Canon 50mm 1.8 - Add an Olympus 0.8x teleconverter?

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Crazy question..

I've currently got a Canon Rebel XT with the 17-85mm kit lens, and a
50mm f1.8 prime. I also have an Olympus 0.8x teleconverter lens with a
55mm thread that I used with my Olympus 5050z.

Will it work - and will it be worth the trouble - use a 52mm-55mm
adapter to mount the 0.8x teleconverter to my 50mm f1.8 lens to give it
a little more use at closer distances? Or, am I inducing enough extra
optics to negate the sharpness and f1.8 speed - thus making it better to
just use my 17-85mm lens?

Thanks in advance..

-Mark.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <432EFDD3.1DE2@nowhere.com>, nobody@nowhere.com says...
> Mark Teskey wrote:
> >
> > Crazy question..
> >
> > I've currently got a Canon Rebel XT with the 17-85mm kit lens, and a
> > 50mm f1.8 prime. I also have an Olympus 0.8x teleconverter lens with a
> > 55mm thread that I used with my Olympus 5050z.
> >
> > Will it work - and will it be worth the trouble - use a 52mm-55mm
> > adapter to mount the 0.8x teleconverter to my 50mm f1.8 lens to give it
> > a little more use at closer distances? Or, am I inducing enough extra
> > optics to negate the sharpness and f1.8 speed - thus making it better to
> > just use my 17-85mm lens?
> >
>
>
> Easy answer...
>
> You hold the TC up against the 50mm and squeeze off some test shots!
>
> That's what digital cameras are for - instant answers to those "what if"
> photo questions.
>

I did try that - and, as expected - it "appeared" to work - but I
haven't d/led it yet to the computer to see what really happened. I've
seem some discussion on dpreview.com about how adding front-of-lens
teleconverters actually capture -more- light, giving about a stop or so
additional range.

Looks like buying a 52-55mm adapter might be a fun (and relatively
cheap) experiment..

Now I just wish my TCON-14E wasn't a 46mm mount. I'm curious just how
much vignetting I'd get there.. hmm..

-Mark.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <bob_salomon-E4A216.15574219092005@news.isp.giganews.com>,
bob_salomon@mindspring.com says...
> In article <MPG.1d98bd8cd776f15e9896de@offnetwork-news.visi.com>,
> Mark Teskey <mark.teskey@visi.com> wrote:
>
> > In article <432EFDD3.1DE2@nowhere.com>, nobody@nowhere.com says...
> > > Mark Teskey wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Crazy question..
> > > >
> > > > I've currently got a Canon Rebel XT with the 17-85mm kit lens, and a
> > > > 50mm f1.8 prime. I also have an Olympus 0.8x teleconverter lens with a
> > > > 55mm thread that I used with my Olympus 5050z.
> > > >
> > > > Will it work - and will it be worth the trouble - use a 52mm-55mm
> > > > adapter to mount the 0.8x teleconverter to my 50mm f1.8 lens to give it
> > > > a little more use at closer distances? Or, am I inducing enough extra
> > > > optics to negate the sharpness and f1.8 speed - thus making it better to
> > > > just use my 17-85mm lens?
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Easy answer...
> > >
> > > You hold the TC up against the 50mm and squeeze off some test shots!
> > >
> > > That's what digital cameras are for - instant answers to those "what if"
> > > photo questions.
> > >
> >
> > I did try that - and, as expected - it "appeared" to work - but I
> > haven't d/led it yet to the computer to see what really happened. I've
> > seem some discussion on dpreview.com about how adding front-of-lens
> > teleconverters actually capture -more- light, giving about a stop or so
> > additional range.
> >
> > Looks like buying a 52-55mm adapter might be a fun (and relatively
> > cheap) experiment..
> >
> > Now I just wish my TCON-14E wasn't a 46mm mount. I'm curious just how
> > much vignetting I'd get there.. hmm..
> >
> > -Mark.
>
> Proper terminology might help.
>
> In photography a tele converter is an extension tube with a lens in it
> that mounts between the lens and the camera body. It always reduces the
> amount of light reaching the film or sensor.
>
> An auxiliary lens mounts in front of the lens and is available in either
> a tele version or a wide angle version.

Actually, it -is- a teleconverter - it's just front of lens. There are
both front of lens and back of lens teleconverters - you are describing
the back-of-lens variety. Pure 35mm film teleconverters are what you
described.. in the digital world, it's different.

To witness:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co [...] rch&Q=&ci=
5280

Many of these are front-of-lens.

But, I'll agree on one thing - it's used on lenses that add
"telephoto" - not wide angle adapters. So, I'll split it with you..

-Mark.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Mark Teskey <mark.teskey@visi.com> wrote:
>Crazy question..
>
>I've currently got a Canon Rebel XT with the 17-85mm kit lens, and a
>50mm f1.8 prime. I also have an Olympus 0.8x teleconverter lens with a
>55mm thread that I used with my Olympus 5050z.
>
>Will it work - and will it be worth the trouble - use a 52mm-55mm
>adapter to mount the 0.8x teleconverter to my 50mm f1.8 lens to give it
>a little more use at closer distances? Or, am I inducing enough extra
>optics to negate the sharpness and f1.8 speed - thus making it better to
>just use my 17-85mm lens?

The adapter can be had for betwen $5 and $10, or less if you get lucky.

--
Ray Fischer
rfischer@sonic.net

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <R4SdnQcjDsLW763eRVnyhg@pipex.net>, simeon@gormless.com
says...
>
> "Mark Teskey" <mark.teskey@visi.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1d98b66d9f6d1b519896dd@offnetwork-news.visi.com...
> > Crazy question..
> >
> > I've currently got a Canon Rebel XT with the 17-85mm kit lens, and a
> > 50mm f1.8 prime. I also have an Olympus 0.8x teleconverter lens with a
> > 55mm thread that I used with my Olympus 5050z.
> >
> Since you evidently already own the whole shebang why the hell don't you
> just try it and see? Why ask here?
> If it works, it works, if it don't, it don't. Seems simple to me.
>

Actually, I didn't own the whole setup - I didn't have the 52-55mm ring,
so I wanted opinions before buying it.

I -did- buy it and tried it with mixed results.. focus was a bit dicey.
It seemed okay when stepping it up a bit, but at low light (and a lens
set at f1.8) it didn't focus worth a darn.

I might continue playing with it..

-Mark.