telephoto adaptor at DVinfo.net

Tung Bui · March 25th, 2004, 11:57 PM

Anyone know of tele adaptor beside the century optics ones? I saw on ebay a 2X adaptor by digital optics> Anyone tried that one?

Chris Hurd · March 26th, 2004, 09:10 AM

In terms of the optical quality of telephoto converters, really you get what you pay for. Century Optics is a world leader in this realm. They use Schneider glass, and are considered among the very best of the business. Well worth the money.

Tung Bui · March 27th, 2004, 04:26 AM

Is there any way of using a step down ring or something so that you can buy a 2x teleconverter made by canon or century optics that was made for the vx2000/pd150?

Patrick Bower · March 28th, 2004, 03:28 PM

I have a step down ring from 72mm to 58mm from Adorama, to use the Sony VCL-HG1758. It vignettes if the standard lens is not on maximum telephoto.

Patrick

Tung Bui · March 29th, 2004, 03:55 AM

Thanks Patrick.
So basically you cant zoom through at all. Thats rather disappointing. Do you find it of use to you at all then? It would be rather restricting to stay at one focal length.

David A. Johnson · March 29th, 2004, 07:50 AM

Patrick,

I have been seriously considering getting the Sony adapter, so I want to make sure that I thoroughly understand your post. Are you saying that there is no zoom range at all, that you must go all the way to Z99 on the camera to avoid vignetting? Does your information come from your own personal experience, or is this what you heard from somewhere else?

Please don't take my doubt personally... It's just that I thought I remembered a post from last year regarding the Sony VCL-HG1758, and that it said you didn't hit vignetting until about Z60 or less.

Thanks for the information,
David

Mark Williams · March 29th, 2004, 10:13 AM

Does anyone else have any experience doing this. If I can put a 58mm 2x lens on the DVC80 with a step up ring w/o vignetting at the max. tel. position then this might be the best choice for me. I don't care about zoom through at all. Right now I am leaning towards the DVC30 for its 16x lens but the DVC80 has a very good reputation and if this will work then that gives me a second viable option.

Regards,

Mark

Patrick Bower · March 29th, 2004, 02:05 PM

Yes, it is my personal experience, unfortunately. Just rechecked: it starts vignetting at Z90. As a result I have not yet actually used the lens since buying it. However, I am hoping it will be still useful at full zoom for wildlife shooting.
You might do better if you could find a different step down ring. The Bower 72/58 ring (from Adorama) does not screw properly into the DVX100 filter thread. A thinner ring, that screwed in tighter would be better.
Incidentally, there is a completely different lens called the VCL-HGD1758, designed for digital cameras. Maybe this is better?
Patrick

Barry Green · March 29th, 2004, 02:29 PM

I had an old 58mm teleconverter lens, tried it with the DVX using a 72->58 step-down ring. It also began vignetting at around Z90.

The Century lens starts vignetting about Z60 or so. In fact, on Century's website, they say that the usable zoom range becomes 36mm-72mm, which is only 2:1.

There is no useful telephoto converter solution that I know of, that provides decent magnification and full zoom through.

March 25th, 2004, 11:57 PM	#1
Tung Bui Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 101	telephoto adaptor Anyone know of tele adaptor beside the century optics ones? I saw on ebay a 2X adaptor by digital optics> Anyone tried that one?

March 26th, 2004, 09:10 AM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	In terms of the optical quality of telephoto converters, really you get what you pay for. Century Optics is a world leader in this realm. They use Schneider glass, and are considered among the very best of the business. Well worth the money. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

March 29th, 2004, 07:50 AM	#6
David A. Johnson New Boot Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 21	Patrick, I have been seriously considering getting the Sony adapter, so I want to make sure that I thoroughly understand your post. Are you saying that there is no zoom range at all, that you must go all the way to Z99 on the camera to avoid vignetting? Does your information come from your own personal experience, or is this what you heard from somewhere else? Please don't take my doubt personally... It's just that I thought I remembered a post from last year regarding the Sony VCL-HG1758, and that it said you didn't hit vignetting until about Z60 or less. Thanks for the information, David __________________ David A. Johnson past - photojournalist present - IT admin future - documentarian

March 27th, 2004, 04:26 AM	#3
Tung Bui Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 101	Is there any way of using a step down ring or something so that you can buy a 2x teleconverter made by canon or century optics that was made for the vx2000/pd150?

March 28th, 2004, 03:28 PM	#4
Patrick Bower Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: London, England Posts: 126	I have a step down ring from 72mm to 58mm from Adorama, to use the Sony VCL-HG1758. It vignettes if the standard lens is not on maximum telephoto. Patrick

March 29th, 2004, 03:55 AM	#5
Tung Bui Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 101	Thanks Patrick. So basically you cant zoom through at all. Thats rather disappointing. Do you find it of use to you at all then? It would be rather restricting to stay at one focal length.

March 29th, 2004, 10:13 AM	#7
Mark Williams Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Deep South, U.S. Posts: 1,526	Does anyone else have any experience doing this. If I can put a 58mm 2x lens on the DVC80 with a step up ring w/o vignetting at the max. tel. position then this might be the best choice for me. I don't care about zoom through at all. Right now I am leaning towards the DVC30 for its 16x lens but the DVC80 has a very good reputation and if this will work then that gives me a second viable option. Regards, Mark

March 29th, 2004, 02:05 PM	#8
Patrick Bower Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: London, England Posts: 126	Yes, it is my personal experience, unfortunately. Just rechecked: it starts vignetting at Z90. As a result I have not yet actually used the lens since buying it. However, I am hoping it will be still useful at full zoom for wildlife shooting. You might do better if you could find a different step down ring. The Bower 72/58 ring (from Adorama) does not screw properly into the DVX100 filter thread. A thinner ring, that screwed in tighter would be better. Incidentally, there is a completely different lens called the VCL-HGD1758, designed for digital cameras. Maybe this is better? Patrick

March 29th, 2004, 02:29 PM	#9
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	I had an old 58mm teleconverter lens, tried it with the DVX using a 72->58 step-down ring. It also began vignetting at around Z90. The Century lens starts vignetting about Z60 or so. In fact, on Century's website, they say that the usable zoom range becomes 36mm-72mm, which is only 2:1. There is no useful telephoto converter solution that I know of, that provides decent magnification and full zoom through.