WA Lens for Video

[Rainer]

Interested in adding a lens for WA video on a Nikon D7000. At the moment, considering the Tokina 10-17, Sigma 8-16, and Nikon 10-24.

I'd be shooting in somewhat limited visibility waters (mostly Southern California), both reefs and wrecks. Would eventually want to shoot stills, but the primary use of this lens would be UW video. Topside still use would also be a bonus.

I know plenty of people love their Tokina 10-17, but is this a good lens for video in darker waters? How is it topside? Can it be satisfactorily de-fished with DxO or other software?

I assume an 8" dome (minimum) would be recommended for any of these lenses?

Thanks for your suggestions!

[scottg]

hi Rainer - stop into our shop Bluewater Photo in Santa Monica and I'll show you the effects of those different lenses. All of them would allow you to get nice and close to your subjects, but I think the tokina 10-17mm may serve you best.

[Rainer]

Scott, I'll probably do just that. I'd really like to look some of this stuff over in person. Any ideas when and which D7000 housings will be coming to your store?

I love the still photos I've seen with the Tokina 10-17mm, but I haven't seen much video from it in darker waters (like what we have here in SoCal). Mostly worried about lighting it (I'd be using dual 35W HIDs) and distortion for wrecks/divers.

[bvanant]

Interested in adding a lens for WA video on a Nikon D7000. At the moment, considering the Tokina 10-17, Sigma 8-16, and Nikon 10-24.

I'd be shooting in somewhat limited visibility waters (mostly Southern California), both reefs and wrecks. Would eventually want to shoot stills, but the primary use of this lens would be UW video. Topside still use would also be a bonus.

I know plenty of people love their Tokina 10-17, but is this a good lens for video in darker waters? How is it topside? Can it be satisfactorily de-fished with DxO or other software?

I assume an 8" dome (minimum) would be recommended for any of these lenses?

Thanks for your suggestions!

The lens is indeed quite nice for video even here in gorgeous green Socal. You can defish with DXO and some other software but UW with a dome the fisheye effect is not too apparent. For the dome, I personally use the 10-17 behind a tiny 4 inch zen dome for CFWA shooting and I think that effect is quite cool. You might try both types of domes.
Bill

[Rainer]

Bill, do you have any videos shot locally with the 10-17mm? My main concerns with the Tokina are: (1) dealing with all the particulate (backscatter), (2) lighting it (my dives are often deep enough where there is no/little ambient light), and (3) the fisheye effect on divers/wrecks. From what you say and a few videos I saw shot at the 17mm end, issue (3) doesn't seem to be too bad. Still haven't seen much footage that's deep or in poorer conditions.

Thanks for your response!

[bvanant]

I don't know of any local video shot with it. For some wreck footage (not much distortion) you can look here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHRekxt6ag
Backscatter in video is usually not terribly bad if you have diffuse enough lights, but shooting a 50 foot long wreck in 20 foot vis is quite fun.
Bill

[Rainer]

Bill, thanks for the link. Yeah, the distortion doesn't seem too bad. Any idea if that was mostly shot at 10mm or 17mm?

I'd love to see some video in darker water, though. Our wrecks just don't have that type of ambient light (not at 80', nevermind 180'). I'm really interested in lighting the wreck with such a wide lens. As I believe I mentioned earlier, I'd be looking to use a set of dual 35W HIDs I already have with whatever lens I choose. If I can't light the scene at 17mm on the fisheye, I'd prefer to get a wide rectilinear lens.

Thoughts?

[bvanant]

My thoughts are that two 35 watt HID lights should do fine even here in LA at 80 feet on days when the vis is OK. One thing to think about is that the Tokina 11-16 is a stop to a stop and a half brighter (2.8 vs 3.5-4.5) so that might help, but I really don't think that it will be that much better.
Bill

[Rainer]

At 80', yes, there's often decent ambient light locally. At 180', however, it's quite a bit darker.

That said, I'm less concerned about the max aperture and more interested in whether the lights I have (with video reflectors) will be able to cover 100 degrees (the lens at it's narrowest 17mm). If I can't get light out to the edges, I might as well pick up a less wide lens.

[bvanant]

You probably could borrow/rent a 10-17 from someone here in LA. I would let you try mine but it is the wrong flavor. If your lights can't cut 100 degrees, I would get the 10-24, it is quite nice.

Bill