View Single Post
Old Jun 2, 2011, 1:07 AM   #1380
UnknownVT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 183
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by KhalDrogo View Post
Hi everybody, not long ago I bought a Kodak Zi8 and I wanted to know if something can be done so that it can focus from 20cm or 30 cm. Are there any lens or something that works? Thank you.
OK for starters the Kodak Zi8 has everything in focus from 100cm to infinity -
then in its macro mode the focus is about 15cm (Kodak Zi8 specs)

To get the Zi8 to focus somewhere between 20-30cm what is needed is a close-up lens of about +1 or +2 diopter with the Zi8 set on its normal view (ie: not macro) You can read about close-up lenses here.

A +1 diopter close-up lens will allow focus at about 11.5" = 29.2cm
+2 diopter will be in focus around 9" = 22.8cm.

The depth of field (range of focus/sharpness) will be dependent on what you find acceptable - but normally in still photography this is very shallow.

Close-up lenses can be found in most camera stores they are normally sold at various filter thread sizes, larger the more expensive - since the Zi8 lens is tiny, almost any size including the smallest/cheapest you can find will give adequate coverage.

You will have to be inventive about how to mount the lens (eg: Blu-Tack),
or just literally hold it in front of the Zi8 lens.

Also as suggested above, a wide-angle adapter lens may give focus to closer than 100cm - but obviously will change the angle of view.

Last edited by UnknownVT; Jun 2, 2011 at 1:10 AM.
UnknownVT is offline   Reply With Quote