On Tue, 18 Dec 2001 14:41:45 +0000, Julian Knight
wrote:

>Hi all, can anyone advise if there is any significant difference between
>the following wide angle convertors? I have a Sony PC120 DV camera (37mm
>thread), it's widest angle is around 48mm (35mm equivalent) which isn't
>really wide angle and certainly not much use indoors.
>
>I've been looking at the following:
>- Sony VCL0637H 0.6x (approx £50)
>- Sony VCLHG0737X 0.6x (approx. £150)
>- Vivanco VC76W 0.5x (£60 from Keene)
>- Hama HR37W 0.5x (£60 from Keene)
>
>But I'm now confused as to which of these might be most appropriate - is
>it really worth paying £150 for the expensive Sony or would it be more
>sensible to buy either the Vivanco or Hama?
>
>Any advise would be appreciated or indeed, any other options.

The expensive Sony is likely to be at least fairly
good; sometimes cheap WA converters can be good,
but often they are not; no WA converter is perfect;
large, but the best I have found for the similar-lensed
TRV30 is the Raynox HD.66X-58. I have not tried smaller
versions of it, but this one, with 37->58mm adapter,
is good at the WA end (and relatively low in linear
distortion), but so-so near the tele end, and
also prone to flare. It might be worth trying a
smaller version of this converter...