FZ5 and wide-angle converters

Anyone using a wide-angle converter for the Panasonic FZ5?

To David J. Taylor:
Why do you use another camera for your wide-angle option instead of using a
converter for the FZ5?
I see people having good results with the Raynox dcr6600 giving the FZ5 a
w-a of
24 mm.


Aslak Bjerkvik
(Sorry if anyone received this twice, I tried to cancel the first message
due to a some spelling errors)

Aslak Bjerkvik wrote:
Anyone using a wide-angle converter for the Panasonic FZ5?

To David J. Taylor:
Why do you use another camera for your wide-angle option instead of
using a converter for the FZ5?
I see people having good results with the Raynox dcr6600 giving the
FZ5 a w-a of
24 mm.


Aslak Bjerkvik

Aslak,

I bought the Nikon 8400 before the FZ5. I analysed the images I had taken
during a recent trip, using ExposurePlot:

http://www.vandel.nl/

and found that I had taken many at the widest angle of my Nikon 5700
(35mm). The manufacturers' own converter lens for that camera is
expensive and heavy, and relatively bulky, so I got the Nikon 8400 with
the thought of swapping the Nikon 5700. Shortly after that, my wife got a
Panasonic FZ20, and when I had a chance to handle that, see the image
quality, and appreciate how good the image stabilisation was, I wanted one
myself. By the time I bought mine, the FZ5 was available, and "good
enough" for me. I later sold the Nikon 5700 (which has no image
stabilisation, and a 280mm maximum zoom).

Perhaps if I only had the Panasonic FZ5 I would indeed get a wide-angle
converter. As it is, it's quicker to pull out the Nikon and use that. It
also has an 8MP 8.8 x 6.6mm sensor, so provides a shade more quality than
the FZ5 should I need that. Oh, and better movies. So, at the moment, I
don't feel the need to reduce to just one camera, even though I arrived at
two cameras by chance!

Cheers,
David

On Thu, 12 Jan 2006 15:13:15 +0100, "Aslak Bjerkvik"
wrote:

Anyone using a wide-angle converter for the Panasonic FZ5?

Yes, at least one. Me.

I see people having good results with the Raynox dcr6600 giving the FZ5 a
w-a of
24 mm.

That's the one. The HD6600 is exactly the same base lens but
is available in more thread sizes now including 55mm.
However, the standard adapter tube is a little too long and
vignetting *may* result if the lens is mounted directly,
you'd have to try it and see.

I have the 52mm version and I modified the adapter tube to
give me a closer 52mm metal thread. It works very well.

--
John Bean