Thomas Pas
Posts: 1
Location:
Registered: 28 Dec 2007
|
Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 28 Dec 2007 at 16:23 GMT
|
|
Hello,
I have a Panasonic Lumix FZ50... great camera... and I used to create virtual tours with a one shot solution.
The quality is really poor and I would like to switch to a more professional system.
I would like to keep my FZ50, can someone recommend a good lens that will fit on it, probably a fisheye, I would like to be able to create panoramas after 2 shots.
Thank you for your answers, I don't look for a crazy expensive solution but I would like to have a GOOD result.
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Smooth
Posts: 1468
Location: Australia
Registered: 21 Jul 2004
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 28 Dec 2007 at 17:26 GMT
|
|
It may be possible to adapt a Nikon FC-E8 or FC-E9 Fisheye to your camera. The only other suitable Fisheye lens would be the Raynox DCR-CF185PRO = tinyurl.com/23cxmm
No other lenses would be of suitable quality.
Regards, Smooth 
www.smooth360.info
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Mark Schuster
Posts: 730
Location: Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom
Registered: 25 Jan 2006
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 28 Dec 2007 at 19:17 GMT
updated: 28 Dec 2007 at 19:18 GMT
|
|
This thread follows hard on the heels of another about fisheye conversion lenses:
www.panoguide.com/forums/qna/4172/
To settle the matter about these cheap alternatives to Sigma and Peleng, it would be nice to see some panoramas made with converson lenses. Anybody got some?
Mark
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Psionman
Posts: 18
Location: Berlin, Germany
Registered: 5 May 2004
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 28 Dec 2007 at 19:41 GMT
|
|
Look at my Site www.panoseite.de
All of my equipanos are made with conversion lenses.
1. Nikon E8
2. Raynox 180pro
3. Raynox 185pro
Volker
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Mark Schuster
Posts: 730
Location: Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom
Registered: 25 Jan 2006
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 28 Dec 2007 at 21:57 GMT
updated: 28 Dec 2007 at 22:13 GMT
|
|
Jolly interesting, Volker. No, no, really nice scenes. Well you have told us a bit about conversion lenses used but not on which cameras, or other technical stuff about your equipment.
I was very surprised on opening the Chrysler Building views in your default page. All the verticals, were really vertical, which surprised me (oh, said that already) having been told so much about barrel distortion, but at the same time, climbing the wall with the mouse the brickwork gets 'fuzzy'.
And you provide the answer with your excellent site. By clicking the 'Equirectangular' link at the top we get the whole view, including the crumbling upper brickwork. Then click 'Uebersicht' and there is a nice view of iron railings. Well nice until you look up to the spikes on top. Oh dear, they do get blurry. (Is that due to barrel distortion?) And when we click to 'Fullscreen' we at once realize why you have cropped the panorama in order to hide the tops of the fence.
Then there are other panoramas which make no pretence at being full sphericals, at the same time, are they really cylindrical. Strange curvatures on the flat front of buildings.
Some scenes have good depth of focus, others poor focus altogether. I suppose diferent lenses were used, and perhaps different primary lenses too.
Please don't be offended, Volker, yours is a fantastic site, and it is clearly made by a top photographer, but all in all, it isn't a good recommendation for conversion lenses.
Anybody else got any full 360x180s made with conversion lenses?
Mark
P.S. Some of the sun shots are incredible. Better than I've seen with some Sigma f/3.5 8mm lenses.
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Smooth
Posts: 1468
Location: Australia
Registered: 21 Jul 2004
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 29 Dec 2007 at 6:35 GMT
|
|
Mark,
You should not confuse people here. The conversion lenses we are talking about are NOT for DSLR use so should never be compared to Peleng, Sigma, Tokina or Nikkor fisheye lenses.
Of all the lenses for "point 'n' shoot" prosumer cameras really people are limited to (3) choices Nikon FC-E8, FC-E9 and the Raynox range of fisheye converter lenses.
The rubbish sold (relative unknown bands) on ebay etc should be avoided at all costs.
Regards, Smooth
www.smooth360.info
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
erik
Posts: 69
Location: Kortrijk, Belgium
Registered: 5 Aug 2004
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 29 Dec 2007 at 10:44 GMT
|
|
Have a look at:
I use the FC-E9 on my Panasonic FZ1, FZ10 and Nikon D50 with 18-55mm, the FC-E8 won't work for me.
The FC-E9 has a 46mm thread, above cameras/lens all have a 52mm tread so you will need a adapter ring, i've found a 49-52 to 46mm adapter
Erik
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Psionman
Posts: 18
Location: Berlin, Germany
Registered: 5 May 2004
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 29 Dec 2007 at 12:16 GMT
|
|
@Mark
If you click on the startpage the different "Nodalpunktadapter" links, you see the different cameras and
equipment over the years. The different qualities of the panos is to explain:
The newest are "Bayern - Eichstätt", here I use the R1 with VCL-DEH 08 (approx. 19mm)(multirow) and made 2 x 8 + up + down.
Resulting size is about 20000x10000 and the best quality that I have.
More Examples made withe same equipment is "Berlin - Oberhavel and Sechserbrücke" Nadir with PTGui Viewpoint.
