Is this converter good?

[remedix]

Hello all,

I really want to buy a wide angle lens for my 350D but after a little research I found out that these are really expensive. I found though this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=009 which is basically a lens converter of a factor of 0.7. So it will make my kit lens from 18-50 mm to 12.6-38.5 mm and my 50mm lens to a 38mm one.

Does anybody know if this worths spending the money to buy it?
I don't want to buy something that it will be totally useless to me.

Any comments are appreciated.
Thank you!

[ericvision]

Probably not...

I had a wide angle converter from Opteka. It was very poor quality optically. Suffered very badly from barrel distortion, purple fringing, lack of colour and lack of contrast. It wasn't really worth using it.

You would probably get better results from stitching, so long as you're not shooting a moving target...

[ride_the_spiral]

I did a quick look for reviews on this item, which (as in this case and general Opteka/Pheonix reviews) left me rolling on the floor in laughter at how bad the reviews and samples are.. the following extract was from a review of a Opteka 2.2x teleconverter

"In fact, the only two uses I can think of for the lens is as a paperweight and to incinerate ants on a sunny day. But I have too many paperweights already and the rear macro element of my wide-angle lens does a bang-up job on the ants so I sent the Opteka back." http://teleoscope.blogspot.com/2007/05/ ... erter.html)

That said, it was a teleconverter.. but is it not safe to assume that there will be a trend with opteka products?

Time to get out the piggy bank for that wide angle lens

[billrobinson]

I can't help thinking factoring the expense of something like the Canon 12-22mm over 15-20 years is the most cost effective solution, given you'll never go to a full frame body.
Look after your glass and it will last for years.

[remedix]

Thank you guys!

The thing is that I'm looking for the cheapest (but good) wide angle lens for my 350D. I really love how my photos look on my 18-55mm lens at 18mm and that's why I thought I give it a go with a rather more wide angle lens.

The wide angle canon lenses are quite expensive for me. After all this is just a hobby!

Any suggestions for a third party lens?

[ericvision]

There is the Sigma 15-30 EX Aspherical. Being an EX lens it should be pretty good optically. Pulls in £249 though. Otherwise there is the Sigma 10-20 at £282.

Neither are as cheap as the Opteka lens, but there's a very good reason for that!

http://camerapricebuster.co.uk

[madlights]

The Olympus WCON-08b converter works OK. It's big and heavy, probably hard on lens focus motors and subject to flair (over 100mm glass and no available hood) and some CA with certain lenses. One advantage it has is there's no FStop penalty. It really depends on how much WA shooting you plan to do...if occasional then the Oly 08b works pretty well...if a lot I'd go with a dedicated WA. The Oly and a ring should set you back probably 100-125.00 (US). I've used one on my 10d with both a 24-85 and a 19-35 (which it brings down to around 24mm equiv. not the widest WA for sure but at the time there were few options available except the Sigma 12-24 (more expensive than what I had available at the time) and now there are many more good alternatives) I've got 2 of 'em. One for my c8080 (08d-dedicated mount) and one I use with my Canon (08b which has a threaded end) They are pretty high quality glass...much better than a lot of 3rd party add ons...but like I say not the widest, and I'd maybe save my money for a real WA on a DSLR now that more alternatives are available than there were a few years back. As cellartroll says stitching is a good alternative and very high resolution....Autostitch is a great program...and with a even somewhat WA works great...even with handheld shots...much wider than any WA lens will ever give you. Do a google...it's free too. Here's one I did with a converter on my Olympus (22.5mm equiv) at F2.4 - it's identical glass with a different mount than the one for my Canon..it's a little softer than I'd like because of shooting high ISO on my Oly even at F2.4 and having to use a NR program...not the fault of the converter though. The Canon with an F2.4 lens, the converter and at ISO800 would have been much better in this regard...than my Oly at ISO320.

[remedix]

Hmm...
That's really interesting. A converter will be perfect for now..

What about this converter?
[Removed link] I just noticed this is not for EOS mount

madlights: Is there such thing as olympus to canon ring ? I didn't know that.

Any links to check them out?

Thank you all again

[madlights]

Yep the WCON-08b (hope I didn't get them mixed up-you'd better double check for sure on which is which on google - or at Oly's site) has threads so just get a step ring to fit your lens...also make sure that the lens you use it on doesn't have glass that protrudes way out front (some WA's do so probably would hit the back of the converter). Even using this on a lens with a wider mm front and using a reducing ring (I think it's down to 62mm so still pretty wide on the backside - but don't quote me) doesn't result in vignetting..I've reduced down from a 77mm to the 62mm of the converter...since the 1.6 crop takes care of that. Make sure you get the threaded one if you decide to go this way...and note it's only a .8 converter. When I got it - it was because of a link I'd read on DPR in the Nikon forum. He'd tried it on more lenses than I have...and found it had chromatic fringing in high contrast areas more so on a couple lenses than on others. Flair is a definite problem as I said too...and sometimes I've got to give one of my lenses a whack to get the focus motor moving if aimed at all upward...since the converter is so heavy and large...so as I said, don't know how good this is for the lens focus motors. I just use mine very occasionally on my Canon...my Olympus has a dedicated mount that puts no pressure on the lens itself...and I use my dedicated (although the same glass) much more on my Oly. The prices vary a lot also even at reputable dealers so check around. Think I got mine at B&H or 17th street photo...

[remedix]

madlights thank you for clearing that up!

You all were helpful. Thanks again!