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Pros and cons of teleconverters for macro photography

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What are teleconverters and how do they work?

Tele-converters are handy lens add-ons that multiply the focal length of the lens they are attached to. They can be mounted in between the camera body and lens (typically a telephoto lens) and increase the focal length of the lens which they are attached to.

By how much is dependent on their power, which is stated as a factor. E.g. a 1.4x teleconverter multiplies the original focal length of a lens by 1.4. As a result a 100mm lens would turn into a 140mm lens, a 200mm lens would turn into a 280mm lens, and so on. Most common are 1.4x or 2x converters, but occasionally converters as strong as 3x can be found as well.

Why am I telling you this in a macro blog? Well, the beauty of these converters is that their power not only applies to the focal length of regular lenses, but to the magnification ratio of macro lenses just as well!

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Canon has patented a strange-but-cool zoomable 1-2x teleconverter

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Well, this is an interesting idea, and pretty unique, too. Canon has patented a zoomable teleconverter. You know, those things that effectively increase the focal length of your lens? I’ve never even considered that a teleconverter could even be a zoomable device and I’ve certainly never seen one before. According to Canon’s patent, though, it seems doable.

The patent seems to show adjustments from 1.0x to 1.5x and 2.0x with the movement of a lever, allowing you to quickly switch between a lens’s normal focal length, a 1.5x magnification and a 2x magnification. As Canon News points out, this offers a multitude of benefits from convenience to improved weather resistance.

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Sigma announces new 100-400mm f/5-6.3 mirrorless lens, 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters and a new USB dock

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Sigma has today officially unveiled the new Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens, their first ultra-telephoto lens designed specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It will become available in both L mount for Sigma, Panasonic and Leica L mount cameras as well as Sony E mount.

They’ve also announced two new 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters for the L mount, too. As well as a new UD-11 USB dock available in L mount and Canon EF-M mount flavours for updating your firmware and customising lens settings.

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Fuji releases new 250mm f/4 lens, 1.4x teleconverter and two macro tubes for GFX medium format

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It’s Fujifilm’s turn to make their new announcements this week, and they’ve got some that GFX medium format shooters are going to enjoy. First up, there’s the new Fujifilm GF 250mm F4 R LM OIS WR lens. It has a field of view equivalent to just under a 200mm lens on a 35mm body. So suitable for both longer distance outdoor portraits, as well as shooting closer wildlife.

But to help with the wildlife side of things, there’s also the new GF 1.4X TC WR teleconverter. Priced at an eye watering $849, it’s not exactly cheap, but if you shoot medium format digital, the word “cheap” probably isn’t in your vocabulary. Fuji haven’t forgotten macro shooters in the new announcement, though, offering both new 18mm and 45mm extension tubes.

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Comparing Teleconverters In Africa

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Hey guys!

Benjamin Von Wong – Montreal Based photographer here to talk about a couple neat devices I borrowed from the nice fellows over at B&H for my trip to Africa. I figured that a nice little trip around Namibia would be the perfect opportunity to try out some gear that I had never previously had the use for – Teleconverters! (The Sigma 1.4x DG EX APO and 2x EX DG APO spesifically)

Teleconverters are these great nifty little devices that actually add range to your lenses at the expense of losing some light. Depending on how big of a zoom factor you go for, you losie more light as well as focus speed and overall sharpness – a little more on that later. What does that mean in terms of actual numbers? [Read More…]

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