The Crysler Panos are made with R1 and Raynox 185Pro 6 shots and no Nadir no Zenit.
Therefore you got the bad quality in the sky. The bad corners of the converter are not eliminated in this areas.
And I have no PhotoShop and I'm not a cloning and retoushing specialist.
My thinking to chang from Raynox 180 to Raynox 185 was the better resolution and the hope that with 185°
the zenit is not nessesary. It is not so, the angle is not 185° at all, but the resolution is ok.
I am in the buildingprocess of a new Noalpoint adapter so the up and downshot with the raynox185pro is possible and not freehand.
Then I improve my workflow to get better quality in the top.
A little bit OT , sorry.
Volker
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
ebig
Posts: 154
Location: Haiku, Maui, Hawaii, United States
Registered: 21 May 2007
|
Re: Fisheye for Panasonic FZ50... I am getting confused
Posted: 29 Dec 2007 at 18:25 GMT
|
|
Just a few thoughts...
1 - Hard to get quality by hanging more glass onto your FZ50. The FZ50 has 13 elements in 10 groups and a FC-E9 would add 6 elements in 4 groups. A prime lens is better.
2 - Sensor size is a quality factor - the FZ50 has a 1/1.8" sensor (c. 5x7cm,) while a low-cost Canon or Nikon an "APS" size (c. 15x22 cm) almost 10x larger.
3 - The more shots the more quality - a 2 shot solution will be inferior to a multi-shot solution.
4 - Quality is also a function of output resolution needed - a small image (say on-screen, 320x200) doesn't need the hardware and technique of a full screen, which doesn't need as much as a large print.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Ed
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
erik
Posts: 69
Location: Kortrijk, Belgium
Registered: 5 Aug 2004
|
Pano made with FZ10 + FC-E9
Posted: 29 Dec 2007 at 22:20 GMT
|
|
Pano made with FZ10 + FC-E9
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Mark Schuster
Posts: 730
Location: Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom
Registered: 25 Jan 2006
|
Re: Pano made with FZ10 + FC-E9
Posted: 30 Dec 2007 at 0:01 GMT
|
|
Smooth, I certainly don’t mean to confuse people but was simply trying to illicit some answers about conversion lenses. You see, the effect of my questions kept this thread going with some useful answers, yours included. Other times important threads simply die without reaching any useful conclusion, like this one on the same subject. www.panoguide.com/forums/qna/4172/ You see, now I have learned from you that the type of lenses Thomas Pas referred to are applicable only to point-and-shoot compacts, or prosumers (a term I abhor). More important, by asking for examples of panoramas made with conversion lenses, we got a reply from Volker with link to his very well laid-out site.
And Volker, as you suggested I took a look at your panoramas of the cathedral at Eichstätt. Very imposing views both internal and of the courtyard. Really nice panoramas with very few stitching errors (only seen full screen) and unusually well exposed stained glass windows, but oh, just not sharp enough. Zoom into the colourful alter and see what I mean. I’m inclined to go along with what Ed hints. Time to upgrade to a semi-pro dSLR and good fisheye lens, otherwise your talents may be wasted. I learned the hard way. It was only last May that I got myself a “proper” camera and reasonably good fisheye. I’m still not satisfied. Now I want a Canon 5D and Sigma f/3.5 8mm. Well I can dream, can’t I?
Erik, tried your link but got a "black eye". Apparently I don't have permission to view it.
Mark
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Smooth
Posts: 1468
Location: Australia
Registered: 21 Jul 2004
|
Re: Pano made with FZ10 + FC-E9
Posted: 30 Dec 2007 at 4:48 GMT
|
|
Mark, I take your point. But as the topic of this thread states "I'm getting Confused" suggestion of Sigma and Peleng only added to the already confused because you cannot fit these pro SLR lenses to the camera stated in the topic of the thread. So you abhor the term Prosumer? Mate, I didn't make it up - that is what top of the range point & shoot cameras are called worldwide. I personally abhor so many things so don't get me started there.
Erik's link opened fine for me. It's a lovely panorama scene, but is obvious that it is made using a conversion lens and suffers badly from digital noise. A lot could be cleaned out of it with Noise Ninja. I seem to remember seeing that panorama many years back.
I really wonder why anyone these days would bother with these inferior cameras with conversion lenses? The price now for a DSLR is now within reach of the common man when compared to the price of the top of the line prosumer models.
It has been my experience over the years that people only ever ask about these converter lenses because they already own the camera and have just found out about panorama photography and would like to play. But as we all know the "bug" bites and within moments of realising the quality of the panorama image you desire better. It a hard fact of the panorama photographer.
Nobody with a plan to shoot panorama photography who has done any form of research would NOT buy a DSLR and Quality lens.
Regards, Smooth
www.smooth360.com
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
Ken Warner
Posts: 367
Location: Mammoth Lakes, United States
Registered: 14 Aug 2004
|
Re: Pano made with FZ10 + FC-E9
Posted: 30 Dec 2007 at 17:46 GMT
|
|
Nobody with a plan to shoot panorama photography who has done any form of research would NOT buy a DSLR and Quality lens.
...unless one was so poor he couldn't pay attention....
|
|
alert moderator
|
|
back to threads list |
this thread is closed