X100/100s tele-converter

[douglasf13]

I received my TCL-X100 a couple of days ago, and it's a solid piece of glass. It isn't really any longer than the WCL-X100, but the front element is relatively huge. Still, it blocks the optical viewfinder only about as much as a 50/1.1 Nokton does on an M, so it's still pretty usable. When off the camera, the converter lens still feels pretty smallish.

Optically, resolution is good, although there is quite a bit of distortion and vignetting natively, but the jpegs correct for that automatically, and the X100s' raws are automatically corrected in LR. My old X100 raws aren't automatically corrected in LR, but it's easy to dial in a little pincushion distortion and vignetting fix until a proper lens profile is made. I'm still trying to get a handle on the "look" of the lens. It seems a little vintage-y, for lack of a better term.

My biggest gripe is that, while the minimum focus distance with the EVF/LCD is around 1ft before switching to macro mode, it only goes down to about 4ft when using the OVF, which I use most of the time.

Overall, I plan on using the X100 on its own the large majority of the time, as usual, but having a 28 and 50 option is nice sometimes on the street, or if I get out the strobes. I think one of the major appeals of this new 50 is the ability to use a leaf shutter with strobes for people shots. Outside of MFDB, I can't think of a digital option that offers a 28/35/50, a leaf shutter, and an OVF, which makes this "system" unique.

 

[jarski]

is it just me wondering why someone buys fixed prime lens camera and then converts it, when there is whole system of interchangeable lenses and bodies available from same manufacturer?

 

[GaryLH]

Leaf shutter.. W/ ovf like the xp1 but lighter... 35f2 pancake design vs 35f1.4 which is bigger. If 28-35-50 f2 is all u need.. Does it matter?

Gary

 

[jarski]

Leaf shutter.. W/ ovf like the xp1 but lighter... 35f2 pancake design vs 35f1.4 which is bigger. If 28-35-50 f2 is all u need.. Does it matter?

Gary

nope doesnt really matter, was just wondering as X100 lens is optimized for one FL. converting it something else probably comes with a cost in IQ. but as u said there's other factors to consider.

 

[douglasf13]

nope doesnt really matter, was just wondering as X100 lens is optimized for one FL. converting it something else probably comes with a cost in IQ. but as u said there's other factors to consider.

There's some distortion and vignetting, but many modern lenses have that corrected in software these days, anyways. The resolution of these converters is fantastic. Fuji's lens design software allows them to design these converters without much penalty. With the converters attached, the lens designs end up resembling some of the more current, long exit pupil to sensor designs, anyways.

The setup is still smaller than the X-Pro1, and you get the leaf shutter and built-in ND filter (and faster AF, I believe.)

I'd still choose the X100 + converters over the equivalent X-Pro1 three lens setup. Granted, I'll still be shooting my X100 sans converter most of the time.