16X9inc new EXII 0.8X Wide Attachment for the Panasonic HPX300

C

CinemaElectronika

Well-known member
Anyone..? Any experience so far?

Seems to be 'the" wide angle adapter with zoom capabilities at a reasonable price!

» HD Quality
» 20% Wider Coverage
» Full Zoom-thru
» Reduced MOD
» Works with 82mm Front Thread Cameras
» Lightweight [17 oz]
» Compact [1.4 in]
» Chrosziel Mattebox/Sunshade Compatible

Works with the following cameras:
» JVC GY-HM700 — With Canon 14X
» Panasonic HPX300 — With Fujinon 17X Lens
» Panasonic HVX200/200A

http://16x9inc.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=763

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=WishList.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=652920&is=REG

(there's a couple of errors on the item description @ B&H... )

Anyone yet?

Henry.
 
Mine just came today and when I get a chance in the next few days I will test it thoroughly. I will try to take it into a shop that has a registration chart and a nice big HD monitor to check the edges, but my real world test, wide open f.stop is what I really care about.

I also have the rubber sun shade. What I am most concerned about with any of these WAs is: "Do I have to mess with back focus every time I take it on and off?" I end up on gigs where I have to move quick and have just a 9" HD monitor, so I don't want to futz with back focus in the field, especially in bright day light, if I can avoid it.
 
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it's zoom-thru - you shouldn't have to mess with backfocus each time.
i've shot with a lot of these over the years and backfocus was never an issue.
i have a century unit on my 300 and i don't change backfocus when i put it on/take it off.

i'll be curious what you find with the 16x9 offering.
 
Ned - that would be great as I'm also considering a purchase. Also any notes regarding the camera getting front-heavy with the adapter (if it's an issue) would be appreciated. If you could snap a photo or two, I'd also love to see it. Finally, if you don't mind sharing what your final cost was - including the rubber sunshade (if you don't, I understand).

Thanks! :)
 
Stay tuned, got busy, just did some tests in my office. Not up to Barry Green standards but played with distortion, rez on the edges and CAC on & off. Laying it into a timeline now, will see how big a file it is and will upload, probably to Vimeo or Youtube tonight!

Looked good so far although most of what I was viewing was in the LCD viewfinder.
 

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Nice! That is my main complaint when I shoot with the 300, that stock lens is just not wide enough. Can't wait to hear the Ned appraisal.

Dan
 
It's taking forever to render, it may be too big for Vimeo since I only have a free account. So if you send me your email I can FTP the QT to you via Yousendit.com. Once I got the footage into FCP I did notice slight softness at far edges. With CAC off I did see some fringing.

But these are the trade offs, an adapter will never be as good as a real wide angle lens, also, consider the price. But most importantly: Will the client notice????

I shot the test wide open so it would look it's worst. If you were to do a critically viewed narrative or a very high end spot, with picky clients viewing it on high end HD monitors in post, then perhaps this wouldn't suffice, but in that case you may need to rent a 2700 with a $20,000 lens?

So I think I will keep it seeing the only alternative is Century which Emmett says is soft at the edges. Perhaps the one benefit of Century is you can put their lens on really fast, I had to slow down to avoid stripping threads.

I think the client base I will be using the 300 for would be made happier by being WIDER than studying crispness on the edges. My feeling is that they are usually fixated at the center of the frame, loving their product or service or whatever I deemed important enough to have centered. You and I will study the edges but they won't, unless maybe it's text heavy content?

So...if it's doable I will put it on Vimeo tonight, otherwise I can FTP it to you. It was snowing heavy otherwise I would have done real world, stopped down shooting. I didn't want it to get wet if I needed to return it.

NEWSFLASH: I am reducing the size of the file tests to fit them on Vimeo. BAD NEWS: I have confirmed I have some internal lens defects (spots) and will bring it in next week.
 
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TEST FOOTAGE: 2nd Half of Exterior Test is at: www.vimeo.com/8122427
Attached is a screen grab of the "bowing", don't know if Century's version of wide angle adapter is the same?


OK Here's my update: in sum, I MAY keep the 16x9 .08 wide angle after testing, although I am still looking around Chicago for a Century to test. I would like to post the all the test footage but have cut them down into segments just short of 2Gig and am having trouble uploading to Vimeo, Youtube will only take 1G. Still grabs don't really show the difference between the center and edges, you need to see the pan.

