Ikelite S90 housing + FIX UWL-04 (general wet lens question though)

[BSOD]

(This could probably go in the general Underwater Photography section, but figured I'd check here first)

Just received my first wet lens, and when attached dry, there's still a bit of vignetting when zoomed in to 35mm. Does being underwater/wet fix that? (from the optical effects of the water between the back of the wet lens and front of the housing port, and/or from the water in front of the wet lens). If I manually hold the wet lens closer to the port (without the 67-52mm adapter, and without either part touching), the vignetting is pretty much eliminated (even at 28mm), suggesting a better port/adapter/lens would work better. I won't be able to get it wet while still in the return period, and I thought I'd read posts of this combo (S90 + Ike housing + UWL-04) working, but this heavy vignetting is worrying me a bit.


Sorry for the stupid noob question. I tried searching, but didn't come up with anything.

Thanks

 

[Nemrod]

Getting in the water will slightly reduce the tendency to vignette.

Yes, a better port/adapter design would greatly help, the step down ring is setting the lens forward of an optimal position.

N

 

[muzikbiz22]

Nemrod is correct in that once you "get wet", there will definitely be less vignetting. I use the adapter ring that comes with the UWL-04 M52/67. There are other rings & options out there (and lot's of threads covering this).

I have the same rig you're asking about (plus YS-01). You mentioned that the "heavy vignetting is worrying you a bit". 1 - Don't worry, diving is supposed to be fun and relaxing. 2 - I think "heavy vignetting" is a little strong. Bump your zoom 2 to 3 times, and you are in the game with a great & very acceptable FOV. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised after your first couple of dives I know I was !

With that said, I'm off to Cozumel this weekend, with S90 rig in hand !! Give me a couple of weeks to post some photos.

 

[BSOD]

Nemrod is correct in that once you "get wet", there will definitely be less vignetting. I use the adapter ring that comes with the UWL-04 M52/67. There are other rings & options out there (and lot's of threads covering this).

I have the same rig you're asking about (plus YS-01). You mentioned that the "heavy vignetting is worrying you a bit". 1 - Don't worry, diving is supposed to be fun and relaxing. 2 - I think "heavy vignetting" is a little strong. Bump your zoom 2 to 3 times, and you are in the game with a great & very acceptable FOV. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised after your first couple of dives

I know I was !

With that said, I'm off to Cozumel this weekend, with S90 rig in hand !! Give me a couple of weeks to post some photos.

Diving is fun and relaxing. It's fussing about with the details before that can be worrying at times (though still fun in a way).

After digging through a bunch of old threads (which I'd read initially a while ago, but forgotten/overlooked some of the nitty gritty), and playing with the rig a bit more, okay, the vignetting isn't that bad at 35mm while dry, and it looks like it'd actually be gone once wet. I was most worried about having to eliminate vignetting by going down to 50mm (the next zoom "click"), which has a max F-stop of 3.2. This borders on being a deal-breaker for me. F2.5 at 35mm I'm okay with.

However, I didn't see many options for adapters to use a 52mm lens in a 67mm port, unless I didn't dig deep enough? A native 67mm lens could be much closer to the port glass, basically stopping at the o-ring. As is with the included adapter, the back of the UWL-04 is about flush with the edge of the port rim (sorry if I'm bastardizing the terminology), about 4mm (eyeball guesstimate) away from the port glass. I suppose if there was a simple flat ring (not stepped like the included adapter), with the exterior m67 threaded, and the interior m52 threaded, and two or so small holes in the face (so you could use a tool that fit in the holes to help unscrew it), that would work. But I don't know anything about fabrication.

Also, have you had to "burp" your lens with this rig? The holes in the port rim are open, and seem like bubbles should escape through those fine. Honestly, at this point in time, I wouldn't feel comfortable unscrewing and screwing the lens back on while underwater (especially since I don't see an easy way to tether the lens, aside from drilling a hole in the hood which I'd rather not do if I can avoid it).

Thanks again