more newbie questions

[Calinectes]

I'm zeroing in on my first video set up. I'm a poor underwater fixed lens still photographer, but at least have a basic understanding of some things. My questions are about the etreme ends of things....... macro and wide angle. I've always had to set up before the dive what kind of shooting I was going with. Now I'm going to have this thing called zoom and the ability to attatch wet lenses on the fly??? Problem is I don't have the funds right off to buy these wonderful Inon/ Epoque lenses.

What is the most usefull set up to start with? I'm inclined to go "cheap" and put a dry wal on the camera with the appropriate port extension on the housing. Is this stupid? Am I limiting myself terribly?

I know this means a dedicated wa system. What does wide angle close up look like compared to true macro? What kind of effect will the macro settings on the camcorder give with the wide angle lens? Anybody have examples for me to look at?

thanks.....

 

[meekal]

not ALL housing have the ability to attach WET LENSES.... my GATES (CANON XL1) has a port for 3x lens and a different port for the 16x lenses, so alas, like you, i have to decide BEFORE i jump in... in fact... it's so cumbersome to change i have to decide BEFORE i leave the house.

my GATES (sony pc100) DOES have wet lenses....

you can see an example of a WA (XL1) 'trying' to be macro.... i was at Ginnie springs and found one of those cute little fresh water flounder guys... got to within' about 4" from it....... still pretty small, certainly NOT macro quality, but then i'll let you decide for yourself

http://piddlefish.servepics.com/SCUBA/video.html > choose the Dec 4th Ginnie Springs / Devils system video.

 

[MarkH]

With a wide angle attatchment, you should set your video camera lens to as wide as possible (or reasonably close). If you zoom in with a wide angle adapter attatched, the image will be blurry and have strange "rainbowy" colours (severe chromatic abberation).

 

[meekal]

With a wide angle attatchment, you should set your video camera lens to as wide as possible (or reasonably close). If you zoom in with a wide angle adapter attatched, the image will be blurry and have strange "rainbowy" colours (severe chromatic abberation).

ummmm. now you got me wondering..... the video was shot in the mid afternoon, but with it being December, the sun was really low - which is what i'm attributing the 'rainybowy' colours....(and occasional unsighly 'specs' on the lens when facing the sun) or WAS it chromatic abberation? 99.9% of the time when i'm WA i'm FULL WA, very rarely do i ZOOM in.....

 

[Calinectes]

The housing I'm thinking about accepts wal externally, or the sony wal internally with a port extension. Cost.... ~ $320 or so for the Inon or Eqpoque wal. The sony wal with port extension probably just over $100. But I'm dedicated once I take it underwater.