I did notice I have to have CAC on or I may get fringing. Back focus DOES NOT have to be readjusted (phew!) I also noticed that the extreme edges have a slight loss of rez (when wide open), but that was to be expected for something in the high $600 (with sunshade) range, and Emmet says his Century displays the same. So I MAY keep the 16X9 since it is the only/best option I have dealing with these 1/3" imagers. Here's the hang up: When aimed straight at a brick wall or grid pattern I see strong bowing, so I must determine if Century does the same...There is barrel distortion of vertical lines close to frame edge, the bow in, and may be noticeable on building exteriors. Note to Self: shoot buildings at an angle to the building so client won't notice.

I am frustrated because the 300 is useless for indoor b-roll without something to make it wider. I can't imagine a car interior shot...
 
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Did your tests include any interior shots? My application would be the office interview, b -roll, in a car, etc. I'd love to see same scene without, then with to get a feel for how wide .8 is.

Thanks for test, looks damn cold!!!

John
 
Yes, I shot my bookcases (thought I sent it to you via Yousendit, no?) so I could judge the detail in the spine's text at wide open. Not bad. But...

CENTURY finally got back to me and I am purchasing their model with a money back guarantee. I will test it on the brick wall to see if there is barrel distortion. Since theirs is almost twice the cost of 16x9's when you factor in the sunshade I will go with 16x9 if all other factors are equal.

I have attached a screen grab of the brick wall.
 

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what does that mean "zoom-tru" and what has it to do with "back focus" ???

FlacaProductions said:
it's zoom-thru - you shouldn't have to mess with backfocus each time.
i've shot with a lot of these over the years and backfocus was never an issue.
i have a century unit on my 300 and i don't change backfocus when i put it on/take it off.

i'll be curious what you find with the 16x9 offering.
Click to expand...
 
"Zoom Through" means that when you put the wide angle adapter on the zoom lens you can zoom from wide to telephoto and vice versa. The less expensive adapters do not allow you to zoom, you DO NOT want to buy one of those!

Regarding Back Focus: With the 16x9 adapter my test showed you do not have to readjust back focus.
 
Thanks Ned!! Your work is much appreciated for us HPX300 users trying to expand the capabilities of this unit.

Any problems with the cold? I'm shooting in Steam Boat Springs, CO, in January, then Alaska later. Any comments or problems encountered with cold weather operation??
 
I shot for only about a half hour at 3 above zero, which is -15 windchill on the camera's outer plastic. Worked swell. I "think" this is less prone to cold problems than a tape drive unit which would deal with condensation on the record heads from going in and out of warm buildings, plus capstans, rollers, etc. Perhaps we should ask a computer expert about how the circuitry would handle the cold. You should get a cover anyway, tape hand warmers onto the inside.

I do not consider the 300 a camera: it is a computer with a lens stuck on it. If you are filming skiers in CO I'd like to know your experience- did the lens have enough reach. I was asked about doing a golf reality show pilot in the spring and when we discussed budget I did not think the 300 would have enough tele to reach a golfer further away. May look into the 1/3 to 2/3 adapter ($700!) to stick an adult lens on it for reach.
 
Ned,

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to do these tests...
Your work is invaluable for all of us trying to find the best wide angle adapter for the HPX300.
Now I'm convinced that this 16x9inc HDWC8X is the best option in the market at that price...
Thank you again!

Regarding a super-tele option for this camera, I suggest you to check Steve Shovlar's Adaptimax which adapts Nikon Manual Focus Lenses to the HPX300 for a X7 magnification factor. I ordered one which is on its way and plan to use it with my Nikon 80-200/2.8.

The Fujinon 17X at its tele end should be like a 550mm (35mm Still Photo Lens); the 80-200/2.8 will be like a 560-1400/2.8... Imagine that!!!

Here's the link:

http://www.adaptimax.com/nikon_to_third.html

My best,

H.
 
Well I am still not 100% decided on keeping the 16x9 wide angle adapter until I am certain that the Century will not have as much bow distortion (see my attached photo of the brick wall in a previous post). I may order the Century with a money back guarantee and do a quick test.

I will probably get the adapter you mentioned above, it's half the price of the one I was looking at. But remember, at about 550mm you need a very heavy duty tripod and no wind, maybe take off the sunshade. That's very telephoto, great for sports and wildlife.
 
The .8X Century Precision Optics Wide Angle Adapter should be exactly the same but at almost double the price... That's why I consider the 16x9inc the best option for the price.... Nevertheless, please let us know how it works for you.

And yes, you might need at least a 40 lbs tripod head like the Sachtler 18SB we do already have, for the HPX300 and the Nikon Zoom attached... That's mandatory.

Good luck!
 
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