G7 wide angle?

I have got a Canon G7 in the Canon brand housing and have had this setup for about a year. More recently, I have realised that I need a wider angle lens (and a strobe, but thats another story) because a lot of the things I like to photograph underwater such as fish schools and stingrays simply wont fit in the frame without having to back up, which makes the pictures look crappy because the water is not so clear.

I understand that you cannot have wide angle on the canon housing because it has too much zoom, which will cause vignetting. But how intense is it? If I zoom in to, say 45-50mm, and I had the ikelite X0.56 wide angle lens would the vignetting be still uncorrectable in photoshop? Also, I dont mind (very?) slight darkness around the edge of the frame.

I have tracked down an 67mm threaded adapter for the canon housing and this would fit the Ikelite wide angle lens I want. Also I am aware of the Ikelite housing which limits zooming but at 700USD it is too expensive (student budget). So would this work at all, if I correct the vignetting in photoshop or some other photo editor?

EDIT- Also, would there be less vignetting if I set the lens to small F8 aperture instead of a larger aperture like F2.8 or F4?

Hi shaun...

I got a G7 in Ikelite housing...

I try to help you...but I think that it's no good to use a Wide Lens with the canon housing,because as you said,the zoom is more long in TELE position...so the external wide lens is too far from camera lens ...

I posted two photo .

In the first,I mounted the UWL lens with the ORIGINAL Ikelite port(and I think that I have the same distance camera-UWL lens that you may have with the original housing...

In the second photo,I mounted the SHORT port (shorter about 2cm...) ,so the UWL lens stay in a minus distance from camera lens...

As you can see,in first photo there is a HARD vignetting,but the other problem is that there ISN'T a wide angle effect,because I can take the same photo without the UWL lens..just move myself 50cm back...

Hoping that this helps you...

byeeeee from Italy

1st photo:

2nd photo:

Dear Romeo, what do you mean by "SHORT PORT"?

Were you still using Ikelite with that "short port"?

I have G9 and now thinking of buying Ikelite housing so I can use a Wide angle lense.

What brand do you suggest?

Sorry,but I'm not fine with english language.....

I try:

I use the Ikelite housing for G7...but I must decide before diving what "port"mount,because to take normal or macro Photo ,I use the ORIGINAL port from Ikelite ,the one which comes with the housing,so I can use FULL zoom range and ,also,the INON UCL lens (it's a wet lens ,for macro photo,that you can mount and remove during DIVE ,although it's not so easy!!!)

To take WIDE ANGLE photo,instead,I have to remove the original port (unscrew it ) and mount the "SPECIAL FLAT PORT" from ikelite,a shorter port (minus about 2cm),so it's possible to use the WIDE ANGLE lens without vignetting(only a little,but not always).

It's writted also on Ikelite web site:

The #9305.92 Flat Port ( $100 ) replaces the standard housing port for effective use of 67mm threaded external wide-angle lenses. This shorter port only slightly limits the camera's normal zoom range (limited to approx. 120mm). Port removal tool is included.

I think that it works very well but...the only problem is...to change the port (it needs to be very careful with the o-ring...and also Ikelite reccomanded to dive without the camera at first time after change the port...I think they are right...but I have NEVER done it ... I changed the port a lot of times...so ...if I dive every first time without the camera now I could have ANY photo

hoping that I write in correct english mode...and that helps you...

bye from Italy...

B) B) B)

What brand do you suggest?

Sorry...

I suggest the INON lens (the ones that I've bought)but I don't know how works the other ones...

I like INON UWL lens also because they have the DOME unit for it ... I'm just planning to buy it (but I need 340 euro for the dome unit )

byeeeeee

Thanks for the very informative post romeo .

It seems that if one wanted to have underwater wide angle for the G7 you would be best to buy the ikelite housing with a short port, which is what I think I might have to do!

Get the Ike housing, I've got the same setup with an Epoque WA lens, works pretty damn well. Can see some shots at my gallery.

Also means when you're ready for a stobe or 2, you can make the most of the hot shoe on the camera, with the eTTL available with the Ikelite housing.

Dear Shaun and Romeo,

Have been using the Ikelite wide angle with short port on the Ike housing. Posting some pics here for reference.

Shaun if you zoom in a little bit with the short port with wide angle lens the results are really great.

Romeo you dont have to keep removing the port every time. Macro works just fine. Only thing is you cant zoom fully. Only up to 50% which I find more than sufficient even with an add on macro lens. Check out the nudi pic.

Cheers,

Diggy

Thanks for the very informative post romeo .

 

It seems that if one wanted to have underwater wide angle for the G7 you would be best to buy the ikelite housing with a short port, which is what I think I might have to do!

Here is a thread on this same topic at Digidiver

http://www.digidiver.net/phpBB2/viewtopic....asc&start=0

It includes a DIY solution and several suppliers of adapters. I have not used any.

I also have a G9 and want to use the canon OEM housing for size (I travel a lot and am already overloaded with my gear). I am hoping to find a good solution to enable wide angle. Its not clear to me if the DIY or the other solutions succeed in wide angle. They do succeed in close-up.

Below is a reply from one of the suppliers...

I asked about the WA issue and here is his reply...

If anyone can verify if any of these solutions work for G9 in OEM housing that would be a big help.

Thanks