Olympus EC 20 teleconverter (1 Viewer)

Hi all
Do anyone, use this tele, i know most are using the EC 1.4, and i have used it for 4 month with the ED 70-300 mm and also ED 50 mm macro, with no problems, but with the EC 20 the story is different, i am so regretting wasting such big amount of money on a nightmare.

the problem is that when it is connected to the camera the light metering stops and do not give any reading for the aperture, so the results are over exposed ruined shots, and the focus also get bad, this is no problem as i can switch to MF.

i have been delaying to send this thread for sometime, all my photo life (20 years) i only used olympus cameras and lenses, and this is the first time i get a problem with an olympus equipment.

here is a one of the shots, my settings where ISO 400, white balance on, A mode, max aperture which i could not figure what it is because there was no reading and also no reading for the exposure time. the time was 5 pm quite bright the bird was facing the sun and i was giving my back to it. i was very close to the bird.

not only this shot when ever i come to use it the camera just goes crazy. i am so upset with this so much, and don't know what is going on wrong.

i got this problem with the older E 300 and the new E 520

ammadoux said:

Hi all
Do anyone, used this tele, i know most are using the EC 1.4, and i have used it for 4 month with the ED 70-300 mm and also ED 50 mm macro, with no problems, but with the EC 20 the story is different, i am so regretting wasting such big amount of money on a piece of junk.

the problem is that when it is connected to the camera the light metering stops and do not give any reading for the aperture, so the results are over exposed ruined shots

i have been delaying to send this thread for sometime, all my photo life (20 years) i only used olympus cameras and lenses, and this is the first time i get an olympus equipment that is bad.

here is a one of the shots,

Click to expand...

I don't have this converter (but do own the EC-14). Everything I've read about it suggests that whilst it isn't a piece of junk, it does ask a lot of the optical properties (especially the brightness) of the lens you use it with.

The 50-200 is probably the minimum requirement for this converter, and even then it works far better when tripod mounted.

It works best with either of the following lenses (all Olympus):
50mmF2
150mmF2
90-250F2.8
300mm prime F2.8
35-100mm F2

It even works surprisingly well with the 35mm F3.5 macro. What lens are you using it with?

Steve

i am using the ED 70-300 mm, i am not sure but i think it even failed me the the ED 50 mm f 2.0 macro, but i will try it one more time to make sure.

by the way i have used it in combination with the EC 1.4, but as i made the focus manually first, than i mounted the two converter and took a shot and it was ok, bad focus but this is my fault, it only worked once, when i tried to reapeat this on another situation it made the same problem

ammadoux said:

i am using the ED 70-300 mm, i am not sure but i think it even failed me the the ED 50 mm f 2.0 macro, but i will try it one more time to make sure.

Click to expand...

I'm not surprised it doesn't perform well with the 70-300. It's just not a bright enough lens to give satisfactory results with a 2x converter. All the reports I've heard say it should perform excellently with the 50mm macro though.

Steve

well this makes things worse, i am just an ameture i can't pay 60000 dolor for a lens to be suited with that tele caonverter, besides it is a heavy lens defiantly not for handheld photography.

found this at B and H
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF Lens for Four Thirds System

do you think it is a good option.

ammadoux said:

found this at B and H
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF Lens for Four Thirds System

do you think it is a good option.

Click to expand...

Looks quite promising for use with a 2x converter. See here for some user reviews:

http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/showthread.php?t=41642

I think the lens is quite a new one, so there isn't much info on compatability with converters etc. Most people still use the Olympus 50-200 which has a proven track record with converters, but with a 2x more care should be taken than with a 1.4x (i.e. best on a tripod).

Just keep in mind that a 200 with 2x converter gives similar reach to your 70-300 with 1.4x converter attached (actually slightly less), so are you really gaining that much appart from extra light, compared with what you have now?

