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Product Reviews:
Not a zoom telephoto, works as a fixed 300mm lens, December 14, 2004
Reviewer: DarthRad
Several things you need to know before you decide to buy this lens:
1. It requires the VAD-WA conversion adapter in order to fit onto the Sony
DSCP73/93/100/150 & DSCW1 Digital Cameras for which it was designed.
That's another $25 or so.
2. These Sony cameras have a zoom capability, but since the VCL-DH2630
telephoto conversion lens is attached to the adapter and not directly to
the zoom lens itself, the view you get as the zoom lens pulls back into a
wider field of view is that of a round porthole, not the full picture
frame. You only get the full frame picture when the zoom lens is extended
maximally. Thus, on my DSCW1 camera, the telephoto converter has an
effective magnification of 3 x 2.6 or 7.8x total. This is equivalent to a
296.4mm telephoto lens for standard 35mm film cameras. So this is
essentially a fixed 300mm telephoto lens. Note: shooting your camera at
the maximum zoom will set the aperture at the smallest opening, which for
the DSCW1 is an aperture of 5.2.
3. There are no threads on the 40mm front end of this telephoto lens. So
no way to put a protective lens cover or lens filter on.
4. You also won't need any 30mm lens filters for the VAD-WA adapter. The
VCL-DH2630 screws directly onto the VAD-WA. Unless you buy the whole set
of three Sony lenses, you might as well keep the two pieces together.
5. The minimum focusable distance increases to approximately 10-12 feet
(about 5-6 feet in Macro mode) with this telephoto lens attached.
On the plus side, this is about the only way to get a tiny palm sized
point and shoot digital camera like the DSCW1 to shoot telephoto pictures.
The photos are quite sharp with little distortion.
I used to love to shoot telephoto pictures with my Pentax 35mm SLR, using
a Soligor 85-300mm zoom lens. Then one day I accidentally dropped the
lens, and it didn't focus anymore. By then, with three kids in the family,
it didn't make sense to lug a heavy camera around for family photos, and I
got used to using this Olympus point and shoot 35mm camera that had a
telephoto zoom lens.
You could certainly get one of the larger and more expensive digicams with
interchangeable lenses, or something like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20K
with 12x zoom. But, besides being larger and more expensive, all of these
other digicams use proprietary lithium batteries, which I hate, because
they are just death for spontaneous family photos (lithium batteries are
never charged when you need them!).
First and foremost, I wanted to get the best point and shoot camera that
runs on AA batteries currently on the market, and this, IMHO, is the Sony
DSCW1. Second, I wanted the ability to take telephoto shots, and Sony is
one of the few that even makes telephoto lenses for their point and shoot
digicams. So for all of the flaws that I pointed out about this telephoto
lens, it's still a pretty good accessory for the DSCW1.
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Nice Addition, December 18, 2004
Reviewer: Ray B.
The telephoto lens adds a Great feature to the DSC W1. The pictures are
VERY sharp and clean without any fringe wash out and or distortions. It is
quick to mount and with the adapter
is not cumberson and does not off weight the unit like the large 35mm
units tend to do. A nice feature of the adapter
is it opens a myriad of add on filters and lens options for the camera. If
you have a need for a telephoto look no further espically for the sports/
nature events. This is one option well
worth the price.
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Works Great!, March 20, 2006
Reviewer: Ernest Morales "ErnieDog"
This one excellent accessory to my Sony Digital Cam.
I was shopping for a much more expensive Digital SLR until I realized that
it was possible to add a zoom to my medium priced one
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Nice build quality, shame about the zoom..., February 21, 2006
Reviewer: Gary Thomas
Although the build quality is excellent, when used with my DSC-P200 there
is a keyhole effect until the camera is set to around 2x zoom or above.
This is a real disappointment as I had hoped for the zoom to be multiplied
over the whole range. Despite this it works well at the higher zoom
levels, though on reflection I should have bought a digital SLR and kept
the P200 for what it is really intended - point and shoot...
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Nice Lens, January 8, 2006
Reviewer: TNT "TNT"
I just got the Sony DSC-W7 before the Holidays. After I opened the box, I
realized that I could adapt a Telephoto lens and a Wide Angle lens made by
sony, with the VAD adapter. And other lenses on the market with a 30mm
thread.
The Telephoto lens is a good lens, but it is true that at wide position,
all you see is a pinhole, so this lens really does not work until you have
it at 3x zoom, up to 7.2. Also, you do need to have a steady hand or a
tripod to take sharp pictures; when steady the lens gives off high quality
pictures...The 0.7 wide angle lens works really nice too...
The one negative I have with this lens, it is a bit expensive. After I
brought it, I realized that with the adapter I could fit other 30mm lenses
on the market that were much cheaper, for example: I found a 2x lens by "Cokin"
at Best-Buy with a 30mm thread, made for camcorders and fitted the lens to
the VAD adapter with a step up ring included with the lens and it works
great and it was only $37 bucks, though it did not come with lens caps.
The Sony 2.6x telephoto is a nice lens and it will allow you to get closer
to the action, but is a bit expensive.
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Telephoto Conversion Lens for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras |
