Raynox HD6600-58 vs. Sony VCL-ES06 vs. Canon WD-58 for VX-2000

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...;-).