2 x Tele convertors

[Rare Bird]

Can anyone tell me if '2x tele convertors' are still available for 35mm analogue camera's..I'm wanting one for my old Zenit Camera (Screw lens)..

[Barry]

Can anyone tell me if '2x tele convertors' are still available for 35mm analogue camera's..I'm wanting one for my old Zenit Camera (Screw lens)..


Andre
You ought to be able to find some on eBay (sales, not necessarily auction).

I believe the Zenit used either the Pentax/Practica M42 or the Leica M39 screw mount.

Regards

[Rare Bird]

Thanks barry, is absolute quality detrimental regarding this section of the camera, i mean is it as critical as the main lens? If so any models i out to be looking for?

[Barry]

Thanks barry, is absolute quality detrimental regarding this section of the camera, i mean is it as critical as the main lens? If so any models i out to be looking for?

Hi Andre,

Since the teleconverters are fitted between the lens and the film plane I would have thought that the better quality the teleconverter is the better. Perhaps either Hamish or Shaun (Haselsh1) might be able to comment.

In addition to loosing 2 stops, adding a 2X converter to say a a prime focus lens to turn it into a lens of double the focal length, is obviously not as good as using a purpose designed lens.

Most of the major and respected lens makers do not make teleconverers, so it is difficult to recommend brands. I have a 2X converter for use with my Exacta equipment. I think it is made by Soligor, but in general you just have to accept what is available. They are not too expensive.

Regards

[Barry]

What is the Zenit model that you have Andre? If it is a Zenit E, then this has a Pentax M42 X1 lens mount thread.

I have had a quick look on eBay and there are about a dozen 2X converters of this fitting, all BIN and cost ~£10 or less.

Cheers

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I had a few old zenit bits kicking about you could have had but I can't find them and to be fair I think they were really old 39mm... I picked em up to play with on m39/ltm kit I have but they wernt even compatible with that from memory. Zenits are pretty ace old cameras me and an elderly customer used to joke that they were carved out of tanks...
Anyway on the subject of 2x tc's ... I'd stick clear, especially concidering what can be picked up cheaply off eBay I'm terms of longer focal length m42 and pentax mount (if it is a later zenit you have) I picked up a beautiful 85mm 2.8 off eBay (m42) for les than a tenner. As Barry says you loose 2 stops of light with 2x tc's and adding glass that wasn't designed as part of a lens is always going to be detrimental... I stopped useing uv filters on shauns advise and have never looked back, and that's just a filter!
I have Nikon tc20e I used with my 70-200 in Kenya ... Regretted it when I got back, the shots I didn't use it were better cropped to the same equiv than the ones with the tc. And that's Nikon!!!
Let me know what fitting you zenit is and what focal length you are hoping to achive and il see if I can find you a gem on eBay!

[The Vinyl Adventure]

... Soligor... That was the brand of the 85mm 2.8 I bought Barry. Great big bit of chunky glass!

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Infact if your m42 and I can find it Andre il chuck it in the post to you!

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I can't find squat... But I haven't unpacked a lot of my older stuff and it's got a bit like this

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/hamish_gill/24e744b1.jpg

I hang my head in shame

[Barry]

I can't find squat... But I haven't unpacked a lot of my older stuff and it's got a bit like this

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/hamish_gill/24e744b1.jpg

I hang my head in shame

Hamish! Is that any way to treat classic camera gear. Looks like you've got some interesting bits and bobs there. Is that a Weston exposure meter I see there and a Vogtlander Vito? What is that 8mm cine camera?

If you don't (or cannot) use them, why not put some of them out on display as objets d'art? I do.

Regards

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Barry
I have the shelves to put up, I just don't have and screws at the mo! They were all on display in my old house, they are all useable (bar the 8mm bolex cine for obvious reasons) the Weston master 5 is my current meter and that Vito b (a superb bit
of kit) is what I used to teach my self "real" photography! They were always kept in pride of place in the old house... It's just been a manic couple of months! When I have them sorted I'm going to catalog them in a blog style web site with photos ... I started doing it at the old house ( Hamishgill.blogspot.com ). I do care aboutthem Barry, I promise :o

[Barry]

HaHa,

Glad to see you like the look of and respect classic, nay vintage camera gear. The Voigtlander Vito series were lovely cameras and and excellent vehicle on which to learn photographic basics. I learnt on an old FED 3 (Russian 'copy' of a Leica III). Don't have it now; traded it in for an Exacta.

