Author: | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: November, 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Posts: 12,385 4 users found this helpful | Review Date: January 26, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $140.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Genuine Pentax coatings, good glass, works will with my lenses | Cons: | It is a teleconverter. it was designed for shorter lenses | | This adapter works well with any of my lenses, maintaining all exposure functions. It cannot, of course, turn either of my M lenses into an A series lens.
My use for the adapter these days is with the M400/5.6 which becomes a quite nice M560/8 with the adapter on the back. The IQ is not horribly degraded with the adapter. The quality is better than an equivalent crop with the 400 on my K10D, despite the adapter being designed for use with lenses no longer than 300mm.
It would be better if the lens could be fitted with the -L adapter, but they are not physically compatible because the projection on the -L is bigger than the throat of the M 400.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supportaxian Registered: September, 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 503 | Review Date: December 3, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $110.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Great performance, Better compatibility with lenses than others. | Cons: | None, other than no Data or AF connection. | | Unlike its 2x brother, which is a diva that only plays well with certain lenses, this rear converter plays well with most, including many modern lenses.
Sharp and contrasty, small in size. This along with the 1.4x L version are the very best of all the classic Pentax Rear converters, only surpassed by the modern HD DA 1.4 Rear Converter.
I rate this an 8. It's very good, but not outstanding. It is sharper than the 1.7x AFA.
| | | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2016 Location: Moab, Utah Posts: 90 | Review Date: January 31, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Sharp, maintains clarity | Cons: | somewhat rare | | A very useable teleconverter. This 1.4x is quite a bit sharper and more practical for maintaining image quality than rear converter-a 2.0x-s or other 2x converters I tried. Feels like an a series lens because of the grip. No m series 1.4x option. Works well with M* 300 f4, which is where I almost exclusively use this. Images are still acceptable in quality for all photo editors so far.
| | | | New Member Registered: November, 2018 Posts: 1 | Review Date: December 4, 2018 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | | Cons: | somewhat disappointed with the image quality | | I had this for about four years but did not use it until I bought a Pentax A* 300mm f4. I am somewhat disappointed with the resulting image quality because it is rather soft. Downsizing from 24 to 12MP with some software sharpening improves the images. Web publishing looks good without any tweaking.
The following were taken with the Pentax A* 300mm f4 + 1.4X-S TC
(100% crop)
(100% crop) | | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2012 Posts: 244 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: March 13, 2020 | Not Recommended
| Rating: 5 |
Pros: | Pentax brand | Cons: | Disappointing shots | | While this does what it’s intended do, I am very unimpressed. Every time I use this, I find myself thinking, “dang, that shot is not very clear...”. And as soon as I remove it, my shot is very clear and sharp.
I wish I hadn’t spent the money, which I did based on the reviews here.
I use * lenses and a K1.
So I’ll be selling this one. I don't remember what I paid, but it was not a bargain.
| | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,085 | Review Date: October 15, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $235.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Works well on my soft-focus lenses. | Cons: | Don’t see myself ever using it on any other lens I own. | | The A1.4X-S Rear Converter was released in 1984 as part of the new A Series cameras and lenses. It, along with the -L version, were the first Pentax 1.4X rear converters. The A1.4X-S Rear Converter remained in production till 2005. Usage:
I bought the A1.4X-S rear converter exclusively for use on my Pentax Soft Focus lenses, the F85/2.8 Soft & FA28/2.8 Soft. Adding the A1.4X-S rear converter gives me approximately an 120mm & 40mm lens and results in a couple more soft-focus shooting options. The rear converter works really well with these two soft focus lenses and actually enhances the soft-focus effect. It also gives good results when using these soft-focus lenses in their “sharp” mode.
On the negative side there is an 1 stop loss of light. These soft-focus lenses are designed with a slower automatic aperture, so this results in a slightly darker viewfinder.
CASE: The A1.4X-S Rear Converter was originally sold with the HB-90B hard lens case and then later on with the S70-70 soft case. Summary:
The A1.4X-S Rear Converter is nice to have if I want to increase the focal length of my F85/2.8 & FA28/2.8 Soft Focus lenses, but I really don’t see myself ever using it on any other lens I own. I have way too many Pentax lenses in various focal lengths under 300mm, that I just don’t need it. As well there are the usual negatives associated with any rear converter. Price:
I bought my A1.4X-S Rear Converter at a local camera store and was NOS. (New old sock) It came with the S70-70 case and I paid $300.00CDN.
| | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: October, 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,493 | Review Date: February 12, 2024 | Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Does not degrade images at medium apertures | Cons: | Loss of Autofocus, loss of one f-stop | | I took the upper image with a K3 III + FA* 85 mm f/1.4 @ f/13 and ISO 100. I added the A 1.4X-S converter, selected ISO 200 and shot the second picture after setting f/11 on the 85 mm lens in Manual mode. No visual degradation of the image is perceptible. You lose Autofocus and one f-stop but I think it is a good 20 $ investment ...
Another Nature image taken with the FA* 85 mm f/1.4 + A 1.4X converter : Very sharp !! | | |