Wide angle lens virtual image = macro mode

cdubsunderwater wrote:

Hi!

I recently bought a BigEye Lens M67 Mark II for my underwater Canon scuba diving case. This is my first time using a wide-angle lens.

OK, what you have there is a 'wet lens', designed to work with water on both sides of the optics.  It adapts your standard lens into wide angle.

From my understanding, domed wide-angle lens create a "virtual image" that the camera needs to focus on - hence why the camera needs to be in "macro mode" when using the domed wide-angle lens.

It's probably more accurate to say that a virtual image is formed on the inside of the dome, and in order for that image to be in focus, the camera needs to be able to focus that closely.

If this lens is sold as a recommended option for your camera, it's probably safe to assume it works with it.  Don't expect great corners in your shots.

1. Because the camera is focused on the overall "virtual image" vs. the actual scene, does that mean the camera will not focus on a particular subject within the scene - therefore meaning it won't have bokeh between the background and foreground in-focus?

No, you can pick out near and distant objects and the camera will be out of focus for one but not the other.   But you still need close-focus capability.

2. Would it be possible for the Canon G7xii to take macro video while keeping the wide-angle lens on?

Not really.  The nice thing about wet lenses is that they can be changed underwater.   It's common to have a flip mount to flip in the wet lens when needed. And you can get dual flip mounts that can flip in a macro wet lens or a wide lens as needed, or none at all.

Thanks in advance to the community for your collective wisdom!

I admit to rarely trying the wide lens I had for my RX100 II, and I couldn't get the focus right on my macro wet lens.  (Needed to be too close to the subject.)

The macro mode is only required for compact cameras to change the focus range

A dome increases the depth of field so it is very difficult to blur a background with it in fact most underwater wide angle is sharp throughout