magnification factor of Nizo wide angle III

[dv8 super8]

Does anyone know what the magnification factor is for the Nizo Wide Angle III adapter?

I am debating whether to track down one of these or to try to fit a new modern wide angle adapter made for video cams.

[shralp]

Not sure if I would call it magnification power because its basically giving you a wider angle of view not really magnifying the image. Anyway, I was looking for one to use with my Nizo 7-80mm zoom and it would turn the 7mm into about a 4.7mm lens. Apparently these are not a zoom thru type of adapter and you have to put the lens on macro setting to use it, (which is kind of a bummer). They are also plexiglass and not real glass and I'm told they scratch really easily. I'm trying to find a wide adapter used for video cameras just like you but I'm having trouble finding one that has a rear element big enough to fit the 62mm lens front on my Nizo Professional. I can't seem to find any big enougt from Century, Raynox, or Kenko. Anyone have any ideas??

[Lucas Lightfeat]

I have both the UWIII and the Canon C-8 wide-angle adapters. They are both mint and both have the required 67mm thread, and were designed for the Nizos and Canon 1014XL-s respectively. Yes the Nizo is plexiglass, and the Canon is glass. I no longer have a Canon, so I'm prepared to sell my C-8 adapter, which does work beautifully with the Nizos, if you're interested. It is absolutely mint, and does not look like it's ever even been out of the plexiglass case or cardboard box. Really, really pristine. £60 ($100) is fair - that's what they cost, same as the UWIII.

Let me know if you're interested.

Lucas

[Guest]

Not sure if I would call it magnification power because its basically giving you a wider angle of view not really magnifying the image.

Technically speaking, even the wide angle factor is still considered to be magnification, even though the image is not getting bigger. It just is rated at in tenths, for example 0.5x or 0.7x.

Yes the 62mm size is a pain to find interms of modern video adapters. 58mm is the largest thing made for nowadays. Using a step down filter causing vignetting.


Olympus makes a 62mm diameter wide angle adapter and it works great on old Super 8 like the Nizo and Yashicas. But the wide angle facter is only 0.8x. This is the adapter made for the e10/e20 line of digital still slr cameras.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bh5.sph/Fra ... 2E6E7678B0


Next try is the Century Optics 0.55x featuring the reversible element for a fisheye look. At the 0.55x position, there is only slight vignetting. Very acceptable actually,my guess is because it has a low profile. But flip it to the fisheye setting and you get vignetting, but the look can work if you shoot funky stuff like skaters and snowboarders. This adapter is 58mm and requires a step down ring.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bh5.sph/Fra ... 2E6E7678B0

There might be some hope...

down the line. Panasonic's new DV cam that shoots at 24fps is supposed to be the hot DV cam of the year and it uses a 62mm diameter lens. So let's hope that adapters are made for it.

[shralp]

Lucas and Guest, thanks for the info.

Lucas, can you tell me what what the power magnification of your Canon adapter is? (0.6, 0.7, etc?). I might be interested in purchasing it from you.

As for the Canon or the Olympus suggested by the Guest post, can either of you tell me if these are a zoom thru design or do I have to keep my lens at its widest setting to keep from vignetting? I've been told that I actually have to put my Nizo Professional past 7mm wide, all the way to macro setting to use the Nizo wide III lens and this doesn't make sense to me.

[Maurizio Di Cintio]

Hi.
Actually the filter thread for the Schneider Variogon 7-80 mm of the Nizo 6080 is 67 mm, not 62. Indeed the UWL adapter III features both 67 AND 62 mm threads, but the smaller one is for older cameras with that kind of attachment.

So you may want to make some test before mounting a wide angle converter with just 62 mm thread on you Nizo and keep in mind that what actaually goes to the frame is a little more than you see in the viewfinder.

The Schneider/Nizo UWL III, like all converters of this sort, need to work in the macro field of the lens, with the distance ring set at infinity (otherwise some vignetting might occur). On all Nizo's designed for use with such an accessory, the focal length ring features a click stop position marked UWL. You need to set this in that way afetr setting the inner ring (normal/macro field converter - that's the closest ring to the camera body) to that same position. Then you needn't worry any more. Of course there's no zooming when using the UWL but it's quite useful when filming in interiors or if you want to capture let's say a landscape to its fullest degree.
And believe me you needn't be very particular about it being made of plexiglass. Scratches become visible only in backlite conditions.
I also tried using the C8 from canon on the Nizo and the final result is a little wider indeed but also a little more distorted (barrel distortion).

So if you can try both beofre making up you mind.

Good luck

[orangefunk]

Lucas,

I maybe interested in your Canon adapter.
Can you email me?

nhat@orangefunk.com

thanks.