Sigma 10-20mm / Subal DP FE2

[AndreSmith 15]

My Sigma 10-20mm is in the mail to me and I am hoping to receive it before I leave for Cozumel next week. In case I don't have time to try it out before I leave I am wondering if anyone has tried it out in a Subal C20 housing with DP FE2 port.

 

I am planning to use it with the EXR50 extension ring and a +2 / 77mm diopter. That is what is recommended for the Canon 17-40mm and Canon 10-22mm EFS lenses and the specs seem to be very similar. I was wondering if I might be able to get away with +1 diopter ( closest focussing distance of the lens is 24cm/9.4inch ) For a zoom ring Ryan has sent me the one for the Canon 10-22 EFS which I am also hoping will work.

 

Any ideas would be welcome.

 

Thanks, Andre

[TimG 62]

Hi Andre

 

I use the Nikkor 12-24 with the FE Subal. I don't use a diopter but do use a 50mm extension ring.

 

I'm sure there will be a reader who can help more, but it might be worth you emailing Subal in the meantime. I've found them very helpful.

[craig nelson 4]

Hi Andre

 

I rekon you should be able to use this len's without a Close up filter at all.

 

I'm not a Subal user, but my dome por(sea & sea) is about the approx diameter of the subal unit's and i can get the nikkor 18-70mm to work without.

 

Generally if the lens will focus at less than 12" then it should work fine, as most prime len's on our old 35mm on had about the same minimum focusing distance than the sigma.

 

I'm not a big fan of Close up filters anyhow, as i really cant see why we pay out for a really top class item of glass (lens) and then go and stick a cheap filter on the front of it destroying the optical quality that we have just purchased.

 

Although i have heard in some case's that dio's can actually serve to improve image quality.

 

i just can't get my head around it...

 

Please let me know how you get on with this len's as i'm about to order one myself, but its just the focus gear that is holding me back, if the canon item appears to work thats great, but please, let us know

 

regards

 

craig

[chilipino 0]

I've got the Canon 10-22 and will be shooting it with the DP FE2 + EXR50 tomorrow in a C20 housing. This will be my first time with the setup and I will use the recommended +2 diopter. I'll let you know how it turns out (warning: this will be my first time shooting WA with the rig so pictures may not be all that good). I hope to get some diver shots and jelly shots (I heard reports of alot of eggyolks in Carmel).

 

.mike

[AndreSmith 15]

Follow up:

 

I got the Sigma 10-20mm lens in time to shoot some pool tests:

 

The Canon 10-22mm zoom ring made by Subal does NOT fit. However I could do a Dremmel job to make it work.

 

The combination of extension ring ER50, Dome port DP-FE2 works perfectly. NO diopter is required. Can focus from infinity to ~ 10cm from dome underwater. Autofocus is fast.

 

I think I am going to love this one...

[Ryan 50]

My lens still hasn't been delivered, but once it is I'll find something that fits better...

[Viz'art 24]

The zoom ring is within a hair of the Nikkor 105mm focus ring diameter, I just got my 10-20mm 2 minutes ago and compared diameter, I know your Canon for for Nikon user, maybe they have the ring already.

[divegypsy 22]

Hi Guys,

 

Thought I'd chip in an idea or two on the Sigma 10-20. I already have the 12-24 Nikkor, but after reading the specs and looking at pictures there are several things to really like about the Sigma lens in addition to its being half the price of the Nikkor and a little bit wider.

 

It does focus a little closer which should definitely make it reasonable enough to use with no diopter in a 6" dome port. and the focus utilizes Sigma's hypersonic (Nikon AF-S) motor which means a manual focus gear would not have to be disengaged when using auto-focus. Nice.

 

Additionally, what I noticed in the website picture is that its two control rings, focus and zoom, are arranged in the more traditional way with the focus ring nearest the front of the lens and the zoom nearer the camera body. The advantage of this is that if you are using older "film" zoom lenses as well, this is the way they are. And this means that in a housing with dual controls, your zoom and focus controls remain the same as with your other lenses, not reversed as they would be on the Nikkor 12-24. This may not seem like a big deal, and perhaps it isn't most of the time. But when things are happening fast, and you're concentrating on the subject, there will be no tendency to turn the focus control when what you really want to do is zoom the lens. And vice versa.

 

The lens is interesting enough for these reasons that I will probably get one to try despite having the Nikkor. And may end up replacing the Nikkor with the Sigma, especially for underwater shooting, which at the moment I do with a Fuji S2.

 

divegypsy

 

[AndreSmith 15]

Here are some of my first Sigma 10-20mm pool test shots:

 

[AndreSmith 15]

And two more:

[Viz'art 24]

Thank for the pictures, I'm taking mine under tommorrow but in a much murkier water hole with a bunch of newbies, well like they say, mud bath are good for the epiderm . You have two shots with a tad of vignetting, are they from the dome shade position?

[AndreSmith 15]

. You have two shots with a tad of vignetting, are they from the dome shade position?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Good eyes! I had missed that - thanks for pointing that out. On reviewing all the pictures it only occurs at 10mm. I have several at 12mm which show no vignetting. So maybe the +2 diopter is correct after all. I am actually going to try +1 - that should do it dont you think?

[Viz'art 24]

I'm wondering if what we see is not the actual close-up lens showing up in the frame ???

[Viz'art 24]

Also I found out that the zoom ring for the 17-35mm from Sigma is the same for the 10-22, don't ask me why I have a ring for that crappy lens, hell I have so many ring I think I must have one even for my 500 f4,5 telephoto

[AndreSmith 15]

Ok, I do love this lens! It focuses very quickly and accurately even in the lowest light conditions. I found it to be a very usable zoom range for the 20D underwater. I ended up using it with a +2 diopter as that was what Subal recommende. Here are some samples at 10mm

[AndreSmith 15]

and here

[AndreSmith 15]

and at 20mm...

[Viz'art 24]

Good work, I am realy happy with mine also. good corner sharpness I use mine with the Aquatica 8" dome plus the same extension ring as the 105mm Macro, no diopter. I'm like you a happy camper

[Jolly 3]

it is a great lens. best aps-c wideangle I have used so far and 10mm is wide. Properly aligned behind dome glass, it delivers decent results even @10mm in the corners. I am very satisfied and excited to use it soon.

 

from the pool ... 10mm:

 

right corner full resolution:

 

 

Julian

[Jolly 3]

and close focus is less than 2cm from the dome - no dioptre!

 

Julian

[pmooney 6]

Has any one used this with the D2X / Subal FE2 combo ?