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Fisheye for HVX-200
Before I bought my HVX, I shot a lot of skateboarding on my Sony VX-2100, with a Century Optics .3x Ultra Fisheye (known in the skate world as the Death Lens). That lens, by the way, is phenomenal.
https://www.schneideroptics.com/Ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1072&IID=617
I had to sell that whole set up to afford my HVX, and now I’m looking for a similar fisheye for the HVX. Century optics offers one with the same distortion, called the ‘Xtreme Fisheye’, but it runs for over three grand. That’s as much as my Vx 2100 was. That’s rediculous.
https://www.schneideroptics.com/Ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1074&IID=5875
Anyways, they also offer a considerably less costly fisheye for about 500 dollars, with a distortion of only .55x.
https://www.schneideroptics.com/Ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1074&IID=865
I’ve also seen a .4x ‘Affordable Fisheye Adapter’ from cavision, but In my experience, I’ve learned to trust Century optics and I’ve grown wary of other lensmakers.
https://www.cavision.com/optics/industrial/LFA04X72-HVX-HD100.htm
Now my questions are as follows:
1) Is the Cavision one any good, or does the glass pale in comparison to a Century Optics? And while we’re at it, how much does it run for, as the website doesn’t say?2) If I buy the .55x from Century, just how much of a distortion loss will that be? If I’m used to the Vx 2100 with the .3x, how will the .55x plus the HVX compare to my old setup?
Thanks for any help,
Ben Tubb
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3 Replies
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I have the 0.6x from Cavision which was $298.00 so the $595 price does seem to be approximate for the Century optics fisheye. You’d be suprised how much field the HVX captures, having a 82mm lens to work with in the first place. Cavision is not top of the line, but works for the moderately budgeted.
Also check other outlets such as BHphotovideo.com for prices on Cavision products, they carry them, but those products tend to be on backorder.
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Also check out these guys.
https://www.vfgadgets.com/RedEye.htm
My friend bought one of these and he loves it. You can’t zoom more then like 30% but the best thing about it there is no large piece of glass in front of your lens and you can use the lens hood that came with the HVX.
-Lars
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[Benjamin18] “If I buy the .55x from Century, just how much of a distortion loss will that be? If I’m used to the Vx 2100 with the .3x, how will the .55x plus the HVX compare to my old setup?”
Your original lens had an image circle of 180′ and a horizontal coverage of 125′ on a 4:3 format.
The Xtreme HD $3250.00 has an image circle of 180′ and a horizontal coverage of 160′ on a 16:9 format.
The 0HD-FESU-HVX super fisheye $595.00 image circle N/A and a horizontal coverage of 92′ on 16:9 format.
Your old set up was kind of in between the 2 listed here. If you are used to the 125′ of coverage you will be disappointed by the 92′ coverage which is typical of a good wide angle rectalinear lens (which is far more difficult to manufacture than a fisheye).
It’s too bad schnieder doesn’t fix an HVX200 on a tripod and do a w/a shot without anything and then one with the super fisheye and another with the Xtreme fisheye. The idiot who did their sample shots moved the camera in 6 or 7 feet and up about 2 feet between shots. That’s a real big help….duh.
One nice thing about the old 35mm and 16mm film cameras was you bought your lens arsenal and it lasted for years. With a fixed lens video camera you by these add ons which are dedicated so they only last as long as the technology behind the camera (as you experienced with your vx2100). Fortunately the HVX200 is a solid format that will be with us for a long while but investing in accessories like fisheye lenses that quickly become gimmicky if used too often, it’s hard too justify the cost of the better quality options.
If you need it for a shot in a feature film buy the expensive one, if you are posting clips on youtube get a cheapo, no one will know the difference.
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