I have 8 camera bodies and about 20 lenses, all working and the Leicas are still used.

Despite having used a Gossen for a while, I've gone back to using Weston exposure meters. I have a IV, two V s and a Euromaster.

Look forward to reading your blog.

[snapper]

You can get some good results using a 2 x converter,but as always the end result will only be as good as it's weakest link.

I took this pic using a 400m 2.8 and a doubler.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/davhar/MAC03.jpg

[Barry]

You can get some good results using a 2 x converter,but as always the end result will only be as good as it's weakest link.

I took this pic using a 400m 2.8 and a doubler.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/davhar/MAC03.jpg

A 400mm f/2.8! That must be one hell of a lens: the front objective would be around 140mm in diameter. Did you use a digital camera with image stablisation or a monopod? How long was the exposure? Judging by the depth of field, the lens must have been stopped down a certain amount.

Good photo nonetheless.

Regards

[Rare Bird]

What is the Zenit model that you have Andre? If it is a Zenit E, then this has a Pentax M42 X1 lens mount thread.



A Zenit 'E' & a 'TTL'

[The Vinyl Adventure]

i love my old camera's!
i get such a profound level of satisfaction out of useing them and working out their foibles and such
im selling my leica :( .. il buy another one one day i just dont use it enough so im selling it to a mate who has wanted one for years and will use it as his main camera
im keeping my lenses though so i can use them on my voigtlander r2a and epson

the master 5/invacone is my fave lightmeter .. im on my second one... lost one on the malvern hills...

[The Vinyl Adventure]

A 400mm f/2.8! That must be one hell of a lens: the front objective would be around 140mm in diameter. Did you use a digital camera with image stablisation or a monopod? How long was the exposure? Judging by the depth of field, the lens must have been stopped down a certain amount.

Good photo nonetheless.

Regards

it was taken with a canon 1d with the following settings
250th sec
f/4
iso-800
560mm

arnt i sneaky :)

[snapper]

Did you use a digital camera with image stablisation or a monopod?


I use a monopod.




How long was the exposure? Judging by the depth of field, the lens must have been stopped down a certain amount.



Not exactly sure,but probably 500th sec,wide open,which would be 5.6.




Good photo nonetheless.

Regards


Thanks.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

A Zenit 'E' & a 'TTL'

zenit e was both 39 and 42mm mount ... although if its the same as the ttl im guessing its m42?

[snapper]

it was taken with a canon 1d with the following settings
250th sec
f/4
iso-800
560mm

arnt i sneaky :)


My mistake,it was taken about 7 years ago.

I'm sure I used a doubler that night as well.Will need to find the CD with images on and u/l one using the doubler.

[Barry]

They would have the M42 x 1 screw lens mount.

I've had a quick look on eBay. There are 7 for sale (i.e. 'Buy it Now'), ranging in price from £4.99 to £24.99.

Most of them are made by AICO, though there is a Helios at £14.99 and two Vivitars, one at £12.00 the other at £24.99 (they look identical to me, but I didn't look at them individually in detail).

As discussed, using teleconverters is a compromise, so it is best to go for the best. If it was me I would consider the Vivitars.

Regards

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I use a monopod.

Not exactly sure,but probably 500th sec,wide open,which would be 5.6.

Thanks.

the metadata has recoreded f/4 so i would guess it didnt take into account the 2xtc ... im guessing the effective apeture was f/8
this would lead me to belive you use a 3rd party tc ... maybe a kenco mc7?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

They would have the M42 x 1 screw lens mount.

I've had a quick look on eBay. There are 7 for sale (i.e. 'Buy it Now'), ranging in price from £4.99 to £24.99.

