Teleconverters mounted ahead of lens: I have read about TC's that are mounted behing the lens onto the camera body but I want to know more information (such as compatibality with...

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

I have read about TC's that are mounted behing the lens onto the camera body but I want to know more information (such as compatibality with certain lenses) that are mounted AHEAD of the lens (light is no problem). I have the following lenses:
Canon 18-55 mm
Canon 28-105 mm
Canon 100-300 mm
Canon fixed 50 mm (nifty-fifty)
All lenses used on a Canon T1i/500d camera. Any suggestions would be appreciated -- thanks a million!

jim quist Loc: Missouri

They only work on certain lenses. call bnh and they can tell you what lenses they work with. your 100-300 may accept one.
The 1.4 will give you a little softness. the 2x you will notice it more.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

They loose no light, they increase your minimum focus distance, they work best when they are oversize for your size lens filter thread ( with step up ring). The better ones are generally $100 +. A 1.4X will have better image quality than a 2X ect.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

ballsafire wrote:

I have read about TC's that are mounted behing the lens onto the camera body but I want to know more information (such as compatibality with certain lenses) that are mounted AHEAD of the lens (light is no problem). I have the following lenses:
Canon 18-55 mm
Canon 28-105 mm
Canon 100-300 mm
Canon fixed 50 mm (nifty-fifty)
All lenses used on a Canon T1i/500d camera. Any suggestions would be appreciated -- thanks a million!

Are you thinking of Close-Up Filters? That screw in to the front threads of a lens? I think they are for close up/macro photography.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

No, they are glass mounts that screw into the front (where normally you'd screw filters) of the lens -- isn't that a great idea?

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

imagemeister wrote:

They loose no light, they increase your minimum focus distance, they work best when they are oversize for your size lens filter thread ( with step up ring). The better ones are generally $100 +. A 1.4X will have better image quality than a 2X ect.

How can a TC unit be attached in front of a lens, say to the filter threads? TC converter have the camera's bayonet lens mount (M & F) on them, not threads. "...your size of filter thread..."? A TC unit would never be larger in diameter than probably the smallest regular lens filter size, say 49mm or 52mm. Are you sure this whole thread is not about Close-up Filters or Lenses?

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

ballsafire wrote:

No, they are glass mounts that screw into the front (where normally you'd screw filters) of the lens -- isn't that a great idea?

It is a great idea - but generally speaking the results are NOT as good as a rear mounted converter. There are versions at the $300 level that perform quite well on fixed lens video cameras - as a last resort.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

lamiaceae wrote:

How can a TC unit be attached in front of a lens, say to the filter threads? TC converter have the camera's bayonet lens mount (M & F) on them, not threads. "...your size of filter thread..."? A TC unit would never be larger in diameter than probably the smallest regular lens filter size, say 49mm or 52mm. Are you sure this whole thread is not about Close-up Filters or Lenses?

YES - drink your coffee !

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

imagemeister wrote:

YES - drink your coffee !

Zeiss calls them "Mutars" - as used on Rolleiflexes ........

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

imagemeister wrote:

Zeiss calls them "Mutars" - as used on Rolleiflexes ........

I know that these Tele Converters are also called Teleside Converters - if this will help in referring to this "thing".

Leitz Loc: Solms

Balls, you got some good answers when you asked this same question 11 days ago. I don't believe they'll be much different this time around.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Leitz wrote:

Balls, you got some good answers when you asked this same question 11 days ago. I don't believe they'll be much different this time around.

Yeah, you're probably right but this is a world wide forum and there must be others out there who might be interested in these "Teleside converters". I guess many people read this when they're not doing other things so it is too early to tell? You are to be congratulated on our close surveillance of this forum!!

Leitz Loc: Solms

ballsafire wrote:

Yeah, you're probably right but this is a world wide forum and there must be others out there who might be interested in these "Teleside converters". I guess many people read this when they're not doing other things so it is too early to tell? You are to be congratulated on our close surveillance of this forum!!

By the way, have you been able to run some tests yet? Some of us would like to know your impressions.

Edit: I remembered because I was one of the respondents. My memory is not that far gone yet! (But don't ask me anything about 12 days ago!! :lol: )

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

imagemeister wrote:

Zeiss calls them "Mutars" - as used on Rolleiflexes ........

That's not a tele-extender, that is still a close-up lens. I've used those on Kodak Instamatic 126 film cameras and Rolleicord cameras decades ago, look like filters with a curves lens (as that is all they are). The diameter of the lenses in a tele-extender are small in diameter, little more than the exit pupil of the "main" tele lens. A tele-extender can be several inches long with multiple lens elements (a special compound lens). No way to mount backwards.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

ballsafire wrote:

I know that these Tele Converters are also called Teleside Converters - if this will help in referring to this "thing".

I think the whole problem is the OP is confused about terms and thus has everyone else.

"I have read about TC's that are mounted behing the lens onto the camera body but I want to know more information (such as compatibality with certain lenses) that are mounted AHEAD of the lens".

After reading yet more of the replies I see, yes I have one of those types of lenses as well that screw on in front. It is for a older Kodak digital point-n-shoot that might be called a bridge camera today. The accessory (compound) lens is nearly larger than the entire camera. But it is not a TELE-EXTENDER. Those front mount accessory lenses can shorten or lengthen the effective focal length, but they are not called Tele-extenders. Terms are being used here incorrectly. The OP should just buy a Macro Lens or a Telephoto Lens and make himself and everyone else more happy. Accessory lenses will always degrade an image to some extent.

Note, yes, Tele-extenders do come as 1.4x, 2x, 3x. And close-up filters, 2x, 3x, 4x, 10x, etc.