Opteka HD² 0.20X Professional Super AF Fisheye Lens for Canon Powershot G10 & G11 Digital Camera
by Opteka
(Click here)
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: OptekaModel: OPT20XFISHG10
Product features:
- Originally designed for dentists and medical use
- 4 elements of high definition optical glass that provides unbelievable detail
- Lens caps included
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Opteka HD² 0.20X Professional Super AF Fisheye Lens for Canon Powershot G10 & G11 Digital Camera
Customer Review: Excellent quality for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
The descriptions of this lens are sorely lacking, so the first part of my review is information the manufacturer should have provided:
What you get in the box:
* G10 flange-mount to 58mm threaded adapter
* 58mm to 52mm adapter ring (and a 55mm to 52mm adapter ring you won't need with the G10)
* Fisheye add-on lens (52mm thread mount)
* Front and rear lens caps
In other words, you don't have to buy anything else along with this lens. If you have a Canon G10, it comes with everything you need. I had to call 47th Street Photo to confirm that.
When set up and mounted, the entire lens projects about five inches from the front surface of the camera, making it look like a miniaturized SLR.
Now that I have the lens, I understand a bit better how it works. At the camera's widest zoom angle, the fisheye circle takes up the center 1/4 of the frame, with black around it. At about mid-zoom, the majority of the frame is image, with black corners. At full zoom, you have roughly the equivalent of the camera by itself at its widest angle, and no barrel/fisheye distortion is evident. With the variable zoom, you can choose whether you have a rectangular or circular fisheye effect, although the barrel distortion becomes much less evident as you move toward rectangular.
The glass quality is pretty good. Images are clear, and the autofocus system works correctly. Opteka recommends setting the camera to a narrow aperture and focus at infinity, although shooting in low light with normal (large aperture) settings seems to work well with the G10. There is noticeable chromatic aberration at the edges of the fisheye circle, but we're talking about a $60 lens here.
The mount is a little shaky feeling -- the add-on barrel doesn't snick solidly into place like an SLR lens does (which is a pity, it wouldn't have been hard to make the mount that carefully; I don't know if this is a limitation of the camera or the Opteka mount, though). It's not going to come off, but it's a bit mobile on the camera, which feels a bit cheesy. The extension barrel and lens themselves are nicely machined, and appear to be high quality. Although the Opteka copy says it's "Made and Designed in Japan" (from their website), the lens I received is clearly marked CHINA. No shock for the price, but a bit off-putting to have expectations set incorrectly (the box says "Designed in Japan" on the side, and "Made in China" on the bottom). Until I saw the CHINA marking, I would have been willing to believe the lens was made in Japan as well, so this isn't a ding on the quality, more a ding on Opteka's marketing department.
Due to its size, this add-on lens takes the G10 from "barely pocketable" to requiring a bag of some variety. It nearly doubles the bulk of the camera if you want to carry both G10 and fisheye with you.
I'm very satisfied with the lens, and highly recommend it if you have occasional recreational use for a fisheye lens, and don't want to drop $700+ on a decent fisheye for your SLR. I would not recommend it for regular or professional use except as an option of last resort, mostly due to the shaky mount and likely marginal durability.
UPDATE: February 17, 2010
I have upgraded to the G11, and am pleased to report that this add-on lens also works well with the G11. There have been no problems with the lens, although it hasn't seen a whole lot of action. I have one new gripe, which is that with the supplied lens caps, the extension tube and fisheye lens must be separated in order to have a lens cap on the back of the fisheye. It's not a huge deal, but I'd prefer to have a rear lens cap that fits on the extension tube instead of threading onto the back of the lens unit, so I don't have to unscrew the two pieces every time the lens is put away.
