Fisheye FIX for the S90

[Nemrod]

Are you aware of these:

Seatool M67 Housing To ST Lens Adapter [st.cb.m67] - $59.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

Seatool M67 To ST Lens Adapter [st.sc.l.m67] - $59.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

Not meaning to confuse the issue. If, if, you went with the UWL-04-ST and a UCL165-67 and one of the adapters above, I think the first one I linked to, and the FIX90 ST mount kit you could bayonet mount!

However, based on info from others and also the FIX published pics and my own figuring, I think I have stated, the UWL-04 mounted in the FIX90 ST mount kit will likely need to be zoomed to 35mm to eliminate vignetting and that would result in a DFOV of 120 to 130 degrees as my best guess.

I guess I am dubious of threading lenses on and off underwater but then again I have done it and it was not so bad. Just don't do it where there is a lot of suspended sand.
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[Nemrod]

I am getting in the pool, I hope, this coming weekend for more testing for my lens shoot out.

UWL-04 at twenty inches, f4.0, S90 at full wide (FIX single piece 52mm mount):

Inon UFL165AD at twenty inches, f4.0, S90 zoom at 35mm (FIX 67mm lens mounting kit, 10Bar AD to 67mm adapter):

Inon UWL100-67 with dome kit at twenty inches, f4.0, S90 zoom at 35mm (FIX 67mm lens mounting kit):

And last, S90 through flat port at full wide, 28mm, also at twenty inches:

None of the photos have been altered or cropped, any corner dimming is surface dimming and shadowing in the tub, shooting distance may actually be closer to 14 inches (to the tape) but it was the same for all shots.

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[Nemrod]

I think we can see how woefully inadequate the native lens/flat port is for underwater use. The FOV is terribly restricted compared to any of the three wide angle choices above.

It is true that a lot can be done with very little but it is much easier to do a lot with a lot and for me strobes and wide angle lenses of some nature are MUST haves for any but the most casual shooting.

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[ozziworld]

I think Avster uses the UWL-04 ST and the FIX ST mount adapter and reports very minimal to no vignetting. Don't think he mentioned having to zoom-in to avoid vignetting.

I guess that set-up plus the UCL165 M67 + M67 to st adapter = Bayonet!

Hmmm, that would be an additional $140 or so (the difference between the FIX M52 adapter ring and the FIX ST adapter) very interesting.

 

[fongalv]

Oh lucky Fongalv who own a + 10 dioptries sub see magnifier !!I'm waiting mine since a long long time ..):
I own also one but the old one which is also 10 dioptries , mys husband is going to build a ring to screw it on my 52 mm ring . Because I think that this is the best lense to try to do supermacro with the S90 ...
The other mean is to use Inon macro lense stacked one on the other , but it seems difficult to use .
But to be honnest I've not tried to much macro during my last dives , I'm so happy with the UWL-04 , and more now that I've got the 52 mm ring adaptater , NO (significant )VIGNETTING AT 28 MM and a very very wide angle .
On some pictures ( not all ) some vignetting in the right low corner but very very little , and easy to remove with photoshop.

I actually ordered mine way back last May and only received it recently after several manufacturing/shipping delays/etc...nonetheless, I'm still quite happy with it being 67mm screw mounted compared to the earlier version that had no mounts. Its also easier to use because the Subsee has a focal length of 15cm therefore in the event of the S90 not focusing properly I will just have to move the camera closer/further within the 0-15cm range to get "manual" focus. The only other alternative is to stacking 2X+6 INON UCLs which would eventually becomes the same size but with more parts to deal with.

Heres my "best" shot of a nudi about 25mm in length with the +10 Subsee, S90 at max tele, uncropped. It was so small that I struggled to get focus with no strobe/no flash and ended up failing to get the rhinophones into focus...If I had a strobe, I would always shoot at F8!

I know what you did with the "sanded down" but others might be interested in exactly what it was you sanded down and why.

Nice looking rig .

Yes, you do need a strobe.

No, the UFL165AD has no place to attach a lanyard which is why mine managed to escape me and was fortunately, two days later, rescued by the Jupiter Dive Center (thanks JDC). Your arrangement using the 10Bar adapters and Inon AD lenses is the only way to have quick change lenses underwater unless one wants to restrict themselves to Inon bayonet only and gets the FIX 28AD lens mount kit. Threading lenses on and off underwater just does not work well for me.

N

Thanks!

I had to sand down the grip like notches around the edge so that the adapter could sit nicely into the 67mm FIX adapter. I also unscrewed the 2 parts of the 10bar adapter and sanded down the plastic part in an attempt to bring the wet lenses closer to the port, but seeing that the UFL still vignette with the UFL placed right ontop of the housing port without any adapters, I didn't really try too hard on "thinning" the adapter. Did you manage to get rid of vignetting at 28mm with your DIY adapter?

Your results with the UWL-04 and UFL are quite interesting! It sure does seem like the UWL-04 is quite abit wider(IMO) than the UFL mainly because of the 28mm vs. 35mm. The weird thing I don't understand is why the 28mm+UWL-04 is actually wider than 35mm+UFL when both are actually rated to be ~160º FOV?

