HMC40 and Century 0.5x Wide Angle [PICS]

MrPolarBare

MrPolarBare

Well-known member
**EDIT** - As you'll read in the replies below, vignetting is NOT an issue after removing the inner lens hood. Please read comments below for more info on this :)

Just did a real quick test to see how the Century Optics 0.5x Wide Angle works with the HMC-40. I keep a Tiffen UV Filter on my camera for protection, but it caused excessive vignetting. I removed the filter and it reduced it quite a bit, but not totally. The pics below show all of the different situations. The comparison at the end is I guess what the final result would be at the end of the day, once the vignetting is removed in post.

Images were originally shot in 720/60p mode, then reduced 50% and desaturated in Photoshop.

I would've posted this in "Footage/Stills", but figured this is modified footage, and might be more appropriately posted here. Moderate as you see fit :happy:

1263507054.jpg


uv_and_wide.jpg


wide.jpg


wide_cropped.jpg


compare.jpg
 
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In reading about this lens, it looks like one can zoom slightly to crop the image slightly. I'm not sure how far you can go, but that would make an interesting test to see how far you can push it.

When you mount the wide angle lens, do you have to keep the outer lens hood off?

Is the image still sharp OR does it appear to go fuzzy in the corners?

Do you notice any problems with increased CA?


Sorry for all the questions, but some sort of wide angle adapter is going to be my next purchase....


Bob Diaz
 
I originally almost overlooked this in the HMC40 owner's manual (see page 16), but you need to take off the INNER HOOD also if you attach a wide angle lens to prevent vignetting.

You can't use the outer lens hood with a conversion lens.

I noted only a very mild CA on zooms. It is there, however (I'm an amateur astronomer and you end up noticing these things out of habit).
 
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MrPolarBare, can you try it again after removing the inner lens hood? It's possible you'd get no vignetting at all with the inner lens hood removed.

And yes, if you can't do that and there's always vignetting, I'd recommend just zooming in a little; the results will be the same (as per field of view) as the cropping, but the overall image should be sharper/better than the cropped image would be.
 
I did some searching on what the specifications fro the Century Optics 0.5x Wide Angle says...

According to their specifications, one should be able to zoom in to about 1/3 of the zoom range before it goes out of focus. Even if we were limited to 1/6 of the zoom range, that would be enough to crop out the black corners. (My guess....)

CENU0HD05WA43x250.jpg


Here's a low-cost, HD wide angle solution. The .5X Wide Angle Adapter offers a lightweight single-element design that allows the user to go substantially wider without noticeable distortion. This adapter increases the angle of view and it allows close focusing — right up to the lens front — on many camcorders. When this adapter is attached, angle of view is increased by 50%. Partial zoom adapter, allows zoom capability from wide angle to about one-third of the zoom range when using the camera in auto focus mode.

Filter Size: 67mm Length: 1.77" Lens Diameter: 0.37" Magnification: 0.5x Mount Diameter: 43mm Weight: 4.6 oz (131g)
Click to expand...
As you can see from the photo, is a 67mm thread where we could put a lens hood on the wide angle lens. Interesting.... it appears to cost around $160.


Bob Diaz
 
Removing the inner lens hood (didn't know this was possible) removes vignetting completely :)

I was able to zoom to Z50 and still keep focus. Beyond that is a no-go. Once again this was the same settings I used before, and the same lighting/location that you see in my pics above.

I have a duplex I need to rent out, and will be doing a quick video virtual tour to help promote the property. I'll post the video here so you can see the wide angle in action. Video should be done mid-next week.
 
Thanks for re-testing! Glad to hear you can avoid the vignetting problem entirely.

I'd love to see some comparison photos at the same basic focal length, with/without the adapter, so we know how much of an effect it has on the image too. So put it on, zoom to maybe Z35 or so, take a shot, pull the adapter off, zoom out to where you're framed about the same as you were with the adapter at z35, and take a second shot, and let's compare.

I think a lot of folks are going to want a wide-angle adapter on their HMC40, so it'd be great to get some user feedback on how the various ones work and which ones have the cleanest image.
 
The fact that one can zoom up to Z50 is a real plus for the Century Adapter. Assuming CA and any other problems aren't too bad, the Century looks good.

I just wish I knew more about how the Raynox Adapters performed....



Bob Diaz

 
ive used the raynox 6600. works great on an hv20 and im sure itll work with hmc40 perfectly. i think its around 120 bucks. pretty cheap imo
 
The concept works well, but I wish I could see a video with a short pause in the movement. In this video, I'm seeing some blur due to movement, so I can't really judge how sharp the adapter is.

Is there any way you could post a full sized freeze frame? :dankk2:


Bob Diaz
 
That's way, way too much bowing for me.

For those who are fine with the image distortion, there's simply no way on God's green earth that you'll be able to tell, from a YouTube video, if the glass is good enough to resolve detail at anywhere near the level an HMC40 is capable of recording, even if there's no motion in the footage whatsoever. YouTube can take 800+ lines of resolution and cut it dang near in half with their brutal compression!
 
Robert M Wright said:
there's simply no way on God's green earth that you'll be able to tell, from a YouTube video...
Click to expand...

I also posted a higher quality MP4 below the clip for download. I can upload the MTS if requested as well.

There definitely is some bowing. I assumed that that was a trade-off that almost had to be taken when switching to such a wide angle. Are there other adapters out there that have reduced bowing? Or is that not possible with a fixed lens camcorder?
 
MrPolarBare said:
I also posted a higher quality MP4 below the clip for download. I can upload the MTS if requested as well.

There definitely is some bowing. I assumed that that was a trade-off that almost had to be taken when switching to such a wide angle. Are there other adapters out there that have reduced bowing? Or is that not possible with a fixed lens camcorder?
Click to expand...


Sorry, but I don't see the link either here or on YouTube. I know you can put links within the description of the video, but links in comments are rejected.

A still frame from the video will do, if you can capture that and post it somewhere.


Thanks,

Bob Diaz
 
dcloud said:
ive used the raynox 6600. works great on an hv20 and im sure itll work with hmc40 perfectly. i think its around 120 bucks. pretty cheap imo
Click to expand...
Ill be receiving mine on tuesday. Ill be able to post some pics the following day. stay tuned
 
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