Inon UWL-100 WA lens & Ikelite Housing

I bought a Canon S2 IS, Ikelite housing, and Inon UWL-100 wide angle lens during the winter. I have successfully (I feel) worked with a Canon A20, A40 and A80 previously. Due to a fractured wrist, busy work schedule, and uncooperative weather, I am just now diving with my new setup.

When I use the wide angle lens I am noticing a strange blurring around the edges of the photo - the center is in focus, but the edges change color and blur.

Here is an example of a photo taken with the WA lens....

And one without the lens....

This is another taken with the WA lens - I think the blurring and color change is more noticeable on this one.... A neat effect, but I don't want it on every photo!!

Anyone have an idea on what is causing this and how I can fix it? The Inon UWL-100 is the recommended lens by Ikelite.

Kim

The lens should be used at the full wide angle zoom position only...

You have a true lansbaby effect underwater!!!! see www.lensbabies.com. I experienced the same with my Canon G5 when i used it zoom in, the opposite was true for macrolenses: they only have blurry edges when they're zoomed out.

cheers, udo

Zooming, hmmm...

I noticed that there was vignetting when I took the camera on its first dive so I did zoom in one step on the second dive (where the sample photos came from).

There were no decent photos from the first dive as vis was hideous, so I didn't pay much attention to them. But reviewing them now, there is no weird "lensbaby" effect in those initial photos.

So it's vignetting OR lensbaby effect? That sucks!!!

Does this have something to do with the camera's placement in the Ikelite housing??

It seems that your camera isn't centered perfect. You can see stronger vignetting on the left side then on the right side. Are there any possibilies voor adjusting the cameraposition in your housing? With my G5 i had to put the camera on top of some rubber from an inner tube of a bicycle. If you still have vignetting you should zoom in as little as possible.

Also the UWL-100 should be as close as possible to the lens of the camera, but that's something that you can't change yourself.

good luck with it, udo

"The lens should be used at the full wide angle zoom position only..."

That's kind of a drawback. I purchased a Sea&Sea 16mm wet conversion lens made for a Nikonos for my point and shoot and it works superbly at any zoom position.

Gary

The Inon lens MUST be used with camera in wide angle position only. Every housing that has been returned because camera is not centered is fine if camera is attached properly, carefully, and tightened down with a coin in the mounting bolt.............

There is only one mounting bolt in the housing and only one threaded spot on the camera, so I'm not sure how I am seating it in the housing improperly. There are no options to seat it incorrectly. I do tighten it with a coin.

The photos are consistently showing vignetting on the left land side and a smaller vignetting on the right hand side of each photo when the Inon lens (stated for use with this housing/camera setup by Ikelite) is in place and the camera in full wide angle. There is no vignetting when used without the WA lens.

I've had 3 others inspect my setup, including a PADI course director during my u/w digital photography instructor training, and all say there is no other way to sit the camera in the housing. If the lens must be used in conjunction with full wide angle camera setting, there should be no vignetting if it is the recommended lens - or it should be mentioned in the housing details.

It's starting to look as if I'll have to crop each and every photo taken with the WA lens.