Panasonic GF1

[anferney]

Hi All,

So I've been in the market for an upgrade to my IXUS camera since the beginning of the year. I've pretty much made my mind up to go for the Canon S90 and Fisheye Housing.

But then... I started looking into the new Panasonic GF1 and INON X-2 housing and I'm very impressed. The sensor is much larger (over 5 times bigger), it has interchangeable lenses, does HD video (with autofocus during video), etc etc...

But I have a "show-stopper" question that I can't find an answer to:

There are 7-14mm and 8mm fisheye lenses available for the GF1. How wide are these in comparison to something like a INON UFL-165AD or even Tokina 10-17mm? I really enjoy wide angle and want to try CFWA, so the fisheye lens is important to me.

Also - I can't find pricing for the INON X-2 housing anywhere. Anyone know approx what the price might be?

Thanks,

Anferney

 

[Nemrod]

Hi All,

So I've been in the market for an upgrade to my IXUS camera since the beginning of the year. I've pretty much made my mind up to go for the Canon S90 and Fisheye Housing.

But then... I started looking into the new Panasonic GF1 and INON X-2 housing and I'm very impressed. The sensor is much larger (over 5 times bigger), it has interchangeable lenses, does HD video (with autofocus during video), etc etc...

But I have a "show-stopper" question that I can't find an answer to:

There are 7-14mm and 8mm fisheye lenses available for the GF1. How wide are these in comparison to something like a INON UFL-165AD or even Tokina 10-17mm? I really enjoy wide angle and want to try CFWA, so the fisheye lens is important to me.

Also - I can't find pricing for the INON X-2 housing anywhere. Anyone know approx what the price might be?

Thanks,

Anferney

I have been researching the same thing and decided it not quite at a development point I want to jump on yet given the price will be twice the S90, however, I think the magnification of the 8mm fisheye lens is equal to the Tokina 10-17 at 17mm.

A fisheye lens is a weird thing, it is still 180 degrees, help me experts, but the magnification of the center is greater or lesser.

The 7-14 is not a fisheye lens I do not think. It would be much more narrow than the Inon 165AD.

N

 

[anferney]

Thanks Nem,

I'm quite willing to take the risk with "early" development kit and I'm justifying the extra cost by convincing myself that I'm saving the money I would have spent on a DSLR Logic works very well when you WANT something

I saw that the INON X-2 for the Canon 50D costs around 2800USD. I really hope the price is considerably less for the INON GF1 housing.

I'm want a fisheye lens on the GF1 as wide as the 165AD on my IXUS, but figuring out how wide a lens is (especially when underwater) is more complicated than quantum mechanics... and your suggestion that the 8mm is only equal to 17mm on the Tokina is not promising.

 

[scottfiji]

>> and your suggestion that the 8mm is only equal to 17mm on the Tokina is not promising.

hey guys - to compare focal lengths, just convert to a 35mm equivalent:

focal length x sensor_crop_factor = 35mm equivalent focal length

sample crop factors:
oly cameras - 2.0
canon 50D - 1.6
nikon D300 - 1.5

So 8mm focal length on the Oly is equivalent to 10.7mm on a tokina 10-17mm if it is mounted on a Nikon d300.

hope this helps,
Scott

 

[anferney]

Thanks Scott! I was watching one of the videos on your website when I received your response... You have me surrounded!

So 8mm focal length on the Oly is equivalent to 10.7mm on a tokina 10-17mm if it is mounted on a Nikon d300.

That is great news!

Now, does focal length equal field of view on a fisheye lens? In other words, If I had a Canon 50D with a Tokina 10-17mm (at 10mm) next to a Panasonic GF-1 with an 8mm fisheye, will I have the same field of view? (By my calculation, both provide a 35mm equivalent focal distance of 16mm.)

Warning: I have no understanding of photographic jargon and could easily be using words in completely the wrong context!

 

[Larry C]

Here's a link to a previous post by Ed_Dman with pictures using the 7-14 on the Panasonic GH-1. I don't know if the sensor size is the same on the GH-1 and GF-1 or if the GH-1 is APS-C.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/un...nilao-trip-wa-september-09-new-lumix-gh1.html

 

[anferney]

Thanks Larry - unfortunately those photos have been removed from ImageShack and I can't view them anymore

BTW - the GH-1 and GF1 have exactly the same sensor size; they're both micro 4/3.

 

[Nemrod]

On this page:

Four Thirds | Four Thirds | Single Focal Length

It states that the 35mm equivalent focal length of the 8mm fisheye 4:3 lens is equal to 16.5mm in 35mm, that is probably what I had in my head.

The Tokina 10-17 has a full 180 degrees per their catalog at 10mm and Oly says their 8mm lens is a full 180 degrees. The Inon 165 is supposedly 165 degrees but often slightly less.

Since the Tokina is a 1.6 crop then it would be 16mm at 35mm equivalent.

Sorry I mislead you earlier, I get myself confused sometimes.

N

 

[JackConnick]

Lots of people want a much smaller footprint, but the higher quality of a DSLR. Comparing these with a DSLR isn't the right idea. Comparing them with a high end P&S like a G11 is. And they will beat it hands down.

You guys are comparing apples and zebras.

Sure I can get much wider, higher rez shots with my D300s and 10-17 and optical dome port. And it weighs like 25 pounds out of water.

But will a GF-1 in a 10Bar housing with interchangeable ports at half that cost get much, much better shots than a P&S. Yup. Much better performance as well.

And now Oly has a real contender too in the E-PL1.

Jack

 

[anferney]

Guys,

Since the Tokina 10-17m was specifically designed to work with a 1.6 crop lens, doesn't that mean that it's 35mm equivalent on a Canon 50D is actually 10mm?

You can't use the 10-17mm on a full-frame camera (without a teleconverter) so are we correct in multiplying it?