Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!

SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Vivitar 2x macro focusing teleconverter
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sony NEX5T + Olympus 1.8/50 + Vivitar 2X Macro Focusing Teleconverter @ f11



PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 6:24 am    Post subject: Vivitar 2X Macro and Minolta 58mm f1.2 Reply with quote

Hello, this is my first post, and so nice to see this group exists.

I'm researching which lenses to buy and I really love the Minolta 58mm f1.2 for its dreamy Bokeh and colour rendering.

Has anyone used it with the Vivitar 2x Macro Focusing Teleconverter?

Ive seen the wonderful shots taken of it paired with the 35-70mm Macro lens which I also plan on buying, as a general purpose and macro lens.

Next month is the 125th anniversary of Vaan Gogh's birth and I'm travelling to all the places he painted in France, as well as the gardens of Renoir, Degas and of course Monet's famous gardens at Giverny. I'm shooting on Fuji Velvia 50, which I will then use to make Polaroid transfers usng expired Polaroid 669 film. It's like a cross beween a painting and a photogrpah. I'm being sponsored by the Impossible Project who make Instant Film. so I'm also shooting instant film. For that I use an SLR 690 with a macro attachment.

My plan is to do macro photos of flowers in the gardens of the famous impressionists, and want to make sure I have the right gear beforehand so any advice respectfully recieved.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 7:51 am    Post subject: Re: Vivitar 2X Macro and Minolta 58mm f1.2 Reply with quote

BigShotPhotos wrote:
Hello, this is my first post, and so nice to see this group exists.

I'm researching which lenses to buy and I really love the Minolta 58mm f1.2 for its dreamy Bokeh and colour rendering.

Has anyone used it with the Vivitar 2x Macro Focusing Teleconverter?



Welcome to the forum.

Although I have both mentioned items, I didn't use this combination so far.
However, the Vivitar MF Converter is usable with virtually any lens where it might make sense. It's one of the best converter available and there is no real visible degrade of picture quality when used.
The original concept was to turn any decent 50mm lens into a very nice 100mm macro lens. As the Minolta 58/1.2 lens is not the most compact lens to carry around, I always preferred to use another one like eg. the Minolta MD 50/1.4 which from my point of view would give you the better "macro lens". You should rather use it stopped down anyway to get the maximum sharpness and DOF for macros.

Just my 2 cents.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:26 am    Post subject: Re: Vivitar 2X Macro and Minolta 58mm f1.2 Reply with quote

BigShotPhotos wrote:
Hello, this is my first post, and so nice to see this group exists.

I'm researching which lenses to buy and I really love the Minolta 58mm f1.2 for its dreamy Bokeh and colour rendering.

Has anyone used it with the Vivitar 2x Macro Focusing Teleconverter?


Welcome to the forum! I don't have the Minolta 58mm f/1.2, but I do own a Canon 55mm f/1.2 and a Canon FD copy of the Vivitar macro 2x. If you'd like, I could take some representative shots using these two optics to show you how well they pair together.


PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A fantastic new combination: Vivitar 2 X MACRO FOCUSING TELECONVERTER plus Rodenstock APO-Rodagon 50mm/F2.8 on Sony A7R II:

All shot at F5.6 and clickable for best quality viewing:

#1


#2


#3


#4


PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tb_a wrote:
A fantastic new combination: Vivitar 2 X MACRO FOCUSING TELECONVERTER plus Rodenstock APO-Rodagon 50mm/F2.8 on Sony A7R II:

All shot at F5.6 and clickable for best quality viewing:


When you say f5.6 you mean wide open? F/2.8 plus 2x teleconverter = F/5.6 or F/5.6 as indicated on the lens?

BTW, this teleconverter is a joy to use with buttery smooth focussing. I have butchered one or two to use without their (actually quite good) optics to use as variable extension tubes.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dickb wrote:
When you say f5.6 you mean wide open? F/2.8 plus 2x teleconverter = F/5.6 or F/5.6 as indicated on the lens?

BTW, this teleconverter is a joy to use with buttery smooth focussing. I have butchered one or two to use without their (actually quite good) optics to use as variable extension tubes.


F5.6 on lens for max. quality and better DOF.

I've got also 2 copies with different mounts but still with lenses. I'm using the Minolta "Compact Bellows" for portable variable extension without glass, that's not bad as well.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Minolta Compact Bellows is very nice as well, is lightweight, has a large variable extension, but you need to lock the scissors for maximum stability. The Vivitar is easier to use for small changes in extension, very quick, precise and stable. I like having both.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Didn't realise there was a Kenko version of the Vivitar. My only 50mm lens is the OM 50/1.4, so I wonder how the macro extender would perform on, for example, the Vivitar Series 1, 135/2.3.
I did a search on oBoy and found a Kenko in OM mount (my favorite) for a reasonable price, so hit the Buy-now button.
Should arrive early next week, from Japan


PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

3dpan wrote:
Didn't realise there was a Kenko version of the Vivitar. My only 50mm lens is the OM 50/1.4, so I wonder how the macro extender would perform on, for example, the Vivitar Series 1, 135/2.3.
I did a search on oBoy and found a Kenko in OM mount (my favorite) for a reasonable price, so hit the Buy-now button.
Should arrive early next week, from Japan


It's the other way round. These macro converters have been all produced by Kenko (Kenko-Tokina) and some of them have been sold with Vivitar-branding; i.e. it's exactly the same product.

Kenko still produces very good converters. I'm using the 1.4 X Teleplus MC4 DGX in Minolta AF AKA Sony A-mount and it's really excellent, particularly in combination with my Minolta AF 300/4 HS APO G.

I'm sure you'll like it. Actually it's usable with all lenses.