New Point and Shoot!!!

[SFLDiver3445]

I began casting about for a digitial P&S that would be simple, compact, rugged like the Nikonos and the two I came up with were the Oly 770SW and Canon 570IS. I have housings for both and the Inon AD adapters for both and the Inon handle/bar and Inon DS2000 strobe (highly recommended) and the Inon 165AD macro, 105AD WA and 165AD FE super wide angle. Of the three lenses the only one I have used more than a few times is the Inon 165AD FE full frame fisheye. It is a HUGE success and performs well and makes a huge difference in the photos. I think YOU need one. Sorry, tyhey are expensive but it turns ordianry into extraordinay. You can get right up in peoples face or right next to a wreck and still take the whole thing in. A single flash with diffuser will work for FILL but of course will not cover the entire 165 degree view. For full coverage you would need at least two strobes. BUT, a single strobe with diffuser can light a central subject and the light fades evenly away producing interesting and natural looking results.

Inon AD series:

N

Nemrod, I have all three of those Inon lenses as well, infact, I even have two of the close-up lense. I actually need to put them up for sale on Ebay or some other site, but I've just been to lazy to deal with it at the moment.

I used them with my Sony Cybershot, which also required the AD Mount. I had great results with all three of the lenses, but I used them for different shots. The one I used the most was the 105AD Wide Angle. I found it gave me crisper pictures, and if I zoomed in on the picture to crop it, everything was still in focus. However, if I was photographing wrecks and I needed to have the extra wide angle, and the increased depth of field, then I would go with the 165AD FE Super Wide Angle. I also took a few close-up wide angle shots with the FE, and got some very nice results. Here's a few shots that show you what I mean.

This shot was taken in Key Largo with the 105Ad. It's crisp and clean, and if I crop and zoom in, most of it is still in focus.

This shot, on the same dive as the picture above, with the 165AD FE. I used that lens, because I needed the angle and depth of field, but it's not as crisp and if I crop and zoom in, things are not fucussed clearly.

Those two may not be the greatest examples in the world, as the visibility was nicer inside the protection of the wreck on the first picture, but over a long period of time comparing both lenses, I found that pattern to hold true.

This shot was taken the first time I took the 165AD out on a dive. I wanted to test it, so I used it exclusively for the dive. The shot shows how nicely it can focus in for wide angle close-up shots.

Adrian

 

[Nemrod]

You may be right, I need to use the 105 some more. I just find the super wide angle to be a killer lens. It's view more approximates the human eye IMO. I try to avoid "zooming" my wide angle lenses as it defeats their purpose, if I need to crop a little I can do that in Photoshop.

Mammoth Spring, 165FE:

Bright green algae goo, 165FE:

Thanks for the info. The main issue with the FE lens is flare and shadow and ghosts and the huge dynamic range of wide angle scenes works the little P&S sensor hard to it's limits. Repostioning the camera will often eliminate all ghosts and flare but it is hard to see that through a tiny screen, through a fogged mask, with no vision correct for my eyes---lol.

N

 

[SFLDiver3445]

You may be right, I need to use the 105 some more. I just find the super wide angle to be a killer lens. It's view more approximates the human eye IMO. I try to avoid "zooming" my wide angle lenses as it defeats their purpose, if I need to crop a little I can do that in Photoshop.

N

My suggestion would be to take the Pepsi Challenge!

Find a wide angle shot with good conditions, then take two shots, one with the 105 and one with the 165, but make sure that both are identical, preferably with no zooming.

Then, when you get home and download them onto the computer, try zooming in on both the pictures, as if you were going to isolate a small area and blow it up. My experience has been that the 105 is crisp and clear and the 165 is out of focus.

For that reason, I always used the 105, unless I needed the extended range of the 165.

I am also currently struggling with weather to add the dome to my existing UWL-100 Lens, which will take the lens from approx. 100 to 130 degrees of angle, or whether I should buy a new UWL-100 and add the dome to that one. However, the UWL-100 with the dome, is a much heavier and solider lens than the 165AD, so I'm thinking that one may work for all scenarios, because they refer to it as a semi-fisheye lens and not a fisheye lens.

I'll keep you posted when I get the dome!

Adrian

 

[Nemrod]

I did not mean to take us off subject, the OP, however, will benifit I am sure as I think you agree, for what he is trying to do he needs some sort of wide angle lens to allow him to get closer.

