Camera Recommendations

[MinnesotaBen]

I am sure you must have received tons of advice by now. I just bought a camera and obsessed about it way too long. I ended up with a Nikon D3100, which I am very happy with. I am pretty much a novice and am convinced that for people like me there's not going to be a significant difference in quality among the major competitors. I would just go with what feels right for you.

[c230k]

There are also tricks one can use to get more reach with native mirrorless lenses - teleEXTENDERS rather than teleconverters. These are the type that attach to the end of the lens, via the filter screwmount, and are afocal in design so they are not light-lossy, and do not affect the autofocus speed or stabilization...they simply magnify the lens. I use a 1.7x teleextender attached to my NEX 55-210mm lens for a backup wildlife and bird camera kit, and it gives me 357mm optically at F6.3, or 536mm equivalent, in a kit that's less than a foot long and weighs 2.5Lbs. Compared to my DSLR, which runs 8Lbs and several feet long when shooting 500-600mm equivalent, it's quite nice to have such reach in a smaller lighter package! Here's what the kit looks like with the extender:

 

You helped me change my mind and will go with your setup, Selling by 18-200mm, have the 16-50mm and the 55-210 will be prefect. The VCL-DH1758 is sure hard to fine, all out of stock, or Sony is not going to make any more. Well found one, now just have to wait, also bought the setup ring.

Thanks for your help!!!!

Tom

[pierces]

There aren't any teleconverters I know of within the mirrorless lenses designed for their systems. However, when using DSLR lenses via adapters, you can of course use teleconverters just as you would on the DSLR. Some more advanced adapters have electronic connections and can provide autofocus, you can even get specialized adapters like Sony's LA-EA2 for Alpha mount which provides a full translucent mirror, screw drive, and dedicated PDAF sensors with microfocus adjust that when attached to a NEX body becomes essentially a full Alpha camera, compatible with all Sony and Minolta A-mount lenses and teleconverters.

 

There are also tricks one can use to get more reach with native mirrorless lenses - teleEXTENDERS rather than teleconverters. These are the type that attach to the end of the lens, via the filter screwmount, and are afocal in design so they are not light-lossy, and do not affect the autofocus speed or stabilization...they simply magnify the lens. I use a 1.7x teleextender attached to my NEX 55-210mm lens for a backup wildlife and bird camera kit, and it gives me 357mm optically at F6.3, or 536mm equivalent, in a kit that's less than a foot long and weighs 2.5Lbs. Compared to my DSLR, which runs 8Lbs and several feet long when shooting 500-600mm equivalent, it's quite nice to have such reach in a smaller lighter package! Here's what the kit looks like with the extender:

 

 

Glad I saw this!

 

I just dug out the 1.5x tele-extender form my old Minolta A2 digicam and lo and behold...the threads are the same as the NEX 55-210!

 

Seems to focus ok and a few test snaps look ok on the LCD. Must test it out this weekend!

 

Thanks Justin!

 

Dave

[zackiedawg]

You're welcome Dave, and Tom. I'm afraid I'm mostly responsible for the run on DH1758 converters - I had mine from my old H5 superzoom days sitting in the closet, and pulled it out and bought a step up ring to experiment with just for fun when I got my 55-210, and was pleasantly surprised when it worked so beautifully and fit so nicely. I posted the results on dpreview and many other NEX shooters started snapping up all of the DH1758's they could find.

 

Sony doesn't make them anymore - they went out of production years ago as they were meant to pair with the H1, H2, and H5 superzooms. Later superzoom models moved up to a larger teleextender. The DH1758 seemed to be a real sweet spot - large enough to not vignette on the 55-210mm lens past about 70mm, but small and light enough to sit nicely and mount flush to the lens. The bigger 1778 extender is very heavy and too big on the end, the smaller videocam extenders vignette horribly and have soft corners. Some folks have experimented with other teleextenders (as Dave has done with his Minolta) - and the Olympus TCon seems to also be a good match, in case you need to go look up an optional one...since the Dh1758 has become very difficult to find (beware...some eBayers are claiming to have DH1758's, and pulling a switcharoo with a cheap Chinese-made teleextender which is certainly not a match optically).

 

I've been using this DH1758 setup for about a year now, and it really is quite good - I also go birding with a DSLR and a big dedicated birding prime, yet I'm not embarrassed with the results I can get from the lightweight kit...a few birding examples with this combo:

 

Male red-winged blackbird:

 

Wood stork in flight:

 

Double-crested cormorant closeup:

 

Anhinga with a fish:

 

Tricolor heron checking out his wing:

 

White ibis:

[c230k]

Tried and could not find a reasonable priced DH1758 converter. Several on the internet said in stock, ordered and then said their out of stock and on order. Anyway went with the Olympus TCON17, read good reviews and read your suggestion on dpreview.

