Sea & Sea wide angle lens

[MacHeath]

Anyone out there have one of those Sea & Sea wide angle conversion lenses that fit digital cameras?

I have a Sony P9, and am thinking of getting either the 16mm or 20mm conversion lens, but I really have no idea how well they work.

Also, what are the fields of view of the lenses? I only have a little YS-25 DX strobe, so will these lenses see a wide angle than I can illuminate?

Thanks in advance

 

[Dee]

I use a S&S WA 'L' lens on my PT-015. It fits the 67mm port so if your Sony's lens port isn't that size you'll need a step ring, if one is available.

The lens has a 100º FOV. The YS-25DX strobe isn't big/strong enough to cover the lens.

 

[XJae]

These shots here are all taken with the Sony P-10 and the Sea & Sea 16mm conversion lens attached with the S&S conversion lens adapter.

In all the shots I am about 5-20 feet away from the subject. You can see from the surface shots how wide angle this really is by the pronounced fisheye effect.

Actually, these few shots here, of the same helocopter, are the widest view with the stock P-10 lens set at full wide angle. I couldn't capture 1/4 of the wreck from approximately the same distance.

I doubt your flash will light up the field of vision of either lens. If your flash is the one with the sync cord permanently attached to the flash unit, you will not be able to use it with the conversion adapter anyway. It would have to be one of the flash units with the detachable cord, so you could replace it with the S&S sync cord that goes with the adapter. It screws into a hole in a shield that blocks the internal flash and uses that internal flash to sync your strobe.

 

[MacHeath]

Thanks both of you.

One further question.
Can you tell me exactly what the 20mm or 16mm means?
Is it that the 20mm lens makes the camera imaging system have the same field of view (FOV) as a 20mm lens on a 35mm camera?

If so, then is the horizontal FOV 84 degrees?
For the 16mm the FOV would be 97 degrees.

The strobe beam angle is quoted as 90 degrees, so I would be (just about) OK with the 20mm lens.
I guess I could also use the diffuser to widen the beam angle.

 

[Dee]

Sorry, I can't tell you the technical specifics other than the 16mm is wider than the 20mm. I had both on my old S&S MMIIex rig and I preferred the 20.. I do more close-up wide angle than reef shots and the 16 has some distortion in it with close-ups.

A diffuser will slightly widen your coverage but it also softens the light so you have to adjust your aperture for good exposures.

 

[XJae]

i can't answer your technical questions either.
keep in mind the conversion lens is not a replacement lens.
it works in conjunction with the stock camera lens.
when it's attached you can still adjust using the internal camera zoom.
so i imagine to calculate FOV you would have to account for both lenses and the fact that the internal lens varies.

from my limited experience with strobes, i would say that you would need to be very close to your subject.
a 25 strobe would not light up the photos i posted above.

 

[gert7to3]

What are the settings you use with your Sony P-10? Is it in Auto or do you alter the focusing and ISO settings in a programed mode? Also are you using Auto White Balance? Jack & Sue Drafahl suggested using the fluorescent light white balance setting for greenish water.

Another thing to try on wreck dive subjects is looking at your pics in greyscale. B&W can really bring out some of the textures and contrast, which are otherwise fogged out by the mushy color in cloudy water.

Finally, do you have to set the auto focus to macro in order to use the wide angle lens? I have to do this with the DSC V-1, when I use an accessory wide angle lens (topside). The DSC S-70 had a conversion lens setting which locked up the focus and zoom when using the accessory wide angle lens. You could also use the macro setting. The camera couldn't focus in the regular auto focus mode with the accessory lens on it.

 

[XJae]

I am still experimenting with different settings...
I have it in the programmed mode, not the scenes mode or auto.
I usually have the focus on center af, but have used 3m, 7m and ∞.
Normally auto white balance, I'll try the flourescent.
(the non-flexible white balance is a major drawback of the camera.)
I set the ISO to either 100 or 400, depending on the situation.
Flash on low, when I use it, which is only for macro shots.

I never used the macro feature with the wide angle.
I suppose I've always been at a distance.
I pretty sure the macro button is independant of the focus setting.
(the right arrow button that displays the tulip.)
I'm not sure if this overrides your focus choice.
With the S&S conversion lens on, you can still use the zoom and the auto focus.
As far as topside pics, the S&S conversion lenses are designed to be changed underwater.
They rely on a thin layer of water that is trapped between the lenses.
If you use it topside there is only a few seconds before the water drips out.
Theoretically it shouldn't work correctly out of water,
but I have managed to get off a few good shots anyway.

What are the settings you use with your Sony P-10? Is it in Auto or do you alter the focusing and ISO settings in a programed mode? Also are you using Auto White Balance? Jack & Sue Drafahl suggested using the fluorescent light white balance setting for greenish water.

Another thing to try on wreck dive subjects is looking at your pics in greyscale. B&W can really bring out some of the textures and contrast, which are otherwise fogged out by the mushy color in cloudy water.

Finally, do you have to set the auto focus to macro in order to use the wide angle lens? I have to do this with the DSC V-1, when I use an accessory wide angle lens (topside). The DSC S-70 had a conversion lens setting which locked up the focus and zoom when using the accessory wide angle lens. You could also use the macro setting. The camera couldn't focus in the regular auto focus mode with the accessory lens on it.

 

[Jetwrench]

I want to expand my P10 w/housing. Please list, anyone, what you have for macro and/or WA lenses to fit the Sony housing and any strobe setup as well. Be specific as you can. Feel free to PM me and include any suggestions. Thanks.

Jet

 

[MacHeath]

I want to expand my P10 w/housing. Please list, anyone, what you have for macro and/or WA lenses to fit the Sony housing and any strobe setup as well. Be specific as you can. Feel free to PM me and include any suggestions. Thanks.

Jet

Well I went and bought the Sea & Sea 20mm wide angle for my P9. I think the camera optics are the same as the P10, so it should still work. I also have a S&S YS25-DX strobe. The strobe is not quite up to the job when I use the WA lens, the centre of the image is brighter than the edges unless the diffuser is on.

I am quite pleased with the WA lens, although it is difficult to use. Unless a fish is very large it is difficult to get close enough to it to sufficiently fill the frame.
The lens seems to need lots of light too.
Also because the field of view is large, I found that when looking upwards, the top of the pictures were overexposed, and the bottom too dark. I guess this is my problem rather than a problem with the lens......

Have not had time to look at the distortion from the WA lens yet, may try in the pool soon.