Wet lens

[ScubaJoy65]

Forgive my naivete, but I'm still learning. I keep reading the term wet lens. I've Googled it and can't seem to find out what it means. Can someone enlighten me?

Thank you,
Joy

 

[Jorgy]

I think it means that you can put it on and take it off underwater.......

The Ike W20 wide angle lens is a wet lens.....

Hope this helps.....M

 

[Mariozi]

"Wet Lenses" is a term mostly used for the macro adapters that DSLR users put in front of the macro port of their housings, it is normally attached around the port with a lens that can be conveniently placed in front of the housing or removed while underwater to magnify the maximum amplification factor.

Something like these:
ReefNet SubSee Adapter
Macro Mate

But it can more widely be applied to any lens/adapter that is designed to be used with "water" in between the adapter itself and the camera, like some compact cameras WA and macro adapters. These are normally called simply WA or Macro adapter...

 

[Mariozi]

"Wet Lenses" is a term mostly used for the macro adapters that DSLR users put in front of the macro port of their housings, it is normally attached around the port with a lens that can be conveniently placed in front of the housing or removed while underwater to magnify the maximum amplification factor.

Something like these:
ReefNet SubSee Adapter
Macro Mate

But it can more widely be applied to any lens/adapter that is designed to be used with "water" in between the adapter itself and the camera, like some compact cameras WA and macro adapters. These are normally called simply WA or Macro adapter...

 

[Mariozi]

"Wet Lenses" is a term mostly used for the macro adapters that DSLR users put in front of the macro port of their housings, it is normally attached around the port with a lens that can be conveniently placed in front of the housing or removed while underwater to magnify the maximum amplification factor.

Something like these:
ReefNet SubSee Adapter
Macro Mate

But it can more widely be applied to any lens/adapter that is designed to be used with "water" in between the adapter itself and the camera, like some compact cameras WA and macro adapters. These are normally called simply WA or Macro adapter...

 

[herman]

A wet lens is any lens that can be attached or removed from the camera while under water. The glass elements of the lenses, if there are multiple layers of glass, themselves are sealed but the junction point betweent the camera housing and the lens is filled with water. The lenses can be macro- for shooting small objects or wide angle for shooting large objects. You will also see the term "stacked" when describing macro lenses. This means you can add or "stack" 2 or more of them together to get greater magnification.

 

[Nemrod]

A wet mount lens is installed on the outside of a camera housing port. It may attach via a proprietary bayonet system or simply thread into the port. Most ports are threaded for 67mm but there are other sizes.

Here is a wet lens, an Inon 165AD-FE fisheye ultra wide angle lens being mounted to the outside of an Ikelite port:

Wet mount lenses come in wide angle, ultra wide angle, macro etc. Not all cameras and housings can utilize them effectively, if at all.

This picture, I believe, was taken using an slr with wide angle lens behind a dome port (courtesy of the www):

This picture was taken using a Canon 570 with Inon fisheye wet lens:

Inon wet mout AD series lenses, a macro, a wide angle and a fisheye ultrawide angle:

Currently most wet mount lenses are utilized with "P&S" digital cameras but they can be used with video cameras as well. In the past there have been versions for the Nikonos series of cameras and even some for SLRs I think. Back when I had a Nikonos III, I had a slip on 20mm S&S lens, loved it and got great shots with it.

The photo above at Mammoth Spring was taken with this camera housing and lens:

Cameras that have been shown to work well with the wet lenses, Oly5050, Canon 570 and currently the Canon S90 in the FIX housing has good potential, of course there are others.

N

 

[ScubaJoy65]

Nemrod - You provide phenomenal information and visuals. Thank you.

Question: I was about to buy the Ikelite housing to go with my S90 (that I'm currently waiting on), but I like the wet lense mount and what it can do. The price difference between an Ikelite and FIX for the S90 is significant. Is there no way to mount wet lenses to the Ikelite?

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod - You provide phenomenal information and visuals. Thank you.

Question: I was about to buy the Ikelite housing to go with my S90 (that I'm currently waiting on), but I like the wet lense mount and what it can do. Where does one get a FIX housing?

I gotta go ride my bike and work some of this weight off but I answer and then go.

Both Reef Photo and Backscatter Photo and I think H20 Photo handle the FIX housings, hey, I was not trying to sell you anything . Google the above companies, they should have them on their sites, price, uh, hold on, 800 dollars. Why, well it is a machined aluminum pro level housing and that costs money . Capability costs, so it goes.

Please, don't think I am an expert, I am not, there are experts here, I am not one of them.

Of the cameras I have owned going back to childhood, this S90 is more fun than a barrel of monkeys, only my first Nikonos and my first SLR (an OM-1 Oly) have excited me more. The camera shoots great and in the FIX housing you have FULL freaking control of both shutter and f stop via individual rotary knobs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No buttons, I hate stink'n buttons.

N

 

[Jorgy]

Backscatter has the FIX S90 housing......

Fisheye FIX S90 Housing for Canon S90 Camera

$800 is not cheap but it is a great housing.......

I went with the Ike housing and W20 WA lens - $600 for both..........

Not a nice as the FIX but a huge upgrade from my G9 with Canon housing......

M