Requesting a video of standard lens vs dome lens vs wide angle lens.

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yarik83

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Hi all.

I have been scouring internet for examples of what dome lens and wide angle lens do to underwater video footage and I can't seem to find anything.

I would prefer not to see go-pro videos. I would like to see one object and then lens on vs lens off kind of thing. If you have that video or know where I can find it (trust me I looked) please share.

Thank you much.

Reason why I am asking is because I might be purchasing a dome lens or wide angle lens for my bonica camera of 4 years. There is absolutely no frame of reference on whether $220-$500 investment is worth it. Need photo/s videos for reference please.
 
A port allows the use of various lenses. If it is correct for the lens you are using there will be no vignetting. That is all that is required of a port. Manufactures are good about telling if a lens works with their port and ports are designed for one or two lenses, rarely more.
 
Well thing about my camera is that I have 2 choices. A 46mm wide angle lens and a 67mm dome port. No further information is provided. I sent email to bonica requesting comparison photos or videos.

Before I spend a few hundred dollars I would love to see if it has any capacity to improve my videos. I spent 4 years filming with standard flat port that comes with my camera and a red filter that screws into it.

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---------- Post Merged at 05:42 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 05:39 PM ----------

I am looking for a video/photo comparison in lines of this:

http://vimeo.com/27078742
 
That's going to be tough as many of the housed cameras require a port change when switching to a wide angle lens. So that's obviously not done underwater using the same subject unless someone is deliberately doing testing - like Marty's excellent work you linked to. I've never seen any other u/w comparison videos similar to his.

Ikelite is one mfr. that uses wet lenses so you might find something on youtube using their gear. They also sell housings for the Flip, Sony and JVC lines of vertical format cameras similar to yours. If someone included their camera/housing in their video title/description it's searchable.

If you do find/get anything from Bonica, pay particular attention to the corners. Less expensive lenses will either vignette (have black corners) or lose focus.
 
And that kind of brings me full circle. I have been video taping for 4 some years with standard lens and I have no complaints. None whatsoever. For obvious reasons I am concerned about spending few hundred dollars for something like a new lens attachment with no visual reference to base my opinion on. If wide angle lens improves my video footage by say 10%...that is not a good enough improvement I do not think. For me to spend $220 I would need to see a substantial, significant improvement (go-pro equivalent is installing a blur fix thing that makes footage like 50% better).

I found a few photography websites where they talk about underwater photography and even show how taking picture of a statue under water when zoomed in only shows face on standard lens vs 75% more picture on wide angle.

I never ever zoom with my camera so that would not be of issue but lets say if I try to tape a footage (filmed by me...) I would like to get a more clearer picture if I express myself correctly.

Have a look at my video at 2:22. Notice how I am not really shooting a macro shot so macro lens would not really help... but would angle lens help with a shot like this of baby fish?
6 15 2012 Boynton Scuba - YouTube

That shot was taken on a nice sunny day with fairly good visibility at about 3-4 feet away from fish which were 1-2 inches long. I was hoping that wide angle lens or dome lens could help me with shots like this. What do you think?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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