Big problems with a telephoto conversion lens I recieved (Please help)

[Lanimilbus]

I just recently ordered the Canon TC-CD52 2.4x telephoto conversion lens for my Panasonic Lumix FZ20. (I ordered the telephoto lens here: http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=1681883)

When I received the telephoto conversion lens in the mail, I took it out, attached it to my Raynox 62 – 52mm adapter ring, and attached the other end to my Lumix in the correct area. The attachment worked fine, and everything seemed ok, but after turning the camera on and changing the setting to telephoto attachment, the pictures I take come out in rather horrible quality. The Panasonic Lumix goes to 6x automatically in zoom when the telephoto adapter option is chosen, and here’s a picture I took at 6x:



These pictures weren’t edited at all other than resizing, and are otherwise straight from the camera.



At 6x (notice the blackness around the edges and the stretching/blurring/glowing/focus):

http://members.roadfly.org/lanimilbus/telephoto6x.jpg



At 12x (there’s still blackness around the edges):

http://members.roadfly.org/lanimilbus/telephoto12x.jpg



At 18x (In digital zoom now, the blackness is mostly gone, but the glowing/focus/quality is still quite present.):

http://members.roadfly.org/lanimilbus/telephoto18x.jpg



At 42x (Max digital zoom; this was the best focus I could get with Manual Focus on my tripod):

http://members.roadfly.org/lanimilbus/telephoto42x.jpg



I’m also sure that it’s not due to the settings or anything like that that’s causing this effect with the telephoto lens; it was on a tripod, so there was literally no chance of shaking, and all the settings were on the best quality possible.


With that being said, I’m either doing something completely wrong with the telephoto lens, the lens is defective, or this telephoto lens was not designed to work with the Panasonic Lumix FZ20…could anyone help, and tell me if I am doing something wrong, or if I’m not, what it is that’s causing the pictures to come out so badly? This lens cost me $96, so I’d really either like to fix it or get my money back, because it doesn’t serve much purpose as it is now. Also; if I’m not doing anything wrong, and it’s just the telephoto conversion lens that’s the problem, does anyone here know of any telephoto lenses under $200, preferably with a magnification of over 2x, that WILL be guaranteed to work with the Lumix FZ20 and its Raynox 62-52mm adapter tube? Thanks in advance for any help,



-Alec

 

[Meysha]

Hi Alec.
I don't know the real problem here with your lens but i can give you a little info.
That black stuff you see around the edges of the photos is called vignetting (no not vinegarette). This can happen when you put too much stuff on the front of your camera and instead of it being out of your view, it starts to creep in on the sides of the photo.

Now we sit and wait until someone can give you a proper answer about why the photos are so fuzzy.

Can I just say that the effect in your 6x link you've got is almost like the effect my Holga has... but just not quite as strong. But then again I only paid $10 for my holga, and you paid $96.... so i can see why you'd be a bit pissed off.

While we wait, have you checked that everything is properly attached, and cleaned?

 

[tirediron]

It appears to me as if the lens is not set at the correct distance from the camera's lens. Is it possible that this lens may be meant for a different camera?

 

[tirediron]

I also meant to say, try holding the lens (if you can - not sure of the configuration) at slightly varying distances from the camera to see if the effect changes

 

[Pixel9ine]

I'm with tirediron on this one. The TC-DC52 2.4x was made for the Canon A60/A70/75 line. Using it with any other camera, such as an A85/95 or your Lumix, will result in blurred and out of focus images.

I know this because I've bought one for my A95. Images taken with the teleconverter are good, except for some slight blurring at the edges.

Vignetting at full wide is an unavoidable feature of using most telelconverters, since they're desgined to be used at full zoom. It's present on my A95 as well.

Lensmate does a good job of explaining this (with comparison pictures).. http://www.lensmateonline.com/A80spacers.html#canon

I don't know about other brands, but they make a custom spacer for use with the Canon A95. I've ordered one and am expecting it anyday now.

 

[kfoster]

The vigenetting is being caused by the 62-52mm stepdown ring. Your basically blocking part of the camera lens with that ring. The canon telephoto lens is definitely designed for use on a canon powershot camera.

Just to get familar with your camera I did a little research. The camera lens itself will go 36-432mm optically. That is a really good zoom. That canon lens is a 2.4x. which means you would end up with 1031mm. There is no way your going to end up with a quality photo at that kind of range by just adding a $100 piece of glass to the front of your camera.

My advice. Return the canon. Unless panasonic offers a Leica telephoto adapter lens made for this camera I would forget about using one of these lenses. They are no different then holding a magnifying glass up in front of the camera. If it were possible to get quality shots with this configuration Nikon and Canon might as well stop making those $9000 600mm f/4 telephoto lenses that all the sports photographers use.

K