Wide angle lens filter - very blur image

[Darkabaz]

I got a new Wide angle filter. But first impressions: mwa. I see a lot of soft/blur around the image. Only center is sharp.
Some details that are a bit further away in depth are really double, especially around the borders.
Can I set something so that it also stays fairly sharp around the edges?

Any help is amazing.

 

[Starz]

Filter made by ……….?

 

[C.W.]

Might help if you said who made the filter and post the image….

 

[Darkabaz]

From Ulanzi. This one:

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I will upload screen later.

 

[Starz]

From Ulanzi

May have something to do with the cost associated with what you purchased.
Probably difficult for Ulanzi to make a lot of profit if they attempt to turn this in to a quality product. This would be a good example of “You get what you pay for.”

 

[C.W.]

May have something to do with the cost associated with what you purchased.
Probably difficult for Ulanzi to make a lot of profit if they attempt to turn this in to a quality product. This would be a good example of “You get what you pay for.”

I don’t think this is a “you get what you pay for” and it’s probably a stupid saying. Are you saying unless he buys the most expensive he shouldn’t expect good quality? Is that to say something more expensive is naturally better?

 

[Starz]

I don’t think this is a “you get what you pay for” and it’s probably a stupid saying. Are you saying unless he buys the most expensive he shouldn’t expect good quality? Is that to say something more expensive is naturally better?

In this instance, the product mentioned by the op is not satisfactory.
Based on the prices of similar makers of this product, the Ulanzi is at the lower tier.
I would not expect perfection based on that information. Your expectations and or experiences may be different than mine.

 

[Darkabaz]

I just deleted all the shots and I'm sad about it.
Even with 3 hours of video editing I can't do anything with it. Just jerk.
I drove 100 km to shoot some nice vids and afterwards it has become a big mess through the lens. By the way, I didn't adjust the aperture, so it was 2.x the largest. Was it better to shoot with higher aperture? Like 4 or 5?

and Is the original DJI wide filter be any good? Does some have reviews from it?

 

[Vic Moss]

I have the DJI Wide Angle, and it doesn’t have this issue.

Also, shoot at a smaller aperture. That will help.

But when it comes to filters, you almost always get what you pay for.

Cheap filters are usually garbage.

 

[Starz]

when it comes to filters

From post #4, it looks to be a lens, not a filter.
I could be wrong. I also have the DJI lens and not see the issue described.

 

[Darkabaz]

From post #4, it looks to be a lens, not a filter.
I could be wrong. I also have the DJI lens and not see the issue described.

On which aperture do you shoot? Can you post a screenshot from one of the sides on top ? I will try to catch a DJI lens if its better..

 

[Darkabaz]

I have the DJI Wide Angle, and it doesn’t have this issue.

Also, shoot at a smaller aperture. That will help.

But when it comes to filters, you almost always get what you pay for.

Cheap filters are usually garbage.

Which aperture would be better? Can you post a screenshot from a left or right top corner from a video?

 

[Starz]

try to catch a DJI lens

The one I found was a used one that looked to be unused for $60.00
I typically run auto settings on the camera. I did find that panorama mode is not available when using the wide angle lens.

 

[Darkabaz]

The one I found was a used one that looked to be unused for $60.00
I typically run auto settings on the camera. I did find that panorama mode is not available when using the wide angle lens.

Then you got f2.8 i think. But with 2.8 on a Ulanzi lens it is a show from unsharp and distort things .
I tested in backyard just with f10 aparture and it is much sharper now...
Thats weird...

 

[Ralph thompson]

One photographer rule of thumb on filters is only use glass, alternatives usually have poor optical qualities. Polarpro has a good reputation, nice glass but I’m just waiting for a set of Freewell filters from B&H, new on the market. They make a circular polarizer, good for still photography ( enhance colour in the sky & grass/trees). As said above a wide angle lens is not a filter and with todays clever merging technology, I’d say a wide angle is a waste of money. Just take 2 or more photographs and merge them in PTGUI or Lightroom. Youll end up with a larger higher res image if u llike printing. I printed a 6’ panorama of my city, sunrise in the fall, to hang in the hallway.

 

[Darkabaz]

Een vuistregel voor fotografen voor filters is alleen gebruik van glas, alternatieven hebben meestal slechte optische eigenschappen. Polarpro heeft een goede reputatie, mooi glas maar ik wacht nog even op een setje Freewell filters van B&H, nieuw op de markt. Ze vormen een circulaire polarisator, goed voor stilstaande fotografie (verbetering van de kleuren in de lucht en gras/bomen). Zoals hierboven gezegd is een groothoeklens geen filter en met de slimme samenvoegingstechnologie van tegenwoordig zou ik zeggen dat een groothoeklens geldverspilling is. Maak gewoon 2 of meer foto's en voeg ze samen in PTGUI of Lightroom. U krijgt een grotere afbeelding met een hogere resolutie als u van afdrukken houdt. Ik heb een 6'-panorama van mijn stad, zonsopgang in de herfst, afgedrukt om in de gang te hangen.

Yes you are right, but for video it is not possible to merge shots together to get an wider view...

 

[Ralph thompson]

Sorry you're correct Darkabaz. Maybe in the future )

 

[GadgetGuy]

and Is the original DJI wide filter be any good? Does some have reviews from it?

The DJI wide angle lens was specifically designed for the Mavic 3 camera by DJI which owns a controlling interest in Hasselblad, which is reknowned for its uncompromising image quality. Hasselblad speaks for itself! I own the DJI wide angle lens attachment, which has none of these issues, and would never try to save money by buying a cheap imitation. Cheap glass is junk.

​

 

[Darkabaz]

Here a test photo from the extreme distortion with this lens/filter.

dji-fly-20221121-132026-409-1669033321906-photo

Image dji-fly-20221121-132026-409-1669033321906-photo hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

 

[Gadgetdude]

May have something to do with the cost associated with what you purchased.
Probably difficult for Ulanzi to make a lot of profit if they attempt to turn this in to a quality product. This would be a good example of “You get what you pay for.”

I am sorry but I have to disagree on this response. Generally you would be absolutely correct and I agree 100%. I am one that will always spend money buying quality and paying for it. But for this, I dont believe this is the case.

I spent the last 3 years living in China as a expat working for a US company. I became very familiar with how things are manufactured, marketed, copied, and sold there. With regard to Ulanzi versus DJI, here is my take on it for whatever its worth.

I purchase the Ulanzi and am both please with the performance and build. As I found in China, many products are sourced from the same supplier. Just like LED tvs today, you have many many different brands, but almost all screens come from Samsung and a few other suppliers that then rebrand them. The glass of the Ulanzi and the DJI I would predict come from the same manufacturer. Why the price difference? Because DJI is a well known brand and can get away with a 300% percent or higher markup. Their main bread and butter is high end hardware such as drones and camera gimbals, etc. Not the accessories. So they will put a incredible mark up on the accessories to make it worth selling them them. Ulanzi only sell accessories and probably have a higher volume of buying from these type of suppliers. They also do not mark up as high as a DJI as they would rather have higher turn over to make the profit that higher markup selling fewer. Like I said, if I was a betting man, I would bet the glass in both the DJI and Ulanzi come from the same manufacturer. Just a feeling I have is all based on real world learnings living in China.