Using a Sony NEX7 as Video Camera

[Interceptor121]

I would like to know if anyone has had experience using the NEX7 in nauticam housing for video
I am impressed by the video mode but I am wondering if the 18-55 flat port would be adequate?
in theory you still get 24mm which is circa 84 degrees diagonal more than adequate for video

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

This lens is 76 degrees on the wide end not 84 with a 35mm conversion of 27mm.

The first problem is that behind a flat port the AOV narrows even further and that this "kit" lens is average at best on the NEX-5n and gets even worse on the 24MP NEX-7.

Image at 18mm with the NEX-7 in the Nauticam housing using the flat port.

The dome port would help to widen the range of the lens for video.

Phil Rudin

 

[Interceptor121]

Thanks Phil
However I was under the impression that for the dome you can't have a zoom lens so it is pretty much fisheye al the time?
I would like to have around 90 degree but same time be able to do some close up (zoom in at around 6") maybe this is not possible unless you add a wet wide lens on a flat port?
Assuming that the nex7 can actually focus at that distance!

 

[Interceptor121]

Also are you saying that the 18mm is not a 35mm equivalent?
I was working out 18*1.33 as water effect magnification
Of course from diagonal to horizontal field of view is even worse

 

[Interceptor121]

Am talking crap forgot that 35mm in diagonal is 44
Ok so is there any solution?

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

This is the Nauticam port chart for the NEX cameras, http://www.nauticamusa.com/storage/NEX-ports.pdf You can see that their is both a flat port and a four inch dome port for the 18 to 55 which both use the same zoom gear. This lens will focus to 25 CM from the image sensor which is less than six inches from the front of the dome port.

I don't think Nauticam makes an adapter to hold the a 67mm closeup lens to the front of the dome port, one is made for the flat port.

For macro it makes more sence to me to just buy the 30 macro and the macro port which has the built in 67mm thread. Total cost for both is under $600.00. The 30 macro has much better image quality than the 55 mm end of the zoom lens.

Phil Rudin

 

[Interceptor121]

The whole idea is not to go in the water with one lens and then all you shoot is macro
I like the flexibility of wet lenses maybe this is just not a possibility

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

What I am saying is that a lens at 18mm with a 1.5X crop factor i.e. the Sony NEX sensor size renders an angle of view of 76 degrees which is equal to the AOV of a 27mm lens for 35mm.

Also all the Nauticam 4 inch dome port does is to retain the original 76 to 29 degree angle of view provided by the 18-55 lens. It does not reduce the AOV as it would behind a flat port. So the upside is that behind the dome the lens will be wider at the 18mm end and the 55 mm end than it would be behind the flat port.

 

[Interceptor121]

OK so maybe a DSC-RX100 would probably be something more similar to what I need as this has the same quirks of an SLR

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

OK so maybe a DSC-RX100 would probably be something more similar to what I need as this has the same quirks of an SLR

The NEX-7 takes great video, which quirks are you talking about? - Scott