Ikelite makes their own bubble lens dome adapter, works the same and does the same thing:
WD-4 Wide Angle Dome for Canon G10
N
Canon G10 and Big eye pics.
- Thread starter eagleray09
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Ikelite makes their own bubble lens dome adapter, works the same and does the same thing:
WD-4 Wide Angle Dome for Canon G10
N
So does the Ikelite, it is a slip on bubble lens that uses the air space in the bubble to correct for magnification and restore the full FOV of the native lens.
N
under water
Contributor
Check out this page on which the Hydro-Optix folks describe in some detail how the dome eliminates the effect of the refraction between the water-glass-air by eliminating the light bending as it enters the air space.
I'm curious if the focus factor is compensated in the Big-eye design.
Scuba Masks by HydroOptix -- Tech -- Refraction Made Easy
Here I have borrowed some of their material.
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
When a camera lens inside an underwater housing is at the center of a dome, every direction the lens sees is perpendicular to the dome wall (not off-axis). Above water a dome has no optical power.
An object may actually be 15 feet away from the dome, but underwater the camera has to focus much closer, usually less than two feet. Photographers use accessory close-up lenses (positive diopters) inside their housings to neutralize the negative power caused by the water curved on the dome
Also check out the flash video at Scuba Mask -- HydroOptix - Flash Animation
I was just trying to let those who did not know they had a similar option for their G10/Ikelite.
"We are proud to offer the unique new WD-4 Wide Angle Conversion Dome to fit this housing. The WD-4 corrects for refractive magnification to give 28mm angle of coverage underwater with the G10. The conversion dome may be removed and replaced underwater and requires no modification to the housing's standard port."
and:
"The new WD-4 Wide Angle Conversion Dome provides all of the benefits of a dome port underwater without the limitations.
The WD-4 simply slides onto the standard port of the Ikelite housing— no modification to or replacement of the housing's original port is necessary. The WD-4 can be removed and replaced underwater so there is no limit to the camera's zoom or macro capabilities. Approximately 3/4 of the camera's zoom range can be used with the dome in place.
"The conversion dome corrects for the refractive magnification of the flat port underwater to restore the camera's original angle of coverage. For example, the WD-4 and Canon G10 combination provides 28mm angle of coverage with incredibly crisp corners. In comparison this option is effectively as wide as and sharper overall than a housed Canon G9 underwater with external wide angle lens."
If you read the manuals for the Big Eye and the Ikelite dome you will see they are functionally similar. I have no idea which is better but obviously if you already have the Ikelite housing then the Ikelite dome is the answer for wide(er) angle photos.
Good luck.
N
"We are proud to offer the unique new WD-4 Wide Angle Conversion Dome to fit this housing. The WD-4 corrects for refractive magnification to give 28mm angle of coverage underwater with the G10. The conversion dome may be removed and replaced underwater and requires no modification to the housing's standard port."
and:
"The new WD-4 Wide Angle Conversion Dome provides all of the benefits of a dome port underwater without the limitations.
The WD-4 simply slides onto the standard port of the Ikelite housing— no modification to or replacement of the housing's original port is necessary. The WD-4 can be removed and replaced underwater so there is no limit to the camera's zoom or macro capabilities. Approximately 3/4 of the camera's zoom range can be used with the dome in place.
"The conversion dome corrects for the refractive magnification of the flat port underwater to restore the camera's original angle of coverage. For example, the WD-4 and Canon G10 combination provides 28mm angle of coverage with incredibly crisp corners. In comparison this option is effectively as wide as and sharper overall than a housed Canon G9 underwater with external wide angle lens."
If you read the manuals for the Big Eye and the Ikelite dome you will see they are functionally similar. I have no idea which is better but obviously if you already have the Ikelite housing then the Ikelite dome is the answer for wide(er) angle photos.
Good luck.
N
under water
Contributor
Agreed N ..
... And there is also a converter that lets you use the Bigeye with the G9 or G7 in the Canon housing.
BTW, The comment that Ikelite makes about having to zoom to avoid vignetting with the G9 and a WA lens is not the case if the short port is used, so I think they are actually giving a false comparison.
under water
Contributor
Yes..
