19 replies to this topic

[Drew]

Who says Canon doesn't care about us underwater peeps? Canon's demo video features scenes from Palaun and Californian sea scape shot by 5D2 and 7D in S&S MDX housings with a custom port (since at 8mm, the normal S&S dome port visors will show)
This video highlights the 8-15mm with full frame cameras in the very first sequence with a full zoom through from 8mm to 15mm. The important thing to note is the lens actually looks almost rectilinear at some point in that sequence, before going to the usual barrel distortion of fisheye again.

The video link

The making of video

[TheRealDrew]

With the crossover between stills, videos and lenses, gets confusing sometimes where to post

Some sample video from Canon of the 8-15 lens on a 5D Mark II and 7D, Samples Fortunately it is above and UW video.

[NWDiver]

Very well done. So dumb question is there anyway to add a red filter to these DSLR lenses, then white balance? Know it would be hard with fish eyes but in general?

[TheRealDrew]

Very well done. So dumb question is there anyway to add a red filter to these DSLR lenses, then white balance? Know it would be hard with fish eyes but in general?

Nauticam has a White Balance Port and I thought they had one also with a flip red filter, but guess I was wrong. You can use Magic Filters or other red filters on the lenses and WB from there, though the Red Filter would be on the entire dive. Maybe for flat/macro ports there can be red filters made that can be attached/detached easily while diving, like Ikelite has on some housings, for dome ports, I would guess it would be more difficult.

Who knows, so many things come along, we could be surprised yet again.

[adamhanlon]

Hi,

I believe that this lens has a filter holder-in which case a magic filter (or any other gel) will work fine. They are available in different sizes.

Adam

Edit: Drew beat me to it!

[Steve Williams]

Using a S&S 7D housing and a "custome dome port". Wonder what that is.

Steve

[PRC]

Similar to a "Custom Dome Port" Steve only much more exotic and expensive.

Reckon I can knock something out in my shed later.

Want to buy one ?

Paul C

[Steve Williams]

Reckon I can knock something out in my shed later.

Want to buy one ?

Paul C

I'm pretty sure I couldn't afford your master piece Paul, but I hear Drew is loaded. In his constant quest for perfection I'm sure he's already been to B&H looking at the new Canon 8-15. Better get out to the shed and get to work.

Cheers,
Steve

[Drew]

Merged the 2 threads together into video.

[Drew]

I have to say this lens is more intriguing than I thought it'd be.


Here at 8mm (I think) you get the full circular look with 16:9 cropping off the top bits.


Then the surprising thing is the very rectilinear look as the lens is zoomed in to 15mm. It looks REALLY wide.


At 15mm, the usual barrel distortion fisheye look and the camera is tracked up, showing off more of the distortion.

If there isn't an issue when shooting 3:2 stills, this lens looks very interesting.

[SimonSpear]

Very well done. So dumb question is there anyway to add a red filter to these DSLR lenses, then white balance? Know it would be hard with fish eyes but in general?

I've been using an Ikelite push on red filer over the lens and inside a dome port for WA (non fisheye) and for macro I've been putting it on the outside of the port in the same way that you would with an Ikelite video housing. It was the most practical and financially attractive option, especially for WA as any URPRO filter above 62mm gets really expensive really quickly! I don't want to sound like a broken record, but for video I've found that the Magic Filters don't work anywhere near as well, which is a shame as they are much more adaptable, especially as you can cut them to size really easy. I've heard from a couple of people that they may be bringing a new improved version of the Magic Filter sometime soon - so perhaps someone in the know could confirm or deny? I'd happily be the first customer if it is an improvement over the current filter!

Anyway back to the lens. It looks very interesting indeed, although it would be good to hear it confirmed at what point in the zoom is straightens out to no distortion.

Cheers, Simon

[bmyates]

I have to say this lens is more intriguing than I thought it'd be...
...If there isn't an issue when shooting 3:2 stills, this lens looks very interesting.

Ditto!

Edited by bmyates, 15 October 2010 - 12:36 PM.

[Drew]

Here's more info on the lens from Canon:
Canon EF8-15mm white paper.

According to the diagram, the full fisheye effect of 180° diagonal/94° vertical is at 15mm, which corresponds to the video since the very straight line is right in the middle with distortion covered by sky or sea.

[loftus]

I'm not sure how this makes any sense, to have a rectilinear look in the middle of the range. Could this not just be that the camera is perfectly horizontally aligned in the rectilinear looking image, with a slight tilt either way resulting in up or down curvature?

[Drew]

Jeff, the rectilinear look is at 15mm. I just realized my wording makes sounds like it's mid-zoom. but it's not.
I'm pretty sure there is barrel distortion pass the 16:9 crop of video. But in video mode, it looks very wide with not so much distortion within the video frame. That's great news for video shooters underwater, especially crop shooters who 180° diagonal FOV, which the Tokina 10-17 doesn't give.

[loftus]

especially crop shooters who 180° diagonal FOV, which the Tokina 10-17 doesn't give.

Canon FOV is les correct? Nikon is 180 degrees
http://www.tokinalen...x107afdx-b.html

[Drew]

Yes. The Tokina is 10mm and the Canon crop is 1.6x, so it is 0.1x smaller than the Nikon crop. So the Nikon gets a slightly wider fisheye effect than the Canon version due to the difference in crop. I don't have the test files with me but I tried it on the 7D and D300 and the FOV was different. Not that it makes a lot of difference but with the 8-15, you can even get to the theoretical 185° and not have vignetting. I guess we'll see in about 2 mths time when it ships.

[ack.ccr]

This is indeed a beautiful video!

My complaint is that Canon seem to have gone to extreme lengths to stop people from downloading it. I have used it to "advertise" the lens to friends, but it is not always available on their site. A couple of weeks ago I referred some UW photographers to it, but Canon's site came up with "This video is not available, please try later" for several days! I think Canon should have tried to spread it as broadly as possible, e.g. by putting it on YouTube .

Has anybody been able to download this video? I would be VERY interested! I wouldn't agree to any copyright-related objections; after all, I'm using it to promote their lens.

[Drew]

Ack
whether you are promoting their lens or selling hangers, it's Canon's video and you need permission to use it. Copyright isn't only when it's convenient.

[Steve Douglas]

Had no problems opening the link and watching the film. I remembered it from some time ago, definitely not a new piece. Hope I didn't make an error getting the 10-17 Tokina for the 7D just a couple of weeks ago rather than this one.
Steve

Edited by Steve Douglas, 06 October 2011 - 10:49 AM.