Max. Optical Zoom? at DVinfo.net

Michael Hitzler · July 22nd, 2004, 08:43 AM

Hi there,

I have a Sony VX 2100 and I am using a teleconverter 2.0 Is there any possibility to get a better zoom by let say using another lens? (No digital zoom!) Is this possible?

All the best
Michael

Mike Rehmus · July 22nd, 2004, 12:00 PM

IAW,N

2X is just about the best you can find.

Steve McDonald · August 1st, 2004, 07:37 AM

Sure, you can get yourself a Raynox DCR-2020Pro telextender like I did. It gives a 2.2X boost to the VX2100 lens.
But, I have never used it, except for testing. The reason is that it vignettes at the corners throughout all but the top 15% of the zoom range. It's just not practical for general use or any situation where a far-off subject may zoom in on you.

If you have a 2X extender and it doesn't vignette in too much of the zoom range to bother you, that's as good as it will get with this model. The VX2100 is a medium-range camera. The Canon XL and GL models are long-range or the XL can be short, if you put on the 3X lens. The Panasonic DVX100 has a short-range lens. It's best to give the lens-power capabilities of a camera a lot of careful consideration, along with their other features, before you choose one to buy.

Even though I need a lot of lens power for what I shoot, the superiority of the VX2100, in so many of its functions, led me to choose it, even though I sacrificed
a lot of the magnification I enjoyed with previous models. I'll find ways to work within the lens capacity of my VX2100, as there's no solution, other than trading it off for something I don't like so much, in most other aspects.

Steve McDonald

Tom Hardwick · August 1st, 2004, 11:04 AM

Steve, the Raynox 2020 Pro is actually *designed* to vignette as you zoom back towards wide-angle. It's a powerful teleconverter and should be used as such. If you want to shoot at 72mm, take it off - the video quality will be better anyway.

Raynox could indeed make it a full zoom through, but they're fearful that no-one would buy it. The front element would be something like 4x the area it is at present and it would weigh in at about 2lbs, doing your filter threads no good at all. It would cost a small fortune and yet at full telephoto (which is why people buy these things) it would give exactly the same results.

It's a lot easier to make a wide-angle converter totally zoom through, yet all my tests show that (regardless of converter costs) if you want to shoot at 6mm, then the quality will be better if you remove your 0.5x widie.

tom.

Michael Hitzler · August 2nd, 2004, 02:40 AM

I am using a Hama 2.x converter, which is considering the price really good. Although it is made for 52mm I can zoom out from the max. about almost 50% before it vignetts. So that is fine.

The only thing which bothers me a bit is the in full zoom it drops quality a lot (especially the last 5 % of the zoom).

All the best
Michael

Steve McDonald · August 2nd, 2004, 04:19 AM

The Raynox DCR-2020PRO does gives excellent image quality. I can see no distortion, loss of resolution or dimming of light, even at full zoom. It is basically a film camera lens extender,
although they specifically recommend it for the VX and PD cameras. They claim it
resolves about 270 lines per mm, at lens center. It has a large, 80mm outer barrel and a 62mm mounting thread diameter. But, it is 5 inches long, so the vignetting kicks in below 85% zoom.
I'm sure I'll find occasional use for it on stationary long shots, but the 1.7X HG Sony extender, that vignettes only below 42% zoom is the one I ordinarily use.

Steve McDonald

July 22nd, 2004, 08:43 AM	#1
Michael Hitzler Tourist Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2	Max. Optical Zoom? Hi there, I have a Sony VX 2100 and I am using a teleconverter 2.0 Is there any possibility to get a better zoom by let say using another lens? (No digital zoom!) Is this possible? All the best Michael

July 22nd, 2004, 12:00 PM	#2
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	IAW,N 2X is just about the best you can find. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

August 1st, 2004, 07:37 AM	#3
Steve McDonald Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 366	Sure, you can get yourself a Raynox DCR-2020Pro telextender like I did. It gives a 2.2X boost to the VX2100 lens. But, I have never used it, except for testing. The reason is that it vignettes at the corners throughout all but the top 15% of the zoom range. It's just not practical for general use or any situation where a far-off subject may zoom in on you. If you have a 2X extender and it doesn't vignette in too much of the zoom range to bother you, that's as good as it will get with this model. The VX2100 is a medium-range camera. The Canon XL and GL models are long-range or the XL can be short, if you put on the 3X lens. The Panasonic DVX100 has a short-range lens. It's best to give the lens-power capabilities of a camera a lot of careful consideration, along with their other features, before you choose one to buy. Even though I need a lot of lens power for what I shoot, the superiority of the VX2100, in so many of its functions, led me to choose it, even though I sacrificed a lot of the magnification I enjoyed with previous models. I'll find ways to work within the lens capacity of my VX2100, as there's no solution, other than trading it off for something I don't like so much, in most other aspects. Steve McDonald

August 1st, 2004, 11:04 AM	#4
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Steve, the Raynox 2020 Pro is actually designed to vignette as you zoom back towards wide-angle. It's a powerful teleconverter and should be used as such. If you want to shoot at 72mm, take it off - the video quality will be better anyway. Raynox could indeed make it a full zoom through, but they're fearful that no-one would buy it. The front element would be something like 4x the area it is at present and it would weigh in at about 2lbs, doing your filter threads no good at all. It would cost a small fortune and yet at full telephoto (which is why people buy these things) it would give exactly the same results. It's a lot easier to make a wide-angle converter totally zoom through, yet all my tests show that (regardless of converter costs) if you want to shoot at 6mm, then the quality will be better if you remove your 0.5x widie. tom.

August 2nd, 2004, 02:40 AM	#5
Michael Hitzler Tourist Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2	I am using a Hama 2.x converter, which is considering the price really good. Although it is made for 52mm I can zoom out from the max. about almost 50% before it vignetts. So that is fine. The only thing which bothers me a bit is the in full zoom it drops quality a lot (especially the last 5 % of the zoom). All the best Michael

August 2nd, 2004, 04:19 AM	#6
Steve McDonald Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 366	The Raynox DCR-2020PRO does gives excellent image quality. I can see no distortion, loss of resolution or dimming of light, even at full zoom. It is basically a film camera lens extender, although they specifically recommend it for the VX and PD cameras. They claim it resolves about 270 lines per mm, at lens center. It has a large, 80mm outer barrel and a 62mm mounting thread diameter. But, it is 5 inches long, so the vignetting kicks in below 85% zoom. I'm sure I'll find occasional use for it on stationary long shots, but the 1.7X HG Sony extender, that vignettes only below 42% zoom is the one I ordinarily use. Steve McDonald