More Opteka HD² 0.20X Professional Super AF Fisheye Lens for Canon Powershot G10 & G11 Digital Camera reviews:
1 2
1 2
Description of Opteka HD² 0.20X Professional Super AF Fisheye Lens for Canon Powershot G10 & G11 Digital Camera
Opteka 10x HD² Professional Macro Lens for Canon Powershot G10 & G11 Digital Camera Very Nice Product Now you can take close-up shots like you never took before. Opteka proudly presents the next HD10X macro lens. Originally designed for dentists and medical use, the HD10X is now available to the public. Unlike current single element lenses, the HD10X has 4 elements of high definition optical glass that provides unbelievable detail. Cameras fitted with normal lenses do not permit us to move closer than a certain minimum distance from the object being photographed. The Close-Up lens, which is simply mounted in the front of our normal taking lens, permits the taking of close- ups and also makes possible the photography of details which would be quite impossible without using the Close-Up lens. The easy to use solution for getting extra close. These lenses enable you to get much closer than the minimum focus of the standard camera lens - as close as 4 inches from the subject. Ideal for cataloging small items and focusing on details. Features: * Now you can take close-up shots like you never took before * Enables you to get much closer than the minimum focus of the standard camera lens - as close as 4 inches from the subject.Lenses
Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
Bestsellers in Lenses
Sigma 180mm f/ 3.5 EX IF HSM Macro Lens for Canon SLR CamerasSIGMA; Digital Camera
Best price: $706.26
Price in other shops:
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro Super Lens for Pentax-AF CameraSigma Corporation; Digital Camera
Best price: $239.00
Price in other shops:
Sigma 300mm F2.8 EX APO HSM Lens for Pentax-AF CameraSIGMA; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Tamron AF28-200 f/ 3.8-5.6 Super II Macro Minolta Mount Lens (Silver)Tamron; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Tiffen 72mm Wide Angle Rubber Lens ShadeTiffen; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Pentax SCMP-FA, 100-300mm Autofocus Zoom LensPentax; Digital Camera
Best price: $350.00
Price in other shops:
Pentax SMCP-FA 35-80mm Autofocus Zoom LensPentax; Digital Camera
Vivitar 75-300mm Manual Focus Zoom Lens for Pentax/ Ricoh CameraVivitar; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Vivitar 28-210mm Manual Focus Zoom Lens for Nikon CameraVivitar; Digital Camera
Best price: $325.00
Price in other shops:
Minolta Maxxum 24mm-85mm f3.5-4.5 Zoom LensKonica Minolta; Digital Camera
Best price: $399.00
Price in other shops:
Similar Digital Cameras & Photo Products
Sandisk 8GB EXTREME SDHC SD Card Class 6 (SDSDX3-8192 Bulk Package)SanDisk; CE
Best price: $34.69
Canon PowerShot G10 / G11: From Snapshots to Great Shotsby Jeff Carlson
Peachpit Press; Peachpit Press; Published: 2009-12-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.44
Price in other shops:
Canon PSC-5200 Deluxe Leather Case for Canon Powershot G10 Digital CameraCanon; Digital Camera
Best price: $16.95
Hi Capacity 1300Mah Lithium Battery For Canon NB-7L ACD295Vidpro; Digital Camera
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops:
Canon PowerShot G11 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Stabilized Zoom and 2.8-inch articulating LCDCanon; Digital Camera
Best price: $569.99
Price in other shops:
Canon NB-7L Lithium-Ion Battery Pack for Canon G10 & G11 Digital Cameras (Retail Package)Canon Cameras US; Digital Camera
Best price: $46.95
Price in other shops:
Opteka 58mm Lens Adapter (Two-part) for Canon Powershot G10 & G11 Digital CameraOpteka; Digital Camera
Best price: $12.99
58mm Two Piece Lens Adapter for Canon Powershot G10, G11 (an alternative to the LA-DC58K)Bower; Digital Camera
Best price: $5.95
Canon LA-DC58K Conversion Lens Adapter for Canon G10 & G11 Digital CamerasCanon Cameras US; Digital Camera
Best price: $28.95
Price in other shops:
Canon TC-DC58D Tele Converter Lens for Canon G10 and G11 Digital Camera (requires LA-DC58K Lens Adapter)Canon Cameras US; Digital Camera
Best price: $99.95
Price in other shops: