2x Front fitting Extenders

[Nathaniel]

Have members ever used the front fitting extenders. They are thought of a gimmick just like when the rear fitting extenders first came out. You have the same 2 stop loss as the rear fitting ones but the advantage of the front fitting extenders is that they are not limited to certain types of zoom lens. They simply screw on to the filter threat of the lens you are using.

I have just bought both the 2x tele and wide anlge extenders. The wide angle extender has the advanatage of giving a wider angle of coverage with the APC 1.6 crop lenses such as the 18mm-55mm IS lens.

Due to the present weather I have not been able to try out these extenders as much as I would have like to but I have nothing adverse to say as well. I am sure in time to come the big boys will cotton on to these front fitting extenders and jack up their price.

[colin C]

Re: 2x Front fitting Extenders

I was loaned one some years ago by a friend that swore by them. I fitted it to the front of my 50mm lens and took a few test shots and then repeated the shots with my 100mm lens. The black and white negs were then developed and printed and the results were quite obvious that the front end converter was quite poor in comparison.

Lens design is a complicate and expensive business and it needs a bit more effort than one of their boffins saying:"let's take the 50mm apart, make a longer barrel, fit the rear elements of the 50mm at the back, double the distance of the front element to rear that we used in the 50mm lens and hey presto ........ we have a 100mm!" Given that each lens design is unique and geared to one specific make of camera and bearing in mind my previous experience, I would be uncomfortable buying a front element converter where the only criteria you needed to fulfill was the correct filter ring size, regardless of the lens size or camera make.

Whilst any magnification device will always be a compromise compared to the size of lens that you are trying to emulate, the rear converters have much less work to do, as the lens itself has aleady prefocussed the subject, dealt with distortion, colour fringing, minimised flare and maximised contrast etc, etc. The rear converter only has to extend the point of focus by a factor of 1.4x or 2x (for canon converters) and even then, the canon extenders are only designed to work with certain "L" series telephoto/telephoto zoom lenses to ensure maximum compatibility. Which is why most users will find that there appears to be no loss of quality when using the 1.4x and marginal loss with the 2x extender. You still lose one, or two stops of light, depending on the extender used, but that is understandable.

I would be cautious in their use, until I satisfied myself of the results that I could reasonably expect under different circumstances and with different lenses.

Colin

[Nathaniel]

Re: 2x Front fitting Extenders

Thank you very much Colin. Your advice is much appreciated.

The rear fitting converters don't seem to work with either my EF 75mm-300mm USM ii lens nor with my EF-S 55mm-250mm IS lens. Thats my problem. I also don't wish to carry any heavy equipment as those days of my fitness is long gone by!!

I might then include my 500mm mirror lens in my camera bag before my next trip.

[colin C]

Re: 2x Front fitting Extenders

You could try the Sigma or Kenko converters. I have seen some good results on those.

Colin

[Nathaniel]

Re: 2x Front fitting Extenders

Thanks Colin.Will try either Sigma or Kenko which ever is "cheaper"! An Accountant speaking!

[colin C]

Re: 2x Front fitting Extenders

Thanks Colin.Will try either Sigma or Kenko which ever is "cheaper"! An Accountant speaking!

You must break the mould and learn phrases like "whole life cost".

Colin

[Colin]

Re: 2x Front fitting Extenders

I have the Sigma and it works well and doesn't imho degrade the image noticeably?

[Nathaniel]

Re: 2x Front fitting Extenders

You must break the mould and learn phrases like "whole life cost".

Colin

Quite a difficult task Colin after spending nearly 40 years on figures- not the ones you are thinking of but £. pence.