Kiron MC7 7-element Teleconverter w/ Biotar 75

[luisalegria]

I thought I would give this celebrated Kiron TC a try, as I happened to pick one up in a lot some time ago, fortunately in PK mount. This is reputed to be the best available TC, or close to it. I have about a dozen TC's, and I rarely use them, having a good prime for all purposes, but what the hey.

I thought about what lenses to try it with, and of course the Biotar 1.5/75 is a natural choice - it must be my best lens, probably. If the TC is going to degrade performance, lets have a known-good starting point. As a backup I used my RMC Tokina 2.8/135 in PK mount, which is a perfectly fine average lens.

So the Biotar becomes an f/3 150mm, and the Tokina an f/5.6 270mm

This is not a technical review, it is more an aesthetic one.

The first impression is that wide open it adds a lot of chromatic aberration (CA), as a fuzziness or "glow", particularly off-center, and worse towards the edges. Secondly, its adds a color fringe to out-of-focus highlights and other light areas.

Sharpness in the center is still quite good wide open.

The bizarre bokeh of the Biotar is improved a little by the TC, but its still there.

The wonderful contrast and pop of the Biotar is still there.

Surprisingly it seems to work better with the Tokina 135, introducing less CA, even wide-open. Wide open performance is also about as good as the Tokina can deliver by itself.

The best results are stopped down of course, at f/4 (f/8 with the TC), results seem to be as sharp as one can expect with the Biotar alone.

And also surprisingly the Biotar with the TC becomes a very decent close-focus lens, which the Biotar on its own is not.

A crop to illustrate bokeh, and try out some PP. I reduced CA by playing with the GIMP GEGL mono-mixer tool



"The bird" at f/1.5 -(f/3)



"The bird" at f/1.5 - (f/3)

crop -



f/4 - (f/ -



crop -



With the Tokina - f/2.8 (f/5.6)



crop -



Various -












_________________
I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work.

[patrickh]

Now that is some performance for an extender!


patrickh
_________________
DSLR: Nikon D300 Nikon D200 Nex 5N
MF Zooms: Kiron 28-85/3.5, 28-105/3.2, 75-150/3.5, Nikkor 50-135/3.5 AIS // MF Primes: Nikkor 20/4 AI, 24/2 AI, 28/2 AI, 28/2.8 AIS, 28/3.5 AI, 35/1.4 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 35/2.8 PC, 45/2.8 P, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 55/2.8 AIS micro, 55/3.5 AI micro, 85/2 AI, 100/2,8 E, 105/1,8 AIS, 105/2,5 AIS, 135/2 AIS, 135/2.8 AIS, 200/4 AI, 200/4 AIS micro, 300/4.5 AI, 300/4.5 AI ED, Arsat 50/1.4, Kiron 28/2, Vivitar 28/2.5, Panagor 135/2.8, Tamron 28/2.5, Tamron 90/2.5 macro, Vivitar 90/2.5 macro (Tokina) Voigtlander 90/3.5 Vivitar 105/2.5 macro (Kiron) Kaleinar 100/2.8 AI Tamron 135/2.5, Vivitar 135/2.8CF, 200/3.5, Tokina 400/5,6
M42: Vivitar 28/2.5, Tamron 28/2.5, Formula5 28/2.8, Mamiya 28/2.8, Pentacon 29/2.8, Flektogon 35/2.4, Flektogon 35/2.8, Takumar 35/3.5, Curtagon 35/4, Takumar 50/1.4, Volna-6 50/2.8 macro, Mamiya 50/1.4, CZJ Pancolar 50/1,8, Oreston 50/1.8, Takumar 50/2, Industar 50/3.5, Sears 55/1.4, Helios 58/2, Jupiter 85/2, Helios 85/1.5, Takumar 105/2.8, Steinheil macro 105/4.5, Tamron 135/2.5, Jupiter 135/4, CZ 135/4, Steinheil Culminar 135/4,5, Jupiter 135/3.5, Takumar 135/3.5, Tair 135/2.8, Pentacon 135/2.8, CZ 135/2.8, Taika 135/3.5, Takumar 150/4, Jupiter 200/4, Takumar 200/4
Exakta: Topcon 100/2.8(M42), 35/2.8, 58/1.8, 135/2.8, Kyoei Acall 135/3.5
C/Y: Yashica 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8, Zeiss Planar 50/1.4, Distagon 25/2.8
Hexanon: 28/3.5, 35/2.8, 40/1.8, 50/1.7, 52/1.8, 135/3.2, 135/3.5, 35-70/3.5
P6 : Mir 38 65/3.5, Biometar 80/2.8, Kaleinar 150/2.8, Sonnar 180/2.8
Minolta SR: 28/2.8, 28/3.5, 35/2.8, 45/2, 58/1.4, 50/1.7, 135/2.8, 200/3.5
RF: Industar 53/2.8, Jupiter 8 50/2
Enlarg: Rodagon 50/5,6, 80/5,6, 105/5.6, Vario 44-52/4, 150/5.6 180/5.6 El Nikkor 50/2,8,63/2.8,75/4, 80/5,6, 105/5.6, 135/5.6 Schneider 60/5.6, 80/5.6, 80/4S,100/5.6S,105/5.6,135/5.6, 135/5.6S, 150/5.6S, Leica 95/4

