Extender Vs Magnifier

[george_kuldhardhis]

What's the difference between Magnifier & Extender?, Or are they

same. Some people mention magnifier and some other use extender. Can

somebody explain :-)

[chris_ferebee]

<p>An extender turns a lens of a certain focal length (e. g. 200 mm) into a lens of a longer focal length (e. g. 400 mm if you use a 2x extender). Like <a href="http://www.photo.net/ezshop/product?product_id=317">this.</a></p>

A magnifier magnifies what you see in the viewfinder, which will let you focus manually more accurately, like <a href="http://www.majid.info/mylos/weblog/2003/07/06-1.html">this.</a> Since it just clips onto the viewfinder, it doesn't affect the actual image you are capturing.</p>

There are also close-up lenses, also known as diopters, that will let you achieve a greater magnification on the film or sensor by moving the lens closer to the subject, and extension rings, which move the lens farther away from the camera body, and serve a similar function. In both cases, you lose the ability to focus to infinity, which you don't with an extender.</p>

[mormegil]

I believe Magnifiers refer to screw on "filters" that are basically magnifying lenses. This allows you to take "Macro" shots of flowers or insects and such with your camera.

 

An extender is the same thing as a teleconverter. This goes between the lens and the camera body, and "multiplies" or extends the focal distance. For instance, a 2x Extender will give a 200mm lens a 400mm focal distance.

[george_kuldhardhis]

So... There are 2 types of magnifiers?. <br><br> 1) Viewfiender Magnifier <br> 2) Lens Magnifier. <br><br>I have heard/read people mentioning magnifiers to blow up macro shots like Jose has pointed out. On the other hand when I searched for "Magnifier" in Adorama, It gave me results like Chris has pointed out. So which one is called what?... Interesting... :-)

[arthur_byrnes]

Actually there are also extension tubes, which some folks call extenders. These increase the macro abilities of the lens.

[markci]

I've never heard a closeup filter (diopter) referred to as a magnifier. I don't think anybody who knows what they're talking about uses it that way.

 

There are some viewfinder magnifiers out there. But just the unqualified word "magnifier" doesn't have any particular meaning, except by context.

[mark u]

I think you're referring to eyepiece attachments. The eyepiece extender simply brings the whole viewfinder view further back,which makes things easier for spectacle wearers. The Magnifiers (e.g. Magnifier S) actually magnify the image to make it easier to focus manually,especially with the small viewfinder images on the cropped DLRS like the 10D or 300D.