait for 500 vid jumps then upgrade.

[br0k3n 0]

I bought a 0.3 from Royal, and am very happy with it.

Its great for close range stuff FF particulary, I do wish they would make a .42 or .45 lens though.

-Oli

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