Extreme Teleconverter Combinations

Unusual combinations of these gadgets to see what can be achieved without expecting any kind of decent result whatsoever.

Page Last Edited : Monday, 23rd of February 2026.
© Dave Rowlands. All Rights Reserved.

The images below were taken on my Olympus OM-D E-M1 II as were most of them, I used the Canon 135mm f3.5 for this first test.

I added the Fotodiox focal reducer and the Canon Extender 2x-B TC. I wasn't expecting much, but after looking at some of the images using various lenses, zooms included, I was amazed. The results were nothing as I experienced in the past with film cameras and manual mode, a lot is down to modern technology, where image stabilisation is available, and it takes centre stage with the ability to keep shutter speeds low, while having Auto ISO selected as well. It is brilliant. The combo is shown below just before the shots I took.

Believe it or not these two lenses add 400g (About 14 ounces, nearly 1 lb) to the weight of the lens it's attached to.

Here are some quickie shots taken with the 2x teleconverter and the 0.72x focal reducer, which strangely enough gives a TC of 1.44x. Also, while messing about with the FR (Focal Reducer) I noticed it projected an image onto a wall so I decided to measure its focal length; it turned out to be around 100mm roughly, so, taking the diameter of the smallest lens at the rear of 25mm, and the largest lens at the front of 30mm it has the aperture of an f4 (25mm) and f3.3 (30mm) making it a short telephoto in 35mm film format or a 200mm telephoto in M43 format.

I'll have to fashion some tubes so I can attach it to one of my cameras to see what the image quality is like. I'm not expecting much. Then, while writing this, I wondered if it could be used at the front of a lens and used for close-up work. Stay tuned, just in case I try it out.

Next up was the Tamron 28-70mm f3.5-4.5 59A, which, like the Canon 35-70mm f3.5-4.5, is mainly made of plastic, and you can see and feel it.

Next up, I thought I'd try my favourite manual zoom lens, the "Super Zoom" Tokina 60-300mm f4 (FOV 120-600mm on my M43 gear). I managed to get this lens in pristine condition in a Canon FD mount, complete with original box and filled-in guarantee card.

I've concluded that the "Super Zoom" Tokina 60-300mm f4 is a pretty decent performer, and with an original price tag of $699.99 US Dollars, or with today's estimated price of nearly £830.00 UK Pounds, it's worth holding onto.

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