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X Vario with Raynox DCR-2025pro 2.2x teleconverter


TMorita

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Anyone used this combo before?

 

I had intended to use the Raynox on another lens, but it turns out it's usable on the X Vario.

On the X Vario at 70mm, it loses the edges of the frame.

If the standard 3:2 aspect ratio is retained for the crop, it leaves about 10 mpixels usable in the center.

 

Sample attached - ISO 200, 46mm, f/8, 1/60th sec + Raynox DCR-2025pro.

 

Toshi

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Edited by TMorita
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Roughly 1:1 crop from near the center.

The "hair" on the leaves is visible.

It was a windy day today and the branches were moving around, so I'm surprised it's visible.

 

Toshi

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Edited by TMorita
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The max 154mm focal length isn't quite good enough for wildlife photography.

I can't really zoom in on a single bird at a 1:1 crop.

This is about a 1:1 crop.

 

Toshi

 

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This is the final crop of the first shot, which I forgot to post.

The longer focal length makes subject/background separation a bit easier, definitely.

 

Toshi

 

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Looks good Toshi.

Initially, in my speed-reading of the post I thought you were talking about a simple closeup lens (Is that the correct term Dunk?)

But then I saw "154mm" and re-read the title, a tele-convertor.

I got held up with a very persistent camera shop salesman in HK last year, he was hell-bent on selling me a Rollei branded tele-convertor. I didn't buy it, and after an hour of him trying I simply walked out, much to his disgust.

Is the Raynox like the Rollei?

My closeup assistance (over and above the already close focusing of the X-Vario) is from a couple of Elpro lenses, with DIY adapter rings. They work exceptionally well.

Full credit to Dunk for the headsup on the Elpros.
Gary

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I don't know anything about the Rollei teleconverter, but it's this one:

 

http://www.raynox.co.jp/english/dcr/dcr2025pro/index.htm

 

The teleconverter fits onto the front filter threads, so it works on most lenses with up to a 58mm filter size.

 

I've tested it on:

 

Leica X Vario @ 70mm (can see interior of tube)

Sony RX10 @ 200mm (heavy vignetting)

Minolta 75-300mm @ 300mm (slight vignetting)

 

The light loss seems to be very slight - I tested it just now against a dark wall, and with the ISO locked at 100 the shutter speed was 1/8th without the Raynox, and 1/6th with the Raynox.

 

Toshi

Edited by TMorita
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  • 2 months later...

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Interesting results. I'm wondering if the Raynox DCR 1542 tele converter would be more suitable for the X Vario i.e. if it would work without vignetting? I've searched but cannot find any reviews - and as it would cost £166.92 would be an expensive experiment if it did not work satisfactorily. 

 

dunk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Interesting results. I'm wondering if the Raynox DCR 1542 tele converter would be more suitable for the X Vario i.e. if it would work without vignetting? I've searched but cannot find any reviews - and as it would cost £166.92 would be an expensive experiment if it did not work satisfactorily. 

 

dunk 

 

I've actually acquired an Olympus TCON-17 which has less magnification than the Raynox, but exhibits no vignetting. I would recommend it over the Raynoxes. Be sure to get the TCON-17, and not the TCON-17X because the 17X has a different mount.

 

Toshi

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I've actually acquired an Olympus TCON-17 which has less magnification than the Raynox, but exhibits no vignetting. I would recommend it over the Raynoxes. Be sure to get the TCON-17, and not the TCON-17X because the 17X has a different mount.

 

Toshi

 

 

:) … So I looked in my 'bits box' and found an Olympus 1.7x conversion lens acquired secondhand several years ago when thought it might work with a Canon digital compact - but it didn't so has lain dormant ever since. No model name or code visible - just states OLYMPUS 1.7x TELE CONVERSION LENS 55mm JAPAN . Also found 55mm to 49mm, and 49mm to 43mm stepping rings and then screwed the lens onto the X Vario lens.

