Amphibico Phenom FX1E Review & comments

This forum is great, Wags, you sure are informative, I really enjoyed your HiDef pics and website.

Seems like you don't shoot with a color correction filter? I know when one uses lighting the color correction filter is flipped out of the way.....

Also, I take it the port that comes with the Phenom has good zoom through capability so works as both wide angle yet allows zoomed macro?

I will be asking plenty more stupid questions I am sure!

Dave

I shoot with the filter in as well.

With the #2 flip macro in place you have 100% zoom and even beter it increases the zoom in distance from a few feet. I mean you can zoom in allot tighter than without it from distance giving you tighter shots on your subjects.

Officially as of this afternoon I am now even more confused about something....., Joe at Amphibico told me today that the Phenom macro lenses do not attach to the flip arms, it is screwed in place and stays there at all times.....he said the macro lens doesn't even fit proper on the flip arm....

Dave,

The Amphibico +2 Macro Ring Assembly ( Part # 064-4104-R00-51 ) is a screw fitting that is attatched to the camera before it is put in the housing.

A popular modification has been to use a diopter in the 2nd flip filter holder. ( Part # 064-4206-R00-91 ).

Unofficially - this is probally the source of confusion.

Yep that screw in one is rubbish, the vignetting even gets worse zoomed in.

Get one that goes in the flip arm, works a treat and you can flip it in and out when you like.

Ask Peter he may have some he can sell you.

I got a set of Hoya one's that came in a set, #1, #2 and #4. Take the glass out of the ring and pop them in.

You get 100% zoom through and it increases you zoom range from 1-2 meters in for much tighter shots, not to mention the macro capabilties.

Peter as in Peter at Amphibico?

Peter as in pmooney...

Actually you can get the close up lenses at any local camera shop

Never having done any photo or video work, is there a specific size or type of +2 diopter that is needed to fit the Phenoms flip down arm?

I don' tknow who Peter Mooney is.....

If you get a #67mm, then carefuly take it out of the ring asembly and pop the bare 62.6mm glass into the flip arm. Take along you URPRO filter to check size if you are going to a shop.

Pmooney is Scubapix

Awesome, thanks.....

and he posted the post after you... and he falls off benches drunk.. haha

Ya, you can unthread a 67 and throw it in there. I did same, just make sure you don't scratch the red filter!!!! You might need to rearrange your two flip arms....

Does anyone have a manufacturers part # for a +2 diopter, as I am told one must be extremely careful so the lens, especially thick or convex ones dont' hit or scratch the ports interior surface or the red color correction filter.

Thanks

The most common single-element diopters seem to come from Hoya, and from what I remember it's almost as cost-effective to get the set of 3 as it is to get an individual one. Having +1 +2 and +4 will give you more options to play with anyway.

Check out www.keene.co.uk. The set of 3 is in their full 2005 PDF catalogue that I downloaded so they probably still carry them.

http://www.keene.co.uk/pages/downloads/dnl...talogue2006.pdf

My 58mm Hoya diopters add 7mm each to the front of the camera lens. I got mine for about 60 quid in a hurry on Tottenham Court Road.

There are much more expensive diopters available from Century Optics and (I think) Canon. They have multiple elements to reduce distortion.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Centu...romatic+diopter

Personally I don't think they're worth it for marine life work which tends to involve little camera movement and few geometrical shapes to betray the slight distortion of a single-element diopter. They also add much more depth to the front of the camera and from memory I couldn't have fitted a Century Optics in my Gates VX2000 housing without removing the flip filter.

Nick

I don't have an FX1 or Z1 yet but I'm wondering, with all the assignable presets that these cameras allow, might it be possible to program one of the buttons with a zoom setting that just eliminates the vignetting, and activate this through the housing? So instead of manually "zooming in a bit" to get rid of the black corners, this would eliminate the guesswork and give you the maximum FOV.

Just a thought.

Nick

you could alqways try some decent optics

These macro-zoom attachments maximize magnification and image clarity when focusing tightly on small objects. Available in strengths of +2.0 and +3.5. Not available in bayonet mount, 72mm thread only.

Stock Code: AD-7220-00 Available Now

Stock Code: AD-7235-00 Available Now

It is pretty hard to beat Century Optics

you could alqways try some decent optics

These macro-zoom attachments maximize magnification and image clarity when focusing tightly on small objects. Available in strengths of +2.0 and +3.5. Not available in bayonet mount, 72mm thread only.

Stock Code: AD-7220-00 Available Now

Stock Code: AD-7235-00 Available Now

It is pretty hard to beat Century Optics

But do the Century Optics fit the Phenom 2nd flip arm without hitting the color correction filter or the port?

The Century +2 diopter is an achromatic diopter using two glass elements cemented together, and the thickness allegedly without the ring is 21.3mm or .083 thick. So without actually having one in my hands, I guess it is a matter of finding out how thick the Hoya single diopter element is and how much clearance it has.....

I can get the Century + for about $320 USD. The company's headquarters is 15 minutes away from me.

Does anyone notice edge distortion with the single element Hoya or others?

I don't have an FX1 or Z1 yet but I'm wondering, with all the assignable presets that these cameras allow, might it be possible to program one of the buttons with a zoom setting that just eliminates the vignetting, and activate this through the housing? So instead of manually "zooming in a bit" to get rid of the black corners, this would eliminate the guesswork and give you the maximum FOV.

 

Just a thought.

 

Nick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HI Nick, the Z has a nice feature where the zoom can be tracked numerically 0-99 as opposed to the typical zoom bar.

If you stick it on 12 there should be few problems with vignetting

More Happy News....

We need to inform you of an issue about the Phenom in transport! We have began to include notes with a warning : (please see attached file). We found in a few cases that because of air expansion on airplanes domes on the lens port tend to separate from the Port. Please leave back door open just a little to say there is air circulation.

Better take ya orings of the door when flying

HI Nick, the Z has a nice feature where the zoom can be tracked numerically 0-99 as opposed to the typical zoom bar.

 

If you stick it on 12 there should be few problems with vignetting

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The other option with the Z1 is to switch the LCD monitor to overscan mode. Then you see whether you have vignetting or not. For me the magic number is 9 not 12

Any news on upcomming fixes from Amphibico (white balance)?

Peter