Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens Review

The Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens is a wet-mount wide angle conversion lens designed to work best with Olympus TG series cameras. The lens cancels out refraction and restores the camera’s topside field of view underwater while also enhancing the image clarity, sharpness, and contrast. With an 81° angle of coverage, sharp corners, no vignetting at 24mm, and an easy to use 52mm threaded mount, this lens is perfect for both veteran and new wide angle underwater photographers. It’s the most versatile lens for shooting both macro and wide angle on the same dive with the Olympus TG-5 and Olympus TG-6 because you never have to remove the lens. The Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens is a less expensive alternative to the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Lens. Read on and watch the video below to see why you should take the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens on every dive with your Olympus TG-5 or Olympus TG-6. See our comprehensive video review of the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens.Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens81-degree Underwater Field of ViewSharp CornersNo VignettingAnti-Reflection CoatingZoom Through for Tighter ShotsWorks with TG-5 & TG-6 Microscope Mode for macro while installed165 feet / 50 meter depth ratingIncludes Dome Cover, Rear Lens Cap, Fiber Optic Cable AdapterExpands Field of View to 81° by Cancelling Refraction The Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens works by expanding the camera's field of view from 60 to 81 degrees underwater, which is the same field of view produced topside or in-air. All cameras with lenses that sit behind flat ports suffer a 25% loss of angle of coverage due to the refraction effect underwater. The domed lens element cancels out the refraction effect that the otherwise flat port element on the housing would cause, restoring a wider field of view than is possible behind a flat port. By cancelling the refraction effect of the flat port on the housing the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens yields a topside-equivalent 81° field of view.Sharper Photos and Video Than the Standard Flat Lens Field testing revealed that the image quality produced by the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens was improved compared to images captured without an accessory lens. Both photo and video sample images appeared sharper and more defined, with improved contrast and deeper blacks, especially on subjects that were more than 2 feet away. This improvement was most apparent when comparing side-by-side video footage. Images shot with the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens appear sharper and clearer than those shot without.An Easier-To-Shoot Wide Angle Alternative The Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens joins the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Lens to offer another wide angle lens option for the Olympus TG-5 and Olympus TG-6. The Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens is designed to be an intermediate wide lens and offers a narrower 81° field of view compared to the 120° view produced by the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Lens. Backscatter now produces two different wet wide angle conversion lenses in M52 thread mount.BACKSCATTER M52 WIDE ANGLE LENS $449.00BACKSCATTER M52 WIDE ANGLE AIR LENS $179.00Olympus TG Lens Comparison This slightly narrower field of view makes it easier to fill the frame without having to get quite as close to a subject. Shooters do not need to close as much distance as when shooting with a wider lens, yet are still able to minimize the amount of water that must be shot through for better image clarity, color, and contrast. This is ideal for newer underwater photographers who are not yet quite as comfortable with close working distances. A comparison view between the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens and Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Lens. The narrower field of view on the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens makes it easier to fill the frame without having to get as close.Shooting Macro - No Lens Swap, No Problem Switching from wide angle to tighter fish ID and macro shots has never been easier than with the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens. A tighter field of view can be achieved by simply zooming in. The Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens supports a partial zoom through, allowing you to utilize much of the built-in lens zoom function. For true macro shooting, just switch to Microscope Mode and zoom all the way in. This allows the camera to focus almost as close as when no accessory lens is installed at all. Because of the size of the lens and slightly increased focus distance it’s difficult to achieve the tightest possible macro, but for adapting on the fly and shooting whatever you encounter during a dive, both big and small, then the versatility and combined macro and wide capabilities without having to remove the lens makes the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens the best of both worlds. Comparison between widest field of view, full zoom, and microscope mode at the closest focus distance - all shot with the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens installed.Universal Fiber Optic Cable Adapters Included Included with every Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens is the FCA-01 Adapter, a fiber optic cable adapter required to connect a strobe when the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens is installed. Because the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens has a wide flange that sits closer to the housing, the standard Olympus PFCA-03 optical cable adapter included with the Olympus PT-058 Housing or Olympus PT-059 Housing will not fit. This is a non-issue if shooting without strobes. The included universal fiber optic cable FCA-01 Adapter includes everything needed to attach an optical sync cable. This new FCA-01 Adapter is installed on the housing by replacing the standard flash diffuser. A benefit of installing the FCA-01 Adapter is that it acts as a flash-blocking mask to eliminate competing light sources in your close-up photos. It’s also less likely to get lost or forgotten when packing because it’s directly installed and can’t be left behind. Includede with every Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens, the fiber optic cable adapter (FCA-01 Adapter) must be installed by the user. This process is simple and only requires a small phillips-head screwdriver.Conclusion - Which Lens Do I Buy & When Do I Use It? For the ultimate in wide angle performance and the largest subjects, such as shipwrecks, large reef scenes, and big animals, use the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Lens to achieve the widest possible field of view and sharpest possible image quality. For medium range subjects, such as dive buddies, sharks, and friendly groupers - or if the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Lens is too expensive for your budget or if you’re not yet comfortable with that larger, heavier optic - then pick up the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens and you’ll still have a high-performance and easier-to-shoot wide angle conversion lens. For the ultimate in tight macro shots and tiny subjects, use the Olympus PT-058 Housing or Olympus PT-059 Housing without an accessory lens at all. This will allow you to work the camera in to tighter spaces and get the camera lens physically closer to your subject. For every dive where you want to be ready to capture anything that comes your way with the best overall balance of wide and macro shooting versatility, with virtually no gear management underwater, while also increasing image quality, thread on the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens and never never take it off. ProsCancels refraction for wide angle shots with sharp corners and no vignetting at full wideImproves image quality by increasing sharpness and clarityNo need to remove lens to shoot macroEasier to shoot and more affordable than other wide angle accessory lensesUniversal fiber optic cable adapter includedJust leave it on all the time for the most versatile macro & wide angle performance on a single diveConsIncreases front profile of camera so it cannot be worked into super tight macro spacesNot quite as wide as the Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Lens.Why buy direct from Backscatter?Free lifetime tech support with every purchase. We will beat any advertised price. Free shipping to USA and Canada and low cost international shipping. Backscatter M52 Wide Angle Air Lens $179.00BUY NOW

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