wwp@yahoogroups.com:
Re: Raynox DCR-CF185PRO( was Another introduction)
Bjørn K Nilssen 2006-Mar-22 10:39:00
On 22 Mar 2006 at 9:28, Wim Koornneef wrote:
> The main reason I reply to your introduction,
> besides to just say "Hello Bj?rn" is to warn you
> about the Raynox185Pro lens.
>
> Its is a wonderful lens, sharp, low CA, low
> flare, a huge angle (+190 degree useable) and
> suited for many purposes but NOT, I repeat NOT
> for making VR panos because the lens is not build
> like a normal fisheye lens.
> The distortion especially in the center is very
> hard to correct with any PanoTools based
> application.
>
> I bought a Raynox185Pro and I tried it very hard
> to get it working on a Panasonic FZ5, I even made
> a custom build pano head to support the huge lens
> (besides the lens distortions this is the only
> negative issue of this fine lens) but at the end
> I returned it to the vendor.
>
> Definitely not useful.
>
> I also tried the Nikon FC-E9 but although that
> lens is a"normal" fisheye and working as expected
> it is not half as crispy as the Raynox185 Pro. So
> I also returned that lens as well.
>
> I am now very happy working with a Sigma8 lens on
> a DSLR camera. My advice, if you want to buy a
> fisheye adapter lens, is to buy a Raynox180 full
> frame fisheye. This lens is well suited for
> making VR panos (6 round+1 up+1 down). You know
> that Stitcher don't work with short fisheye
> lenses ? You have to use a PanoTools based
> application but the results will be fine.
I have read some warnings about using this lens for panos, but at the same time
there are apparently some people using it with good results? I read that it
didn't work with a specific pan tool (PanoWeaver or some other automatic
stitcher?), but it's the first time I read that it does not work well with
Panotools and PTgui. I saw a used lens at ebay from a guy in Spain who was
selling it because he had found out that it wasn't what he needed for his
purposes. Maybe he wanted to use it for panos too? Maybe I should look at the
180 instead then? Unfortunately it's even heavier, and it is not a full
circular fisheye, which means that it will not allow me to make quick panos
from only a few shots. 6+2 is still a lot less than 16, but for HDR panos,
which will also be very useful in 3D for lighting the scene) it will still be
a lot of images to shoot. I'm considering doing some real estate interior
panos, and then I need a very efficient equipment. Most of the interior panos
here are quite low quality, so I guess there should be a market for better
quality (and higher prices..), and that may require HDR?
I have deliberatley stayed away from dSLRs because of the lack of a LCD
preview, but now that Olympus has released their new E330, and Panasonic is on
their way with a similar camera, I may take the plunge soon. Olympus has a
Zuiko digital fisheye, but I don't think it is available yet. I really would
love to be able to use the zoom with the fisheye though, allowing every focal
length from CF up to around 24mm eqv, which I would get with that Raynox 185
lens...
BTW, I read some of your(?) comments/warnings about that lens at
http://www.kekus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1006
I also downloaded the 4 CF images from there and tried to stitch them. As they
were not taken with a panohead I also had problems in PTgui. It did stitch
eventually, but not without seams and misalignments. I thought that was caused
more by the parallax problems rather than the distrortion of the lens?
You don't happen to have any of your raw 185 shots so that I could try to
stitch them? I guess even rather lo-res versions would be able to convince me?
-- #removed# // Bj?rn K?re Nilssen http://bknilssen.no/
Kristiansand, Norway