60 degree lenses?

[tvining]

I have a couple questions regarding the 60 degree lenses.

1. I have a 14'x14' capture area. Would 60 degree lenses benefit me?

2. Can I change out the lenses of my standard cameras to the 60 degree lenses myself?

3. Is there a downside to the 60 degree lenses. I've seen mention of "distortion", but what does that actually mean, in practical terms?

Thanks--Tim

[VincentG]

It would increase the angle width of the cameras, but it can decreases the maximium distance.

We usually do not recommend the end user changing the lens, as they would also need to retape the lens itself, as well as reinserting it, without getting contaminates on the imager itself.

Here is a good article on lens distortion, as well as a visual aids.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(optics)

[tvining]

Thanks Vincent,

The center point of my capture volume would never exceed 3 meters from the cameras--would that fit within the 60 degree parameters?

I have 8 cameras with the standard lenses, so I don't really want to buy all new cameras. Is there any way I can get the lenses changed out professionally?

As for distortion, I was actually asking in terms of the specific effect it has on Arena mocap--does the distortion throw off the markers so they don't line up and "break", or does the pose still work, it just gets exaggerated at the edges, like a fisheye photograph?

Thanks--Tim

[tvining]

Also, can you "mix" lenses--that is, can you have some standard and some 60 degree lenses in a multicamera setup?