I have been coming here for a long time, today decided to join.
I have used a G9 in Canon housing for 3 years now, recently changed to S95 with Ikelite housing and S2000.
I was disappointed at the wide angle possibilities (at that time) with the canon G9 and canon housing so I decided to try to make my own.
This is what I found worked pretty well:
Need:
- an old analog SLR wideangle lens (I used a Vivitar and a Tokina, both found on flea market for under 10$)
- a spacer the same diameter as the lens (I used the cap of a spraycan)
- Some masking tape
Remove the actual glass lenses from the wide angle lenses, keep the big one thats concave at one side. When you look through it it should already work as a fisheye lens.
Find something to make a spacer. The new lens needs to be 8mm from the camera lens, I used a little cut plastic cap from a spraycan.
The spacer is necessary because you want the extra lens as close to the glass part of the lens barrel of the housing. If you would not use the spacer you would see the inside of the housings lens barrel due to the wide angle.
This also means that you can not use the zoom more than about 30%. After about 30% the lens starts moving forward when zooming, causing the fisheye lens to hit the housing and cause a lens error.
Use masking tape to attach the lens and spacer in front of the camera lens.
You will have to zoom in a little bit, about 20%, to eliminate vignetting.
The G9 in combination with this lens lets you focus right in front of the lens port, so 'close focus wide angle' is possible.
Always use the macro setting, also if you are shooting something not close like a reef scenery, it will only focus on the macro setting.
These are some photos I have taken with this lens:
You can see more of my photos here: http://www.flickr.co...ter/5472992764/
It works fine on land as well, the spacer is not necessary anymore, no vignetting and no need to zoom in.
Id be happy to answer any questions!
Cheers, Xander
Edited by Xanderwater, 27 March 2011 - 10:50 PM.