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

 

Now gobsmacked because it works fine as a 1.7x teleconverter at the X Vario's 70mm zoom setting and with no vignetting !!  Thus another mini-project beckons. Couple of test shots from my front door looking into the street on a very dull and overcast day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slight pincushion distortion noticeable on the roof gutter?? …  but that's to be expected and unlikely to affect other types of images unduly.

 

I'll use it asap in decent light and post some better images.  

 

 

Ffordes has 8 Olympus TCON 14 extenders listed in their sale items but they are 1.45x … not sure if they would work but maybe worth a try … http://www.ffordes.com/category/Digital_Cameras/Compacts_/Olympus   … I’ve just ordered one  . Ffordes TCON 14B looks a better bet but is a little more expensive. 

 

 

I wonder if the Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter would work on the XV? 

 

 

Best wishes

 

 

dunk 

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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:) … So I looked in my 'bits box' and found an Olympus 1.7x conversion lens acquired secondhand several years ago when thought it might work with a Canon digital compact - but it didn't so has lain dormant ever since. No model name or code visible - just states OLYMPUS 1.7x TELE CONVERSION LENS 55mm JAPAN . Also found 55mm to 49mm, and 49mm to 43mm stepping rings and then screwed the lens onto the X Vario lens.

 

 

 

Now gobsmacked because it works fine as a 1.7x teleconverter at the X Vario's 70mm zoom setting and with no vignetting !!  Thus another mini-project beckons. Couple of test shots from my front door looking into the street on a very dull and overcast day.

 

 

 

Slight pincushion distortion noticeable on the roof gutter?? …  but that's to be expected and unlikely to affect other types of images unduly.

 

I'll use it asap in decent light and post some better images.  

 

 

Ffordes has 8 Olympus TCON 14 extenders listed in their sale items but they are 1.45x … not sure if they would work but maybe worth a try … http://www.ffordes.com/category/Digital_Cameras/Compacts_/Olympus   … I’ve just ordered one  . Ffordes TCON 14B looks a better bet but is a little more expensive. 

 

 

I wonder if the Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter would work on the XV? 

 

 

Best wishes

 

 

dunk 

 

 

 

Ordered the s/h WCON 0.7 wide converter and will advise if its a usable item on the XV … somehow suspect not but worth a try. 

 

dunk 

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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Established my 1.7x extender is in fact a TCON 17 https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Tcon-17-1-7x-Telephoto-Converter/dp/B00009MJK7/ref=pd_sbs_421_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7T83JV3PPFDMPTCNMT86   and also found an interesting front mount tele-extender comparison review http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/FZ-10/Converters/TEST/Tele-Tests/Tele-Compare.html   … but refers to when used on a 2003 Panasonic compact FZ10 . 

 

dunk 

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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Ordered the s/h WCON 0.7 wide converter and will advise if its a usable item on the XV … somehow suspect not but worth a try. 

 

dunk 

 

 

 

The Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter arrived this morning from Ffordes; it has a 55mm thread thus requires a 55mm to 43mm stepping ring(s) to fit the XV … which was possible using my existing 55-49 and 49-43 rings. When screwed onto the XV lens set to the widest 28mm FF equiv. (actually its 18mm focal length) there is some vignetting - but vignetting  disappears if lens is zoomed slightly to approx 30mm  i.e. between the 28mm and 35mm settings. I've taken a few photos and they appear surprisingly distortion free. The conversion factor is 0.7x thus assume the resultant focal length at the 30mm ish setting is 21mm ??? Images certainly appear wider than e.g. 24mm - but will have to use a 21mm lens on another camera and for the same subject to confirm.  

 

I'll try some more scientific tests in better light and with a tripod before posting images on the forum but so far I'm again gobsmacked by the potential of yet another Olympus converter - which can be sourced relatively easily and at reasonable cost. It's possible that with a 55mm to 43mm stepping ring the vignetting at the 28mm setting might be reduced because only one rather than two rings would be used.  

 

The s/h £10 TCON-14 also arrived from Ffordes this morning i.e. the 1.45x tele converter and it also works fine on the XV using stepping rings.

 

Thus now have the potential to use the XV from approx FF equiv 21mm to 98mm …using the WCON 0.7 and TCON-14 …. or  21mm to 119mm if using the TCON 17.  

