Baby Death Lens (MKII Century 37mm .3x wide angle)

[MartinOlsson 0]

Has anyone tried the opteka copy of the babydeath yet? They are selling it for 99 $ on their website. Is it a decent HD-lens or could you just as well buy a liquid?

/Martin

[Teigen 0]

I just ordered the Raynox 3032, i heard enough good about it, and it seems its the one to get if you're not getting the $300 baby death..

[MartinOlsson 0]

I have the 3032, but I'm not happy with how wide it is. It's a great lens, but not if your really close to the action.

/Martin

[Shoot 0]

So, it seems that the only two possibilities for a HD inside WA-lens on the CX100/105 are the Baby Death and the cheaper Opteka version of it...

Both quite big chunks of glass, would love to see a smaller lens with the same capabilities....

[billvon 2,738]

>I have the 3032, but I'm not happy with how wide it is. It's a great lens, but
>not if your really close to the action.

Yeah, the 3032 is the lens to get if you want a .5 for the CX100, but isn't all that wide compared to what it will do on, say, an HC5.

[Newbie 0]

Bill is that right? i.e. the Raynox 3032 on a CX100/105 is actually more like a 0.5 wide angle view?

Thanks

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[Blink 1]

Yes. (My name is Bill too)

It has to do with the narrower lense fitted to the camera.

[billvon 2,738]

> i.e. the Raynox 3032 on a CX100/105 is actually more like a 0.5 wide
>angle view?

On my helmet, a Raynox 3032 on a CX100 is just slightly (very slightly) wider than a Raynox 5050 on an HC1. They are almost identical in terms of field of view.

Attached is a still taken from the CX100/Raynox 3032 while filming 4-way. Unfortunately I don't have a screen grab from the HC1 on the same jump, but you can just see the HC1 lens on the left side of the image (it's a Raynox 5050.) The two cameras recorded very similar images, with the CX100 being very slightly wider.

[Newbie 0]

Thanks Bill, very useful.

I'm probably looking to get the Opteka 0.3 now - seen some footage on youtube, looks decent and a full 0.3 wide angle.

Cheers!

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[nraines 0]

There is no doubt that the Baby Death is a big lens. However it seems to be the best quality wide angle lens available to us at the moment. Yes, the front lens element is very exposed and yes it is expensive. I promise the clouds wont hurt it. As far as the airplane goes. Just know that there is a $300.00 piece of glass sitting on the top of your head. DONT BANG IT INTO ANYTHING!! Bear in mind that you may have a high end still camera lens up there as well. In this day of HD video, lenses are going to cost more. Gone are the days of the $30.00 Kenko. I tell people, " If you cant afford to break it, you cant afford to jump it."

As far as the issue of step up rings go, I strongly agree with DSE. Metal ones are better. Plastic becomes brittle and will fail. There will always be a chance that you can loose equipment. My opinion is that keeping my glass away from my risers will prevent the risers from knocking it off. i.e. don't watch your openings if you are shooting video.

[parabuteo 0]

I agree. It aggrevates me to death for someone to skimp on probably the most important part of your camera system. If you can put a expensive camera on your head then you should put a lens that will get you everything out of that camera.
this is similar to what I see with people in the gun store. These people come in and by the most expensive/custom rifles and then turn around and by a cheap scope for it. They will never get the best out of that gun with a cheap scope. I would rather have more scope than rifle. Just like I would rather have more glass than camera.