Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter with Zeiss lenses?

[Guest all8]

The Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter is currently listed as only being compatible with the 70-200GM, however, I wonder if anyone has tried it with a Zeiss lens (Batis or perhaps Loxia)? If so, did it work?

 

 

[Zé De Boni]

 The new FE Teleconverters were designed specifically for the G Master 70-200mm. Their design include some elements that protrude ahead of the lens mount, fitting inside the zoom barrel.

The figures are not in scale, but you may notice that the Zoom design had this space into account to receive custom designed converters.

   

Optics specialists may explain us the advantages of these designs. The fact is that so, most of the lenses cannot fit the new converters​. It is clear in the diagram below that the Batis 85/1.8 cannot be mounted on the converter. If you ever try it you may damage both, touching the front element of the converter on the back element of the Batis (although you need to be quite incautious, to say the least, to try it).

 

 

 

I understand that you have reasons to combine a converter with your great Batis. However, leaving the price aside, mounting the 85 on a converter (supposing that some could fit) you would get a 170mm f/3.5 with expected lower performance than the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM (and I bet it would be worse even than the 70-200mm f/4 which I own and am very satisfied on my A7RII and A6000).

If you need to double your lens range, the zoom is more recommended. At 85mm the GM may not reach the Batis performance, but it is still a good performance and less compromise than what you would get with your 170/3.5 prime! 

[Guest all8]

Thanks! So I guess, if it would be physically possible to fit the adapter, which is not the case with Batis 85, then probably it might work. How well is another question ...

[CZ-Fotominator]

I´m urgently waiting for a longer Batis, for Example a 2,0 Apo 135 or something like the former Contax/Y Mount so called Olympia-Sonnar: 2,8/180 in a contemporary version. Or better: both. Converters imo never ever deliver a satisfying performance. And the combo is somewhat bulky.

[Guest all8]

Yes, I too hope for a 135 Batis very soon. Hopefully lightweight like the other Batis lenses.

 

I just looked at the price for the teleconverter, 650 € ... + 3000 for the GM Zoom and perhaps a digiscope is going to be a better option for me.

[Zé De Boni]

Yes, I too hope for a 135 Batis very soon. Hopefully lightweight like the other Batis lenses.

 

I just looked at the price for the teleconverter, 650 € ... + 3000 for the GM Zoom and perhaps a digiscope is going to be a better option for me.

 

I didn't mean the Zoom + converter, despite they were custom designed. If you need to double the Batis 85 FL, the 70-200 GM is the best option available today, and it offers all other FL options in between and beyond. Further from 200mm I would bet in a longer Zoom, like the FE 70-300, the ZA 70-400 with the LAEA3 adapter or even the 100-400 Canon. I would like to see a comparative test between those longer zooms and the GM + converter.

Yes, we may dream of longer primes, but realisticaly there is a small market for them as the three long FE zooms available satisfy the great majority of photographers.

As Golem has said once or more times in this forum with his own peculiar way: if you need it, get what is available now, for it is better to get the images with lesser IQ than let the opportunities pass away, while you dream of a supreme unreachable tool.