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10-16-2018, 07:08 PM - 2 Likes   #1
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Ricoh GR or GRII Teleconverter

Hi all,
I experimented a little with a tele conversion lens I have in my collection. It's a vintage Petri 1.5x teleconverter. If you don't know Petri, it was a Japanese camera manufacturer that produced very nice quality cameras and lenses up to the late 1970s. Their rangefinder cameras from the 1960s are very nice quality. This teleconverter was intended for a fixed lens rangefinder with 45mm focal length and f1.9 aperture. The converter has a simple 43mm thread. I attached it to the Ricoh GH-3 via a 49mm-43mm step down ring. Here is what it looks like on the camera (I think it looks kinda cool):







The converter vignettes bad if I leave it on the Ricoh GRII's 28mm setting, but the vignetting goes away 99% if I switch to the GRIIs 35mm setting. Now I have a 50mm equivalent with 10mp. Here are some samples (Please forgive the bad photos, they are just to show the image quality and have no artistic value). All photos in full res. on Flickr:

f2.8: Center is already bitingly sharp, but as expected falls off to the edges and corners.



f5.6: Center is fantastic and the edges start to clear up.



Here is a reference shot with the GRII's lens without the converter:



Now with the converter and a 50mm, 10mp equivalent:



Now with the converter and a 75mm, 5.6mp equivalent:



Close-ups work very well, too. Here the 75mm, 5.6mp equivalent:



50mm, 10mp equivalent:



So far, I'm really encouraged by the results. I think the image quality is very usable. What do you think?

Those Petri converters are not the most common items to find, but they do come up on Ebay from time to time if you are interested in one. They don't go for much, I bought mine two years ago for $15. Some even come as a kit with wide angle converter and external viewfinder.

10-16-2018, 09:24 PM - 1 Like   #2
PJ1
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I agree. The combination works very well. I got the complete kit as a way to get the external viewfinder. I think the converters will screw on to a Zeiss Tessar 50/2.8 but I haven't played with them much. The receiving lens needs a recessed front element, as you would have found. I thought the tele converter could be useful as an option to carry when an extra lens can't be justified.

Last edited by PJ1; 10-16-2018 at 09:29 PM.
10-18-2018, 09:05 AM   #3
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Nice results!

These kinds of convertors can be fun.

I've got a Canon WC-DC58 -- a 0.8X convertor with a 58mm thread. It does a decent job on 28mm lenses on APS-C to create 22.4 mm lens of the same f-stop. On FF with a 28 mm lens, the converter vignettes and has horrible corners.

There's also a Canon TC-DC58 -- a 1.5X convertor with a 58mm thread. I've not gotten much chance to play with this one.

Last edited by photoptimist; 10-18-2018 at 09:12 AM. Reason: typos
07-13-2019, 05:55 PM   #4
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I know this is an old thread but I copied this idea and wanted to alert those if you that were discussing this before. I have not really gotten to take photos with it yet, but plan to take it out soon. Here are some more photos of what this looks like on the GR.

BTW, it is very reasonable to do, since the lenses are like $15 on eBay and the adapters around $6. The only pricey part is the Ricoh GH-3 Filter/Hood adapter which was probably $30. Still quite inexpensive to try out. I configured the "effects" button on the side (that I was not using) to toggle from 28mm to 35mm.

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09-30-2019, 03:02 PM   #5
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As a new GR owner, I'm intrigued as to how a teleconverter would work with my camera. I've bought the converter and hood kit and have ordered an Olympus 49mm thread 1.5x converter which was sold with an Olympus 0.8x converter with 49mm thread to see if they'll work with my camera. It's going to be interesting to see if they work or not. I tried a cheap second hand Sigma 1.5x video converter which left very soft left and right edges on the 4:3 aspect ratio at 35mm crop, I wasn't too happy with that as the colours and contrast were weak compared to the GR's usual output in vivid with positive film effect shot in RAW.
10-18-2019, 07:33 AM   #6
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can people update this post with some sample photos?
07-09-2020, 05:59 PM   #7
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What do i need? Its the same for gr2 and gr3?

07-09-2020, 07:49 PM   #8
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It works with the GRIII as well. Here is how it looks with the Haoge filter adapter:





Here is a reference shot without any conversion:



Here with the converter at 50mm equivalent and 12mp @f5.6:



Here with the converter at 75mm equivalent and 7.5mp @f5.6:



Overall it performed a little better on the GRII at 50mm, but it's very usable. At 75mm it's really good. The image quality should improve even more by f8. I have to make a few more tests, but I would say for portraits this will be fantastic.
07-09-2020, 07:55 PM   #9
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Those shots are certainly impressive. I am glad I got my Petri converters when I did. Now I have another use for them if I ever get a GR.
07-15-2020, 11:15 PM - 1 Like   #10
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Some sample shots with my rig. The edges (mostly to the right and left) are distorted a little with the teleconverter but the center is still pretty sharp. Look at the original size of the horse and zoom in to 100% in the center around the eyes. Its pretty good really.


Without the teleconverter:

Ricoh GR without the teleconverter | Jayson Lorenzen | Flickr




With the teleconverter:


Ricoh GR with the Petri 1.5x teleconverter | Jayson Lorenzen | Flickr




Portrait with the teleconverter

portrait Ricoh GR with the Petri 1.5x teleconverter | Flickr
07-16-2020, 03:31 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by jays0n Quote
Some sample shots with my rig.
I like those. I would say it was a very useful addition to the camera bag.
07-16-2020, 06:00 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by jays0n Quote
Some sample shots with my rig.
Very nice! I'm hoping to post some better samples as well soon.
01-27-2021, 02:47 PM   #13
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Hey GR gang, just an FYI that I have sold my GR, and now have this teleconverter rig for sale here in the Marketplace:

Petri teleconverter, Ricoh GH-3 Lens Hood/Adapter & 49mm/43mm adapter for GR - PentaxForums.com

It is the whole rig, including the lens, and both adapters (and the hood from the Ricoh set; it is the entire hood set from Ricoh actually).
01-05-2023, 05:19 PM   #14
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I have just come upon this thread, and was fortunate enough to find a Petri conversion lens kit on Ebay (2 lenses and viewfinder in zipper case), Looking forward to testing this on my GRii. I am wondering whether anyone has tried the Petri converter on Fufi X100 cameras.
01-09-2023, 10:29 AM   #15
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You will like the results. Especially for portraits the Petri lens works nicely on the GRII. I had a X100F for the longest time, but I have not tried the Petri on it. Fuji makes a Teleconverter, so it would probably better to get one of those. I tried the Petri lens on a Sony RX1r, but the results were disappointing.
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