Thinking about selling APO 2X

[Mantice]

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First thanks everyone for helping me with the extender questions before.

 

After many months, I found out APO 2X is becoming a dry-box lugger instead of photography activist. As a system with Canon SLR and standard zoom lens I found out when I put on Leica Lens to work, I prefer bare lens for its superior quality then adding an extender.

 

2X APO seems to take up the rule of brick shootings, which I almost not doing it anymore.

 

I don't know if this is right, but I'm guessing:

 

(1) sensor these days is getting much denser to reveal the fault added by 2X APO as well as getting closer to the combo's resolution limit, making cropping actually looks better than the extender?

 

(2) Adding the extender degrade the "characteristic" of the wonderful lens because modern lens are getting much and much better?

 

(3) The hassle of adding such in practical situations - slow f/5.6 max aperture and more unbalanced lens combination?

 

I'm using it on 100 AME (mostly) and 280/4 APO (as emergency since 1.4x does seems to be more useful on it)

 

So.......should I sold it? I'm not a collector, just an amateur Didn't see much of its future value. I will love to hear practical user's opinion, especially with these two lenses.

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[fernando_b]

(1) Are you sure of this? In particular using the APO 100, and APO 280.

(2) Which "modern" SRL lenses are getting much better?

Fernando.

[Mantice]

(1) Are you sure of this? In particular using the APO 100, and APO 280.

(2) Which "modern" SRL lenses are getting much better?

Fernando.

 

(1) Nop, that's why I'm asking

(2) If include Zeiss ZE and newer macros/teles Won't drag out a fight though but there's some aspects (sharpness, color, etc) are catching up from those lenses.

 

BTW I'm specified the combo (with 2X APO) compare to bare lens of those contenders. Not a fair comparison but field ergonomics plays big here~ I am not selling my APO lenses

[stuny]

I don't quite understand what you are getting at and would need to know the camera, lens and extender youre referring to. However, on an R8, wihtot without the DMR, with the 2x APO and 80-200 I get superb results.

[wildlightphoto]

It doesn't matter what I think about, or what anyone else thinks about it. If you're not using it, no point keeping it.

[Mantice]

It doesn't matter what I think about, or what anyone else thinks about it. If you're not using it, no point keeping it.

 

Ya you're spot on - there's really no point for this thread. Maybe it was just my final struggle to see if there's something I'm missing and end up regretting it later on.

 

Unless someone teach me how to make the best use of 200/5.6 or 560/8 on a Canon FF body because my skill is not qualify to own this 2X APO. Please don't tell me to find a DMR because I can't find one (even so the price is out of reach), otherwise things could be different.

[wildlightphoto]

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Maybe it was just my final struggle to see if there's something I'm missing and end up regretting it later on.

 

If we can assume your technique is up to the task, it may be the camera's viewfinder isn't allowing you to focus accurately. I find the DMR + 280mm f/4 APO + 2x APO-Extender-R gives me very sharp photos when the shutter speed is fast enough.

[Mantice]

I know....for critical focus work (of the 2X combo) I end up with Live-View almost all the time (on tripod of course). I bet DMR is going to be great but the reality is that I'm stuck with step-down +live-view when I need accurate focus.

 

Ergonomics aside maybe there's other associated problem with the 2X that the final image felt a tad soft to me - not sure if its my error or normal degradation.

 

On 280/4, 2X works when the subject (bird) that cannot get closer, however, getting f/8 and dark viewfinder vs. the small extra reach on Canon body just felt annoying.

 

On 100/2.8 + 2X, the whole thing is scary to carry around making it tripod-safe only.

 

I want to know what I'm missing.

[Mantice]

I want to change topic a little - I ding my rear element of my 2X to a sharp object and it result in 2 coating scratch off, both about the size of comma in 12 font print.

 

That drop my estimated sell price about half.....I think It may be better to keep it while trying to find other useful frontier.

 

I do have a question, are those coating peel off affects ultimate image quality?

[dkCambridgeshire]

I want to change topic a little - I ding my rear element of my 2X to a sharp object and it result in 2 coating scratch off, both about the size of comma in 12 font print.

 

That drop my estimated sell price about half.....I think It may be better to keep it while trying to find other useful frontier.

 

I do have a question, are those coating peel off affects ultimate image quality?

 

Even if the glass was damaged rather than the coating, it's unlikely that such a small comma size blemish would affect the image quality - and even if it does, if you paint the comma size defect with a tiny speck of matt black paint it should negate/remedy any image defect. The small painted comma will not show up in the image as it's so small and totally out of focus.

 

IMO all R lenses and extenders (especilly APO extenders) are worth keeping because there is renewed demand following the New M live view camera announcement - and the demand is likely to increase when production and sales commence.

 

Best wishes

 

dunk

[Mantice]

......tiny speck of matt black paint it should negate/remedy any image defect. The small painted comma will not show up in the image as it's so small and totally out of focus.

 

dunk

 

Really? I really don't know how that extender works so I can only speculate. Initially I was thinking that a block area at rear element could be worse, if the light ray is spreading or parallel to hit the film instead of inward focusing.

 

I could be wrong. It does seem to hit the glass a bit...