High-quality Telextender for 7MP and Higher Cameras? at DVinfo.net

J. Stephen McDonald · September 8th, 2006, 04:42 AM

How adequate are the available telextender lenses for matching the image sharpness of MegaPixel cameras that have 7MP and above? I'm considering buying a Sony DSC-H5 (7.3MP/12X zoom/58mm lens thread), to carry in my bag, when I'm out using a camcorder. Sony offers a telex for this camera, the VCL-DH1758 (list:$149., B&H price:$114.). They say it's rated for HD use, but the low price makes me wonder. It has a plastic body and is fairly lightweight. I could use the Sony telex I already have for SD video (the VCL-HG1758). But, it has a steel body and is heavy. Also, I doubt it has enough resolution for high-MP images. However, it cost me $370. If an SD video lens of the same size and X-power costs this much, how can an HD-capable lens be priced at less than 1/3 the amount? If anyone has had experience using any telexes with high-MP cameras and specifically the VCL-DH1758, I'd appreciate hearing about the results. Any comments about the DSC-H5 camera would also be helpful.

Frank Granovski · September 9th, 2006, 05:08 PM

Raynox makes some sharp tele and wide adaptors. Sony makes good ones, though it's another company that makes them for Sony's miniDV cams. I don't know anything about their still line of adaptors.

J. Stephen McDonald · September 10th, 2006, 06:31 AM

Today, I put a Raynox 2.2X telex on my Olympus C-2100UZ. It worked surprisingly well and seems adequate to support a moderately high-resolution camera. Raynox claims it has 260 dot-per-millimeter resolution at lens center and they have it listed as suitable for HD video cameras on their website. The images I got with the C-2100UZ's 10X zoom, plus the 2.2X magnification, were as sharp as without the telex and the autofocus still worked. It didn't cause vignetting that extends to such a high point in the zoom as it does with my Sony VX2100 videocamera. The upper 35% of the zoom range was free of dark corners with the Olympus. But, the C-2100UZ has 2.1 MegaPixels and it remains to be determined if the Raynox has enough resolution to support a camera with 7 MP. Raynox has another HD telex on their website that they rate at 340 dot-per-millimeter resolution, so I will look into that as a possibility.

September 8th, 2006, 04:42 AM	#1
J. Stephen McDonald Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 909	High-quality Telextender for 7MP and Higher Cameras? How adequate are the available telextender lenses for matching the image sharpness of MegaPixel cameras that have 7MP and above? I'm considering buying a Sony DSC-H5 (7.3MP/12X zoom/58mm lens thread), to carry in my bag, when I'm out using a camcorder. Sony offers a telex for this camera, the VCL-DH1758 (list:$149., B&H price:$114.). They say it's rated for HD use, but the low price makes me wonder. It has a plastic body and is fairly lightweight. I could use the Sony telex I already have for SD video (the VCL-HG1758). But, it has a steel body and is heavy. Also, I doubt it has enough resolution for high-MP images. However, it cost me $370. If an SD video lens of the same size and X-power costs this much, how can an HD-capable lens be priced at less than 1/3 the amount? If anyone has had experience using any telexes with high-MP cameras and specifically the VCL-DH1758, I'd appreciate hearing about the results. Any comments about the DSC-H5 camera would also be helpful. __________________ Steve McDonald https://onedrive.com/?cid=229807ce52dd4fe0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/ http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos

September 10th, 2006, 06:31 AM	#3
J. Stephen McDonald Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 909	Raynox 2.2X Telextender Today, I put a Raynox 2.2X telex on my Olympus C-2100UZ. It worked surprisingly well and seems adequate to support a moderately high-resolution camera. Raynox claims it has 260 dot-per-millimeter resolution at lens center and they have it listed as suitable for HD video cameras on their website. The images I got with the C-2100UZ's 10X zoom, plus the 2.2X magnification, were as sharp as without the telex and the autofocus still worked. It didn't cause vignetting that extends to such a high point in the zoom as it does with my Sony VX2100 videocamera. The upper 35% of the zoom range was free of dark corners with the Olympus. But, the C-2100UZ has 2.1 MegaPixels and it remains to be determined if the Raynox has enough resolution to support a camera with 7 MP. Raynox has another HD telex on their website that they rate at 340 dot-per-millimeter resolution, so I will look into that as a possibility. __________________ Steve McDonald https://onedrive.com/?cid=229807ce52dd4fe0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/ http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos

September 9th, 2006, 05:08 PM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Raynox makes some sharp tele and wide adaptors. Sony makes good ones, though it's another company that makes them for Sony's miniDV cams. I don't know anything about their still line of adaptors.