
Inon UCL-165 vs. UCL-330 Macro close lens.
#1
Posted 05 September 2010 - 07:38 PM
I'm itching to get a macro/closeup lens & have been thinking about those 2 mentioned above. As a newbie, I'm not sure which is more practical to get. The 330mm or 165mm wet lens? Does the 330mm means that I could stay further away from the subject? Anybody care to comment on the quality of these lenses? Could you enlighten me on the pros & cons of both lenses? Thanks in advance & hope to hear from some of you soon.
Cheers,
Bart.
#2
Posted 06 September 2010 - 05:48 AM
Hi all,
I'm itching to get a macro/closeup lens & have been thinking about those 2 mentioned above. As a newbie, I'm not sure which is more practical to get. The 330mm or 165mm wet lens? Does the 330mm means that I could stay further away from the subject? Anybody care to comment on the quality of these lenses? Could you enlighten me on the pros & cons of both lenses? Thanks in advance & hope to hear from some of you soon.
Cheers,
Bart.
The 330 is useless; it doesn't give you any more than you can get with the camera set on supermacro. You want the 165 and you want to buy two of them so you can stack them for really ultra macro. The stacked 165s are tricky to use - move the camera towards the subject until it begins to clear in the viewfinder/monitor, then half press for AF and take the shot. Take lots of shots; DOF is razor thin and only a few images will be what you want.
Oly 5050 with stacked 165s:


Edited by jlyle, 06 September 2010 - 05:50 AM.
8mm, 12-50mm, 45mm lenses
My web page.
#3
Posted 06 September 2010 - 07:26 PM
Fitted to the M67 long port on an Ike housing (G9) a single 330 is a perfect tool for portraits and one or two 165's allow close macro work while preserving sufficient 'strobe room' for creative lighting. Let the glass do the work and refrain from using the camera's macro setting.
My Nauticam's (7D) macro port is also M67 threaded and, again, a 330 or one or two 165's really do make the 100mm macro lens much more flexible to the extent that my 60mm macro glass is now, more or less, redundant.
HTH, Tim
Edited by Timmoranuk, 06 September 2010 - 07:27 PM.
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#4
Posted 06 September 2010 - 11:39 PM
For macro - defenetly go with 2 x 165 UCL's
Cheers
Karel
www.karelbernard.com
Karel Bernard
Canon G9 in Ikelite Housing; SubStrobe DS-160
WA lens Ikelite W-20; Inon UCL-165 M67 Close-up Lenses
#5
Posted 07 September 2010 - 10:05 AM
I read that its difficult to get in focus with 2 lenses, so would it be a good idea to practice with only 1 lens first?
i understand that using only 1 i wont get supermacro shots but i believe ill be able to take nice macro shots right?
Thanks
#6
Posted 07 September 2010 - 11:29 AM
I read everywhere:" use 2 UCL-165.." but i want to know if i would get good results using just 1 lens for now..
I read that its difficult to get in focus with 2 lenses, so would it be a good idea to practice with only 1 lens first?
i understand that using only 1 i wont get supermacro shots but i believe ill be able to take nice macro shots right?
Thanks
One is good, but two is better! You have a great deal of flexibility with two "wet" macro adapters. Depending on the size of your subject, use none, one or two.
8mm, 12-50mm, 45mm lenses
My web page.
#7
Posted 07 September 2010 - 10:36 PM
So, the take home message I got from all of you are:
1. Definitely get the 165 (x2 if possible) instead of the 330 version since the 330 is more useful for portraiture work while the 165 more for macro work.
2. Stacking caused very shallow DOF, so have to be careful with focusing, therefore must shoot a lot per subject.
3. To use the 165, DO NOT activate the in-camera macro function
4. both the "wetties" (hah!

5. Although all the pros here suggested getting x2 165, being a newbie in "wetties", with all due respect, I do have to agree with mikeqc, not to take the leap of faith in getting both 165s at the same time at least at this point of time (budget being the main consideration of course.

Thanks once again......KOMODO, here I come...hehehe
Cheers from gloomy Kuala Lumpur,
Bart
#8
Posted 08 September 2010 - 05:02 AM
The basic technique I used was to Lock and Rock. Approach your subject, get your focus lock, compose, rock camera back and
forth until the image appears sharpest then release shutter.
Some images taken with UCL 165 lens.
Cheers,
Jim.
Underwater Images My portfolio on Redbubble Topside Nature Images
In between housings. Nikon 60mm, 105mm, 10-24mm, 18-55mm, Tokina 10-17mm, Kenko 1.4 TC, SubSee +5 & +10 magnifiers & Inon Z240 strobes.
#9
Posted 08 September 2010 - 11:09 AM
When using Stacked UCL-165 best to shoot in Manual so as to set the aperture a high as possible to give the best possible DOF.
The basic technique I used was to Lock and Rock. Approach your subject, get your focus lock, compose, rock camera back and
forth until the image appears sharpest then release shutter.
Some images taken with UCL 165 lens.
Cheers,
Jim.
Good advice from Jim IF your compact actually has an 'effective' aperture (the Canon G series does). Many don't and the "f stop" is merely an electronic neutral density filter... Check by shooting along the length of a ruler or across ruled paper at various f stops. If you find that there's no difference in the DOF between f/2.8 and f/8.0 then shoot wide open. Why deprive yourself of light if there's not any benefit?
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#10
Posted 05 October 2010 - 04:01 PM
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#11
Posted 05 April 2013 - 03:37 AM
I also want to purchase a macro wetlense which I can use with this mount base:
http://www.divervisi...e335acu2qpcib94
I alternate between the UCL-165, which is a +5, and this one: UCL-02 with M67 connector +8 /125mm, which is a +8.
Many people recommend to stack two +5 together.
My question: If due to budget restrictions I don't want to purchase two UCL-165 +5 lenses, would you then recommnd me to buy the +8 or just the +5 ?