On 2 Feb 2001 13:46:25 GMT, Kevin wrote:

>xyz wrote:
>> to use it more extensively over the next while. I'm really
>> considering keeping it. At around $90 Cdn it's pretty good value.
>> It will definitely come in handy for scenic nature shots. Where's
>> the Grand Canyon when you want to see it?

>I think I have the same lens you bought, and I agree, it makes a big
>difference. I keep it on all the time when recording stuff -- as long as
>you don't zoom all the way out, or in, the picture looks good. My only
>caveat is its size -- it looks pretty ugly sitting on my camcorder and it
>makes it too long to fit in the camera bag.
>
>I noticed that Sony sells another wide-angle lens kit with some kind of
>snap-on-snap-off ability.. anyone used this one? It costs a lot more
>though.

As I have (endlessly...;-) pointed out, if you can
stand to lose most of the zooming range, the Sony
VCL-ES06 is cheap, very light, flat, and sharp on
the widest range of camcorders of any WA adapter
I have tried. It is $60 on the Sony direct-sale site,
probably cheaper elsewhere. Since it appears to be
a very large single-element plastic aspheric, it can
be fitted on about anything from 30mm on up to 58mm
(with stepping rings) without vignetting in the TV-safe
area. With smaller-front lenses, adding empty filter
rim spacers between the ES06 and the lens front
widens the angle beyond its rated .6X without
vignetting, though it appears to be closer to the
angle of coverage of most .5X converters, anyway.
There is a video frame-grab shot with it on a VX-2000
on my web page in the VX-2000 review, linked off:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm