Fisheye FIX for the S90

[VictorZ]

Well, gosh, at the expense of repeating myself a hundred times I use the FIX67mm kit and I use either the 10Bar AD to 67mm adapter or my own DIY AD to 67mm adapter:

Adaptor Ring ADF M67 - Lens & Filter Adapters - Point & Shoot Lenses & Filters - Optical Ocean Sales Underwater Photo - 800-359-1295!

No, I do not use nor do I own the FIX28AD kit, I have the FIX67mm kit and that is what I am mounting all of my lenses to.

N

I spoke with Ralph and Tony from reefphoto about INON UFL-165AD and UCL-165AD combination to this setup with 67mm FIX kit + 10 bar ADF M67 combination and Tony got back to me with a research on this. He wrote:

"After doing some research, the only way to quick change lenses on the FIX S90 is using the quick mounts that FIX offers.

While it is possible to mount the lenses using AD conversion rings like you had mentioned in your phone conversation, we find this is optically unacceptable, and results in really bad image quality. The other option is to use a 100 28AD wide lens, which would yield a good angle of coverage and good image quality, however this is a much more expensive solution.

The most economical option with the best image quality is here in this quote I prepared for you:

Item Model List Price Qty Sub
FIX UWL-04 Fisheye Wet Mount Conversion Lens - 67mm/52mm fix.uwl.04.m52/67 399.00 399.00 1 399.00
FIX S90 M52 Lens Adapter fix.s90.m52.adapter 190.00 190.00 1 190.00
FIX S90 M67 Lens Adapter fix.s90.m67.adapter 190.00 190.00 1 190.00
Inon UCL-165M67 Close-up Lens ino.456212143162 169.00 169.00 1 169.00
Sub-Total 948.00
Total 948.00

Let me know if you have any questions.

Tony
Reef Photo & Video".

For some reason he suggested second adapter for $190 despite that the description pointed by the link provided by Tony - FIX UWL-04 Fisheye Wet Mount Conversion Lens - 67mm/52mm states: "The UWL-04 includes a 67mm step ring for housings with 67mm filter threads."

Why do yo think reefphoto advises about the INON UFL-165AD with 67mm FIX kit + 10 bar ADF M67 combination: "we find this is optically unacceptable"?

 

[Nemrod]

I spoke with Ralph and Tony from reefphoto about INON UFL-165AD and UCL-165AD combination to this setup with 67mm FIX kit + 10 bar ADF M67 combination and Tony got back to me with a research on this. He wrote:

"After doing some research, the only way to quick change lenses on the FIX S90 is using the quick mounts that FIX offers.

While it is possible to mount the lenses using AD conversion rings like you had mentioned in your phone conversation, we find this is optically unacceptable, and results in really bad image quality. The other option is to use a 100 28AD wide lens, which would yield a good angle of coverage and good image quality, however this is a much more expensive solution.

The most economical option with the best image quality is here in this quote I prepared for you:

Item Model List Price Qty Sub
FIX UWL-04 Fisheye Wet Mount Conversion Lens - 67mm/52mm fix.uwl.04.m52/67 399.00 399.00 1 399.00
FIX S90 M52 Lens Adapter fix.s90.m52.adapter 190.00 190.00 1 190.00
FIX S90 M67 Lens Adapter fix.s90.m67.adapter 190.00 190.00 1 190.00
Inon UCL-165M67 Close-up Lens ino.456212143162 169.00 169.00 1 169.00
Sub-Total 948.00
Total 948.00

Let me know if you have any questions.

Tony
Reef Photo & Video".

For some reason he suggested second adapter for $190 despite that the description pointed by the link provided by Tony - FIX UWL-04 Fisheye Wet Mount Conversion Lens - 67mm/52mm states: "The UWL-04 includes a 67mm step ring for housings with 67mm filter threads."

Why do yo think reefphoto advises about the INON UFL-165AD with 67mm FIX kit + 10 bar ADF M67 combination: "we find this is optically unacceptable"?

I am not going to read through all of that, I don't know what they said vs what you said or ask and I don't care.

I will stick with my earlier posts on the subject and I have posted photographs showing what might be expected regardless of what anyone else may think or not think or agree or whatever.