Steve

edit. I've just seen the attached shot in post 1. I couldn't see it yesterday, but with the 2x converter on your 70-300mm, you are effectively using a 1200mm lens in 35mm equivalent. Now that's a big lens!!!. I suspect that your main problems here are shutter speeds too slow because your max aperture will be much reduced. A 2x converter reduces light by two stops as you probably know. The 70-300 can only give something like f8 maximum with a 1.4x converter, so with a 2x it will probably be somewhere around f9 or f10. Perhaps someone more technically minded can say exactly what these figures are.

I would guess that with the resulting loss of light your shutter speeds were probably less than 1/100 second. This is why wildlife photographers who use long focal length lenses routinely, use fast aperture prime lenses like Canon's 500F4 0r 600f4. You really need to be aiming for shutter speeds of around 1/1000 second with such a long lens.



Steve

You can always try a Sigma 50-500.
It's an impressive lens on a 4/3 camera and you don't have to complicate your life anymore with TCs.

In my opinion the Olympus system has an inherent headache with long lenses.
I don't want to start an argument, it's just a personal opinion based on very limited exposure to Olympus equipment (I may be wrong)

Most of the affordable lenses (f/5.6) behave poorly with TCs and you have to up the ISO (exposing further the camera's limitations).

If you buy an intermediate pro lens such as the 50-200/2.8-3.5 you are sacrificing ultimate reach and a bit of IQ. A compromise that can work quite well for the right photographer. There are quite a few here on Birdforum that managed to get wonderful images.

If you go all the way to a 90-250/2.8 or 300/2.8, then you are looking at the same amount of money you'd be spending on Canon or Nikon counterparts - like a 500 f/4 (arguably with much better performance).

SteveClifton said:

I think the lens is quite a new one, so there isn't much info on compatability with converters etc. Most people still use the Olympus 50-200 which has a proven track record with converters, but with a 2x more care should be taken than with a 1.4x (i.e. best on a tripod).

Just keep in mind that a 200 with 2x converter gives similar reach to your 70-300 with 1.4x converter attached (actually slightly less), so are you really gaining that much appart from extra light, compared with what you have now?

Click to expand...

I agree with what Steve has said. Plus, if I were going to spend upwards of $900 on that Sigma lens, I think I'd save awhile longer and get the Oly 50-200 instead. If you are trying to improve on the sharpness of the 70-300 plus EC-14 combination (which I assume is why you are even thinking about the 50-200 plus EC-20), you are well advised to get the best lens you can.

thanks all again, very usefull all what i read, and just now i understood why we use to know that teleconvertors are a headache, i know that form my old photography days, did not ask why beacuse that time i used to do only still life.

about the sigma 50-500 mm i am very intersted in it, and considering it very much, but two things worrying me:
1- the long differnce in focal lens (please forvige my poor English) is this difference right, i mean there is one 150-500mm for canon and nikon cameras, this is more reasonable.
2- its size, the wieght seems very tempting (2 kilos) but can i mangage it hand held, i am a tiny woman with weak shoulders, and on going after our shy birds i will never use a tripod, i wish i have more info about it handling, prefer girls opinion, sorry guys.

All other options from olympus (the fast lenses) are out of question to me because of there weight.

yes i do agree with towlf 100% olympus has a problem with the long focal lenses, why there is no prime lens 400mm or 500mm can anyone there give answer. don't get me wrong, i am there ever faithful user i have used many of there OM cameras and lenses with 500% satisfaction and all are still with me as good as new (my 28mm/f 2.8 is now 20 years old). why no complete line of lenses as long as they got these superb models.

oh yes RAH, when i ckeched the EXIF found it was a slow shutter speed but why i set it on that the light was very bright i am talking about saudi arabia in the summer the sun in right on our heads, the ISO was 400, and i always shot at this time with f values of 16 with no problem, i tell you the light meter was not working, it gave no reading for the aperture or the shutter speed, even when i turned off the camera and demount the lens and set it on manual and put the f 16 and shutter speed of 1/500 i don't remember, as soon the converter was back all readings disappeared.


