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07-13-2014, 06:45 PM   #1
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Vivitar Series 1 x1.4 Teleconverter

I picked up the Vivitar Series 1 x1.4 Teleconverter from Adorama for $99. I figured it would give me some reach while I save up for the 77mm f2.8 limited. It came in the mail a few days ago, but I haven't had the time to use it extensively. I had a hard time even finding it, but it was either this or the more expensive Pentax Teleconverter which costs about 5X as much !


In any case, I worried it might not work with my short focal length lenses, but I tried it on my 35mm f2.8 and my 50mm f1.8 and it works fine. The AF does not seem do be affected on those lenses. However attached to my 16-45mm F4 the AF did not budge, even though Vivitar advertised it as working on lenses with F4 apertures and below. As far as I can tell the image quality is not overly degraded, but like I said I haven't taken it through the paces yet.


It comes in a real Cheapo faux leather pouch, but other than that, the quality is not too bad, plus it is pretty compact. I was worried that at that price a lens might get stuck to the teleconverter, but the coupling/de-coupling mechanism seems to work fine so far. Does anyone have any experience with this teleconverter?

07-13-2014, 09:03 PM   #2
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There are a number of Vivitar 1.4x tc's so hard to say which one you have without a link back to what you purchased. Odd that it would not work on the 16-45. That is just a regular screw drive lens, so if the other two work it should as well. Is there a manual focus switch on that lens?

I have used a number of different TC's over the years and found them to be mostly well made though the image quality did differ. It is also important to understand that the final image quality is derived from how the combination of the lens used and the TC work together. One TC might do better with one lens than another TC. Most of the ones I have used degraded the IQ so much it was not really worth the effort.

One reason the new Pentax 1.4x TC is getting such rave reviews is that it does not seem to materially degrade the IQ. Perhaps that is why it costs 5x more.
07-13-2014, 09:52 PM   #3
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I've been using the Vivitar Series 1 1.4 teleconverter with the DA-L 55 - 300 mm with good results.
It does lose some sharpness but I can make up for it in post processing.
I agree with jatrax that it should work with screw drive lenses.
07-13-2014, 10:13 PM   #4
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I've been looking at this TC. Does anyone know if it works with SDM lenses? Thanks

07-16-2014, 01:53 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by gmiyamoto Quote
I've been using the Vivitar Series 1 1.4 teleconverter with the DA-L 55 - 300 mm with good results.
It does lose some sharpness but I can make up for it in post processing.
I agree with jatrax that it should work with screw drive lenses.
You are right you definitely lose some sharpness and about 1 stop.
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