I don't disagree that the 67mm mount and UFL-04 lens are a good choice.

You know, I think there is a misunderstanding here, as I have said over and over, do not do what I say, just because I say it. My testing and use of the 165AD lens is based on the fact that I and others already--ALREADY--own it. I have found it couples and works just fine with the S90 and FIX housing and can and does quick mount using the 10Bar type adapter. If someone says otherwise, I don't care, I have already tested it and know different--for myself.

Specifically what is wrong with this shot done with the FIX90 housing, S90 camera, 67mm kit, DIY AD mount, Inon 165AD lens, single D2000 strobe? Shot from only a few feet from the two swimmers and you can see completely across the pool from wall to wall in the corners?

If you are starting fresh, the UFL-04 sounds like a good deal. Is it better, wider, sharper, quicker mounting, than either the dome equipped Inon WAL100 series or 165AD?--prove it--prove I am wrong, DDDY, heck, I TDDY.

Clearly this photograph proves that the Inon 165AD is "optically unacceptable" with the FIX90 housing and 67mm kit mount, even though that is what it was taken with:

Photos are NOT cropped or altered.

Whatever.

N

 

[CompuDude]

I agree. While my first shot here has some flare in the corner, this is normal with a dome when shooting into the sun the way this photo is.

While they're not contest winners (hey, my first dive with a fisheye lens, be kind) I really don't see what's so "optically unacceptable" about these shots.

Taken with Fix S90 housing with 28AD adapter and Inon UFL-165AD lens.

Yup, they're cropped a bit to eliminate some vignetting, but no way I could get that wide with the native lens. And no way could I go from taking those shots to taking the following shots in 3 seconds flat with any other system.

Taken with Fix S90 housing with 28AD adapter and two stacked Inon UCL-165AD lenses.

 

[VictorZ]

Nemrod, CompuDude,

In no way I am trying to disprove what your are saying and proving by your photos. On the contrary, I think your work and experiments with housings and lenses, and postings on the Internet (I read most of them at various places) are invaluable for us (there is almost no other info out there).

My goal is, as CompuDude pointed in various postings, to have wide and macro lenses easily interchangeable in the same dive and AD mount seams to allow it. UFL-04 does not have (to my knowledge) AD connection, only 52mm, 67mm and ST (which should be as convenient as AD). If I can mount wide and macro lenses using ST, I would go with UFL-04 ST + macro ST (??), otherwise I would stick with UFL165AD, UCL165AD and Nemrod tested Fix 67mm+10bar combination adapter. Does it make sense?

Very nice photos, by the way!

Thanks

 

[Nemrod]

I have no evidence for this, it is simply another of my derived opinions based on having owned dome port/lenses now and in the past that:

1. The smaller the dome the more prone to flare
2. The plastic domes are more prone to flare than glass domes
3. Optical coatings do reduce flare and improve contrast

The 165AD is prone to flare if you are not observant of where the sun is, typical of a fisheye, ultra wide angle, small, plastic dome lens. It does have a hard coating on the exterior and optical coating on the inner surfaces as I understand it.

N

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod, CompuDude,

In no way I am trying to disprove what your are saying and proving by your photos. On the contrary, I think your work and experiments with housings and lenses, and postings on the Internet (I read most of them at various places) are invaluable for us (there is almost no other info out there).

My goal is, as CompuDude pointed in various postings, to have wide and macro lenses easily interchangeable in the same dive and AD mount seams to allow it. UFL-04 does not have (to my knowledge) AD connection, only 52mm, 67mm and ST (which should be as convenient as AD). If I can mount wide and macro lenses using ST, I would go with UFL-04 ST + macro ST (??), otherwise I would stick with UFL165AD, UCL165AD and Nemrod tested Fix 67mm+10bar combination adapter. Does it make sense?

Very nice photos, by the way!

Thanks

Using the 10Bar adapter with the 165AD you may, typically, have to do a 98% crop. My DIY requires no crop, the 10Bar does have an occasional itsy bitsy vignette in the corner, usually the right side. I think this is a result of the compression pads in the FIX housing mounts the camera ever so slightly cock-eyed.

