Multiple Lenses Canon Powershot Pro 1

bif000 · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 9 Location: UK

I have a Canon Powershot Pro 1 and have now accumulated several lens filters. My latest purchase is a 0.45X wide angle lens. It came with a macro lens attached to it.

1. Do I need to take the macro lens off to take wide angle pictures?

2. I have a UV filter attached to the camera, does this need to be removed each time I attach the wide angle lens or can the wide angle lens be screwed on over it?

3. When I attach the wide angle lens to the camera, it seems like I am viewing the potential shot through a black hole; surely this is not correct?

4. The wide angle lens has come with a conversion lens adapter set - two aluminium metal tubes. What do I do with them?

nkg · Posted: Thu 20 Dec, 2007 5:56 am Subject:

1) Generally the "macro" bit is part of the optical formula of the adapter and is required for normal use. Only way to find out is to test it.

2) Doubling filters is likely to reduce image quality. But it's probably more time-consuming to remove it. Up to you.

3) The lens simulates a fisheye effect, doesn't it? So you get a black area with a circular bit in the middle. That's how they work - they simulate a 180 degree circular field of view, and don't try to fill the frame.

4) Don't know. Probably they're macro extension tubes for closeup photography if they're just hollow tubes.

bif000 · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 9 Location: UK

Am I right in thinking that a wide angle lens is used for more scenic/panoramic shots where you want to capture the widest view possible?

With regard to the fisheye effect, I noticed that when I used the zoom, the dark areas disappeared. I assume that is normal?

Also, with regard to the dark areas, if I take a shot when the dark areas are seen in the viewer, will they appear on the picture?

nkg · Posted: Thu 20 Dec, 2007 7:08 pm Subject:

1) Not at all. You might be in a restaurant and want to take a photo of a bunch of friends in a small room. Wide angle is for any wide angle view.

2) Sure. When you zoom in you're moving past the black area. You can see this in the viewfinder.

3) Have you tried it? Yes.

bif000 · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 9 Location: UK

I am sorry to be an idiot but I really do not understand the point of the fisheye effect. As I understand it, you use the wide angle lens to photograph a group of friends in a small room. Okay great. With you so far. But why is that not the same as wanting to take a panoramic picture? Surely you are doing the same thing, trying to get as much of the wider detail into the picture as possible?

I do not see the point of the dark areas. You move past the dark areas as you zoom closer to the subject and the dark areas disappear; so why are they there then, what is the purpose?

Just got a 2.0X telephoto lens. This has the same dark area effect. So under what circumstances do use this type of lens?

nkg · Posted: Thu 20 Dec, 2007 10:40 pm Subject:

The dark area doesn't have a "purpose". It's a byproduct of the design of the cheap adapter. The adapter is projecting a wider angle view of the world, though one that's all curved because it doesn't try to display straight lines as straight (except for straight lines which go through the middle of the lens) and projects that onto the real lens.

http://photonotes.org/reviews/fisheye-adapter/