Fisheye FIX for the S90

[boogs]

btw, the Fisheye UWL-04 lens isnt available in the Philippines but all other Inon lenses are.

 

[Nemrod]

Thanks again. I currently own the ff:

Fix 3 piece 67mm mount
Inon UCL165M67 macro lens
and Inon 67mm double lens caddies

The UWL100-67 seems like a good choice but I'm afraid it might add too much weight to my rig and make it front heavy when on the housing, or unbalanced when on the caddy. It is also quite expensive with the dome lens.

I do always consider forward compatibility with my purchases so I don't end up spending more in the long run. I am using a single ys-27dx with two 5 inch segments but will switch to double ys-110a's soon. I will probably get two 8 inch segments (should I use buoyancy arms?) so I can have 1 5" and 8" segment on each arm. I noticed you don't use buoyancy arms, do you have any weight issues underwater?

I hope I am not bothering you with too many questions

No, not bothering me.

The UW100-28AD is only marginally less weight than the UWL100-67mm. Yes, both of these lenses are quite heavy and expensive and will be noticeably more negative underwater than the Fisheye or Inon 105AD or Inon 165AD. But, they are very good lenses and I know for a fact that the UWL100-67mm will indeed work with the FIX90 housing and while it is heavy, it isn't that bad.

Yes, my rig is negative but similar to Nikonos III rigs I have owned in the past, it reminds me of them very much. I have considered some of the Styx floats but just have not gotten around to ordering them as it is a low priority, the rig is negative as I said but not bad. I am afraid that arm floats would make adjusting the strobes more difficult and slow the handling down but that would definitely be something to try out and see if the improvement was worth the other possible negatives (water drag, packed space requirements, different butterfly clamps etc).

I have 3 and 8 inch arms but I have only been using the 8 inch arms, this trip I may use both on some dives. Again, I hesitate to add the extra weight of another pair of arms and clamps as I am trying really hard to keep the rig small and maneuverable.

You know, even with dual strobes this is a tiny little rig and while it is a tad negative it just is not that big of a deal. I think people expect that it is so small that it should be less weight. Well, on land and when packed it is but of course underwater the small form factor/low displacement and relatively high density of all of the aluminum components produces a rig that is negative.

N

 

[boogs]

I guess I just have to try it out then. I wouldnt want to use all 4 buoyancy arms but will need the flexibility of 4 segments since I do macro. I think I will go with one 5 inch regular segment and one 8 inch buoyancy arm in each side, so I will just have to purchase 2 buoyancy arms and 2 longer clamps.

I agree it is still compact, although I don't mind having a fairly large rig underwater as long as it is easy to maneuver.

 

[pjdavo]

Hi Nemrod, i've just received my fix housing and got it wet for the first time on the weekend, Crap vis tho so no pics of note

I'm looking at lenses etc now, and (having never owned or used wet lenses before) like the idea of the bayonet mounts for ease of use. So looking at your recommendation above of:

The new FIX 52mm single piece mount
The FIX three piece 67mm mount
The FIX UWL-04 lens
The Inon UCL165AD macro lens
10Bar adapter

this looks like an awesome setup but from what i can see would involve threaded mounts for the wide angle lens? i dont know for sure but imagine threads can be a bit fiddly underwater? is there a way to take a 67mm threaded lens (e.g. the FIX UFL-04) and put an adapter on that so that it has an AD bayonet mount? E.g. get the 28 AD adapter on the housing, then use a 10bar 28AD-67mm adapter on each wet lens?

Otherwise i think i'll go with the Fix 28AD adapter and the UFL165AD
thanks heaps!

 

[Nemrod]

Hi Nemrod, i've just received my fix housing and got it wet for the first time on the weekend, Crap vis tho so no pics of note

I'm looking at lenses etc now, and (having never owned or used wet lenses before) like the idea of the bayonet mounts for ease of use. So looking at your recommendation above of:

The new FIX 52mm single piece mount
The FIX three piece 67mm mount
The FIX UWL-04 lens
The Inon UCL165AD macro lens
10Bar adapter

this looks like an awesome setup but from what i can see would involve threaded mounts for the wide angle lens? i dont know for sure but imagine threads can be a bit fiddly underwater? is there a way to take a 67mm threaded lens (e.g. the FIX UFL-04) and put an adapter on that so that it has an AD bayonet mount? E.g. get the 28 AD adapter on the housing, then use a 10bar 28AD-67mm adapter on each wet lens?

Otherwise i think i'll go with the Fix 28AD adapter and the UFL165AD
thanks heaps!

The UWL-04 is a 52mm lens with a step up ring for 67mm. To combine that with yet another adapter just keeps pushing the lens further forward. But, Fisheye does offer the lens in a ST mount which is a proprietary bayonet mount and if you notice FIX also offers a ST mount for the FIX90 but far as I know, no macro option in this mount. Just so you know.

All of the combinations can make your head explode if you are not careful. My recommendation above accepts the bayonet mount AD lenses via the 10Bar AD to 67mm adapter.

I have nothing against the FIX28AD mount kit except to note that AD and 28AD are not the same exactly with the 28AD mount being somewhat more shallow. AD and 28AD lenses project out aft, beyond the mount unlike the threaded lenses which are typically flush to the aft end of the threads. I cannot confirm the compatibility of the UFL-165AD with the FIX28AD mount kit although I know people are using it. I prefer my arrangement, 67mm mount kit plus 10Bar adapter.

Yes, bayonets are preferred if you anticipate a lot of underwater lens changes. The FIX 67mm kit plus the 10Bar adapter allow mounting AD lenses underwater either via bayonet or threads. The threads must be locked or the adapter held by hand in order to remove the bayonet underwater as the threads tend to preferentially un-thread before the bayonet unlocks, if you understand.

Don't let me push you one way or another, evaluate as much as you can on your own, I can only report what I believe to be true. I have posted photos both in this thread and at the forum in my sig line below demonstrating exactly what to expect with the tested lenses and mounts at my disposal, anything beyond that I am making an educated (yes indeed) guess.

Macro is just not my thing, macro lenses tend not to be so difficult to set up as are the wide angle cousins, the UCL165AD should be adaptable to the 28AD mount or 10Bar adapter plus 67mm mount kit. The UCL165-67mm is of course a threaded lens and can install directly into the 67mm FIX mount kit. I only have one macro lens, the UCL165AD and it works fine with a variety of combinations as stated above, I did not bother to test it because it is essentially a done deal, it works fine, nothing else to say about it.

N

 

[pjdavo]

(-Head explodes-)

 

[pjdavo]

Thanks Nemrod! kudos to you for helping out mate.

 

[boogs]

(-Head explodes-)

Boogs likes this.

 

[ozziworld]

Hi Boogs,

Where did you buy you FIX S90 housing? They should be able to order the UWL-of lens for you since it is from the same manufacturer. I bought mine from Jovic of Splashphotography in Greenhills and he was willing to order the UWL-0f for me.

I bought my FIX S90 housing from him then stumbled upon a great deal on used INON UFL-165AD and UCL-165ADs, So I ended up getting the FIX 28AD Adapter. I was also looking at the UWL-o4 until the used lenses became available.

 

[boogs]

Hey ozz, I got it from the same store. You're right, it can be ordered but I don't think you can buy one off the shelves yet. Not sure how long it would take to arrive. However, Nemrod did confirm earlier that the UWL-04 and 67mm mount do not mate well.