HC3 L&M Bluefin and Wide Angle

I just recently recieved my light and motion super wide angle lens for my Bluefin HC3, I was wondering if I need to adjust the camera setting Conv. Lens to Wide Conv. when shooting with the super wide angle lens?

What do others do with this setting. I haven't had any time to test it out as I just received my swa saturday and I leave for PNG tomorrow afternoon for 10 days on the Star Dancer.

Any advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

Hi Steve

Hope you have a nice trip there.

I take it you are talking about the image stabilizer setting.

This end I leave mine on normal but sometimes will set it to hard for some macro shots if you can access the setting while underwater.

Have a go on your trip with different settings and let us know what you think, just don't put it on hard for normal shooting.

Thanks for the reply wags. I was referring to a setting in the camera set menu, the manual states:

"When using an optional conversion lens, use this function to record using the optimum compensation for camera shake for each lense"

The choices it offers are

Off (default setting)

Wide Conv. select this option for wide conversion lense (optional)

Tele Conv. select this to use the tele conversion lense (optional)

It sounds like it does have something to do with image stabilazaion, never had to use it with the default zoom macro on my light and motion housing, but since getting the new super wide angle the setting caught my eye.

Hi Steve

Hope you have a nice trip there.

 

I take it you are talking about the image stabilizer setting.

 

This end I leave mine on normal but sometimes will set it to hard for some macro shots if you can access the setting while underwater.

 

Have a go on your trip with different settings and let us know what you think, just don't put it on hard for normal shooting.

The image stabilisation features tend to smooth out those fast "trembles", which is not something that happens much underwater because of the damping effect of water. It can't do much for typical underwater "wobbles".

A lot of folks here leave it off. One reason for this is that if a lens was on the borderline of vignetting, having the steadyshot on would sometimes bring the vignetting in and out during a shot. Also I've read that the more extreme stabilisation settings can soften the image (though I find this difficult to believe if it's a mechanical stabilisation system).

Seems strange that your camera doesn't offer you a standard "on" setting for use with no conversion lens. I would say the wide conv. setting is the softer/weaker setting as image stabilisation is less necessary for a wide lens.

If I were you I would set up the camera in the housing at home and try each setting while wobbling the housing around. This is what I did with my Z1 and you can definitely see the difference with this type of test.

I leave my Z1 on standard all the time (as opposed to the other options: hard, soft, or wide conv.).

Thanks All,

Looks like leaving it off is the best option...I will play around with in in kimbe bay before boarding the live aboard and check out any differences.

Steve

quote name='Nick Hope' date='Apr 9 2007, 09:34 PM' post='125299']

The image stabilisation features tend to smooth out those fast "trembles", which is not something that happens much underwater because of the damping effect of water. It can't do much for typical underwater "wobbles".

A lot of folks here leave it off. One reason for this is that if a lens was on the borderline of vignetting, having the steadyshot on would sometimes bring the vignetting in and out during a shot. Also I've read that the more extreme stabilisation settings can soften the image (though I find this difficult to believe if it's a mechanical stabilisation system).

Seems strange that your camera doesn't offer you a standard "on" setting for use with no conversion lens. I would say the wide conv. setting is the softer/weaker setting as image stabilisation is less necessary for a wide lens.

If I were you I would set up the camera in the housing at home and try each setting while wobbling the housing around. This is what I did with my Z1 and you can definitely see the difference with this type of test.

I leave my Z1 on standard all the time (as opposed to the other options: hard, soft, or wide conv.).