The focal length of X70 is 18.5mm (35mm format equivalent: 28mm). Often times people refer this angle of view as the starting point for the wide angle lens. Some may prefer to be a bit wider, and some may prefer to get closer the the standard angle of view.
X70 features “Digital Tele-Converter”. If you assign this function to the control ring on the lens, the angle of view can be set to 28, 35 or 50mm. (35mm and 50mm equivalent is cropped but recorded at 16M with the pixel interploation processing.)
This is a very convenient way to switch between “Semi-wide (35mm equivalent)” and “Standard (50mm equivalent).
Zoom lens is popular than ever, but if you were a classical photography lover, you would probably think the focal length after 28mm is not 29 nor 30mm, but 35mm.
We do not mean ”Classical” as old school, but rather as orthodox and rational. There is a reason for 28mm or 35mm being such popular focal length.
If you ever read a “How to” book on camera from the past, you would find that it often instructed you to “Zoom before you look into the finder. Do not zoom while looking through the finder.” They wanted to you to envision the composition before you start to press the shutter.
The focal length in between 28mm and 35mm are for the little adjustment on the composition. One should not zoom in and out from end to end, to think how you would want to frame the picture.
Photography starts with a “view”. Key to good photography is to be able to share “how you view” with others. The 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm all have strong indication on showing “How you view things”.
We’ve mentioned previously in “The world of Film Simulation” that the color reproduction of Film Simulation has their own world. Same can be said for the focal length. 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm each has their own world. One should take photos by envisioning the world before releasing the shutter.
The X70 already has the 3 angles covered, and if you add the WCL-X70, then you will have one more focal length of 14mm (21mm equivalenet), which is yet another angle with a strong character.
The ultra wide angle is quite verstaile. You can use it for snap, portrait, landscape to astrophotography.
Here is a little tip.
We recommend that you turn on “Wide Conversion Lens” in the menu when using the WCL-X70. It will digitally adjust the barrel distortion that happens with the X70 and WCL-X70 combo.
With the menu turned “ON”, then you will see the straight line, which is great for architecture.
You can also choose to turn it “OFF” intentionally. The ultra wide angle lens squashes the depth if the distortion is corrected. If you are to shoot portrait, then having it OFF is definitely an option. But this is only true, because the X70 & WCL-X70 combo make only a tiny barrel distortion. We do not recommend you to try it, if it were pincushion distortion, or the distortion itself is enormous.