 

Looking forward to trying the converters asap with some interesting subjects (other than my neighbours houses / cars) and in decent lighting. 

 

Thank you Toshi for suggesting the possibilities.

 

Best wishes

 

dunk 

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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I forgot to mention - I have also recently bought the  Kenko VC-200 PRO and KUT-300 HI conversion lenses.

I haven't tested either one extensively because I've been distracted on other projects, but here's my quick impressions.

 

Both the VC-200 PRO and KUT-300 HI seems very similar to the Olympus TCON-17, and I suspect Kenko is the OEM for the TCON-17.

The VC-200 PRO seems to be optically pretty good. Minimum focus distance is about 2 feet.

The KUT-300 HI seemed to be lower quality as I remember. Mimimum focus distance is about 4 feet.

 

Toshi

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OK, I just did some test shots with both the VC-200 PRO and KUT-300 HI with the X Vario on a tripod at ISO 100 and f/8.

 

The VC-200 PRO does mostly ok. The center is sharp, and the last 15% on both the left and right edges are a bit blurry.

The last 5% on the left/right edges exhibit chromatic aberration - I see a blue fringe on the high-contrast edges.

Almost no vignetting in the corners.

Sharpness drops off gradually from the center. The center 11% is reasonably good.

I consider this usable, as long as you don't mind cropping the edges. Probably worth buying for $30 on eBay.

 

The KUT-300 HI is definitely not as good. The center is softer, and the last 20% on both the left and right edges are fairly blurry.

The last 5% on the left/right edges exhibit severe chromatic aberration - I see blue and green fringes on the high-contrast edges.

Light vignetting in the corners.

Sharpness drops off rapidly from the center. The center 11% is mediocre.

I consider this mostly unusable. NOT worth buying at $30.

 

Toshi

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This review of wide angle converters is interesting https://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/FZ-30/Converters/Lenses/WideAngle.html

 

My Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter did not appear to have as much distortion (when used on the XV) as the review suggests - I photographed a row of terraced houses and could not detect any noticeable distortion. The Amazon reviewers of the Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter moan about the size being too large but those reviewers probably do not realise that any wide-angle converter will be bulky. The size does not bother me and the XV lens is quite capable of supporting it. I have a 55mm to 43mm stepping ring on order which might reduce the slight vignetting experienced when using the 55 to 49 and 49 to 43mm stepping combination at the XV's 28mm zoom setting. However, as stated previously, the vignetting disappears when the lens is zoomed to approx 30mm . I was amazed at the images obtained but prefer not to post them because they were just Q&Ds of my neighbours' houses taken from my front door. As soon as I have time to use the WCON 0.7 on more suitable subjects I'll post some results. The WCON 0.7 is a 4 element converter. 

 

​This morning I have also ordered a s/h 4 element Nikon WC E63 wide converter from Ffordes but have no idea if it will be suitable for the XV. If it does work it'll likely offer a wider field of view than the WCON 0.7. 

 

dunk

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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The Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter arrived this morning from Ffordes; it has a 55mm thread thus requires a 55mm to 43mm stepping ring(s) to fit the XV … which was possible using my existing 55-49 and 49-43 rings. When screwed onto the XV lens set to the widest 28mm FF equiv. (actually its 18mm focal length) there is some vignetting - but vignetting  disappears if lens is zoomed slightly to approx 30mm  i.e. between the 28mm and 35mm settings. I've taken a few photos and they appear surprisingly distortion free. The conversion factor is 0.7x thus assume the resultant focal length at the 30mm ish setting is 21mm ??? Images certainly appear wider than e.g. 24mm - but will have to use a 21mm lens on another camera and for the same subject to confirm.  

 

I'll try some more scientific tests in better light and with a tripod before posting images on the forum but so far I'm again gobsmacked by the potential of yet another Olympus converter - which can be sourced relatively easily and at reasonable cost. It's possible that with a 55mm to 43mm stepping ring the vignetting at the 28mm setting might be reduced because only one rather than two rings would be used.  

