Hopefully quick question

[yzf2f16 0]

So, I replaced my PC-1000 with a CX-160. I have my cookie composite lens with 30mm threads but the CX-160 has 37mm threads. Are there any Step Down rings out there. I need 37 at the camera steped down to 30mm at the lens.

I know they make 30 to 37 but i have to go the other way unfortunately... or buy a new lens.

Thanks for any help

[yzf2f16 0]

sure enough... I post then find one. went ahead and purchased it.

Anyone else use a step down? will it cause any problems with FOV?

[dragon2 0]

Um, yeah, you really need to buy another lens.

This one won't fit as you found out, and you cannot screw on a smaller lens than your camera is, your video would look like it was shot through a roll of toilet paper (really, lol).

Also, for the CX you really want a HD lens which the cookie is not. There's plenty of threads about which HD lens to get for which purpose. F.i. the Opteka .3, rainox hd pro 30 and 50 series are good skydiving HD lenses.


On another note, just a tip: the camera you bought has OIS, so don't do any back/head-up flying with it (your profile doesn't list your disciplines).

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[evh 22]

sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I think a HD lens is not always neccesary.

It only makes sense (to me at least) if you want your final product to be in HD. AFAIK, most tandem video's are still burned to DVD (SD), not to BlueRay.
I still edit most of my vids in SD because of rendering time. So why spend the money? Why would you put the extra weight on your helmet?

For funjumps, RW competition, debriefing students: I love the small size and low weight of my Waycool 0.3.
For "serious" camerawork I use a better lens.

[dragon2 0]

The problem is you're degrading the image, whether you're shooting/editing/burning to HD or not.

The single element lenses especially are a bit crappy these days: there were already not excellent quality with the old SD cameras, but now, they're degrading the image much more.

The quality of an image you shoot (video of photo) is always degraded by a lens. Putting a less than decent lens in front of your camera is doing a disservice to any paying clients, IMO.

If you really need a small formfactor lens, because you're doing AFF, coach jumps or other inside video, sure by all means use one. But for everything else, why not use a suitable lens, I really do not get that.

Plus a raynox pro series lens is (way) cheaper than the single element lenses, so you could sell yours and not lose any or much money buying a HD lens

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[yzf2f16 0]

Quote

Um, yeah, you really need to buy another lens.

This one won't fit as you found out, and you cannot screw on a smaller lens than your camera is, your video would look like it was shot through a roll of toilet paper (really, lol).

Also, for the CX you really want a HD lens which the cookie is not. There's plenty of threads about which HD lens to get for which purpose. F.i. the Opteka .3, rainox hd pro 30 and 50 series are good skydiving HD lenses.


On another note, just a tip: the camera you bought has OIS, so don't do any back/head-up flying with it (your profile doesn't list your disciplines).

Thanks for the help... I do actually do a lot of sit-flying and back flying when fun jumping. Shooting tandems however, I only leave my belly to film the opening. What is this OIS and how bad will it screw up the video.

Thanks for helping a newb to this video stuff out.

[yzf2f16 0]

Also, yes, I got the toilet paper roll look and am in the process of getting a new lens. any recommendations that are not too expensive?

[dragon2 0]

Quote

Also, yes, I got the toilet paper roll look and am in the process of getting a new lens. any recommendations that are not too expensive?

Quote

F.i. the Opteka .3, rainox hd pro 30 and 50 series are good skydiving HD lenses

Which lens to get depends on how close you fly.

The opteka .3 is good for inside video, coaching etc or in-your-face tandems.
The raynox pro .5 is good if you fly a good bit further away, filming tandems, FS4 etc.
The raynox pro .3 falls in the middle of these 2 lenses, good for just about anything, provided you fly fairly close.


For OIS, which is Optical Steady Shot image stabilization, do a search on this forum. Preferably you want a camera with EIS (especially for headup/backflying), so it's best to avoid the OIS cameras for skydiving.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[yzf2f16 0]

Seeing that I already bought the CX-160, is there a way I can turn that feature off?

[dragon2 0]

Quote

Seeing that I already bought the CX-160, is there a way I can turn that feature off?

You can turn off image stabilisation in the menu of course, but because it's optical and not electronical, the lenses can still physically move. They probably WILL move in freefall, especially when back/head-up flying.

Hence the whole "warning" against using a camera with OIS for skydiving.

ciel bleu,
Saskia