Accessory Lenses For Digital Cameras

Written by Administrator

Monday, 17 March 2008

There's a great way to make your digital camera more versatile without spending an arm and a leg. Thanks to accessory lenses, practically any camera can be made to handle close-ups, wide-angle shots and even telephoto zooming—well beyond the camera's built-in capabilities. Though many digital cameras offer an excellent zoom range, you may want more to produce a specific photograph. If you want to create an expansive scenic image, attach a wide-angle adapter. Connect a telephoto adapter so you can capture a shy bird at a feeder. Within moments of attaching an accessory lens, a wealth of photographic opportunities can open up. Lens Options Lens accessories break down into three major categories: wide-angle, telephoto and close-up lenses. Wide-angle lenses turn "normal" focal-length lenses into wide or super-wide lenses. The average wide-angle focal length on today's compact cameras is approximately 38mm (35mm equivalent). Such cameras are lacking true wide-angle capability, but the use of these inexpensive accessory lenses makes wider perspectives possible. Telephoto lenses convert standard or telephoto-length lenses into moderate or super-telephotos, depending on the power of the lens to which it's attached. Much like teleconverters on an SLR lens, these add-on lenses make it easy to fill the frame with your favorite subject—even if you can't move any closer to it. Close-up lens adapters allow you to achieve professional-looking macro and detail photographs. Unlike a filter, which would simply screw on the lens' front element, these adapters are designed to match optically with the primary lens. Several different lens elements are incorporated into their design to maximize optical quality. Understanding Magnification The strength of accessory lenses is measured in power, or magnification. Just as your camera's 2x focal-length zoom lens doubles the image size when adjusted from wide to telephoto, a 2x accessory lens will double it again. A 0.5x or 0.7x wide-angle lens will reduce the effective focal length of your lens by half or three-tenths, respectively. To determine your new focal length when such an accessory is attached, multiply the magnification number (the 2 in 2x or the 0.7 in 0.7x) by the focal length of your lens. For example, a 0.7x wide-angle adapter is connected to a camera with a 38mm lens (35mm equivalent); the lens becomes a 26.6mm lens. A 2x adapter on a 105mm focal length doubles it to 210mm. Close-focus attachments decrease the camera's minimum focus distance and increase magnification needed to capture fine details in objects. Close-up lenses are designed to work best at specific distances from the subject. Resources Canon (800) OK-CANON www.usa.canon.com Century Optics (800) 228-1254 www.centuryoptics.com Fuji (800) 755-3854 www.fujifilm.com THK Photo (Kenko) (800) 421-1141 www.thkphoto.com Kodak (800) 235-6325 www.kodak.com Nikon (800) NIKON-UX www.nikonusa.com Olympus (888) 553-4448 www.olympusamerica.com Sony (800) 571-7669 www.sony.com Tiffen (631) 273-2500 www.tiffen.com Filter Fittings Though some models provide a convenient filter thread to attach lens accessories, others may require an adapter to accommodate accessory lenses. Cameras that provide a filter thread will allow filters and accessories to screw on directly to either the lens or the camera body. Some threaded mounts are very small in diameter, so they may require a step-up ring to accommodate filters and lenses; that's an in-between coupling that allows larger filters to screw on to smaller lenses. Other cameras use a snap-on or snug-fit adapter. This type of adapter provides the means for the accessory to fit securely to the camera. They may screw into a tripod socket, squeeze around a lens barrel, or even clip on