Converters on the cheap

[dino1]

I've often thought it would be good to own Nikon/Oly etc Tele/WA converter for my FZ30 but I have unable to justify the cost in view of the limited ammount of use I would make of them.
However following my usual Sunday morning visit to a local Car boot sale (allright for 'boot' read 'trunk' to most of you) I found a nice pair of converters by Yashica.
Obviously designed to fit one of the late Yashicas cine cameras.
Although never having the same high profile as Nikon/Canon/Pentax et all
Yashica could hold their own with any of these.
Anyway a pair of converters X1.4 tele and a 1.4 W/A ( not quite sure how to inteperate the the W/A marking)
Both have 55mm threads but as the rear element on both protrudes slightly I had to sacrifice a pair of old 55mm filters to make stepping rings.
Not had time to do any serious test but they both seem quite acceptable.
The W/S causes slight vignetting but I discovered that this was caused by the depth of the front 72mm filter threads.
I might machine off about 1.5mm and this would correct this and still leave enough thread to fit filters.
It gives considerably more coverage than the 35mm setting on the FZ.
There is very little vignetting with the Tele and this disappears at the 50mm setting on my FZ30.
They cost me £4 each which was a bit of a bargain as the seller included a Sigma 72mm close up lens in the deal.
Not the end of the story though as on the same day I stumbled across a Sony VCL-1558 A X1.5 tele converter.
Now this is a really impressive piece of glass.
It has a 58mm rear thread and needed a 58/55 stepdown ring.The filter thread is 82mm (I think).
Again not had time to seriously test but initial impressions are pretty good.
This one cost me £5.
I read on another forum (the one I call the Panasonic picture of the moon forum) a post questioning why anyone would ever need more than a 12X zoom.
Well I'd like to bet that if the Leica design department could find a way to circumvent the laws of physics and optics and come up with the impossible lens. Lets say 18mm to 1500mm with a constant aperature F1.8 throughout the range then there would be a number of idiots(me included) screwing lumps of glass on the front of it in order to extend it's range.
All good fun though.
dino1

[Razr]

I've often thought it would be good to own Nikon/Oly etc Tele/WA converter for my FZ30 but I have unable to justify the cost in view of the limited ammount of use I would make of them.
However following my usual Sunday morning visit to a local Car boot sale (allright for 'boot' read 'trunk' to most of you) I found a nice pair of converters by Yashica.
Obviously designed to fit one of the late Yashicas cine cameras.
Although never having the same high profile as Nikon/Canon/Pentax et all
Yashica could hold their own with any of these.
Anyway a pair of converters X1.4 tele and a 1.4 W/A ( not quite sure how to inteperate the the W/A marking)
Both have 55mm threads but as the rear element on both protrudes slightly I had to sacrifice a pair of old 55mm filters to make stepping rings.
Not had time to do any serious test but they both seem quite acceptable.
The W/S causes slight vignetting but I discovered that this was caused by the depth of the front 72mm filter threads.
I might machine off about 1.5mm and this would correct this and still leave enough thread to fit filters.
It gives considerably more coverage than the 35mm setting on the FZ.
There is very little vignetting with the Tele and this disappears at the 50mm setting on my FZ30.
They cost me £4 each which was a bit of a bargain as the seller included a Sigma 72mm close up lens in the deal.
Not the end of the story though as on the same day I stumbled across a Sony VCL-1558 A X1.5 tele converter.
Now this is a really impressive piece of glass.
It has a 58mm rear thread and needed a 58/55 stepdown ring.The filter thread is 82mm (I think).
Again not had time to seriously test but initial impressions are pretty good.
This one cost me £5.
I read on another forum (the one I call the Panasonic picture of the moon forum) a post questioning why anyone would ever need more than a 12X zoom.
Well I'd like to bet that if the Leica design department could find a way to circumvent the laws of physics and optics and come up with the impossible lens. Lets say 18mm to 1500mm with a constant aperature F1.8 throughout the range then there would be a number of idiots(me included) screwing lumps of glass on the front of it in order to extend it's range.
All good fun though.
dino1 I bought a pair of tele/wideangle Yashika lenses in a ratty, old cracked leather case. I found two mint lenses inside. I've kept them both for the eventual time I lose or crack my T-CON 1.7 tele or Raynox WA.

[dino1]

Hi Razr
I suspect there are lots of similar bargains out there waiting to be snapped up and lot will be virtually unused.
I have nothing to campare my three with so would be interested if and when you get around to testing your cheapo converters against the Nikon/Raynox.
dino1

[Razr]

Hi Razr
I suspect there are lots of similar bargains out there waiting to be snapped up and lot will be virtually unused.
I have nothing to campare my three with so would be interested if and when you get around to testing your cheapo converters against the Nikon/Raynox.
dino1Both flare easily outdoors, even with a modest hood. Indoors they seem to lose a bit of light. Image quality indoor and out is very good, though not up to the OLY/Nikon breed standards.

But for the price, w can always use them "Holga" style.

[dino1]

Thanks for that
My findings are very similar except that the tele didn't seem to suffer from flare.
A different story with the W/A. Seems to have a problem with an internal reflection. Various hoods didn't seem to help.
Can't find any faults with the Sony although I expect that it will have srengths and failings in certain areas which is the case with just about every converter.
In view of the fact the whole lot cost less than a single filter I am not dissapointed.
Changing the subject slightly. When I bought my FZ30 it was a toss up between the 30 and the FZ50.
I seen nothing that would make me think I should have gone for the FZ50.
I was influenced by the fact that I have an FZ1 and was aware of what could be achieved with 2 megapixels.
dino1

[RMEIKLEJ]

I foolishly bought both a cheap wide angle and a cheap tele converter for my FZ30 (a fab camera as it is) - I might as well have taken the cash, put it in a blender and turned the money into a mushy paste.

I bought the cheap converters because the Panasonic ones are a) expensive and b) very hard to get. I should have waited and payed more. the lenses I got were not sharp and very imperfect and were 52mm - which means a converter is required and this also means that to avoid showing the converter in the frame - and ends up reducing the wide angle-ness by about 50% - so why bother with it all - oh well - I'm going to look at the Panasonic WA converter & we'll see how that goes :)

[dino1]

Hi RMEIKLEJ
I have no doubt that some cheap converters are not up to the job.
However I titled the tread Converters on the cheap not Cheap converters.
If you can find known brand converters at a silly price it's well worth the risk.
In the eighties I had the portable video of the the day . This consisted of a Sony HVC 2000 V/camera, a portable battery powered recorder and a hernia. The last item being a non optional extra.
Back then some 25 plus years ago the Sony X1.5 converter cost £90 so it certainly was'nt cheap.
I've no idea what that would translate to today.
Sony camera lenses were made by Canon in that era.
One reason I would like to own a DSLR would be because I could find an endless supply of ex film SLR lenses of all focal lengths for next to nothing.
Sure I know they could only be used in a manual mode without autofocus
but so what. Endless hours of experimentation.
dino1