Use of SD Wide Angle Lens [Archive] - High Definition Digital Video Forum

View Full Version : Use of SD Wide Angle Lens

max99

2007 July 27th, 11:59

DaFireMedic

2007 July 27th, 13:29

Are there "HD" and "non-HD" wide angle lenses for the HV20? I'd like to use the wide angle lens that I've been using on my SD mini-DV camcorder, but I don't know if there would be any loss of quality. I would need a step ring from 43mm to 52mm.

There is some loss of quality with any additional glass the optics must go through, but some degrade less than others. I would try your SD lens. Step up rings are cheap anyway. If the results are not acceptable, you've lost nothing. But I've been reading other other forums of people who have used SD lenses and gotten good results. It seems to be dependant on the quallity of the SD lens (not necessarily the cost).

I just tried an SD wide angle lens that I had around, the overall picture quality is fairly good, but it vignettes real bad at max wide angle. It too was a step up to 52 mm.

Heres a site to check out:
http://vettaville.com/canon_hv20_wideangle_lens.htm

Its a cheap HD wide angle lens that a guy bought and he set up the site to post test clips. It seems to give really good results based on the video clips he's posted. I ordered one to try it. I figured for $28, I can't lose much and if I get the video quality he got, I'd be real happy.

Besides, its going in my underwater housing anyway......

max99

2007 July 27th, 14:34

Thanks, I think I will try it with a step ring.

I'm still a little unsure as to whether there is an additional degradation when you use an SD wide angle as opposed to an HD wide angle.

I understand that adding any glass (HD or SD) may cause some loss of clarity or quality. My question is whether their is truly an "HD" wide angle lens that has some technical differences from the SD lens. Or is it just a better quality lens that is recommended for use with HD (because, e.g., poor quality is that much more noticeable in HD).