Fish eye on Kern Pallard 8-40

[retrogrouch]

Hi everybody,

Has anybody used a fish eye adapter lens, like a Raynox or a Century on a h8 rex KP 8-40 lens? I was considering this as an option, before I buy an expensive KP 5.5, or have something else reculminated to RX. If I am going to throw down the money, I would like to get something I can use on multiple cameras.

Thanks
RG

[sciolist]

I've got a Merkury Optics 0.45x conversion lens that can be fit to the SOM Berthiot 8-40mm f/1.9 Pan-Cinor lens with a 43mm-52mm step-up ring. It provides roughly the same field of view as the SOM Berthiot Hyper-Pan 0.8x conversion lens made expressly for the Pan-Cinor (the lens becomes a 6.4-32mm with the Hyper-Pan fitted). I've not tried the 0.3x conversion lenses that are available, but I'm inclined to think the results obtained would be much less satisfactory than what's possible with a wide angle prime lens like the Kern-Paillard 5.5mm f/1.6 H8 RX Switar. The magnifications specified by makers of these conversion lenses always seem rather optimistic to me, too, with the resultant fields of view not nearly as wide as the numbers (e.g., 0.45x and 0.3x) seem to suggest.

[Lunar07]

Your lens has a 44mm (Series 6) front threading. Using a Century with a rear threading of 38mm (if we talking about the Century for the Switar 10mm lens) should work but you need to find the appropriate step ring. What will grandly work is the Canon C-8 Wide 0.65X attachment - the type with 48mm rear threading. This is high quality glass. For a 44mm-48mm step ring: check bhphotovideo - such rings are expensive usually made by Heliopan.

This will work with R8 fine.
For a system that will work with many different cameras - Are these different formats or just R8?

Also, with all these adapters we are still in Wide Angle category - hardly fish eye!

[Lunar07]

I've got a Merkury Optics 0.45x conversion lens......

That should work also and the 44mm-52mm rings are available for the Switar 8mm-38mm.

I've not tried the 0.3x conversion lenses that are available..............

A wise move With such lenses on the order of 0.3X the spherical abberations are so great unless the attachment has an intricate formation of achromatic elements. This will make it so expensive to the point that retrogrouch may as well buy the Switar 5.5mm lens for the H8RX and be done with it

[retrogrouch]

Thanks for the advise guys,
I think the general answer is - it ain't a great idea. I has my suspicions. I have been shooting s8 for a while, and have found that I can re-purpose adapter lens from other formats, as long as they are not to extreme. I have a 2x and a .65 set from canon, that are for my g9. They work well on my hv30, and my 814 az. On the other hand, I have tried 3x adapters that have turned my lens into some thing that belongs in a funhouse. I was hoping that this was due to poor quallity, and not poor concept.
I am moving out of the " I got that at a thrift store" stage of film making, into buying it from real cine outlets, and I now have a greater understanding of why movies cost so much. I think that days of buying equipment on a lark are over. That's I appreciate gentlemen such as yourselves giving of your time. It literally puts money back into my shooting budget.

As for the the step up ringsI have definitely had problems coming up with one. (Helipan = cool, price= not cool) There seems to be a lot of opinions about what the true ring size for series six is. What is fact is that finding a step up ring for s6 is very hard. The solution that I cam up with was to go to my local store ( Shout out to Leo's Camera in Vancouver) and buy an used tiffen s6 retaining ring for a buck. I mated that to a 43-58 step up ring using milliput, a type of AB epoxy putty. The beauty of this type of putty is that it is so rock hard and uniform when cured that it can be machined. Also, it is much cleaner and easier to work with than traditional epoxies - just roll out a spagetti of putty, wrap it around the male thread, wipe of the extruded extras, and kapow- thread adapter. It's not a glue, so in theory, with the use of petroeum jelly on the female, it should come apart. ( I would test it on something cheap first.)

[Lunar07]

...................
As for the the step up ringsI have definitely had problems coming up with one. (Helipan = cool, price= not cool) There seems to be a lot of opinions about what the true ring size for series six is. What is fact is that finding a step up ring for s6 is very hard.

Series 6 threaded retainers and accessories are all 44mmX0.5 and you can bank on that - this size happens to be the threaded front diameter of your H-8 Rex 8mm-38mm lens.
There is no doubt about that. In the same vein a Series 5 is 33mmX0.5 and Series 7 is 54mmX0.5
As you mention, Series 6 step up adapters are expensive. What you did with the Series 6 to 58mm is actually good. I have done the same with a Series 5 to 30mm adapter but using a different type of glue

[kII]

Hi, which lens to you have on your H8? the 8-36 vario switar or the 8-40 pan cinor? I'm pretty sure I have a w/a adapter for the 8-40 cinor lens somewhere (probably in a cupboard at work). Not sure how wide the lens is, but I'll root it out and check the spec. Doubt that it will be as wide as the 5.5 switar though..

[Lunar07]

He has, as his original post states, the KP (Switar) 8-36 zoom lens. Putting a cheap wide angle attachment (I am talking in general of course, not about the attachment you have) on such a fine lens is like using cheap speakers with a fine digital surround sound DTS-HD receiver. ANY wide angle attachment with a MACRO part will work (there is a good reason why it must have a macro part). One of the best wide angle attachments that will work with this lens is the Canon C-8 0.6x attachment with the 48mm rear threading. It will not vignette at the 8mm focal length. This attachment is pure heavy glass with Spectra Canon coating. I got it years ago off eBay for $10. The Switar he has has a Series 6 44mmx0.5 front threading.
Another wide angle attachment to consider that comes with a macro part is the Vivitar Series 1 **0.43X** attachment with the 52mm rear threading.
Both of these attachments require a step up adapter from lens.

[kII]

Original posts says kp 8-40? no such lens!!
Cheers

[Lunar07]

Original posts says kp 8-40? no such lens!!
Cheers

You have to allow for his shorthand I took that to mean Kern Paillard 8-36 Switar zoom lens. Since he is using the H8Rex, the choices are few.

[retrogrouch]

Kll, thanks for the offer of the adapter, and the time you spent reading my post. What make of lens is it? If it is bolex, I am quite interested .

Lunar07, thanks for the clarification on on the ring sizes, and for cutting me some slack on the lens kp 8-40 thing. The lens is a KP 8-36, and I am going to adopt " accounting for his short hand" into my daily lingo. You sir, are a gentleman.

RG

[Lunar07]

retrogrouch - no problem and good luck with your wide angle endeavors!