bargain quality: 2x Extender-R

[ramarren]

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I only rarely use lenses much longer than 180mm, and I already had two R 180mm lenses, but in a moment of shopping therapy I saw a Telyt-R 250mm f/4 (3cam) that seemed very clean and at a very low price. I bought it; when it arrived, I tested it with the M-P and was astonished just how nice it is. You mean later version are even better performers? Amazing. 

 

Anyway, I thought I was done ... Much as a 400 and 500 mm lens is impressive and fun to use very occasionally, I will never use that long a lens enough to spend real money for one. The Soligor 600mm f/8 mirror lens I bought in Nikon mount is pretty mediocre but works and cost me just $95. Couldn't really need anything more. 

 

But then a discussion of R teleconverters came up. Piqued my curiosity ... I did an Ebay search and found 2x APO-Extender-R selling in the $350-$800 range (much more than I was willing to spend) and 2x Extender-R selling in the $150 plus or minus range. Hmm. Then I found one listing for the latter at $79. Double Hmm. Bought it... sigh. 

 

It arrived yesterday, well-packed and in absolutely beautiful condition. I had to give it a try ... It was evening already so I assembled R Adapter M, tripod mount, Extender-R, and Elmar-R 180mm f/4 onto the M-P and tripod to do a little still-life shooting around the condo. The*lens setup is remarkably compact and light for a 360mm f/8. I coded it in-camera for an R 180mm f/3.4 and made this exposure wide-open: 

 

Leica M-P + R Adapter M + 2x Extender-R + Elmar-R 180mm f/4

ISO 400 @ f/4 (f/8) @ 1/12 second

 

 

I have to say that really pleased me. I also made another exposure stopped down two stops (f/8, effective f/16), which nets a bit more DoF and slightly more even illumination center to corners. 

 

If an 2x tele extender does this well, I can only imagine how well the APO version does. But this will do. Next: test the extender with the Telyt-R 250mm outdoors.  

 

My lens kit for the SL just keeps getting better.

 

G

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[farnz]

I've had both the pre- and APO extenders and there is a significant difference.  Especially when used with APO lenses of course. I released my pre-APO back into the wild.

 

Pete.

[ramarren]

I've had both the pre- and APO extenders and there is a significant difference.  Especially when used with APO lenses of course. I released my pre-APO back into the wild.

 

Pete.

 

I suspect there is, but for the little I really need such a long lens I'm not willing to pay the premium between them. If I find myself using it a lot, however, an APO is not difficult to find. 

[jaapv]

I could never warm to the standard extender 2x. The Apo-extender 2x is considerably superior. The 1.4x Apo-extender is excellent as well -even better. It is even possible to stack the 1.4x and 2x Apo and still get good image quality albeit stopped down 1 stop, depending on the lens used, of course.

 

I have been using the 2x Apo with the Vario-Elmar R 80-200 this last month and could not wish for better results.

 

 

M240 @ 400 mm.

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[ramarren]

Very nice!