Yes, I will have to do as you say and directly compare.

I am excited to get reports from you should you ever put the dome on your 100UWL. When that Nikon P6000 comes out in a month I may move to it if there are suitable housings and I imagine it will require me to move to the 28AD or 67MM threaded types as you are using with your G9/Patina. That being the case, I could use those with my Ikelite housed number two Canon 570 which has the darn 67MM threaded port---arrrggggghhhhh. I have designed a new port but the costs to make it are daunting, it might be better to invest in the dome and UWL lens--double arrrrggggghhhhh--but if the P6000 uses the same lenses then somebody might be getting a smoking hot deal on my AD series and maybe even a DC12 housing. No, not giving up on the 570--NEVER--but the Ikelite housing like I said is a 67MM thread. The Canon DC12 housing uses the AD slip on adapter.

BTW, I like your camera and the types of pictures you shoot, very nice. I also like the OPs camera rig and the types of diver interacting with the UW world type shots he is into.

N

 

[Nemrod]

One thing SFLD, if you take two similar pics shot from the same distance, one with the 105 and the other with the 165, and then take the same object/area in each pic and blow them up to the SAME size you will be magnifying the one from the 165 about 50% more which will certainly result in degradation of the image. Do you follow me there camera guy (Vince from Sham Wow)?

N

 

[Mayor]

Great feedback!!!!

It's true the next step would be the lens but I can not find one that fits my case. Will keep looking. The wide angle will be a big help and that will be my first camera add on if I can find one. Right now my cash is being spent on upgrading my two year old gear. I have ordered a Halcyon wing, backplate, etc. The lens will have to wait for a little bit.

What I'm looking for is to get the most out of what I have now. So what do I have to work on. One thing I found is if I felt to close to the subject the shots were better and the ones I felt good about were to far away.


1. Get closer to subject.
2. ?????????
3. ?????????

Halcyon: DIR Dive Systems

 

[SFLDiver3445]

One thing SFLD, if you take two similar pics shot from the same distance, one with the 105 and the other with the 165, and then take the same object/area in each pic and blow them up to the SAME size you will be magnifying the one from the 165 about 50% more which will certainly result in degradation of the image. Do you follow me there camera guy (Vince from Sham Wow)?

N

I definitely follow you, but what I have experienced doesn't even require the zooming of a small area. Almost always, the moment I start to zoom in just a bit on the 165's shot, the out of focus becomes evident.

Again, that's just been my experience, so I'm curious to see your Pepsi Challenge results reflect!

Adrian

 

[Nemrod]

Great feedback!!!!

It's true the next step would be the lens but I can not find one that fits my case. Will keep looking. The wide angle will be a big help and that will be my first camera add on if I can find one. Right now my cash is being spent on upgrading my two year old gear. I have ordered a Halcyon wing, backplate, etc. The lens will have to wait for a little bit.

What I'm looking for is to get the most out of what I have now. So what do I have to work on. One thing I found is if I felt to close to the subject the shots were better and the ones I felt good about were to far away.


1. Get closer to subject.
2. ?????????
3. ?????????

Halcyon: DIR Dive Systems

Yeah, I don't think there are any adapters to mount wet mount lenses for that housing, to bad that is.

I think you can still do a lot with that camera and have fun with it. You will have to stay as close as possible, close ups, portrait type head and shoulder, closeups of marine life where you can use your flash to full advantage. When you travel to clear water you can try and do ambient light, maybe with one of those color correction type filters.


n

 

[Mayor]

Great article! I just got my housing for the W90 and can't wait to use it in Belize. I was using an older Sony P&S housing with that same strobe and had some good luck with it. The tricky part is finding how much strobe to use.
I wish Sea & Sea has a lens conversion adapter for that housing. I have a w/a I can't use with the new housing now

I was thinking I could make LCA fit the housing. Can't be that hard to do.

 

[Mayor]

Yeah, I don't think there are any adapters to mount wet mount lenses for that housing, to bad that is.

I think you can still do a lot with that camera and have fun with it. You will have to stay as close as possible, close ups, portrait type head and shoulder, closeups of marine life where you can use your flash to full advantage. When you travel to clear water you can try and do ambient light, maybe with one of those color correction type filters.


n

I know if I found one close I could get it to work. How do they mount to the housing?