OM tele-converters

[wellinghall]

Hi folks

 

I'm thinking of buying an OM tele-converter. Is there anything I should look

out for? Are Zuiko ones worth the extra money? Is there a good source for them?

 

Thanks

 

Andrew

[patrick j dempsey]

I do know that the Zuiko converters were built specifically for certain lenses and contained a big stack of elements to optimize them for those lenses. Check out mir.com for a review of the 1.4X and 2X converters:

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/shared/zuiko/index.htm

[tim_huggins]

Zuiko "anything" is worth the extra money. The 1.4x is considered the better of the two, as the 2x will cause more degradation to the image quality (this is true for any 1.4x vs. 2x teleconvertor).

 

What lens(es) do you have to use them with?

[harold_gough]

The above is the accepted wisdom about degradation of image quality by teleconverters. However, it is not so straightforward.

 

Yes, passing trough additional glass is liable to degrade an image, although some lenses have additional elements designed in specifically to improve the image. Also, the central part of the image, originating from the central part of the lens, is what passes through a teleconverter. This is, generally, the part of the lens giving the best quality, such that the average quality of the image may, foor some lenses, be improved by using a teleconverter.

[matthew_newton]

I get decent results with my Vivitar 2x teleconverter, it isn't stellar, and being stopped down a couple of stops helps, but it is decent. I would recommend looking for a 1.4x or 1.5x teleconverter that was NOT made by zuiko. The Zuiko teleconverters are great from what I have read, but they are lens specific, they will NOT work on certain lenses because they can't mount to them. The generic 1.4 and 1.5x teleconverts should be able to mount to any lens. I recommend a 1.4 or 1.5x teleconverter because you only lose 1 stop of speed instead of 2...and since you are generally talking about a telephoto lens that is probably already an f/2.8-f/5.6 as it is, 2 stops is a lot to lose if you use a 2x teleconverter.

[Mike Gammill]

Some converters for specific lenses won't mount on some lenses because the converter element sticks out so much that it will contact the rear element of the lens when you try to mount it. Not a problem with generic converters. FWIW, I use a Soliger 2X converter with my Zuiko 70-150 and does well. I also have an additonal Soligor Multipurpose 2X which I don't use, but would expect similar results since it is also a 4 element. If you are thinking generic, try to find a 7 element converter.

[ondrejp_spyderman]

Take a look at the Olympus Zuiko lens tests and compare for yourself. There are tests of the same lenses without and with teleconverter. Olympus 2x-A, and I think Tokina doubler and Tamron.

 

Olympus 1.4x TC is intended for the fast white telephotos. You won't mount anything else on it, because of protruding front element. Olympus 2x-A is intended (and optimized!) for "consumer" range of lenses: 100/2.8, 135/2.8 and 3.5, 200/4 and 5, but you CAN MOUNT other lenses too. No protruding element.

 

7-element TC tend to be better corrected for aberations than cheaper 4-element. So if you want to buy 3rd party then go for proven brands: Kenko 7-element Teleplus, Tokina Doubler (also 7 element).