Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens For Camcorders

The Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens (model 10440) is an accessory lens to supplement a camcorder or a digital camera. As the name implies, it changes the magnification of the primary lens by 0.5 times. Put it another way, it provides 50% more vision. If the primary lens' focal length is 20mm, this accessory lens converts its field-of-view to that of a 10mm lens.

I did not actually acquire this lens for its wide-angle conversion; I already have a Kenko KVC 0.5x Pro Video Wide Angle Converter for that purpose. Instead, I purchased it because I needed the Cokin step-up rings that came with the conversion lens. On my recent trip, I was somewhat forced to purchasing a Panasonic PV-GS50S MiniDV camcorder at the Best Buy of San Luis Obispo. With the purchase of this camcorder, I needed some step-up rings so that I can mount all my accessory wide-angle and telephoto lenses to the camcorder. Amazingly, the Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens actually came pre-packaged with four step-up rings (25mm-37mm, 27mm-37mm, 30mm-37mm, 30.5mm-37mm). The step-up rings come in silver and matches the Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens.

The lens is well made with a solid construction. It is also quite hefty in weight compared to its size. It has a satin silver finish that is quite cool and nice to touch. The lens has a 37mm filter thread for mounting directly, or via the step-up rings, to camcorders and cameras. The front of the lens is flat and flush against the glass lens element. There is no filter thread in front of the lens for attaching filter.

Upon closer examination of the lens, due mostly to the fact that "macro" is stamped in red on it, I found that the Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens is actually composed of two separate lenses: a macro lens and a wide-angle lens. When unscrewed from each other, the macro lens worked quite well when mounted on a camera. On the other hand, the wide-angle lens mounted on the camera, by itself without the macro lens element, did not allow the camera to focus at any distance. Nevertheless, I am quite jolly that the Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens serves two purposes: wide-angle and macro.

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Panasonic PV-GS50S MiniDV Camcorder

This lens works well with the Panasonic PV-GS50S MiniDV Camcorder. It decreases magnification by 0.5 times, allowing the video to capture fifty percent more environmental space then normal. Minor fisheye distortion can be seen in the upper left-hand corner. The macro lens element, on the other hand, did nothing for the camcorder. The camcorder can already macro focus very close to its subject, so the Cokin macro lens element is just an extra piece of glass when mounted on the camcorder.

This camcorder has a 27mm filter thread, so the included Cokin 27mm-37mm step-up ring comes in handy for this application. Since the lens hood on the camcorder has to be removed in order to use the filter thread, I keep the Cokin 27mm-37mm step-up ring mounted as a lens hood.

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Sony DCR-TRV350 Digital8 Camcorder

The Sony DCR-TRV350 Digital8 Camcorder has a 37mm filter thread. Therefore this lens can be mounted directly to the camcorder without using a step-up ring. However, the Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens is a little too small for this camcorder. Fisheye effect can be seen all around the sample image taken with this camcorder and this lens. The fisheye effect is more pronounced on the left side of the image.

The Sony DCR-TRV350 camcorder can also focus very close to its subjects. Therefore, similar to the Panasonic PV-GS50S camcorder the Cokin macro lens element is also not useful on this camcorder.

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Sony DSC-P92 Digital Camera / Sony VAD-PEA Lens Adapter

The Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens, with its smooth satin silver finish, looks like it was made for the Sony DSC-P92 digital camera and Sony VAD-PEA lens adapter combination. However, functionally it was not. When mounted on this combination, the wide-angle lens becomes a wide-angle fisheye. This lens is made for the smaller sensor on camcorders; therefore it creates the fisheye effect on this still digital camera combination. The wide-angle fisheye is actually a fun special effect, but if a normal wide-angle is desired, then another wide-angle lens would be a better purchase.

This picture was taken in the Hearst Castle theater. I accidently forgotten about the fisheye effect and mounted this lens on accident. But the result turned out pleasant and interesting.

On the other hand, the macro lens element worked beautifully on this camera and adapter combination. The Sony DSC-P92 minimum macro focus distance is quite poor by itself. With this macro lens element attached, the Sony DSC-P92 focuses much closer; focuses near enough for interesting close-up photographs.

	This is about as close as the Sony DSC-P92 macro mode can focus on its own.
	This is how close the Sony DSC-P92 macro mode can focus with the Cokin macro lens element.

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Cokin 0.5x Wide-Angle Lens For Camcorders

Panasonic PV-GS50S MiniDV Camcorder

Sony DCR-TRV350 Digital8 Camcorder

Sony DSC-P92 Digital Camera / Sony VAD-PEA Lens Adapter

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