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Telephoto conversion lens
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Jan 17, 2021 10:46:48   #
Marilynbb Loc: NY
 
Hi, I have a SONY HX400V. Love it for birding. I would like to extend my zoom and see there are conversion lenses to do this plus a hood. I hope someone can tell me which to buy and if it really works. Thanks

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Jan 17, 2021 11:01:53   #
Leitz Loc: Solms
 
Marilynbb wrote:
Hi, I have a SONY HX400V. Love it for birding. I would like to extend my zoom and see there are conversion lenses to do this plus a hood. I hope someone can tell me which to buy and if it really works. Thanks

If you do find one that fits, it's almost guaranteed that you will be unhappy with the image quality. Do the birds a favour and get closer or go for a longer lens.

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Jan 17, 2021 11:08:22   #
twowindsbear
 
Leitz wrote:
If you do find one that fits, it's almost guaranteed that you will be unhappy with the image quality. Do the birds a favour and get closer or go for a longer lens.


How exactly does one 'go for a longer lens' on a hyperzoom bridge camera???

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Jan 17, 2021 11:13:44   #
olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida
 
Hi Marilynbb and welcome to the Hog. Short answer - yes it will work, but the results may not/probably will not impress you. If you can't reach what you are shooting with 50X zoom...perhaps some foot zooming, or work from hidden location/blind, using tripod and trigger may greatly increase "keepers".

I do a lot of bird/critter work, and I have found that in my own yard (which, admittedly is very much a nature preserve in it's own right) that feeding and allowing the wild birds to become used to me being near, solves many problems. For work when out and about, that obviously requires a different approach (I use big lenses/stealth/trickery etc..., you might need a bigger zoom).

Around my place I can do close in work for most of the songbirds that migrate here, and for the full time residents, so I shoot with anything from about 100 to 600 mm (and use some multipliers).

I'd say try a good quality conversion lens, but borrow, try at a camera shop, or buy from somewhere with easy returns if you don't like the result. Most of my effort is with APS-C sensor cameras (DSLR and Mirrorless) but I do own and have used some superzoom models from Nikon and Fuji, up to 50X zoom....I found 50X required tripod (for me), I could not hand hold above approx. 30X even with image stabilization.

Hope this is somewhat helpful. My other short advice would be to try stealth methods, see if that helps.

Again, welcome to the HOG, and happy shooting

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Jan 17, 2021 11:21:51   #
Leitz Loc: Solms
 
twowindsbear wrote:
How exactly does one 'go for a longer lens' on a hyperzoom bridge camera???

Get a camera that will accept a longer equivalent focal length.

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Jan 17, 2021 11:34:53   #
Quixdraw Loc: x
 
The telephoto add on can be had for a pittance on line, as can wide angle. I used them in former days and they are fun. I still have one for one of my GXR modules. It will not match a long lens, but for $16.99 with Free Shipping, Link https://www.ebay.com/itm/55mm-2-2x-Telephoto-Lens-For-Sony-Cybershot-DSC-HX400-DSC-H400-DSC-HX300-/362654322918
Very little at risk vs. fun experimentation!

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Jan 17, 2021 11:41:09   #
Bill_de Loc: US
 
quixdraw wrote:
The telephoto add on can be had for a pittance on line, as can wide angle. I used them in former days and they are fun. I still have one for one of my GXR modules. It will not match a long lens, but for $16.99 with Free Shipping, Link https://www.ebay.com/itm/55mm-2-2x-Telephoto-Lens-For-Sony-Cybershot-DSC-HX400-DSC-H400-DSC-HX300-/362654322918
Very little at risk vs. fun experimentation!


There are a few reviews on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Telephoto-Cyber-Shot-DSC-H400-DSC-HX400-DSC-HX300/dp/B01KWOCHCW


---

Oops, there are three ratings, but no reviews.


---

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Jan 17, 2021 11:46:40   #
JBRIII
 
Not familiar with your camera, but if I understand your auestion: you have a bridge camera like Canon SX60, if so check to see if it takes threaded filters. Canon does not and needed adapter just for that (using threaded filters) which might change spacing and cause problems with focus? Also, adapter is fine for filters, but might handle a more weighty lens.

Just a thought.

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Jan 18, 2021 12:52:03   #
Ollieboy
 
At 50x your not happy? Anything you put in front of the lens will yield poor results. Learn to live with the physical limitations of your camera using workarounds.

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Jan 18, 2021 13:12:58   #
Marilynbb Loc: NY
 
Am open to suggestions to any hints. If anyone has the Sony hvx400 V , I would like to set the two memory slots with a manual setting for 1) how to shoot birds that are back lit and 2) and the opposite for too much light. I now shoot only on auto. Would appreciate suggestions

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Jan 18, 2021 13:32:35   #
radiojohn
 
As your camera has a fixed lens as virtually ALL add-on lens are not worth it (and never have been) you only choice is a camera with longer reach.

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Jan 18, 2021 13:43:53   #
olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida
 
Marilynbb wrote:
Am open to suggestions to any hints. If anyone has the Sony hvx400 V , I would like to set the two memory slots with a manual setting for 1) how to shoot birds that are back lit and 2) and the opposite for too much light. I now shoot only on auto. Would appreciate suggestions


I think what you mean is "Bracketing" usually 3 shots per click, each slightly different exposure wise, one underexposed, one "just right" per camera setting, and one slightly overexposed, and you can vary the amount over/under by several values. If you intend to shoot in manual, then some understanding of the exposure triangle, and your cameras specific controls would be in order.
hope that is somewhat helpful...

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Jan 18, 2021 14:04:47   #
bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada
 
Leitz wrote:
If you do find one that fits, it's almost guaranteed that you will be unhappy with the image quality. Do the birds a favour and get closer or go for a longer lens.



Been there, done that! Image quality suffers badly!!

bwa

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Jan 18, 2021 14:28:48   #
jimmol
 
Marilynbb wrote:
Hi, I have a SONY HX400V. Love it for birding. I would like to extend my zoom and see there are conversion lenses to do this plus a hood. I hope someone can tell me which to buy and if it really works. Thanks


I have used an Olympus C-180 teleconversion lens on 3 cameras, with excellent results. Currently I use it on a Panasonic FZ-300. This camera has only 24X zoom, but it is F2.8 all the way out. In addition, it plays games in generating JPEGs, so that the effective focal length is doubled, to 1200 mm. The C-180 works fine with it-- no problems with autofocus, and little impact on image quality.

Beyond the 1.7X increase in focal length provided by the C-180, I haven't been so lucky. 3.0X conversion lenses from both Nikon and Olympus have not worked. They don't achieve sharp focus on either automatic or manual focus mode. If anyone knows how to get good results with the Nikon TC-E3 or the Olympus C-30, do let us all know.

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Jan 18, 2021 14:40:39   #
wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado
 
Marilynbb wrote:
Hi, I have a SONY HX400V. Love it for birding. I would like to extend my zoom and see there are conversion lenses to do this plus a hood. I hope someone can tell me which to buy and if it really works. Thanks


I know that Olympus makes converters for the TG-6 both for telephoto and wide angle. Because they are made by Olympus specifically for the Olympus TG-6, their design works perfect and doesn't change the original f-stop either. Find one that is specifically designed for your SONY HX400V. That way it will change the optics of the original camera the least. As far as the f-stops are concerned, depending on the design, it may or may not affect the original f-stop.

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