Most of them are made by AICO, though there is a Helios at £14.99 and two Vivitars, one at £12.00 the other at £24.99 (they look identical to me, but I didn't look at them individually in detail).

As discussed, using teleconverters is a compromise, so it is best to go for the best. If it was me I would consider the Vivitars.

Regards

i agree!

[snapper]

the metadata has recoreded f/4 so i would guess it didnt take into account the 2xtc ... im guessing the effective apeture was f/8
this would lead me to belive you use a 3rd party tc ... maybe a kenco mc7?


It would have been a 1.4 converter,Hamish.See previous post.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

ah i see ... thought i was being clever there :)

[The Vinyl Adventure]

andre,
if you have a mooch on ebay you could prob get a pentax m42 135mm 3.5 pretty cheap

[Barry]

My mistake,it was taken about 7 years ago.

I'm sure I used a doubler that night as well.Will need to find the CD with images on and u/l one using the doubler.

1/500 sec at f/5.6 with a sensitivity of ISO 800 is an EV of 9.5 Sounds about right for an indoor shot under artificial light. I'm amazed the ISO 800 setting is so grain free.

Regards

[Rare Bird]

andre,
if you have a mooch on ebay you could prob get a pentax m42 135mm 3.5 pretty cheap

I already have a 135mm Helios lens

[Barry]

i love my old camera's!
i get such a profound level of satisfaction out of useing them and working out their foibles and such
im selling my leica :( .. il buy another one one day i just dont use it enough so im selling it to a mate who has wanted one for years and will use it as his main camera
im keeping my lenses though so i can use them on my voigtlander r2a and epson

the master 5/invacone is my fave lightmeter .. im on my second one... lost one on the malvern hills...

Why don't you use your Leica (which model is it)? In your oinion do the Voigtlander and the Epson handle better?

I would never get rid of my Leicas - too much history, too much affection and respect for them. They'll go out with me!

Regards

[The Vinyl Adventure]

M6, I like to *use* my camera's but because my m6 was so nice I always just took out the r2a instead. just seems a bit wasted ... + I need the money at the mo for setting up the studio .... So something had to go! I'd prefer an m7 anyway, I only use my rangefinder for lower light more candid stuff so I prefer apeture priority for slightly quicker snapping.
I might get a barnark one at some point maybe a iiic (if that is the first one with the rf/vf? Memory failier!)
as forthe r2a and epson - not as solid as a leica either of them, and the r2a has a noisey metal bladed shutter which I don't like. My epson is a very early one so the sensor is right knackerd too... Both still an absolute pleasure to use though, they are perhaps fractionaly easier to hold with the rubber clad, more "ergonomic" bodys, I also have the side grip for the voigtlander which helps too. Clear vf's and rf's, although the shorter rf base lends it's self to focus inacuracies more easily especially with longer lenes. The epsons 1:1 vf is very nice - you can shoot with both eyes open - takes getting used to but it can be done! Rangefiner photography is definatly my prefered type! The voigtlander lens range is excenlent too - I can wholeheartedly recomend the 35mm 1.4 mc ... It really is a stunner for the money!

[Haselsh1]

You really need to be looking out for anything with Vivitar on it. If memory serves me correct, Vivitar use glass made by Hoya along with the likes of Nikon, Canon and Pentax. Hoya are one of the Worlds biggest producers of optical glass and provide many top lens manufacturers with glass. Way back when, Vivitar used Hoya glass and had quite a reputation for making tele converters but as has already been stated, you need an M42 mount. You will very definitely lose some image quality though as well as light.

[Marco]

You can get some good results using a 2 x converter,but as always the end result will only be as good as it's weakest link.

I took this pic using a 400m 2.8 and a doubler.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/davhar/MAC03.jpg

All I'm getting is a little white box with a red cross, mate.... :( :scratch:

Marco.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Works for me

[Marco]

It's working now for some reason! :eyebrows: :mental:

Marco.

[Alex_UK]

works for me too, but I never knew David Bellamy played drums? ;)