| Author: | | Administrator
Site Webmaster Registered: September, 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 51,595 | | Review Date: September 15, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Superior Image Quality, Auto Aperture | | Cons: | Only usable with certain tele's | |
This is a superb and relatively compact teleconverter, that when coupled with a tele such as the 300mm FA* or 500mm K, provides excellent image quality. Unfortunately, it can't be used with most tele zooms, so its use is very limited.
Here's a sample photo taken with the K 500mm F4.5 (effectively a 700mm F6.3 with the teleconverter on), followed by a 100% crop, which just about says it all:
I'd recommend this teleconverter to anyone who frequently shoots tele. Since it lacks autofocus, however, it's not as useful for action shots or birding, but the loss of one and a half F stops is definitely a good trade-off considering the sharpness and added reach it offers.
| | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2008 Location: MT Posts: 1,349 | | Review Date: October 17, 2008 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | optimized for telephoto use, sharp. | | Cons: | mount screws wiggle loose, color shift with 600/4 | |
Astounding sharpness and clarity coupled with A*200/4 Macro. Almost unnoticeable sharpness decline. That is very rare for teleconverters and I'm quite picky. Absolutely blows the 1.7x Autofocus "toy" out of the water.
Quite sharp coupled with F600 and FA600 tele's but causes slight color shift--particularly in the green color range. The color issue is unnoticeable unless comparing side by side images with and without the teleconverter. Primarily noticeable in sunlit images.
I've owned a couple of these and both needed occasional screw tightening around the mount area. If left loose, the mount has enough slop to decrease sharpness.
This is a truly "pro" quality teleconverter with strong build quality and way better than expected image quality. By far the best Pentax choice for the lenses it can work with. Autofocus? What's that, I almost never use autofocus so don't miss it with this manual converter.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: August, 2007 Location: Cambridge, United States Posts: 57 | | Review Date: March 22, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Stunning glass, doesn't really degrade IQ | | Cons: | Protruding front element, build quality | |
Some absolutely stunning glass... I pair this with a 400mm f5.6 (which I have reviewed too), and I get images that I am really very pleased with. I can't really tell the difference between the 400mm images and the 400mm + TC images, which, I think, is exactly what you want in a TC.
My only issue with it (aside from the protruding element, which I assume is what makes it so good, so I can forgive it that) is that the rubber on the grip of mine has started to come off, ever so slightly. I assume it was left in the sun before I bought it, which caused expansion. Then again, it's not a new piece of kit.
Some images with the 400 + TC:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4295246329/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4299285788/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/3026528041/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/3027362648/ | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: March, 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,950
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 27, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $225.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | No obvious degradation to image quality | | Cons: | Not usable with most popular lenses, like DA*300/4 | |
This is the only TC I have used that did not degrade the image at all when viewed or printed normally. Therefore it is the only 1.4x I can recommend that is clearly better than just cropping. I use it coupled to an A*400/2.8 and at 560mm I prefer manual focus anyway at that FL .
Its as good as it gets if you only need 1.4x and have a lens it will fit.
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2007 Location: Prevost, Quebec, Canada Posts: 508 | | Review Date: January 12, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $225.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very effective TC, no loss of sharpness | | Cons: | Only fits my A*600mm | |
This one of my best purchases, realy works well and does not add much weight. Nice bokeh.
By ramiot at 2011-07-04
By ramiot at 2011-06-08
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2010 Posts: 567
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 6, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | works perfect with my DA*200/2.8, no loss of sharpness, works also perfekt together with HD DA 1.4x AW | | Cons: | has no AF, | |
I use this really outstanding Converter together with my DA*200. The results are outstanding for a Converter. There is no loss of sharpness or contrast. It outperforms the F 1.7x AF Adapter and is also better than the new HD DA 1.4x AW Rear Converter. Espesally in the corners this old Converter outperformsall other Converter I have seen. But the DA*200 is the only modern Lens you can actually buy new, which fits with the A 1.4x-L Converter.
But the best thing nowadays is: The A 1.4x-L works perfectly in Combination with the new HD DA 1.4x AW and the results are outstanding quality. With the DA*200/2.8 you can get a 280/4 or a 400/5.6 lightweigt Travelcombi if you also own the new HD DA 1.4x AW Rear Converter. 400mm with a nearest focussing distance of 120 cm!!!
I can't post Images here but you can see some samples of the convertercombination here (DA*200 + A1.4x-L + HDDA1.4xAW):
http://forum.digitalfotonetz.de/viewtopic.php?t=103713 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2016 Location: Moab, Utah Posts: 90 | | Review Date: July 31, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $280.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, clarity | | Cons: | price | |
One of the best gems from Pentax. I can see no image degradation and almost seems to improve the image. I have no hesitation to use this teleconverter and it is the best teleconverter I've ever used out of about 10 different ones. I also have the 1.4x-S for other lenses, which is an acceptably excellent teleconverter, but this one outperforms it noticeably on the 500. I use mine with M42 to K adapter on S-M-C Takumar 500mm f4.5 and on S-M-C Takumar 400mm f5.6, but it does not fit onto Pentax SMC 400mm f5.6 because of inner baffle.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: February, 2010 Location: Blunsdon,Wiltshire, UK Posts: 1,503
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 4, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $183.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | No noticeable loss of sharpness | | Cons: | | |
I recently bought the converter to use with my A*1200mm F8 ED [IF] lens
Pentax K-5/Pentax A*1200mm F8 ED [IF] + Pentax Rear Converter-A 1.4x-L giving 2520mm in 35mm terms.
 Moon by Gary Chalker, on Flickr
 Moon by Gary Chalker, on Flickr
 Moon by Gary Chalker, on Flickr
 Moon by Gary Chalker, on Flickr
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