to the camera body. (Check with your camera's manufacturer to determine which adapter is recommended for your particular model.) Macro The "power" of a close-up lens measures how much magnification the lens will provide. Therefore, a +4 won't give as much magnification as a +7, which isn't quite as powerful as a +10. (The actual mathematics states that the magnification of a lens equals one divided by the focal length in meters. Just remember that the bigger the number, the greater the magnification.) Perhaps the best thing about close-up attachments is that they can be stacked for even greater image enhancements. Sure, with every lens you place between the subject and your lens you're cutting out more light. But if you're shooting on a bright sunny day or with a flash, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. You can take that +7 and add it to the +10 to create a +17 lens that will get you really close to that little detail you're so wanting to capture. Accessory Lens Tips And Tricks 1 If the viewfinder is blocked by the accessory lens, compose your pictures by looking at the LCD. This will ensure that you can see exactly what the CCD will see. 2 Be careful when using an on-camera flash. With close-up lenses, there may not be enough distance between the flash and the subject for even illumination. If you're using a large lens adapter, you could see a shadow cast from it on your scene. 3 With wide-angle attachments, make sure your camera's lens is set to the full wide-angle position to maximize the widening effect. 4 For your telephoto attachments, set the camera's zoom lens to the maximum telephoto focal length. 5 Consider using a tripod with telephoto attachments since camera movement and normal vibrations will be magnified along with the view of your subject. 6 If needed, adjust your camera's exposure compensation if the accessory lens starts to fool the auto-exposure function. 7 Always carry a cleaning cloth or lens tissue and an anti-static brush. Periodically clean the lenses and remove dust, debris or fingerprints. Such contaminants will accumulate and reduce image quality. 8 Don't toss the accessory lenses into your camera bag unprotected. They're usually sold with a carrying case that will keep them from getting nicked and scratched by your other gear. 9 Don't use close-up lenses in combination with wide-angle or telephoto conversion lenses. Your camera might not be able to focus properly and image quality will suffer. 10 Experiment. You'll learn what you can and can't get away with—whether that's using a flash with your lenses, combining lenses or maximizing the effects of any particular attachment. Accessory Lens Chart Manu- facturer Model Magni- fication Mount Thread * Filter Thread Diameter Height Weight Adapter Rings Included List Price Canon TC-DC58 Tele- converter 1.5x 58mm 58mm 2.55 in. 1.47 in. 4.13 oz. No $129   WC-DC52 Wide- Angle Converter 0.7x 52mm 52mm 2.28 in. 1.20 in. 2.61 oz. No $99   WC-DC58 Wide- Angle Converter 0.8x 58mm 58mm 3.15 in. 1.58 in. 5.54 oz. No $199 Century Optics .3x Ultra Fisheye 0.3x 37mm None 3.07 in. 0.99 in. 5 oz. 27mm, 30mm, 30.5mm step-up rings $350   .5x Wide Converter 0.5x 37mm None 2.56 in. 1.4 in. 3 oz. No $225   .55x Wide Adapter 0.55x 37mm None 1.77 in. 0.37 in. 1 oz. No $95   +2.5 Achromatic Diopter +2.5 37mm 37mm 1.57 in. 0.39 in. 1 oz. No $95   Wide- screen Converter n/a 37mm None 2.52 in. 3.94 in. 6 oz. No $350   .6x Wide- Angle Adapter 0.6x 58mm None 2.95 in. 0.81 in. 4.2 oz. One included; specify size at order $225   .65x Wide- Angle Converter 0.65x 58mm 77mm 3.15 in. 2.04 in. 10.9 oz. One included; specify size at order $495   .3x Ultra Fisheye 0.3x 58mm None 4.4 in. 1.61 in. 17 oz. One included; specify size at order $895   2x Tele- converter 2x 58mm 72mm 2.95 in. 2.13 in. 9.5 oz. One included; specify size at order $495 Fuji Megawide Wide- Angle Lens 0.79x 55mm None 1.3 in. 2.75 in. 6.5 oz. 55mm $149 Kenko KDT-60 Manual Telephoto Lens 6x 28mm None 1.3 in. 2.5 in. 2.2 oz. No $189   KUW-042 0.42x 37mm/ 46mm None 2.6 in. 2.0 in. 4.9 oz. No $95   KCW-042 0.42x 37mm 46mm 2 in. 1.4 in. 2.9 oz. No $80   KRW-075 0.75x 58mm 67mm 2.75 in. 1.2 in. 4.9 oz. No $149   KNW-075 0.75x 52mm 67mm 2.75 in. 1.2 in. 4.9 oz. No $139   KNT-15 1.5x 52mm 58mm 2.4 in. 0.95 in. 4.4 oz. No $139   KVC-20 2x 46mm None 2.7 in. 1.7 in. 5.3 oz. 49mm/ 52mm $100   KVC-05 0.5x 46mm None 2.9 in. 2.0 in. 5.1 oz 49mm/ 52mm $100   KUW-042 Hi 0.42x 37mm/ 36mm None 2.75 in. 1.8 in. 4.9 oz. No $140   KGW-05Hi 0.5x 37mm 46mm 1.9 in. 1.5 in. 2.3 oz. No $80   VC-200Hi 2x 49mm None 3.0 in. 2.2 in. 7.7 oz. 49mm/ 55mm $200   KGW-05 PRO 0.5x 37mm 55mm 2.3 in. 1.4 in. 8.9 oz. No $120   KNW-05 PRO 0.5x 52mm 82mm 3.4 in. 2.2 in. 9.8 oz. 49mm/ 55mm $200   KRW-065 PRO 0.65x 58mm 82mm 3.4 in. 2.0 in. 11.8 oz. No $275 Kodak Ektanar 0.65x Wide- Angle Converter 0.65x 43mm None 2.6 in. 1.12 in. 4.16 oz. No $79.95   Ektanar 2x Tele- converter 2x 43mm None 1.9 in. 1.18 in. 1.92 oz. No $79.95   Ektanar Close-Up Lenses +7,+10 43mm None 1.82 in. 0.38in. 0.66 oz. No $39.95   Super- Wide-Angle 0.5x 37mm None 2.17 in. 1.2 in. 3.2 oz. No $49.95   Close-Up Lenses +7,+10 37mm None 1.53 in. 0.28 in. 0.32 oz. No $34.95   2x Tele- photo Converter 2x 37mm None 2.17 in. 1.2 in. 2.88 oz. No $59.95 Nikon Fisheye Converter 0.21x 28mm None 2.0 in. 2.96 in. 7.32 oz. No $219.95   Nikon TC-E2 2x Tele- converter 2x 28mm 62mm 0.98 in. 1.95 in. 5.25 oz. No $149.95   TC-E3ED 3x Tele- converter 3x 28mm 72mm 3.09 in. 2.95 in. 9.17 oz. No $259.95   WC-E63 Wide- Angle Converter 0.63x 28mm 72mm 1.33 in. 2.95 in. 5.29 oz. No $149.95 Olympus TCON-14 1.45x Tele- converter 1.45x 43mm None 1.25 in. 1.5 in. 3.7 oz. 43mm/ 46mm $67.95   FCON-02 Fisheye Lens 0.4x Pro- prietary None 1.75 in. 1.5 in. 2 oz. No/ Requires Ipix adapter $199.95   WCON- 08E B28 Wide-Angle Lens 0.8x 43mm None 3.62 in. 1.5 in. 8.9 oz. 43mm/ 49mm $130   B-Macro H.Q. Converter n/a 43mm None 2.5 in. 0.4 in. 3.7 oz. 43mm/ 49mm $86.50   TCON- 300S Tele Extension Lens 3x Pressure fitting 49mm 1.93 in. 6.9 in. 27.7 oz. No/ Requires friction mount sold separately $454.95   TCON-14B 1.45x Tele Extension Lens 1.45x 62mm 86mm 3.39 in. 2.7 in. 16.9 oz. No $139.95   WCON- 08B 0.8x Wide Extension Lens 0.8x 62mm 105mm 4.13 in. 1.7 in. 12.1 oz. No $118.95   MCON-35 Macro Extension Lens approx. +3 62mm 72mm 2.83 in. 0.6 in. 4.8 oz. No $69.95 Sony VCL- HG0737X Wide-Angle Lens 0.7x 37mm n/a 1.85 in. 2.64 in. 6.9 oz. n/a $190   VCL- HG2037X Telephoto Lens 2.0x 37mm n/a 2.20 in. 2.64 in. 7.4 oz. n/a $190   VCL- ES06A Wide-Angle Lens 0.6x 37mm/ 52mm n/a 2.95 in. 0.80 in. 2.8 oz. n/a $60   VCL- ES20A Telephoto Converter 2.0x 37mm/ 52mm n/a 2.28 in. 1.89 in. 3.5 oz. n/a $90 Tiffen 55mm Close-Up Lenses +7,+10 55mm 55mm 2.16 in. 0.25 in. 1 oz. No $69.95   37mm Close-Up Lenses +7,+10 37mm 37mm 1.45 in. 0.25 in. 1 oz. No $39.95   30mm Macro Lens +18 30mm 30mm 1.22 in. 0.25 in. 1 oz. No $14.95   43mm 2x Tele- converter Lens 2x 43mm 67mm 2.63 in. 2.25 in. 9.4 oz. No $99.95   37mm 2x Tele- converter Lens 2x 37mm 55mm 2.2 in. 1.56 in. 4.8 oz. No $79.95   30mm 1.3x Tele- converter Lens 1.3x 30mm None 1.97 in. 1.12 in. 2.2 oz. No $39.95   43mm 0.75x Wide-Angle Lens 0.75x 43mm 67mm 2.63 in. 1.29 in. 8 oz. No $99.95   37mm 0.56x Wide-Angle Lens 0.56x 37mm 72mm 2.83 in. 1.56 in. 7.4 oz. No $79.95   30mm 0.7x Wide-Angle Converter Lens 0.7x 30mm None 1.57 in. 0.94 in. 1.7 oz. No $39.95 * Not all lenses are appropriate for all cameras. Be sure to check with the manufacturer to verify size, compatibility and adapters needed to accommodate your make of digital camera. n/a— information not available at press time.

 

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