Panasonic Lumix teleconverter (1 Viewer)

[Med]

Hi
has anyone had any experience using the Panasonic Leica 1.5 telconverter lens. I know they are expensive but I can get one less than retail price

 

[normjackson]

I have read several good reports from users of the Panasonic 1.5 converter and no bad one as yet. Reviews of the Panasonic converter and several alternatives can be accessed from here :
http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/FZ-10/

 

[IanF]

Cheaper alternatives are the Olympus Tcon-17 and the Sony VCL DH1758 converters.

Both need the addition of an adapter to mount them.

I use the Tcon-17 myself which gives decent results. Due to vignetting it's only really usable at the 12x zoom setting - though I see little point in using a converter at anyhitng less than that.

 

[RAH]

Due to vignetting it's only really usable at the 12x zoom setting - though I see little point in using a converter at anyhitng less than that.

Even on the cameras it's specifically intended for - Olympus super-zooms like the C-750 and C-765 - you have to use maximum zoom (or close to it) to avoid vignetting.

A friend of mine uses the TCON-17 on a Panasonic super-zoom and gets great results.

 

[Med]

Leica 1.5 teleconverter lens

Hi
has anyone had any experience using the Panasonic Leica 1.5 telconverter lens. I know they are expensive but I can get one less than retail price

Thanks very much for the info. I am a little concerned when they say that the stabilisation system may not work with the extension. As most of my pics are from a kayak, the tripod is not to practacle.

Once again, thanks. May stay with the 12x & keep trying to get closer.

 

[IanF]

The IS works fine with the 1.7x Tcon17 converter - though using it from a kayak may be asking a bit too much from it.

 

[john-henry]

Thanks very much for the info. I am a little concerned when they say that the stabilisation system may not work with the extension. As most of my pics are from a kayak, the tripod is not to practacle.

Once again, thanks. May stay with the 12x & keep trying to get closer.

Before you give up have a look at the Raynox 1.54 converter at WWW.Lensmateonline, I'm not sure if they cater for connection to Panasonic cameras but they give some useful information.
I've just bought one to go with a Canon S2 and it works great, most of the 12x zoom range can be used with no vignetting.

Regards

John

 

[tswill2]

Hi
has anyone had any experience using the Panasonic Leica 1.5 telconverter lens. I know they are expensive but I can get one less than retail price

No but Dr. Shene ( http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/ ) points out that there are better choices depending on whether resolution or $ is your highest priority. Price be damned, I'd go with the Nikon 17 ED gem. As it is I will stick with the TCON17 I bought off ebay for ~$100. I shot the moon with it last night and posted the pics at http://tswill2.smugmug.com/gallery/372855/1/52390229/Medium
Also some BIFs w/o TC at http://tswill2.smugmug.com/gallery/1040208 . Happy browsing. Tom

 

[Med]

Thanks Tom
You provided some good info. I will be getting something before the summer arrives. No need right now. Have also considered dumping the FZ20 and going DSLR like the D50 D70 or Canon. But the difference in price for a good tlephoto with the DSLR is considerable. Most of my pictures are taken from kayak and in the winter on snowshoes. Love the portability of the Lumix ( do not have to carry an array of lenses. However I know the pics from the DSLR will be better.

I wonder by how much ?? :h?:

 

[davids]

Can anybody recommend a UK supplier for the Olympus 1.7 and adapter

Thanks


David

 

[hornet]

Can anybody recommend a UK supplier for the Olympus 1.7 and adapter

Thanks


David

I couldn't find one when I looked recently - ordered instead from Pemaraal.com in the US - good service, great product, took a couple of weeks to arrive - around £100 for both.

I wish there was a way to find stuff like this locally and keep the air miles down, but I guess the TCON is made in the far east anyway, so it's hard to keep the carbon emissions down on that kind of deal.

 

[dave123]

olympus 1.7

Can anybody recommend a UK supplier for the Olympus 1.7 and adapter

Thanks


David

acecameras in bath have one and adapter
web adress is www.acecameras.co.uk

 

[hornet]

acecameras in bath have one and adapter
web adress is www.acecameras.co.uk

I've just had a quick look - I can see the TCON, but not the adaptor required for an FZ20 - just one for other cameras in the Olympus range.

It might be worth looking at a Panasonic forum like the one at dpreview.com - loads of information there about teleconverters and thread adaptors.

 

[mikesimpson]

Just a footnote to the above, if you get the Panasonic Z30, then no adapter is needed for the Olympus Tcon17 - It screws right into the Z30 lens threads.

Mike.

 

[James_Death]

acecameras in bath have one and adapter
web adress is www.acecameras.co.uk

Dont know about adaptor but amazon uk and warehouse express have the Tcon, think about £80 on either site.
James

 

[davids]

Thanks all

David

 

[normjackson]

UK BFers : Bargain B300

The older, optically equal (maybe even sturdier) version of the Olympus TCON-17 for 55mm thread cameras or adaptors :
https://secure.ffordes.com/index.htm
Check Used, Olympus, IS series.

Only interest as very satisfied ffordes user :t:

 

[John Fleet]

The IS works fine with the 1.7x Tcon17 converter - though using it from a kayak may be asking a bit too much from it.

Ian
Can I pick your brains on a couple of points re. the FZ7, which I've just bought?

Lens filter thread size - I thought that it was 55mm but when I tried an old 55mm filter it's too big and a 52mm is too small.

I see references to an adapter ring of some sort being required to mount conversion lenses. Why is this? surely a lens such as the Tcon-17 should be able to screw directly into the lens filter thread?

Many thanks

John Fleet

 

[normjackson]

Think there has always been some issue or other with the plastic versions of the filter adaptors being used with converters. Most folks don't trust their flimsiness or that of their grip on camera or the converter. Hence for the Olympus converters (or heavier) most folks purchase the robust Pemaraal adaptors :
http://www.pemaraal.com/fz7ac.html
or maybe purchase Panasonic's own metal adaptor for the FZ7 the DMW-LA2

 

[bkrownd]

Lens filter thread size - I thought that it was 55mm but when I tried an old 55mm filter it's too big and a 52mm is too small.

The plastic snout that came with your FZ7 has a 52mm thread on the end.

I see references to an adapter ring of some sort being required to mount conversion lenses. Why is this? surely a lens such as the Tcon-17 should be able to screw directly into the lens filter thread?

The TCon-17 mounts on a 55mm thread. The FZ7 needs a snout to attach filters and lenses - either the 52mm thread plastic snout you already have, or a 3rd-party snout with some other threading size. If the snout's thread isn't 55mm you need the appropriate step-up or step-down ring to convert from the snout threading to the 55mm TCon-17 threading.

On my FZ7 I have a Pemaraal snout with 55mm thread, a 55mm-60mm step-up ring, a Nikon TC-E17ED that mounts on the 60mm thread, an 86mm filter that mounts on the 86mm thread at the other end of the TC-E17ED, and a 86mm hood on the end. When I need a deeper hood I replace the 86mm hood with a 86mm-95mm step-up ring and a stacked pair of 95mm hoods.