Non-Wet Wide Angle lens for underwater - yes, it work

[Wisnu]

I have posted a thread asking if I can use cheap non-wet wide angle lens for underwater. My camera is Olympus SP-350 in PT-030 housing (46 mm threaded port).
Thanks for the response although nobody encourage to try it. However, since I already have this lens - my friend gave his 0.45X 58mm wide angle conversion lens for free - I thought I'll not loose anything if I try to use it for underwater. I just have to purchase 46mm to 58mm adapter for 3 bucks only.
I check in e-bay, we can get this lens as low as USD 20 incl. shipment. Understood people will always say, you get what you pay - that's probably the reason why my friend gave this lens to me.
The lens consist of combination of macro diopter and wide angle lens. I don't know it consist how many component.
Understood people will always say, you get what you pay - that's probably the reason why my friend not happy and gave this lens to me.

Okay, to make it short - I tried this lens for topside. Surely no problem.
Here are the result.
Without WAL.

Now, with WAL and adapter inbstalled at PT-030 housing.

Then I brought this lens on my family diving trip to Anailao, Phillipine.
I slowly filled the space between the macro diopter and WAL with water - with expectation, the water pressure will not damage the lens. I brought to 20 m depth, so far okay.
Then tried to take the picture - here what I got.

Without WAL.

With WAL

By filling with water, the FOV now reduce to probably 0.6 - 0.7 - but at least no flood or ruin the lens.
Next, I play with this lens = here are some of the pictures taken between 5 - 12 m only.

 

[Nemrod]

A number of people have tried this without success, the lenses flood out as they are not intended to resist pressure.

Ikelite has in the past offered a small port extension or dome for some Oly cameras that allowed use of accessory dry mount lenses. I think 10Bar does now. I suspect we may see this idea on some of the new EVILS.

Good luck.

N

 

[Mooseman1007]

Wisnu,
I too am interested in trying out cheap non wet lenses in an attempt to cut costs. I can get a +4 and +10 diopter set for £20 to add to the 67mm port on my Fuji F100's adapter which even if it loses some of its magnification power in water would still be an improvement, considering the cheapest wet diopter I can find is £130. Unfortunately I wont get chance to try this out before going on holiday and was hoping someone else had done something similar. As Nemrod mentioned multi element lenses are going to be trouble but for that price if it gives you a couple of dives before giving up....its worth a try.
Anyone else had any any experiences with non wet Wide angle or Close up lenses?

 

[Wisnu]

Nemrod,
Thanks for advise - I might lucky but have I brought this lens to 20m - I just checked again the lens condition - can't find any visible crack or damage.
I pushed the lens surface with my thumb giving a pressure of more than 10 kg - so if my thumb area is 3 cm3 - the pressure is equal to 3 bar.
Anyway - I don't bother if the lens get damage.

Mooseman
I've also tried the macro lens only; it's diopter +10; it workwell too although a bit difficult to focus. But since I have the Inon UCL-165 M67 I don't further explore the macro part under water. Simply, I can conclude the UCL-165 is more powerfull than the diopter +10

 

[DesertEagle]

Keep an eye out for old Sea & Sea lenses. They sell cheap on eBay. These have a 58mm thread. A 46-58mm step up ring works perfectly. This cheap lens gets you very, very wide photos. I've found the sharpness to be very good. The only problem is severe lens flare when sunlight faces the lens.

 

[slowhands]

I have an old 67mm thread wide adapter I may try like this. As you say, cheap so who cares if it is damaged. Tentative plan is to seal the front and rear elements with silicone, best effort. Again, no loss if the lens floods, it's from an old Canon C-8 movie camera that won't ever be used.

 

[shaker]

Hi
I tried a 0.75x Sony WA lens With the LX3 and it gives excellent IQ spatially in the the corners. I used it with the 10Bar dome-port, so it didn't get wet!

 

[rafamart]

Reviving an old thread... Anyone has tried other dry lenses underwater outside a dome or case (so they DO get wet) and would be willing to share photos and general impression?

 

[Interceptor121]

I think Wisnu has moved to wet lenses since he posted this

The issue is not just that the lens cracks but that the coating goes as dry lenses are not designed to resist in water in the long term either