What would you do...? dump WP-V2 + HF M30 and go GoPro Hero 3+ Black or NO...

[umbert]

I'm seriously debating what to do with my older Canon HF M30 in OEM housing. It still records nice 1080p but I only have DIY topside wide angle lens (which amazingly works great UW after silicon sealing) but wide angle is minimal. Now if I want to buy serious wet wide angle lens it would only be Inon UWL-100 Archomat Lens Type 2 + Dome, which is around $700 + in costs. I do have 5500 lumens of light, so I don't worry about it now.
So, there's the question... What would you do... sell the "Canon grandpa"+housing and get GoPro Hero 3+ Black or invest in Inon wet lens + dome ?
Would the quality from GoPro be similiar to that from HD Canon. I will upload Youtube link with what I recorder with Canon in couple days.

 

[diversteve]

Simple question... Do you ever zoom or focus? GoPro's don't zoom and are fixed focus 170^o wide angle lens cameras. There's also a 110^o option.

 

[umbert]

hmm, didn't know that I have never used GoPro, sorry.
I will take that into consideration. Thank you !!!
I do zoom sometimes... well, here's another question then: Will I be able to zoom with Inon wide angle on? or I have to take the lens off?

Simple question... Do you ever zoom or focus? GoPro's don't zoom and are fixed focus 170^o wide angle lens cameras. There's also a 110^o option.

 

[dfx]

If you really want to emphasize on wide-angle video, then Gopro, otherwise Canon as it beats the Gopro in pretty much every other aspect. I upgraded to a used HF M31 after I got fed up with the shortcomings of my action camera.

 

[diversteve]

I'm not an expert on them although my buddy has a WP-V2 so I've looked at it closely.

I may be wrong about this - but I don't think I am - but I believe the Inon lens is going to screw onto the 67mm thread on the front of your WP-V2 port - not replace it. So you will have the same zoom you do now. Whether or not it gets "soft" as wider angles is a function of the optics of both - I'm only familiar with housings that have replaceable ports and use Fathom or other optics - in those cases the port mfr. specifies whether it's full zoom-thru or not.

A quick google search turned this up on the Inon website in a section talking about their light adapter. INON NEWS: Search results for canon wp-v2

I'm reading that as you don't need/want the dome.

Optional attachment lens for semi-fish-eye shooting

The combination of [UWL-100 Achromat Wide Conversion Lens Type2] and its super wide option [Dome Lens Unit for UWL-100] is NOT compatible since this combination has more significant image quality deterioration than above [UWL-100 Achromat Type2] stand-alone use.
Please refer sample image/movie in above link page to see image quality with this combination.

(*4)
The [UWL-100 Achromat Wide Conversion Lens "Type1"] is not physically attached on the [WP-V2].

 

[umbert]

Thank you divers !!!
I think all your replies answer my question. I'll keep using Canon and get me just an Inon lens

I'm not an expert on them although my buddy has a WP-V2 so I've looked at it closely.

I may be wrong about this - but I don't think I am - but I believe the Inon lens is going to screw onto the 67mm thread on the front of your WP-V2 port - not replace it. So you will have the same zoom you do now. Whether or not it gets "soft" as wider angles is a function of the optics of both - I'm only familiar with housings that have replaceable ports and use Fathom or other optics - in those cases the port mfr. specifies whether it's full zoom-thru or not.

A quick google search turned this up on the Inon website in a section talking about their light adapter. INON NEWS: Search results for canon wp-v2

I'm reading that as you don't need/want the dome.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

hmm, didn't know that I have never used GoPro, sorry.
I will take that into consideration. Thank you !!!
I do zoom sometimes... well, here's another question then: Will I be able to zoom with Inon wide angle on? or I have to take the lens off?

I don't know if it applies to your camera, but on my Oly 5050 which has internal zooming, when I use the UWL-100 and zoom past beyond the 2x its widest setting (which would be around maybe 35mm eqiv of 60mm), It seems to cause field curvature, resulting in off-center part of the image blurring. It might be due to the camera lens' nodal point moving too far away from the UWL-100 wet lens, past its 'eye relief' point. So that is something you have to check out on your own.

Now I either will be cautious on my zooming, or just unscrew the UWL-100 if I want to zoom in on a subject.

 

[H20doctor]

I'm seriously debating what to do with my older Canon HF M30 in OEM housing. It still records nice 1080p but I only have DIY topside wide angle lens (which amazingly works great UW after silicon sealing) but wide angle is minimal. Now if I want to buy serious wet wide angle lens it would only be Inon UWL-100 Archomat Lens Type 2 + Dome, which is around $700 + in costs. I do have 5500 lumens of light, so I don't worry about it now.
So, there's the question... What would you do... sell the "Canon grandpa"+housing and get GoPro Hero 3+ Black or invest in Inon wet lens + dome ?
Would the quality from GoPro be similiar to that from HD Canon. I will upload Youtube link with what I recorder with Canon in couple days.

i have the canon Hf200 , in my WPV2 housing, i have shooting this set up now since 2007 ... i agree with the wide angle frustrations ... but this is how i get around it ... i use the gopro for the wide shots, and use the canon for the close up stuff...

 

[H20doctor]

inon and Ikelite both make a 67 mm wide angle , which screws into the front of the WP2... the Ikelite is a cheaper lens new is around 300.00... But the Inon is a massive hit to the pocket book.. almost 700 to 800 for the dome and lens ... And i am not going to drop that kinda cash for Lenses Period... I would rather buy a new camera set up like a black magic camera.... So just shoot wide with the gopro ... shoot macro and close with the Canon ...