Musings on an opteka teleconverter...

[colonelboris]

Just been looking at this fella (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-2x-HD-Telephoto-Lens-for-Kodak-Easyshare-P850_W0QQitemZ190036336320QQihZ009QQcategoryZ30070 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) and was wondering if I should ask for one for Christmas. I saw the thread on the Opteka 1600 mm Canon lens, but wondered if they could be as bad as all that on something this relatively simple. I know that's probably a risk, but the Kodak own-brand job (http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=274&pq-locale=en_GB&cameraEkNumber=EKN030485&skuID=S29612&Visible=false&navCategory=EKN030485) is twice the price and less than half the magnification.
I'm not trying to enter Wildlife Photographer of the Year, just trying to get shots to paint from, so that don't have to be all that perfect.
Whaddaya reckon?

[Keith Reeder]

I can't comment on that Opteka unit, but as a matter of general principle most folk steer clear of high magnification tcons, even from the "name" makes (I used an Olympus 1.7x tcon on the Panasonic FZ20 I used to have, and that was fine, but its as high as I'd want to go).

Even the best higher magnification tcons tend to really hurt image quality: as you've noted, that Opteka one is a 3.2x jobby (the Kodak one you mention is 1.4x) so I really can't imagine you'd be doing yourself any favours with it.

You might find that you lose a lot of light to the sensor as well.

Of course, it'd get you a reference shot to paint from (as long as your camera works with the light "hit" a 3.2x tcon could cause, and gives you something more than a black rectangle to work from), but I doubt very much that you'd get anything like accurate colours.

Cheap for a reason, I'll bet...

[Steven Astley]

Hi Tony
As a Kodak P850 owner I did fair bit of research on the net and I would avoid the lens you mention.
As Keith said the undoubted number 1 recommended on the net, best value for money, which I use and have found excellent is the
Olympus TCON-17 at about £80 which gives x1.7 magnification.

[colonelboris]

Thanks for the advice.
How does the Olympus TCON-17 attach to the lens? I'm still learning a lot about this camera, so I don't know how the attachments fit. 1.7x should be enough to get those hard-to-reach birdies. Would have been very useful when I was taking shots of wheatears the other day...

[stanacko]

Thanks for the advice.
How does the Olympus TCON-17 attach to the lens? I'm still learning a lot about this camera, so I don't know how the attachments fit. 1.7x should be enough to get those hard-to-reach birdies. Would have been very useful when I was taking shots of wheatears the other day...
Hi,
The T-CON-17 has a 55mm thread so depending which thread is on your camera you may need a step up or down ring.
Regards,
Stan.

[colonelboris]

Ah, that's the point, though. There's a thread around the bottom of the barrel, but not attached to the barrel itself and there's doesn't seem to be a thread on the lens barrel itself. I know the opteka tele is a push-fit job, but not sure how to attach a threaded accessory to the lens.
I know nothing!

Edit: Ah, just looked at the Kodak accessories page and found this fella (http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=262&pq-locale=en_GB&cameraEkNumber=EKN030485&skuID=S29804&Visible=false&navCategory=EKN030485). So this would hold whichever accessory at a fixed distance from the lens - wouldn't this affect the focussing if the lens is moving back and forth to zoom?

Edit 2: Err, I guess it wouldn't, or they wouldn't sell it. Durrrr....

[Steven Astley]

Ah, that's the point, though. There's a thread around the bottom of the barrel, but not attached to the barrel itself and there's doesn't seem to be a thread on the lens barrel itself. I know the opteka tele is a push-fit job, but not sure how to attach a threaded accessory to the lens.
I know nothing!

Edit: Ah, just looked at the Kodak accessories page and found this fella (http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=262&pq-locale=en_GB&cameraEkNumber=EKN030485&skuID=S29804&Visible=false&navCategory=EKN030485). So this would hold whichever accessory at a fixed distance from the lens - wouldn't this affect the focussing if the lens is moving back and forth to zoom?

Edit 2: Err, I guess it wouldn't, or they wouldn't sell it. Durrrr....

Yes thats the kodak adapter i have got, it screws onto the thread on the camera. the tcon17 then fixes to the adapter. it's easy and foolproof.

[colonelboris]

Yes thats the kodak adapter i have got, it screws onto the thread on the camera. the tcon17 then fixes to the adapter. it's easy and foolproof.

It's the foolproof bit that gets me worried, especially if it has been proofed against fools...
Just thought I'd see what was out there and looks like you chaps have helped a lot. I'll have to put it on the Christmas list and see what turns up on the day. Although saying that, I have seen one going pretty cheap on fleabay.

[nikovich]

It's the foolproof bit that gets me worried, especially if it has been proofed against fools...
Just thought I'd see what was out there and looks like you chaps have helped a lot. I'll have to put it on the Christmas list and see what turns up on the day. Although saying that, I have seen one going pretty cheap on fleabay.


If you don't get the Tcon for Crimbo mate - buy one from Ebay - and steer well clear of cheap Tele lenses - I tried one once and learnt my lesson :-)
Every singe shot was blurry - even WITH a tripod !

[colonelboris]

Ta, I'll keep my fingers crossed, although I fear I may have to get it post-Christmas from the accursed fleabay...

[colonelboris]

Now this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Opteka-Voyeur-Spy-Lens-for-Kodak-Easyshare-P850-P712_W0QQitemZ190047610541QQihZ009QQcategoryZ30070 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) might be taking it a bit too far...

Opteka - the pervert's choice...