[Recovered Thread: 52652]

[blindsight]

I have a Minolta Z10 with 43 mm filter threads in front of the lens. I found these add-on tele and wide-angle converter at a bargain price:

Canon TL-43 1.7X teleconverter for Optura 100

Canon WD-43 0.7X wide angle converter for Optura 100

at comtec.ca

for a price of CAN$10.43 each -This is less than 10 bucks US!!!

Actually S&H is more expensive than the lens!! I gotboth, plus S&H and tax, for around 30 bucks!!

Theconverters arebig and metallic, actually weigh MORE than the plasticky camera itself (especially the teleconverter)!! It takes a littleto coaxthe lens mount into the camera thread but everything fit snugly - beware you don't over-tighten the screws because the camera has _cheap_ plastic threads.

Yes, this add-on lens were originally designed for Canon camcorders, so you expect vignetting. The telephoto vignettes at and below about 2/3 of the zoom range, and the wide-angle vignettes at maximum wide.

I find the image quality of the telephoto converter excellent!! Now you can extend the power of the lens from 290 mm to about 500 mm (35 mm camera format)!

I am not too impressed with the wide-angle converter though: apart from the vignetting, there is also a lot of falloffs and some curvature around the edges. This is always the problem with 3rd-party add-on converters which are not designed for a specific camera, and it is always worse for wide-angle lens (well these manufacturers just market them as "fish-eye" lens, haha!!)

Here is the compromise: you are payingFAR LESS THANthe price of a cheap noname add-on lens, for __quality Canon glass__. Even with vignetting, I think the telephoto converter is absolutely worth it: you are not attaching the telephoto converter to get a wide-angle shot afterall, right? Personally I am not impressed with the wide-angle converter, but hey, for less than 10 bucks, you can give it a try!!

Comtec told me these are end-of-the-line products which are running out soon. They also have a few other Canon converters for other old model camcorders (I think 55 mm and 28 mm threads), at a very low price (around 10 canadian dollars). By the way, I don't work for Comtec - if I am advertising, I won't get much commission for selling a few of these left-over cheap items!!

[blindsight]

This is the 1.7X teleconverter on my Minolta Z10:





This is the 0.7X wide angle converter on the Z10:





This is the maximum zoom of the camera's own lens:



This is the maximum zoom with the 1.7X teleconverter:



This is the camera + teleconverter at the widest view, just showing vignetting - note the falloff at the edges and pin-cushioning:



This is the camera + teleconverter in the middle of the camera zoom range - there is still pin-cushion (note the edge of the left wall):



This is the camera + teleconverter at the same power as the maximum zoom of the camera's lens (about 2/3 up the zoom range) - no significant pin-cushion:



This is the widest view of the camera's own lens:



This is the widest view of the camera + wide angle converter - note the slight vignetting around the top and bottom left of the field, and barrel distortion (look at the white telephone pole on the left):



This is the camera + wide angle converter at camera's maximum zoom - some pin-cushioning:



This is the camera + wide angle converter, in the middle of the camera's zooming range:





In fact, looking closer at the pics, I realize the wide angle converter does not cause too much distortion, except at the widest and closest zoom ranges. The teleconverter does produce noticeable pin-cushioning at or below 2/3 of the zooming range. I haven't looked at chromatic aberration (lack of bright sun and clear day).

Still, these two lens costed me less than 15 bucks each, and they are Canon lenses!!!

[blindsight]

RiotAct posted test shots with his Canon camcorder tele and wide converters (46mm, with stepdown to 43 mm) on his Minolta Z10:

http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/v...20&forum_id=20

He is also getting the 55 mm converters and will post test shots soon.

[blindsight]

Sorry guys if you haven't got your cheap Canon camcorder lens from comtec you miss the boat - they smart up and bump the price back to normal retail, so there are no longer "basement bargain" items!!

http://www.comtec.ca/index.php?cPath...2922_2923_3707