How useful is 28mm lens?

[foglesre]

Having played around with my ultra-cheap Pixtreme UW camera on my last couple of trips to Roatan (I actually got a few decent pictures out of it), I think I'd like to get a bit more into UW photography.

I'm really focusing on the Canon S70 (can't do the S80 due to lack of RAW) or the Oly SP-320/350.

From what I have read, a wide angle lens is a real asset for underwater photography. But how much is the 28mm of the Canon S70 worth? Considering I could get an Oly SP-350 for about $200 versus a Canon S70 for around $350, is the advantage of 28mm versus 38mm really worthy it? Of course I could get a refurbished Canon S60 for around $230, but that seems a little outdated at 5MP.

On constraint...at the moment, I don't see myself ever adding a strobe. I'd like to be able to keep this camera in a large pocket (like a Dive-Rite Thigh Pouch). So I'm thinking that to maximize my field of view with the onboard flash, the wide angle lens would be especially valuable...

Thanks for any advice.

Bob

 

[dbh]

Without a strobe, you aren't going to be able to light up much area on a WA shot. For the most part, you will be shooting ambient light with WA.

I am pretty sure you can add an external WA lenses to get what you want (if you find the 38mm isn't wide enough).


Dave

 

[DesertEagle]

The 28mm lens is wider, but not that much. For the 28 to really make a difference you would have to put it behind a dome port. That's not an option for the S70.

I learned a secret at Wetpixel. There's a guy named Gary who uses the SP-350. He figured out that the old Sea & Sea 16mm Nikonos conversion lens can work with the SP-350 and Olympus PT-030 housing. All you need is a 46-58mm set up ring. The beauty is that the 16mm lens can often be found cheap on eBay. I paid $119 for mine.
http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12973

No strobe? Use a Magic Filter and shoot RAW. www.magic-filters.com

 

[Amy B]

I am pretty sure you can add an external WA lenses to get what you want (if you find the 38mm isn't wide enough).

You definately can get external lenses for the SP350, but they have to be wet lenses for use underwater (not the regular ones that Olympus manufactures, which can be used online).

There's lots of posts in the big SP350 thread about lenses and strobes (I am still trying to learn about them myself!).