[cooltouch]

Wow, the sharpness is certainly nothing to sneeze at! Quite interesting bokeh in the first photo -- a lot like those produced by a mirror, eh?

Curious -- do you own a Vivitar 7-element macro TC? If so, how would you compare your Kiron with the Vivitar? I've always been a big fan of the macro Vivitar's performance.

I don't believe I've ever run across a Kiron TC. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled in the future.
_________________
Michael


Canon FD: F-1n, FTbn, FTb, AE-1P, Canon Power Winder A, Canon Power Winder F, Sportfinder F, Vivitar 17mm f/3.5, Vivitar 35mm f/1.9, 50mm f/1.4 SSC, 50mm f/1.8 SC, FL 55mm f/1.2, 85mm f/1.2 SSC Aspherical, 200mm f/4, 400mm f/4.5 IF, 35-105mm f/3.5, Vivitar 200mm f/3.5, Vivitar S1 24-48mm f/3.8, Vivitar S1 28-105mm f/2.8-3.8
Canon EOS: Elan IIe, XS (1000D), EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 IV USM, 70-210mm f/4, 75-300mm f/4-5.6 II USM, Tamron 24-70 f/3.3-5.6 Aspherical, 420 EZ strobe
Canon Rangefinder: IIIa, Serenar 50mm f/1.8, Serenar 100mm f/4, Kyoei Super Acall 135mm f/3.5, Canon AF35ML P&S
Nikon F: F2 w/MD-2/MB-2, F2S w/MD-2/MB-1, FE w/MD12, 24mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4, 55mm f/3.5 Micro, 105mm f/2.5, 80-200mm f/4.5, Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5, Vivitar Series 1 105mm f/2.5 Macro, Vivitar 200mm f/3.5, Tokina AT-X 100-300 f/4 SD, PB-4/PS-4
Olympus: OM-1, OM-1n, 50mm f/1.8, 135mm f/3.5, Vivitar 28mm f/2.8, XA
Pentax K:KX, MV, 50mm f/2 SMCP, Kalimar 28-200mm f/3.9
Fuji: Finepix S3000 3mp digicam
Bronica: ETRSi, prism finder, 75mm f/3.5, 150mm f/3.5, 120, 220, Grip E.
Yashica:Mat 124 TLR, Electro 35 GT
Tamron Adaptall: 24mm f/2.5, SP 90mm f/2.5 Macro, 35-80mm f/2.8-3.5, 80-210mm f/3.8-4, SP 60-300mm f/3.8-5.4, SP 1.4x, SP 2x
T-Mount: Century Precision Optics Tele Athenar 500mm f/5.6 and 650mm f/6.8
Other Stuff: Minolta AF2 P&S, Spiratone Telescope eyepiece adapter (converts T-mount lens to telescope), Cambron zoom slide duplicator (T-Mount), Opteka Digital Slide Duplicator
Strobes: Metz 60 CT-1, Braun F900, Vivitar 283, 285, Yashica Pro-50 DX, Yuzo DC2814 Ring Light

My Blog: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blogistan/

My Gallery: http://michaelmcbroom.com/gallery3/index.php/

[estudleon]

HI Luis.

