Which teleconverter to choose for Canon FD lens?

<p>What teleconverter have you used with a 400 5.6 prime in an FD mount? I picked up a Vivitar 400 mm 5.6 FD mount lens and am now looking to extend its reach with a teleconverter. According to this site: <a href="http://bit.ly/2dzu400">http://bit.ly/2dzu400</a> Canon made a FD 2X-A that may be compatible? I'm looking for any suggestions that may work, I'm aware of the loss of light and quality issues. Just want to see what your experience was.</p>

<p>I was thoroughly disappointed with teleconverters, all brands, years ago...sold the last one off about 2 years ago. Much happier now.</p>

<p>I just checked on Google (<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=teleconverter+for+canon+fd&num=100&newwindow=1&safe=off&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwje-cfakPHPAhWl2YMKHTXOAd8QsxgIHg&biw=1167&bih=660">link</a>), and to my astonishment, both OEM Canon and other brand FD-mount teleconverters are offered for sale for very modest prices. You might check to see how "lens-specific" some of these may be, since some converters were designed primarily for use with just one lens.<br>

Between the light loss and other variables, a good tripod is also likely to be needed.<br>

Better teleconverters can often be surprisingly good optically (<a href="/classic-cameras-forum/00dqdD">link</a>).</p>

<p>Kemal, back in the late '70s I used a Spiratone 400/6.3 lens occasionally with a 2X converter. It was very tough to focus through the darkened viewfinder, that alone made getting even passable results a total crapshoot!</p>

<p>I believe that there are T-mount 500mm and 800mm Vivitar lenses, usually reasonably priced. </p>

<p>I suspect those are 500mm f/8 and 800mm f/11, so about the same amount of light as yours with a teleconverter.</p>

<p>Even so, one of those, and the appropriate T-mount adapter, would be my choice. </p>

<p>The Tokina 7 element converter is decent.<br>

In the Canon Line for a 400mm lens you would use Teleconverter 2x-A</p>

<p>I've used both the Canon 2x-A and 1.4x-A. The 2x-A can be used with most any FD lens. The 1.4x-A has a protruding front element, and can be used only with FD lenses that have a recessed rear element. Both are excellent TCs.</p>

<p>Another general application 2x TC that I like, and that I've used for many years, is the Vivitar 7-element macro-focusing TC. It's about as good as they come. And having that focusing helical can be really handy for long lenses with closest focusing lengths that are rather distant.</p>

<p>As for the claim that a TC reduces image quality, this is not true when using a good TC. I've proved to my satisfaction that a good quality TC not only does not deteriorate the image quality, but actually improves it slightly.</p>

 

<p>Year’s back, I owned the FD1.4X-A converter and the FD2X-A converter to use on my FD 300/4 lens. The 1.4X-A was always impressive, sharp and contrasty at all apertures. The 2X-A was a disappointment. It always seemed a bit soft, even when I mounted my F-1 on a tripod and had the mirror locked up. And these were for pics taken on Kodachrome 64 slide film.</p>

<p>I have noticed however, pics taken with the FD2X-A that are on the soft side, sharpen up nicely once I scan the slide and pull it into Photoshop. The “sharpening” tool in PS can did wonders for making old, soft film pics acceptable. </p>

<p>Your 2x-A may have been "off" a bit. To be honest, though, I've always preferred the Vivitar 7-element 2x macro-focusing TC when it comes to 2x TCs.</p>

<p>A few years back, I conducted some resolution tests using the Vivitar and a dedicated Tamron 2x. I found them to be equivalent, performance-wise, and I found that both actually slightly improved the image resolution. At the time, I didn't own the Canon, so I wasn't able to include it in the comparison.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>As for the claim that a TC reduces image quality, this is not true when using a good TC. I've proved to my satisfaction that a good quality TC not only does not deteriorate the image quality, but actually improves it slightly.</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

I suppose it depends on how you measure it, but a TC will magnify by 2X (or other factor) the image, including its imperfections. <br>

<br>

If you shoot without a TC, then crop to just the center, you magnify lens imperfections and grain.<br>

<br>

A quality lens with double the focal length should be able to do better, but you never know until you try. And quality lenses cost more and are heavier than TCs. <br>

<br>

I don't know, though, even though I suggested it above, how an 400mm f/5.6 lens with TC compares to an 800mm f/11 lens without.</p>

Michael, that's a new one by me- that TCs can actually improve resolution. I have never seen a published test showing

this result, of any lens and TC pairing. None were even as good as zero degradation, the very best always showed some

definite loss of image quality. So I'm curious about your claim and the methodology behind it!

<p>I do have a rather lengthy thread I can point you to, posted over at the mflenses forum. See it here:</p>

<p>http://forum.mflenses.com/teleconverter-comparison-tamron-01f-vs-vivitar-macro-t38993,highlight,%2Btamron+%2Bvivitar+%2Bteleconverter.html</p>

<p>One member, Mark, joined in with some rather spirited debate and kept me on my toes. He even added in his own set of test shots at one point. As for methodology, it was pretty straight-forward. Shoot at a variety of f/stops, focus as well as I could with the camera and lenses mounted to a tripod, using the self timer as a means of reducing camera shake. I did have to reshoot things a couple of times because of wind-induced blur. See for yourself, and decide for yourself, whether or not TCs provide improved, unchanged, or worsened images compared to a lens with no TC.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>You would really be pushing your luck w/ a 400mm tele lens and a maximum aperture of 5.6. You are going to lose at least a stop of light, and like others, my experience w/ teleconverters is that they degrade the image quality so much it's not worth it. Just use the best, fine grained film you can find w/ your current lens and crop the image.</p>