I'm using an Ikelite housing for my Sony SR-12 and recently tried the W-20 wide angle lens, and had the same problems. (Actually, I have two identical setups, and they both have that problem.) I was wondering if it was just some issue with the camera being misaligned with the lens, but this ghosting idea makes a lot more sense.
I had a lot of fogging and other issues, too, under demanding conditions, so I'm switching up to a Zen Underwater WAVP80 Wide Angle port, which totally replaces the glass port in the front of the Ikelite housing. It seems to be a lot sharper around the edges than the W-20 was, but it's a lot more expensive, too. I haven't tested it under conditons where ghosting reflections might occur yet.
Can you please tell us more about the Zen Underwater WAVP80 Wide Angle port? I tried to google it but couldn't find anything....
I had a lot of fogging and other issues, too, under demanding conditions, so I'm switching up to a Zen Underwater WAVP80 Wide Angle port, which totally replaces the glass port in the front of the Ikelite housing. It seems to be a lot sharper around the edges than the W-20 was, but it's a lot more expensive, too. I haven't tested it under conditons where ghosting reflections might occur yet.
Troutnut,
I came across a nearly identical looking option as well - the WP80. I was made aware of this lense by the distributor of Ikelite in Germany who claimed that his customers had bad results with both Epoque (or clone Ikelite) and Inon wet wc lenses. Marinecamera appeared to be the cheapest one at $350 for the WP80 kit - so not sure what the difference is to the Zen lens you found as it looks a lot more expensive. In any case, Marinecamera also advised against the WP80 as a supposed inferior "one lens fits all" by Fathom - they in turn advised to use the Inon but said that no wet lens is perfect.
Seems to me that a lot more depends on the mechanical fit between the cam, port and lens rather than quality of the lens in the end - any thoughts?
Cheers
Troutnut,
I came across a nearly identical looking option as well - Marinecamera also advised against the WP80 as a supposed inferior "one lens fits all" by Fathom - they in turn advised to use the Inon but said that no wet lens is perfect.
Cheers
This port looks very much like the mid range quality Fathom port that Gates distributes and sells for use on their housings. I have a Gates HC7/9 housing and the WP25 is what they call it.
I've only used this port twice but from intial looks I am quite pleased. Focus range is from the glass out. No vignetting, no distortion that I could see. My camera's zoom works about 80% of the zoom range.
In the Gates HC7 housing, this port's rear element is very close to the camera barrel. Just anough room for one flip down filter.
Looks like an appreciation for the video camera used by a person. she looks to be very satisfied with the camera which she is using.