Until somebody does what I and Compu have done with the 165AD with the UFL-04 and actually post some pics with some sort of distance scale etc, well, talk is cheap, as I said, prove to me how the 165AD is not compatible, prove the UFL-04 is better, wider, etc, etc. I think our photos clearly demonstrate a FACT--the 165AD is indeed optically compatible with the FIX90. Is it best, or better than some other combination, I do not know, if somebody with the other lenses would post some pics, we might have a better idea? Maybe the UFL-04 is better, show me, fine. I have laid down the Triple Dog Dare, so the ball is in play, go for it.

As I said, starting fresh, I would seriously look at the UFL-04 over the 165AD. I am of a mind, I have some evidence, sketchy at best (PMs with, well, never mind), the UFL-04 ST mount vignettes slightly and has a reduced FOV vs the 52/67 mm mount version.

People want easy answers, I don't have any, pick a horse and ride it. If a better one comes by, hop on that one, you can bet that is what I will do.

N

 

[VictorZ]

People want easy answers...
N

Thank you for the reply. The answers should not be so hard to come by. If I had unlimited money supply or the stuff were free, I would by all of them and just throw incompatible ones away . I spent many hours researching the subject (and you - XXXX times more:blinking. I think Fisheye and Inon could have done better job introducing standard, consistent, well documented adapters to their products so the consumers would not have to spend numerous hours trying to find out what works and what not. I would rather spend my time learning how to make better photos.

Also, Nemrod, you mentioned somewhere, if I am not mistaken, that you do not care much about tiny creatures :shocked2: so you do not need to switch lenses much under water: you screw you lenses on once and you are done?

 

[Nemrod]

Thank you for the reply. The answers should not be so hard to come by. If I had unlimited money supply or the stuff were free, I would by all of them and just throw incompatible ones away . I spent many hours researching the subject (and you - XXXX times more:blinking. I think Fisheye and Inon could have done better job introducing standard, consistent, well documented adapters to their products so the consumers would not have to spend numerous hours trying to find out what works and what not. I would rather spend my time learning how to make better photos.

Also, Nemrod, you mentioned somewhere, if I am not mistaken, that you do not care much about tiny creatures :shocked2: so you do not need to switch lenses much under water: you screw you lenses on once and you are done?

I don't think the industry cares about making it easy and most people have not a clue why or that they need wide angle. And, to make it worse, even as you have found, there is a lot of folks who do not know the full range of the products or their capabilities. I don't know why this is, I would ask them why. I gave up some years ago and decided to figure it all out for myself, and did. I still ask for opinions and thoughts and value them but then I filter with my own. The industry is into cheap and easy low budget "package" crap for newbs and high end dSLR cost as much as a Subaru rigs for elitists. Where is the freaking middle ground? Well, you have entered the Twilight Zone where I live!

I don't care for macro, if macro was my interest I would not spend so much time searching out cameras and housings that are compatible (despite what others might think) with various wet mount lenses. If the snail shots are your thing then you can go easy, no accessory lenses needed . I just don't get the macro thing, it puts me to sleep, I am entitled to my thoughts there, to each, their own.

Yep, I don't do a lot of swapping of lenses. I tend to shoot what I put on at the beginning. I do sometimes remove the accessory lens and shoot with the native port if I want a head and shoulder or a bluish fish pic. Otherwise, nope, the wide angle lenses stay on.

If I did not already own several lenses I might have gotten the G11 with the dry port Fisheye lens. The hot swap underwater is not a big deal with me, threads work fine.

The problem is not Fisheye/FIX/Inon etc, it is that Canon and Nikon and et al introduce cameras on a 6 month product cycle and keep changing the specs so fast it is simply impossible. The answer, Nikon needs to market a Nikonos IIID or Inon needs to come out with their own camera to fit with their lenses.

N

 

[Scottyboy86]

Well I did it.... I ordered the fix s90 housing, flash blocker, and and a S&S 110 or whatever strobe. Also got 67mm adapter and the fisheye ufl-04 I think it was.

 

[Nemrod]

Well I did it.... I ordered the fix s90 housing, flash blocker, and and a S&S 110 or whatever strobe. Also got 67mm adapter and the fisheye ufl-04 I think it was.

Well, then you are REQUIRED to provide test shots in a pool or something.

N