PL Mount doubler

[Finner]

Has anyone checked into prices and reviews of any PL doublers to use with the RED zoom?

[Sanjin Jukic]

Finner,

have a look at this price and compare it

"ZEISS 300mm T3.0:
Arri Bayonet or P.L. Mount with Doubler T* Series."
Per day: AUS $200.00 >> about € 120

http://www.cameraquip.com.au/cq-data/35lens.htm

[Moir]

Something that interests me too. I couldn't find much during a brief search, other than the Century 1.4x and 2.0 extenders which are $1500.
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1097&IID=1400

[Hans von Sonntag]

A subject I was thinking of as well. 10 years ago I used the Optex 2x extender on an Cooke 10-1 and found it pretty weak. The original sharpens of the Cooke was half way gone. Since then I prefer proper telephoto lenses. But recently P&S Technik is manufacturing a new extender. Since P&S Technik is a well known company for great cine-gear (shot last week with their brilliant Mini Skater Dolly) I would give this extender a try. Apparently, they use Leica glass which is not the worst..

http://www.pstechnik.de/en/optics-2times-extender.php

Hans

[Finner]

A subject I was thinking of as well. 10 years ago I used the Optex 2x extender on an Cooke 10-1 and found it pretty weak. The original sharpens of the Cooke was half way gone. Since then I prefer proper telephoto lenses. But recently P&S Technik is manufacturing a new extender. Since P&S Technik is a well known company for great cine-gear (shot last week with their brilliant Mini Skater Dolly) I would give this extender a try. Apparently, they use Leica glass which is not the worst..

http://www.pstechnik.de/en/optics-2times-extender.php

Hans

This looks like a good option for a RED zoom any idea on price and what you lose in stop with it? I could not find that info.

[chuck colburn]

Most 2x extenders result in a 2f stop loss of light. 1.4x's lose 1 stop.

[Finner]

Most 2x extenders result in a 2f stop loss of light. 1.4x's lose 1 stop.

Thanks Chuck, I have had the same experience with doublers but have worked with some that are closer to 1-1/2 stops. So do you know if this doubler is indeed 2 stops and the price?

[chuck colburn]

Thanks Chuck, I have had the same experience with doublers but have worked with some that are closer to 1-1/2 stops. So do you know if this doubler is indeed 2 stops and the price?

Hi Finner,

I poked around a few Leica sites and could not find an answer to the light loss question. So far as price goes, if they are actually using the glass out of a Leica R tele extender then it is going to be pricy as the 2x extender sells for over 2 grand alone.
Although I've mounted quite a few extender optics to different lenses over the years, I've found that if they were not designed for a particular application the results at best were so so. Also there is no garuntee that the unit will work with the Red zoom as it sems to only work with certain cine lenses.

Chuck

[Finner]

Hi Finner,

I poked around a few Leica sites and could not find an answer to the light loss question. So far as price goes, if they are actually using the glass out of a Leica R tele extender then it is going to be pricy as the 2x extender sells for over 2 grand alone.
Although I've mounted quite a few extender optics to different lenses over the years, I've found that if they were not designed for a particular application the results at best were so so. Also there is no garuntee that the unit will work with the Red zoom as it sems to only work with certain cine lenses.

Chuck
For me 2,000 for the added versatility added to a red zoom is pretty cheap.

I am kind of confused with your comment on extender problems. I have used pretty much every PL mount doubler over the last 18 years and although some are better then others I have never found any application for them other then extending the lens. Doublers work well with zooms and I have also used them on long tele lens with success. I am not really afraid to use one with the red zoom as extenders are built with next to no characteristics other then extending the lens.

Thanks for seeing if you could find more info out though. I was unable to find out very little as well.

[Emanuel A.]

Here is an interesting offer:

http://www.filmcamerakit.com/html/adaptors.htm#pl

[chuck colburn]

For me 2,000 for the added versatility added to a red zoom is pretty cheap.

I am kind of confused with your comment on extender problems. I have used pretty much every PL mount doubler over the last 18 years and although some are better then others I have never found any application for them other then extending the lens. Doublers work well with zooms and I have also used them on long tele lens with success. I am not really afraid to use one with the red zoom as extenders are built with next to no characteristics other then extending the lens.

Thanks for seeing if you could find more info out though. I was unable to find out very little as well.

Hi Finner,

I didn't make that price very clear. That was just to buy the glass from Leica. Then you have to make a housing for the optics and a camera mount on the front and a lens mount on the back of it. All in all quite a few exspensive bits to fabricate. So far as extenders having next to no characteristics other then extending the focal length of the lens, that is not so. Two critical errors they inherently introduce are curveature of field and primary chromatic abberation (not bring the red, green and blue ray traces to a common focal plane). The better extenders by Nikon, Canon and Leica
are for specific lens series. Generally longer focal lengths. So far as a universal type goes, it is going to be a compromise as no one optical design is going to work equally well with many different lens design formulas.
Anyhow just my opinion after seeing many of these lenses on thru the lens projectors and auto collimators. But as you stated you obtained useable results over the years and that is the bottom line!

Chuck

[Stephen Williams]

Thanks Chuck, I have had the same experience with doublers but have worked with some that are closer to 1-1/2 stops. So do you know if this doubler is indeed 2 stops and the price?

Hi Finner,

Lens theory would suggest a x 2 looses 2 stops and a 1.4 x 1 stop.

Could your extender been about 1.6 x?

Stephen

[chuck colburn]

Hi Finner,

Lens theory would suggest a x 2 looses 2 stops and a 1.4 x 1 stop.

Could your extender been about 1.6 x?

Stephen

Hello Stephen,

I remember an Angenieux 1.6x that you could screw on to the back of a 25-250 there by making a so so lens sorta kinda so so.
Speaking of Angenieuxs, remember when this lens was being modified to cover 35 by using a 2x to enlarge the circle of coverage to be used on Academy aperature 35's?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANGENIEUX-12-240-ZOOM-3-5-Cameflex-Eclair-ACL-NPR-Mint_W0QQitemZ220080930868QQihZ012QQcategoryZ4691Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Chuck

[chuck colburn]

Thanks Chuck, I have had the same experience with doublers but have worked with some that are closer to 1-1/2 stops. So do you know if this doubler is indeed 2 stops and the price?

Finner,

The Optex price list shows the 2x at 1,928 euros (appx. 2,509 us) and the 1.4x at 2640 or 3,436 us. Less than I would have thought. If they are using Leica glass perhaps they are able to buy just the optics at a reduced cost as camera stores are selling the still camera R mount extender for around $2,100.

As for light loss the ad for the Leica 2x at B&H says it is 2 stops.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=149953&is=USA&addedTroughType=search

Chuck

[Stephen Williams]

Hello Stephen,

I remember an Angenieux 1.6x that you could screw on to the back of a 25-250 there by making a so so lens sorta kinda so so.
Speaking of Angenieuxs, remember when this lens was being modified to cover 35 by using a 2x to enlarge the circle of coverage to be used on Academy aperature 35's?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANGENIEUX-12-240-ZOOM-3-5-Cameflex-Eclair-ACL-NPR-Mint_W0QQitemZ220080930868QQihZ012QQcategoryZ4691Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Chuck

Hi Chuck,

I have 3 extenders for a 25-250, I have to put some old junk on Ebay!

Stephen