 

The s/h £10 TCON-14 also arrived from Ffordes this morning i.e. the 1.45x tele converter and it also works fine on the XV using stepping rings.

 

Thus now have the potential to use the XV from approx FF equiv 21mm to 98mm …using the WCON 0.7 and TCON-14 …. or  21mm to 119mm if using the TCON 17.  

 

Looking forward to trying the converters asap with some interesting subjects (other than my neighbours houses / cars) and in decent lighting. 

 

Thank you Toshi for suggesting the possibilities.

 

Best wishes

 

dunk 

 

 

This review of wide angle converters is interesting https://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/FZ-30/Converters/Lenses/WideAngle.html

 

My Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter did not appear to have as much distortion (when used on the XV) as the review suggests - I photographed a row of terraced houses and could not detect any noticeable distortion. The Amazon reviewers of the Olympus WCON 0.7 wide converter moan about the size being too large but those reviewers probably do not realise that any wide-angle converter will be bulky. The size does not bother me and the XV lens is quite capable of supporting it. I have a 55mm to 43mm stepping ring on order which might reduce the slight vignetting experienced when using the 55 to 49 and 49 to 43mm stepping combination at the XV's 28mm zoom setting. However, as stated previously, the vignetting disappears when the lens is zoomed to approx 30mm . I was amazed at the images obtained but prefer not to post them because they were just Q&Ds of my neighbours' houses taken from my front door. As soon as I have time to use the WCON 0.7 on more suitable subjects I'll post some results. The WCON 0.7 is a 4 element converter. 

 

​This morning I have also ordered a s/h 4 element Nikon WC E63 wide converter from Ffordes but have no idea if it will be suitable for the XV. If it does work it'll likely offer a wider field of view than the WCON 0.7. 

 

dunk

 

 

 

The KOOD 55mm to 43mm stepping ring arrived this morning so just tried it with the Olympus WCON 0.7 w/a converter on the XV.  As suspected,, there is no vignetting now at the 28mm setting - because there's just one stepping ring in use. I took a couple more photos of neighbours' houses and the images look fine; there is some image deterioration at the edges of the frame but no noticeable distortion. As soon as I can find time to use the converters on some more interesting subject matter I'll post some images. So far I'm impressed with the WCON 0.7 w/a converter; it's a good s/h buy.  The 0.7x converter suggests that at the XV's 28mm setting, the resultant focal length is 19.6mm; I have a 19mm R lens so should be able to compare results and and ascertain the converted focal length.

 

As with any wide angle lens, especially 'superwide' (and with the 0.7 converter the XV does go 'superwide'), it's advantageous to compose the image using the camera monitor's grid facility - thus ensuring e.g. buildings' verticals look vertical instead of converging/diverging.  

 

dunk  

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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The KOOD 55mm to 43mm stepping ring arrived this morning so just tried it with the Olympus WCON 0.7 w/a converter on the XV.  As suspected,, there is no vignetting now at the 28mm setting - because there's just one stepping ring in use. I took a couple more photos of neighbours' houses and the images look fine; there is some image deterioration at the edges of the frame but no noticeable distortion. As soon as I can find time to use the converters on some more interesting subject matter I'll post some images. So far I'm impressed with the WCON 0.7 w/a converter; it's a good s/h buy.  The 0.7x converter suggests that at the XV's 28mm setting, the resultant focal length is 19.6mm; I have a 19mm R lens so should be able to compare results and and ascertain the converted focal length.

 

As with any wide angle lens, especially 'superwide' (and with the 0.7 converter the XV does go 'superwide'), it's advantageous to compose the image using the camera monitor's grid facility - thus ensuring e.g. buildings' verticals look vertical instead of converging/diverging.  

 

dunk  

 

XVario + Lumix LWA 52 (x 0,75*) + step-up 52/43mm = perfekt. (*WW 28mm = SWW 21mm)  

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  • 1 year later...

I am enjoying the Raynox macro lens and wanted to follow up and see if anyone else has tried a teleconverter for the XV. I see that Raynox has a 1.54x and a 1.8x. Has anyone tried either and is it worth it for the little bit of extra reach?

 

Adam

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