thanks again

I have not touch any of these equipment, Doux. So all I say here is just my asumption.
I fully agree with Steve that the minimum requirement will be the 50-200, even with this lens the minimum f number at the long end will be 7.1 (it won't even AF for a Canon other than its 1 series.) With the 5.6 of 70-300, it will be f11. Too dark for most conditions. Pricewise, the 90-250 and 300 2.8 are too expensive for the average amateurs.
I guess the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 is the best bet. In fact, you asked me if I have decided on the E-30 or not, I haven't. If I landed on this Camera, the most likely combo I would take (in Hong Kong, I mean) will be with this lens with either EC20 or Sigma 1.4X and 2X. This will give me, (with the 2X + in camera crop) 800mm f5.6 - roughly 130mm longer than a Canon 300 f4+1.4 +1.6 sensor crop(670mm), have yet to see if it justify the money. The most probable action I will take is to get a Tamron or Kenko 1.4 and stack it up to my Canon 1.4 for the reach, a step I have done here with acceptable result.
So try to explore your new toy a bit again, and you may be able to find it useful. Good Luck.
EW

Hi,

I've just joined. I bought the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF Lens for Four Thirds System (olympus E-510) mainly for action photography, specificially surfing but the reach is not enough. Unfortunately sigma recommends using only their teleconverters for this lens but don't make them for the 4 thirds mount and can't guarantee the compatibility of other teleconverter brands such as olympus with this lens. Has anyone used the Olympus 1.4x or 2x with this lens, ans with what results??

jod10 said:

Hi,

I've just joined. I bought the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF Lens for Four Thirds System (olympus E-510) mainly for action photography, specificially surfing but the reach is not enough. Unfortunately sigma recommends using only their teleconverters for this lens but don't make them for the 4 thirds mount and can't guarantee the compatibility of other teleconverter brands such as olympus with this lens. Has anyone used the Olympus 1.4x or 2x with this lens, ans with what results??

Click to expand...

hello my friend and welcome to BF.

i have just bought the same lens, and not made lots of trials, but this is an example of what i got from using it with the 1.4 TC (olympus one).

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/334953/size/big/cat//ppuser/71763

not really as good as i would like it, but i have to get it more time for me to adjust with the new lens, usually it takes me about 2 month to adjust.

here are a shots with the lens alone.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammadoux/5162311934/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammadoux/5145677517/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammadoux/5162861287/

the results i got from using it with the 2.0TC was not satisfactory to me at all.

hope that helps.

Olympus kit

Hi, I have an Olympus 420. I realise this is an old thread, but it was relevant to me so picked up on it. I enjoy wildlife photography and get some reasonable photos. However I would like to be closer to my subject. I currently use a 70-300mm lens and was going to buy a teleconverter. I now realise this is not such a good idea. However, having read all through the threads, am I right in thinking the Sigma lenses fit the Olympus body? I thought only Olympus Zuiko fitted (nicely locked in!).

I have found someone who is selling some Olympus gear. He is selling a 35-100 pro lens as well as the teleconverter. I realise the lens alone would not get me closer, but with the teleconverter?? Or would I be just as frustrated? As you can see I am an amateur and do not have £1000's to chuck about, but should I take the plunge?? Really appreciate your thoughts.

hello queen, i forgot all about this thread, as when i started it, i was very new to both digital and auto focus photography.

i have already gave away my 70-300mm lens, i just could not coup with it, although many really fabulous photographers here in the forum use it and get some smashing results.

check Uncle guss and Robin59 galleries.

right now i have E5 body which is IMHO the best ever DSLR made, i use it with a Sigma 50-500mm, this lens is discontinued. the E5 is a bit above your budget. but i think it will go well with the 70-300mm lens.

but if you would like to have more reach i would suggest to you to got to the micro four third Olympus or lumix, right now i use the EPL5 + Lumix 100-300mm lens, it should be a second body but in the past months i depend on it mostly.