All very fine, very "Luis".

Thanks for sharing these greats pics.

They changed my optical about the TC's.

I heard that the 100/135 mm. range is the limited to obtain a good IQ using a not dedicated TC. And in the other side, the 35/40 mm.

Regards. Rino.
_________________
Konica 2,8/100
CZJ: 4/20, 2,4/35, 1,8/50 aus jena, 3,5/135MC, Pentacon 1,8/50
Pentax S-M-C-1,4/50
Helios 44-3
Mamiya 2,8/135
Misc. : jupiter 9

Stuff used:
A) SRL
Alpa 10 D - kern macro Switar 1,9/50 -black, Kilffit apochromat 2/100.
Asahi pentax spotmatic super takumar 1,4/50
Contaflex super B tessar 2,8/50 Pro-tessar 115
Leica R3 electronic summicron 2/50 elmarit 2,8/35
Konica Autoreflex 3 (2 black and chrome one), TC, T4. 2,8/24, 3,5/28 not MC and MC, 1,8/40, 1,4/50, 1,7/50 MC and not MC, 1,8/85, 3,2/135, 3,5/135, 4/200
Minolta XG9 2,8/35, 2/45, 3,5/135
Nikkormat FTn 1,4/50, 2,8/135
Fujica ST 801, 605, 705n. 3,5/19, 1,4/50, 1,8/55, 4/85, 3,5/135.
Praktica MTL 5 and a lot of M42 lenses.
Voigtlander. Bessamatic m, bessamatix de luxe, bessamatic cs, ultramatic and ultramatic cs.
Skoparex 3,5/35, skopagon 2/40, skopar 2,8/50, skopar X 2,8/50, super lanthar (out of catalogue) 2,8/50, dinarex 3,4/90, dinarex 4,8/100, super dinarex 4/135, super dinarex 4/200, zoomar 2,8/36-83, portrait lens 0, 1 and 2. Curtagon 4/28 and 2,8/35
Canon AV1, 1,8/50
Rolleiflex SL35 and SL35 E. 2,8/35 angulon, 2,8/35 distagon, 1,4/55 rolleinar, 1,8/50 planar, 4/135 tessar, 2,8/135 rolleinar, x2 rollei, M42 to rollei adap.
Etc.

RF
Yashica Minister III
Voightlander Vito, vitomatic I, Vito C, etc.
Leica M. M2, M3 (d.s.) and M4. Schenider 3,4/21, 2/35 summaron 2,8/35 (with eyes). Summicron 2/35 (8 elements with eyes), 2/35 chrome, 2/35 black, 1,4/35 pre asph and aspheric - old -, 2/40 summicron, 2,8/50 elmar, 2/50 7 elements, 2/50 DR, 2/50 - minolta version, 1,4/50 summilux 1966 version, 1,4/75 summilux, 2/90 large version, 2/90 reduced version of 1987, 2,8/90 elmarit large version, 4/135 elmar.

[Excalibur]

Well I haven't found a use for my three 2X extenders, as I have a zoom and primes to 210mm so it's only use would be for say 300mm plus...but without IS you would need a shutter speed of 1/500 sec and with a 2 stop loss is very limited with 100 or 200 asa film, for best sharpness.
_________________
Nikon L35ad, EM & N2000, Canon A1, AV1, T70 & T90, Centon K100, Minolta X-700, X-300, SRT101b and AFZ, Pentax S3, Praktica MTL3, MTL5 & BC1, Konica Autoreflex TC, FC-1, FT-1 & C35, Olympus Om20, Yashica T5D, Contax 139, Fuji STX-2, Bronica Etrs, Mamiya RB67 pro AND drum roll:- a Sony DSC-P92
.........past gear Tele Rollieflex and Rollei SL66.
Many lenses from crap to excellent.

[poilu]

tc can be useful when in need, nice results for web use

[cooltouch]