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The Sony VCL-MHG07 Wide Angle Adapter Lens is broad and flat, and slips into a little pouch that's included with it. I bought it a long time ago to use with my Sony DSC-F707 5 megapixel digital camera, so I already had it, and was eager to try it with my new Canon HV20 HDV camcorder. Nowdays they are available for even less money used, and are also sold as VCL-MHG07A (same lens, different filter rings bundled.) All I needed to put the lens on the HV20 was a 43mm-52mm step-up ring, which I bought for $8 from a local camera shop.

They fit together pretty well, and the Sony adapter lens even has a similar silver color. Of course, it blocks the HV20's intelligent autofocus sensor and camera flash, as would any wide adapter lens. The regular autofocus still works on the camera, so shots will still be in focus as long as you are zoomed out. You don't want to zoom in with this lens attached, the camera loses focus if you do this.

The lens gives the HV20 a bug-eyed appearance, but doesn't seem to hurt the overall feeling or balance of the camera.

0.7x wide angle is a fairly big difference in the composition, if you compare an image shot without the VCL (top), to an image with the VCL attached (bottom). You can download the original shots here: SampleNoVCL.JPG SampleWithVCL.JPG

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Copyright © 2007 by Jeremy Birn.