"Can be mounted on the Canon G7 and G9 Housings by using the EyeDaptor G9-G10 (Cat. No. 4703). "
Mentioned on Fantasea site at this page Fantasea Line Water Sports Photo Products & Accessories- BigEye Lens G10
Check out this page on which the Hydro-Optix folks describe in some detail how the dome eliminates the effect of the refraction between the water-glass-air by eliminating the light bending as it enters the air space.
I'm curious if the focus factor is compensated in the Big-eye design.
Scuba Masks by HydroOptix -- Tech -- Refraction Made Easy
Here I have borrowed some of their material.
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular][/FONT]
When a camera lens inside an underwater housing is at the center of a dome, every direction the lens sees is perpendicular to the dome wall (not off-axis). Above water a dome has no optical power.
An object may actually be 15 feet away from the dome, but underwater the camera has to focus much closer, usually less than two feet. Photographers use accessory close-up lenses (positive diopters) inside their housings to neutralize the negative power caused by the water curved on the dome
Also check out the flash video at Scuba Mask -- HydroOptix - Flash Animation
The focus factor is not corrected for with the bigeye.. it is why you have to use the macro setting. Do not believe the Ike lens is the same technology.. the structure requires a flat back glass, air space and then the curved surface... the Ike appears to be just a lens...good news is that you don't need to use macro.. bad news is it will have normal depth of field.
Obviously the big-eye also allow the complete zoom range..
Correcting for the focus issue would be somewhat counterproductive as you would need a strong negative lens at the back.. and then edge dropoff would be an issue.
I will see if I can do a below and above water(no lens) depth of field comparison this weekend.
I have a hydro optix mask, by the way... very interesting effect.
Note: the effect is very stunning.. I have terrible eyes.. and underwater with that mask, can see close up to as far as I can see in focus...where on the surface, everything is blurry past about 18 inches.
Well I took some images with the lens...I have to say, that initially it was very nice.. until I hit a thermalcline and the thing fogged up...
They have a comment about that in their instructions.. but if the air space is sealed... then the moisture is due to them putting it together in a high moisture room.
Well it does work, and works better (when not fogged) than I expected...vis was not very good the day I used it... which is not the place to be using a wide angle... but I decided to try it anyways...
Here are some of the good images:
I have tried that jelly fish picture before without the wide angle, and I cannot get the camera to focus on them.. this was easy....(note: remind me to remove the fins from the background before printing.).
This is a cropped image.. very nice image quality...the dark look is because you loose some light with the lens...
Here is the whole image:
Then it fogged on me..(10 degree temperature drop)..
I still tried different types of images...with the bad vis and all.. include some natural light ones (using manual white balance and with auto white balance)..
The lens had just started to fog when I took this:
And was in full fog by the time I got to try this one (notice the red light.. it's from adjusting the white balance for deep, bad vis water)..
So my take is that it works.. and if the fogging can be resolved...would carry it with me... the next day vis was much better, and this image would have been far better with a wide angle:
One other thing.. you can zoom, just not very much or you will not be able to focus...
But I found that the focus range with the camera set a 28 mm was very good...
They have a comment about that in their instructions.. but if the air space is sealed... then the moisture is due to them putting it together in a high moisture room.
Well it does work, and works better (when not fogged) than I expected...vis was not very good the day I used it... which is not the place to be using a wide angle... but I decided to try it anyways...
Here are some of the good images:
I have tried that jelly fish picture before without the wide angle, and I cannot get the camera to focus on them.. this was easy....(note: remind me to remove the fins from the background before printing.).
This is a cropped image.. very nice image quality...the dark look is because you loose some light with the lens...
Here is the whole image:
Then it fogged on me..(10 degree temperature drop)..
I still tried different types of images...with the bad vis and all.. include some natural light ones (using manual white balance and with auto white balance)..
The lens had just started to fog when I took this:
And was in full fog by the time I got to try this one (notice the red light.. it's from adjusting the white balance for deep, bad vis water)..
So my take is that it works.. and if the fogging can be resolved...would carry it with me... the next day vis was much better, and this image would have been far better with a wide angle:
One other thing.. you can zoom, just not very much or you will not be able to focus...
But I found that the focus range with the camera set a 28 mm was very good...
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