Canon WC-DC58A Wide Converter Lens for the S5 IS, S3 IS & S2 IS Digital Camera

by Canon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.9 x 3.9 x 2.8 inches ; 8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009NEUOK
• Item model number: WCDC58A
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Give your subject a broader view with the Canon WC-DC58A wide conversion lens. Made specifically for select Canon built-in lenses, the durable unit converts the focal distance of your lens by a factor of 0.75x when attached to the camera, making it ideal for group shots or panoramic nature photos. The unit--which requires the LAH-DC20 lens adapter--is compatible with the following Canon models: S5 IS, S3 IS, and S2 IS. All Canon converters carry a one-year warranty.

• Magnification: 0.75x
• Rear mount diameter: 58mm
• Construction: 3 elements, 3 groups
• Dimensions: 3.1 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches long
• Weight: 6 ounces

Product Description

This 0.75x Wide Converter gives you the equivalent of an ultra-wide angle 27mm lens on a standard 35mm camera. Designed for the S3 IS and S2 IS. Note: Requires Lens Adapter / Hood Set LAH-DC20.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works well - See the photos, August 25, 2005

By 

W. Mayall - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Canon WC-DC58A Wide Converter Lens for the S5 IS, S3 IS & S2 IS Digital Camera (Electronics)

This lens does exactly what it should. The overall quality is extremely good. Take a look at my photos:

- First photo is without the lens
- Second photo is with the lens and flash
- Third photo is with the lens and without flash

There are a few things to note about the photos:

- There is a substantial amount of barrel distortion. This is normal. Try not to have straight lines near the borders of the photo to make it less obvious.

- Fringing is exaggerated. You notice fringing (purple or blue tints) along high contrast edges of objects that are near the borders. You can see this on regular shots but is more exaggerated with the wide angle lens.

- The lens makes a shadow when using the built-in flash. You can see the shadow in the photo with the flash. In a darker environment, it is very obvious. The external flash is the only way to fix this.

A couple details:

- You can get an extender that is a nice brushed aluminum here:

http://www.lensmateonline.com/S2.html

- The camera has a setting (Converter) to indicate that you have the lens attached. It's not obvious what it does but it is indicated by a change in the image stabilization icon so I assume that it affects the way that image stabilization works.

Overall, I recommend this lens.

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing for everything except high magnification, September 18, 2007

By 

D. A. White "itemwriter" (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Canon WC-DC58A Wide Converter Lens for the S5 IS, S3 IS & S2 IS Digital Camera (Electronics)

This was a great purchase for me. For family shots indoors, or even outside landscape scenes, it works very well, capturing a lot more panorama than you could otherwise. But one word of caution. At maximum magnification with my Canon S5 IS, I got a little blur, and not just around the edges. Perhaps it is my camera, but everything else is wonderful and in focus...unless I go to maximum length on the lens. I also got a rounded shadow when I used the built in flash with the Wide Converter, because the Wide Converter sticks out so far. However, if you use a larger flash off the hot shoe (i.e., I use a Canon 580 EX II from my DSLR), you can shoot all day with no shadow at all. Do not forget one more very important thing. To attach the Wide Converter to your camera (Powershot S2, S3 and S5), you must have the Canon LAH-DC20 Conversion Lens Adapter (which also comes with a junky little sun hood). I got my lens adapter (LAH-DC20) at Amazon as opposed to Canon, and for a whole lot less...almost half. The adapter allows you to attach filters like Sky 1A, polorizer, star and others, but you can't attach a filter and then attach the Wide Converter. It only goes on the lens adapter (LAH-DC20). If you get the LAH-DC20, and attach a 58mm filter, you can also order a Canon 58mm Snap-on-lens Cap (about $9 at Amazon). It fits perfectly and firmly on any lens filters you attach and the camera lens is then protected, as is your filter(s). What you can't do is put any filters on and then add the Wide Converter. And you should know the Wide Converter has no threads on the outside/end to add a filter there either (and FYI...the Wide Converter comes with a very large cap of it's own and a plug for the other end when not in use, along with a nice little cloth pouch). The lens cap that comes with the camera is made to slip off when the camera is turned on, to avoid compromising the gears in the lenses as they move out of the camera body...a Canon safety feature. But the thing comes off if you look at it cross-eyed, so it leaves a lot to be desired. I actually bought two of the LAH-DC20 Lens Adapters and leave one attached to the wide converter and the other to a polorizer filter with the positive 58mm cap attached. That way the lens is always protected and I can interchange them very quickly. I'm sorry this is a little long, but you should know the whole story. And for the record, I love my Wide Converter and S5 setup. Good luck to you.

61 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars just some more info, January 16, 2006

By 

Pat Bowen (Washington, Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canon WC-DC58A Wide Converter Lens for the S5 IS, S3 IS & S2 IS Digital Camera (Electronics)

I highly recommend the Raynox DCR 1540Pro Teleconverter for the Canon S2 instead of the Canon branded one. Hoya makes a 67mm UV filter for this and both are available at Lensmate.com. The Canon WC-DC58A wide angle converter however is really good. Tiffen made a better one but it seems to not be available anymore.
By the way, the function that the S2 provides for settings using the lens adaptors and teleconvertors are to adjust for the AutoFocus function of the camera and are necessary unless you wish to try to focus yourself using the manual focus which, in my mind, because of the LCD both in the screen as well as in the viewfinder with a lower resolution than an optical viewfinder, is iffy at best. Trust the camera.....it really does an excellent job. One final note, I would recommend using the Focus Bracketing option in lower light situations as the Auto Focus is weak in those situations.