Nauticam Wet-Mate Dome Port 38013?

[Nemrod]

Sorry to bother folks with what is probably my misunderstanding. I bought this lens for use with my Nauticam NA6400 and the kit lens 16-50mm. I normally shoot the WWL-1 or the CMC1/2. I thought this Wet-Mate dome was intended to use on the naked port to restore UW angle and reduce pincushion distortion when zoomed wide. However, I just received the lens and installed to the port and the lens vignettes badly until zoomed in to 23mm. 

 

Did I misunderstand the purpose of this lens or was it intended for compact cameras? The description of the lens does not specify that it is for compacts?

 

I like my WWL-1 and use it often but wanted a lighter option for fun fish pics, diver photos and general use to swap with my CMC macro lenses. Anyone know what si up with this lens and if there is an alternative for my proposed purpose to the 38013? I may need to return it I suppose.

 

Thanks for any help,

James

Edited Thursday at 04:09 AM by Nemrod

[Chris Ross]

Just to clarify did you try it in air and you haven't gotten it wet yet?  Can't say for certain but this may change when UW.  But before you get it wet try talking to your vendor to see what they say, there isn't much out there about this lens.

 

The purpose you state is what the lens is intended for and it should work on your lens as designed I would think.

[Nemrod]

27 minutes ago, Chris Ross said:

Just to clarify did you try it in air and you haven't gotten it wet yet?  Can't say for certain but this may change when UW.  But before you get it wet try talking to your vendor to see what they say, there isn't much out there about this lens.

 

The purpose you state is what the lens is intended for and it should work on your lens as designed I would think.

 

Thanks. You are correct. I have only installed the lens dry. I will call my vendor tomorrow. This lens is fairly new and does not sho up in any of the charts for compatibility and from the description I may have assumed too much. I would not get the lens wet in the case I need to return without further info from the vendor which is a reputable business I have used for many years and value.

 

It is possible that once the port space is flooded that the vignetting would be decreased. I can live with a little bit on the widest end for my use but still, I would have thought in lieu of inclusion in port charts that Nauticam would have given some general compatibility statement. I am mounting it via the Nauticam bayonet system. Perhaps if mounted direct to the port threads it would vignette less certainly but I do not want to have to remove the port bayonet system that works just fine with the CMC lenses and the WWL-1. 

 

I will provide the vendor conclusion as soon as I speak with them.

Edited Thursday at 05:14 AM by Nemrod

[Chris Ross]

Yes, the lens only gives a relatively small increase in field and you don't to be using some of that increase up. 16mm becomes something like 21mm in a flat port, so if you have to zoom into 23mm you are worse off.  Let's see what the vendor says. 

[humu9679]

2 hours ago, Nemrod said:

 

Thanks. You are correct. I have only installed the lens dry. I will call my vendor tomorrow. This lens is fairly new and does not sho up in any of the charts for compatibility and from the description I may have assumed too much. I would not get the lens wet in the case I need to return without further info from the vendor which is a reputable business I have used for many years and value.

 

It is possible that once the port space is flooded that the vignetting would be decreased. I can live with a little bit on the widest end for my use but still, I would have thought in lieu of inclusion in port charts that Nauticam would have given some general compatibility statement. I am mounting it via the Nauticam bayonet system. Perhaps if mounted direct to the port threads it would vignette less certainly but I do not want to have to remove the port bayonet system that works just fine with the CMC lenses and the WWL-1. 

 

I will provide the vendor conclusion as soon as I speak with them.

 

It will likely vignette much less not using the bayonet mount. I tried using an air lens for the same reasons you state, but the bad news is that you're stuck with a semi-wide view. There is no zoom-through capability with the 16-50mm.

 

Craig

[Nemrod]

Okay, just to bring this to an end. I spoke with the vendor and they will of course take the lens back. Per my discussion with them this lens is intended only for compact cameras and will not work with an APS-C sensor camera. Not the vendors fault and I should have done more homework but really, nothing in the description of the lens or any information I could find would have told me that it was designed only for small sensor compacts. I guess we know now.

 

Thanks,

James

[humu9679]

39 minutes ago, Nemrod said:

Not the vendors fault and I should have done more homework but really, nothing in the description of the lens or any information I could find would have told me that it was designed only for small sensor compacts. I guess we know now.

 

Yup, nobody's fault except our own. I figure it was worth a try, especially because I value that 24mm equivalent perspective. I'm not sure if it's sensor size versus close focusing ability - probably a function of both. This is very likely elementary physics for some of our members. Just a head scratcher for me. Eh, @dhaas does this work on the 1" compacts?

[Nemrod]

I have been speaking to David. He has a lot of unique ideas 😍. Per the vendor, the lens should work with one inch sensor compacts. I did not dwell on that question as I have an APS-C.

 

But, what we really need, at least this ---> we<--- is a wet mate air lens for larger sensor cameras that simply restores the air FOV of the camera lens for in water use and reduces edge distortion and pincushion. Not a big ultra wide angle lens like my superb $WWL-1$ or similar. Something much smaller and lighter when the mission really only wants a normal lens perspective and FOV. Oh well, still looking.

Edited Thursday at 06:19 PM by Nemrod

[humu9679]

4 hours ago, Nemrod said:

But, what we really need, at least this ---> we<--- is a wet mate air lens for larger sensor cameras that simply restores the air FOV of the camera lens for in water use and reduces edge distortion and pincushion.

 

Sounds very much like a dome at this point! 😉