16x9 Inc. 169-HDWC8X-72 EXII 0.8x Wide Angle Converter

Comments about 16x9 Inc. 169-HDWC8X-72 EXII 0.8x Wide Angle Converter:

This is the third Wide Angle Converter I bought to use with my Panasonic HPX250. I returned the first two because they didn't work right for me. This was purchased specifically for shooting Real Estate Interiors.

A problem with wide angles lenses in small rooms is that on the edges, walls get distorted with a fisheye like effect. The more extreme the angle, the more extreme the effect.

At 0.8x, this lens is one of the less extreme WA adapters out there. You sacrifice more width to get less distortion. I purchased a .43X adapter and a .6X adapter and returned them both because they were just too much fisheye for what I needed to do.

The 16x9 brand lens is very solidly built, and comes with a nice leatherette case. On the Panasonic HPX250, you must remove the lens shade to use the 16x9, which could be a concern if you're working outdoors and need a lens shade.

This is not a flimsy lens adapter, I'd guess it weighs almost a pound. The glass is good and there was no noticeable image deterioration. I estimate it "eats" about one f-stop, so if you want to use it in low light situations, you'll have to consider adding light or kicking up the gain on your video camera.

On the Panasonic HPX250, there is no vignetting at any zoom position. I found it a little tricky to line up the threads on the Panasonic lens to the WA adapter. I don't know if that's operator issues or has something to do with the threads themselves. Once aligned, it does fit securely and removes with no problems.

A quick note, before purchasing the lens, I contacted 16x9 by email at 7AM NY time to ask a few pre-sales questions and got a response fro their sales director within a few minutes (they're in California, which would have been 3 hours behind, or 4AM) I don't know why they're checking eMail at 4Am, but that quick customer service definitly left me a very positive impression of the company.