Panasonic FZ 50 attachable lenses

Hey lads,

 

I have been using a Panasonc fz-50 for just over a year now and Im pretty happy with it, would anyone have any

knowledge of how well some of the attachable lenses work with the fz-50, such as fisheye wide lenses. I have seen

pics with different wide angle lenses and they look great. However the attachable lenses for the fz-50 are cheap and

look like generic products, are they any good? and if so what size fisheye lense would you recommend .35, .42

or .45, which gives the greater area?

 

Cheers!

None of them are going to give you as good quality as a wide prime or zoom lens fitted to an interchangeable lens

camera. The matched wide angle conversion lenses produced by Panasonic are likely the best while also being the most

expensive ...

<br>

<a href="http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Supplies-Accessories/Cameras-Camcorders/Digital-

Camera-Accessories/Lenses/model.DMW-LW55_11002_7000000000000005702" target=new1>

DMW-LW55 :: Wide Angle Lens for Panasonic Lumix® Digital Cameras</a>

<br><br>

Of course, you can fit anything you like and with a bit of work learn how to make good photographs with it. Ultimate

optical quality is not necessarily needed for a photograph to be successful. :-)

<br><br>

Godfrey

<br>

You will get much better results if you take two or more overlapping shots and stitch them in editing.

There are many off brand ones. I have the Leica V-Lux 1, which is basically the same camera and I use the Panasonic WA adapter and I have the long one. I was able to get reduced cost for as new demo stock. Otherwise I don't know if I would have bought them. I have not used them enough to say much, except I think shots through the wide one look quite good, not really any zoom through capability though, it's just for the very wide end. The lens on the FZ50 is already a fair size and the Panasonic adapter makes it as big as a medium sized SLR zoom. I would have preferred a lens more like 27-300, then I would need no adapters. Like you I am still happy with the camera overall. There is a great wealth of info. on the FZ30 and adapters here: http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/

Look through his menus, it's a great page. Hope this helps. DK

The DMW-LW55 is an excellent option, especially if you also use the profile designed specifically for the combination in PTLens to remove the distortion introduced by using the wide adaptor. Here's a set I've shot using that combination..

 

http://gmchappell.smugmug.com/gallery/2785003_QzaXa#339939626_8RhPe

I travel to China in October before the aclaimed Lumix LX3 with 24mm wide angle zoom lens was available on the market. As an alternative, I bought a LW55 Panasonic wide angle converter lens to

use on my FZ30; I have taken more than 3000 pictures with this combinationm. In general the results are quite satisfactory, except when shoot against light source, then the flare is quite prominent.

Attaching LW55 to FZ30 zoom lens limits it to the wide end and the zoom function does not function

well, if move out from the wide end, the edges become blurry. To compensate for the lost of zoom, I

brought along another LUMIX compact.

 

<center>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/8205631-md.jpg"><P>

A four star hotel in Xiangshan scenic district of West Mount, Beijing<P>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/8205571-md.jpg"><P>

A Tang dynasty square pagoda in Suzhou, much like the pagodas in Nara Japan<P>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/8205155-md.jpg"><P>

A Qing dynasty family compound in Shanxi, used as background for movie" Red Lantern Hanging High"

 

 

 

</center>

For really wide shots, I brought along Leica R5 with Elmarit R19. However the R5+Elmarit R19 proved to be too

heavy for me to carry long ( particular to the peak of 1500 meter Taishan Mountain), I locked it up most of the time in

suitcase and left behind in hotel.

 

I had a look on the Lumix LX3, the thread seems not compatible with LW55, I am wondering if

LW55 can be used on LX3 lens to convert 24mm into 17mm superwide angle lens ?

 

If so, LX3+LW55 will be a lot lighter than R5+Elmarit R19 and wider.

 

Many Chinese architecture objects need superwide angle lens, stiching does not work for me.

Martin, did you straighten lines in Photoshop?

I'm surprised how linear everything is.

Thanks, nice images! Sorry, I can't answer your question.

<p>Bill, the LW55 has visible barrel distortion, I fixed that easily with Lens Corrector Pro<br>

plug in for photoshop.</p>

<p>I might sell my wide angle adapter and get the 24mm camera instead. Probably about the same weight for each and the camera covers 24-35 fully with a comparible sensor.</p>

<p>Cokin filters are a good choice for this camera, I recommend it, best regards</p><div></div>