Great pictures, can not wait to give it a go.

 

Appreciate all your help

 

Tom :cool:

[tommui987]

Thanks one and all!

 

I was moaning about the fact that Sony did not have a lens going beyond the 55210 for the NEX.

 

But the extender is a TERRIFIC suggestion.

 

Just ordered one from NWVDirect for $75.00!

[zackiedawg]

Be a little careful when buying the DH1758s online...many places seem to be pulling bait-and-switches lately - a lot of people have reported finding them easily for $50-75, and ordering them, only to get a phone call or e-mail after a day or two telling them the unit is 'out of stock' or some other excuse, but offering to ship them another unit that's 'just as good' - and it's one of the Crystal Optics/Sakar/etc Chinese-made teleextenders that are about as optically good as a Coke bottle bottom! If you end up getting that out-of-stock or switch-a-roo offer, I recommend you not take the bait. If you truly get a DH1758, then you've done well. The Oly TCon has been widely reported to be a very good match as well.

[c230k]

Thanks one and all!

 

I was moaning about the fact that Sony did not have a lens going beyond the 55210 for the NEX.

 

But the extender is a TERRIFIC suggestion.

 

Just ordered one from NWVDirect for $75.00!

 

 

I orderded from them yesterday, today refund my money not in stock. This has happened with three different photo stores that "said" were in stock. So I went with the olympus tcon17, which should get the job done.

Good luck

Tom :cool:

[tommui987]

 

Just ordered one from NWVDirect for $75.00!

 

HOLD THE PRESS!

 

I don't know if it was a bait and switch but I just got a call from the NMV people saying they were out of stock and it is back ordered but they offered a 2.2 (?) extender for about $75 more!

[zackiedawg]

Yep - that's the bait-and-switch. If you take the 2.2x, you get a cheap Chinese made optic which is not good at all. If you decide to wait for stock and back order, you'll float for weeks, getting the occasional offer to take the 2.2x version, until finally they just tell you they won't be getting any more DH1758s.

[MinnesotaBen]

I've been using this DH1758 setup for about a year now, and it really is quite good - I also go birding with a DSLR and a big dedicated birding prime, yet I'm not embarrassed with the results I can get from the lightweight kit...a few birding examples with this combo:

 

Male red-winged blackbird:

 

 

Wood stork in flight:

 

 

Double-crested cormorant closeup:

 

 

Anhinga with a fish:

 

 

Tricolor heron checking out his wing:

 

 

White ibis:

 

Those are incredible pictures.

[zackiedawg]

Thank you kindly Ben - wildlife and bird photography is something I love and have been shooting for over a decade - we're blessed down here in Florida with some amazing bird life and most nature is shockingly tolerant of human proximity down here.

[wmjivey]

Hey guys would this extender work for my A57 lens? I would love to have a cheap super telephoto option, or look for an used converter.

 

John

[awboater]

Many of the mirrorless cameras have same-brand adapters for their DSLR lenses, so look at that solution.

 

For my Nikon V1, I bought a Nikon FT-1 adapter. Now my 70-300mm telephoto is equivalent to a 189~810mm telephoto. Or if I can stand to use manual focus, I can use my Tokina 80-400mm (216~1080). But it is an AF lens so I have to use manual focus.

 

I have even tried my AF-S 85mm f/1.8 on the V1. Imagine a 230mm equivalent @ f/1.8.

 

Nikon just released a firmware update that adds AF-C (previously the FT-1 adapter was limited to AF-S). AF-C is great for sports and panning.

 

 

Here is a photo taken with the above combination:

 

 

And for perspective...

 

V1 with 10mm lens:

 

 

And with the 70-300mm DSLR lens attached (photo was taken of the center boat):

 

 

While the Nikon V1 cannot match a DSLR (but neither can M4/3) they are better than compact cameras with superzooms. So this is my go-to package for long shots. And I like the idea I can use the same lenses for my DSLR and Nikon V1.

 

Luckily I bought the V1 last Dec when Nikon was selling them for $299.

 

I'm thinking of upgrading my Tokina 80-400mm to either a Sigma 120-400mm or 150-500mm as both of these lenses will autofocus on my V1, while the Tokina will not.

 

So look at your mirrorless camera and see if there is an adapter for it so you can use DSLR lenses.