On Tue, 17 Jul 2001 15:08:43 GMT, d_ruether@hotmail.com (Neuman - Ruether) wrote:

>The Raynox HD6600-58 .66X WA converter with
>58mm thread mounting size (for the VX-2000 and
>GL-1) just arrived from Edmamarketing, in Canada
>(nice folks to deal with - and this was a special-order
>item for them, $93 US, with UPS ground shipping --
>www.edmamarketing.com). I compared it briefly
>(and quickly - so some of this may change...) with
>the Sony VCL-ES06 .6X on a 58mm->52mm
>step-down ring (it does not vignette in the TV-safe
>area, but does in the computer-monitor image at full
>WA), and a Canon WD-58mm .7X. The 6600 is
>claimed to be very low in linear distortion, and
>zoom-through. It is a very compact and light, with
>a 72mm front thread (unlike the others, which have
>no front threads) for a shade and/or front filter (I
>did not try these to see if they would vignette, or
>if just a 72mm->77/82mm stepping ring would
>vignette). All three showed diaphragm ghosts with
>bright small light sources, but very little flare. The
>FL of the .66X Raynox appears to relate accurately
>to the .7X Canon, but the ".6X" Sony is considerably
>wider (close to .5X in practice). The center and
>corner FL rating of the Raynox is the same,
>indicating that it has low distortion, but it will pass
>through the distortion of the lens it is on, so with the
>VX-2000 there is a slight barrel distortion at the
>zoom widest setting with the Raynox on, but much
>less than the WD-58 shows, and far less than the
>noticeably wider ES06 shows. The 6600 is not
>zoom-through, a disappointment - it is good through
>about 1/4 the zoom range before the corners soften
>and show flare, giving an angle of view similar to the
>ES06 at its limit (before focus is lost) of about 1/2
>the zoom range (the ES06 therefore has a slightly
>wider useable zoom range); the WD-58 is truly
>zoom-through, and is sharp at the full zoom tele
>position. At the widest zoom position, the 6600 is
>quite sharp overall, and very good in the picture
>corners; the WD-58 and ES06 are also quite sharp,
>and only a touch less sharp in the corners (but not
>soft) at the lens' widest stop - the picture quality
>from all three on the VX-2000 is top-class. So,
>there you have it - still no zoom-through .5X that is
>sharp to the corners at all FLs wide-open, but if you
>can take some barrel distortion and only .7X, the
>Canon WD-58 is excellent; if you are bugged by
>barrel distortion and want a tad wider converter
>with a hair better corner performance, and can do
>'without much zooming ability, the Raynox
>HD6600-58 is for you; if you want excellent
>performance, some zooming ability, and a
>noticeably wider angle of view, but with
>considerable barrel distortion, the Sony
>VCL-ES06 is a good choice (and it is the
>cheapest/smallest/lightest of the lot...). As usual,
>there is no free lunch - and no one perfect WA
>converter for the VX-2000, but one can own
>a good selection for specific purposes without
>going broke (unless the Century .3X is your
>thing...;-).

More: This converter also works well on other
camcorders. It is fine on the TRV-900 (short
the zoom long end 1/3rd or so); on the
PC100/PC110/TRV20 (a little more zoom range);
on the TRV11/PC5/PC9 (yet a little more range
useable [maybe 3/4s] - add a thick empty filter
ring to the 30->37, 37->52, 52->58mm rings
for best corners at WA) - this converter is
really nice on these cameras [which don't
look great with other converters on]).