Raynox DCR-6600, Pro 0.66x High Quality Wide-Angle Conversion Lens for Camcorders & Digital Still Cameras, 52mm Mounting Thread.
Especially designed for use with high-end digital camera which incorporates the CCD chip of more than mega-pixels, and the lens is made of hi-index optical glasses, 3-group/3-element, fully coated for non-distortion(-1.3%) and sharp images. It’s an ideal accessory lens for professionals and advanced amateurs shooting in tight place. There will be no reduction of light value when this conversion lens is attached on the camera’s lens. The original Raynox adapters are designed and made to suit the best physically and optically to the DCR-6600PRO lens to obtain the optimum image quality. DCR-6600PRO is also suitable to the 3-CCD chip or mega-pixel Digital Camcorders. (Limited zoom capability) All of Raynox conversion lenses are proudly made in Japan. At Raynox’s wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary, every stage of production is rigorously checked and tested so that the lens elements compensate effectively for astigmatism, distortion and spherical aberration…. for an excellent image quality.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Indispensable add-on for the Canon Powershot S-series
I was somehow frustrated with the wide end of my otherwise satisfying Canon Powershot IS S3. I decided to go with the Raynox lens which was a tad more expensive than the Canon x0.7 wide angle converter but offered better performance (see lensmateonline for comparison shots).
The Raynox changes my S3’s focal length from 36mm to 24mm in film equivalent and its negligible barrel distortion and 72mm front thread gave me the opportunity to consider getting a Cokin P Filter holder system which makes a great companion if you feel creative and want to invest in material that you will be able to use when moving up to a DSLR.
The good: very solid build, great angle opener for tight spaces, good optics, no vignetting or so little with the S3 at the widest angle if you attach a regular Cokin P filter holder. Great for landscape, indoor shots and architecture (lines won’t look too bent).
The less than stellar: image softness if you zoom in (I usually don’t), requires a special 52mm adapter tube, doesn’t focus right if you set the S3 to wide angle converter mode, does not have a macro mode.
4 Stars The Raynox Pro 0.66: Wide Works!
I was very happy with my new camcorder and kept wanting the shot to be “just a little bit wider.” The zoom is built-in however and I thought my problem would just remain my problem. Then I read several articles on-line that spoke highly of the Raynox and Amazon was the place to find the best price. My experience was totally satisfactory and the Raynox is easy to use and switch out, which is important for field work. I’m not using it as much as I thought, but when I do, the resolution is very good edge-to-edge, which is important with HDTV work.
4 Stars Very good……but….
This lens is excellent on the front of my HV30. BUT I also have a $30 Merkury wide angle lens and IMO frankly the $100 price difference is not even remotely justified. See Merkury Innovations CL-52WB 52mm High Definition 0.45X Wide Angle Lens - it has slightly soft outside edges (can be cropped in your NLE) , but otherwise is fantastic.
I think that the eye is not as aware (or at all) of outstanding technical specifications as we would hope on a TV. Perhaps this is THE lens to get if you are showing your footage on the side of a barn, but on a TV…save the $$$. Really - you won’t notice at all.
update Sept 06 2008: After editing a good few hours of HDV footage and comparing the cheap and the $$$ Raynox 6600 WA lenses close up, the Raynox is a more consistent and reliable bet than the Merkury. I eat my words. DANG! I wanted to sell it.
5 Stars I love it
I’m a fan of landscape photography and this is the perfect accessory for my Canon PS S3IS. It is good because it has a front thread (72 mm) to put filters on. I often use this with a Linear Polarizer and it produces a slight vignetting that can be eliminated with a small push in the zoom rocker (from 1x to 1.1x) so it is not really something I regret. It converts my 36 mm Equivalent focal length into 24 mm, which broadens the field of view substantially. Barrel distortion with this converter is negligible when compared to the camera’s own performance and to other Wide Angle Converters. I totally recommend it.
Filed under: Video Camera Reviews