G1X: Wide Angle Conversion Lens

This is the G1X with the Canon WC-DC58B wide angle lens from with my G9 and used with my G12.  It is connected (almost) with the Lensmate G1X filter adapter.  That is, this is the way the combination would look if the G1X filter adapter (either the Canon or Lensmate version) actually connected the camera and conversion lens.  Those adapters will not make that connection.

Here’s the Lensmate adapter on top of the WC-DC58B.  Notice that the threads on the lens are still showing.  The adapter is not deep enough to accept the threads on the lens.

Here’s a closer view.  Neither the Lensmate nor the Canon filter adapter is intended to be used with the WC-DC58B wide angle conversion lens.  Well, neither was the G12 but the combination could be made to work.  If the WC-DC58B were optically matched to the G1X then there would be an incentive to make an adapter for connecting them.  For testing the optics, I used a crude but effective temporary connector:  my hand.  The combination kind of looked OK on the G1X display so I proceeded to my official wide angle test site.

 

I’ve used this location for several types of comparisons, including the wide angle adaptor on the G12 and G9.  The image above is from the G1X at its maximum wide angle setting of 28mme.  The G1X was mounted on a tripod so I simply held the WC-DC58B wide angle conversion lens up to it. 

It works!  Or does it?  Well, almost but not quite.  Perhaps a better “adapter” could eliminate the vignette.  I probably could have eliminated the lens flare with a slightly different angle, lens hood or strategically placed hat.  Canon could revise the G1X firmware to correct the distortion.  So the potential exists for a new adapter and revised lens but would I buy them?

For starters, I’m not about to hang a heavy conversion lens – wide angle or telephoto – off the end of the G1X zoom lens.  No sir, not me.  Now, if someone were to make a rigid tube type lens adapter I would consider it but, so far, that product is not available and, evidently, must be a difficult one to design.

G9: Wide Angle Converter Lens

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The Canon G9 is not a wide angle camera. The wide end of its zoom lens has a 7.4mm focal length; this provides the equivalent view of a 35mm lens with traditional 35mm film cameras. At the same time, it must be said that, in one way, a 35mm focal length lens was indeed considered “wide angle” for 35mm cameras back in the day when 50mm was considered “normal”. For many photographers, the 35mm focal length lens was a favorite.

Even so, in a small room the G9 photographer might be wishing for a wider wide angle (shorter focal length) lens. Outdoors, a landscape photographer might also prefer a short focal length lens. Canon got around this short coming by offering an auxiliary wide angle lens for the Powershot G series cameras. The auxiliary wide angle lens attaches to the Conversion Lens Adapter. There is also a telephoto auxiliary lens. Until recently, I’ve not had, used or even seen these auxiliary lenses but I now have the wide angle lens, WC-DC58B.

As can be seen, the WC-DC58B is a large lens. This one is attached to a Lensmate adapter but, of course, it also fits the Canon adapter. The lens is threaded the same as conventional 58mm filters for attaching to the camera; however, the auxiliary lens does not include threads for attaching filters. The auxiliary lens almost completely blocks the viewfinder and the assembled camera+auxiliary lens is an awkward package; however, it does work. The lens is marked ".75X" which means that, when attached, the G9 focal length should be multiplied by .75. Therefore, the widest focal length on the G9 becomes 5.6mm (26mm equivalent for 35mm cameras). The WC-DC58B also seems to work on my old Canon G3. (Please note that the G10 includes a wider angle zoom lens and the WC-DC58B and similar products may not work very well.)

I’ve actually already reported on the WC-DC58B in a previous post but still haven’t used it very much. More later.


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