the best thing about the EPL5 is that it has a built in x2 digital tele converter. so the lens can reach to 600mm which is 1200mm on the full frame., this feature is also present in Olympus EPL3, who is a little older than EPL5, so less price. and also 12.3 MP compared to the EPL5 that is 16MP.

check this

http://asia.olympus-imaging.com/products/dslr/epl3/feature/04/

the main concern with m4/3 cameras is the lack of view finder, but if using the live view does not bother you then there is no problem.

for me the main draw back about the EPL5 is its very small size, even to my small hands as well as being not capable to tolerate our heat, i don't think you will find this later issue a problem to you, and both the EPL3 and the new EP5 are bigger so they may be good choice.

the Lumix 100-300mm lens is a brilliant lens they say its a bit slow but i have not felt this, very clean and can get you very sharp results.

so with your budget you can have

1- the EPL3 (290 pounds) + Lumix 100-300mm (420 pounds) = 710 pounds.

2- the EP5 (860 pounds) + Lumix 45-200mm (245 pounds) = 1105 pounds.

i am not saying that the EPL5 is not good it is acutely superb and can provide some fantastic images, but having the small size might require some time from you to get use to it, i did now, i have it since last December.

the small size on the other have is a great advantage, as it is very light weight makes no problem in crying it in a long walk, also for me i can slip it in my pierce and its with me any where.

to make a long story short, don't get that x2 tele converter, i have it since that time and since that time its on its box just money down the drain. it can give good results only with a prime lens, but the Olympus Zuiko 300mm is way over my budget (6000USD) and i can get the same results from the much cheaper and lighter lumix.

hope that helps.

Thank you for answering so quickly! I was surprised to see that you can use a lumix lens with an Olympus body. I thought Olympus had one locked in, ie, only Olympus lenses fit Olympus bodies? Would my 70-300mm and other lenses (all Olympus)that i use on the 420 fit the EPL5. Thanks so much for the info, especially re the TC. I think I shall definitely leave this. Sally

Sally, you can get an Olympus adapter to fit 4/3rd lenses onto micro 4/3rd camera bodies but with varying degrees of efficiency (especially with regard to auto-focussing).The latest version - MMF-3 - is the best option as it will work with older bodies but should cut out those inefficiencies on the recently-introduced OM-D EM1 body. Unfortunately, this camera will start off at about £1299.00 body only (but will come with the MMF-3 free for a short period if you register interest promptly!).

There used to be several independent-maker lenses for 4/3rd cameras but a quick check on Warehouse Express's website shows nothing in the long lens area nowadays other than the Olympus or Panasonic Lumix zooms which go up to 300mm.

When Olympus announced the EM1 they also hinted that there may be a telephoto lens of 300mm or more in the pipeline a year or two down the line - their info was a 'Pro super-telephoto lens between 150mm - 350mm' so we'll have to wait and see what it actually turns out to be (and how much it costs!).

Sally, 4/3 specifications and later micro-4/3 is a collaboration of panasonic and Olympus. Their lenses can therefore to some extent be interchangable, but remember that with the exception of the brand new pana GX7, no previous Pana has used in camera IS, instead putting the IS into the lenses.

Secondly, the 2x tele function described above is also present in Pana m4/3 bodies, when shooting jpg. Some people have a problem with pana jpgs compared with olympus jpgs.

Niels

Niels i think the Digital TC in Olympus pen also works only on JEPG, but i did not know there is a problem with Pana JPEG.

Sally i have only used the 70-300mm 4/3 lens that you have with the PEL1 and as i told you before i was not happy at all with the lens it self. but i have used the Sigma 50-500mm with the EPL1 with the 4/3 to m4/3 adapter, the AF was so slow so i used to do the focus manually, i got some nice results, but did not use it for much time.

so i have little to say about this, but i see that Andy and Neils got some nice points for you.

guess both the Pana GX7 and the Olympus EP5 are good candidates.