As for strobes, I'm currently considering between the S&S YS-01(which would give me an all black rig!), vs. the Inon S-2000. I am tending towards the S&S because of the focus light and also the ability to switch between pre-flash and no pre-flash as opposed to the "magnet" of the Inon. The S-2000 is of course alot smaller and a better "size fit" with this setup. My concern(not sure if its a valid one) is that both these strobes do not have the "external auto" mode which I see many people recommend(Z240/D-2000) Anyone has any suggestions?


@HerraduraDivers: Thanks for the detailed steps, I will try to improvise something along that line. I suppose after "tightening" the fishing line, it whould offer a decent grip on the smooth surfaces of the Inon UFL.

 

[Nemrod]

Your results with the UWL-04 and UFL are quite interesting! It sure does seem like the UWL-04 is quite abit wider(IMO) than the UFL mainly because of the 28mm vs. 35mm. The weird thing I don't understand is why the 28mm+UWL-04 is actually wider than 35mm+UFL when both are actually rated to be ~160º FOV?

The Inon lenses, UFL165AD (and UWL105AD) and UWL100-67, will always vignette at any FL less than about 32mm. This is their design requirement (35mm native receiving lens) and there is no real detriment to the minor zooming we do on the short rack distance 3.5X S90 zoom lens.

As to why one alleged 160 degree lens is apparently wider than another alleged 160 degree lens, I can only speculate. I do know that with the UWL-04ST version the comparison photos Fisheye published indicated one notch of zoom was required and thus the ST mount version would indeed have a lesser DFOV than the Inon UFL165AD.

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http://translate.googleusercontent....le.com&usg=ALkJrhjZGzuA9hLZh0okn3hophhDO4Ftwg

As I have said before, the link above has good info but is incomplete, for whatever reason their UFL165AD results are clearly INCORRECT, if you (generic/inclusive) do not believe these words you need only pan up to the pics I have posted.

The UFL-04 is a 28mm native lens, that is the design requirement for the receiving lens and this is stated in the instruction sheet and on the decal on the lens.

Regardless of why one is slightly wider, both are VERY wide, both seem prone to flare and both are much less expensive than the Inon 100 series plus domes.

I also suspect that and have stated before, the widest combination may be the Inon UWL100-28AD plus dome kit, also the most expensive and quite heavy as are all of the 100 series lenses from Inon. Apparently there is nobody shooting this combination or if there is they have not posted any test photos etc. If it is not as wide it would be nearly so.

So, again, I come back to if you are starting new and not interested in macro or changing lenses underwater, get the Fisheye UWL-04. If you already own another Inon lens or similar and/or have an interest in macro and swapping lenses during the dive the AD series or 28AD series might be a better option.

One note, I did not do it in the photos in my previous post but when I get in the pool I will use my DIY AD to 67mm adapter in addition to the 10Bar version and I think the UFL165AD, per my previous experience, will gain some FOV and equal or exceed the Fisheye UWL-04. Also, it is sometimes possible to shoot with my DIY adapter at one notch of zoom which is about 31mm FL. I can do this at f 4.5 and above with minimal vignetting or none. I will try to do a shot set in that manner.

It does get confusing, at least this camera and housing give us choices, choices very few others provide.

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[ozziworld]

I would assume using the FIX 52mm Adapter + 52mm - ST adapter + UWL-04 would be more prone to vignetting just by virtue of the added distance created by the 52mm-ST adapter. On the other hand, if it is minimal, than it may be a good compromise to have bayonet mounts for swapping lenses. I guess we will have to wait for someone to report on their experience with such a set up.

 

[Nemrod]

From the photos of the Fisheye/FIX lenses I have seen the UWL-04 ST (vs the UWL-04 52mm) does not have an adapter, it is a bayonet design similar to the Inon AD series (but not compatible ) therefore it approximately the same length and spacing as the threaded 52 mm version. It bayonets directly into the FIX ST lens mounting kit. It is the 5th photo in the series in this link:

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And here it is on the Reef page:

http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_96&products_id=4425

Surely somebody has this combination, but, if so they never post. Using this previously linked:

Seatool M67 To ST Lens Adapter [st.sc.l.m67] - $59.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

Along with this:

Inon UCL-165M67 Close-up Lens [ino.456212143162] - $169.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros

Would allow swapping from wide angle to macro via ST bayonet mount.

Here is a link directly to the UWL-04 page, note that it is offered in two mounts, the 52mm mount which comes with a 52mm to 67mm step up ring and a second mount type, the ST bayonet mount.

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Also note that here they claim a 130 degree field of view, lol, on their other page and the instruction/spec sheet it states greater than 160 degrees, you tell me .

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[ozziworld]

Thanks Nemrod, I was of the mind that I wanted the UWL-04 52/67 since I felt it would lend itself better to other camera housings in the future.

I guess the FIX ST mount is the way to go

 

[Nemrod]

I don't know, I am just listing out all of the options, I cannot recommend this one (the ST mount) because I have never tested it or seen it in hand, just going by the web info etc.

So, don't let me change your mind(s), just trying to keep this thread up to date.

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