Telephoto extension for Sony Z1

[Ken OSullivan]

Hi folks,

 

I'm using a Sony Z1E for shooting wildlife, I know it's not the greatest camera for this but it's the one I own at present !

 

I purchased a Century Optics 2X Teleconvertor lens which is excellent, however I need more magnification, I've spoken to a few dealers but none are aware of a bigger telephoto option for this camera. Has anyone come across a lens or system that could be adapted ?

The Z1E has a range up to 58mm, I've read that the 2X telephoto lens brings this up to 290mm (in my ignorance I thought that

2 X 58 = 116 :-)). I need 400 - 500 mm or better if possible... any ideas or help is very gratefully received.

 

The Z1 has a 78mm diameter mount.

 

Cheers for now

Ken

[David Auner aac]

I purchased a Century Optics 2X Teleconvertor lens which is excellent, however I need more magnification, I've spoken to a few dealers but none are aware of a bigger telephoto option for this camera. Has anyone come across a lens or system that could be adapted ?

The Z1E has a range up to 58mm, I've read that the 2X telephoto lens brings this up to 290mm (in my ignorance I thought that

2 X 58 = 116 :-)). I need 400 - 500 mm or better if possible... any ideas or help is very gratefully received.

 

Hi Ken,

 

first all change your user name to your first and last name as per forum rules!

 

Well, here comes the important question: do you need 400-500mm on the video lens or are you looking for the field of view of said focal length on your 35mm stills camera? Because 116mm is quite a lot on the tiny 1/3" chip of the Z1, i.e. 116mm yields a FOV of around 4° diagonally which equals a 600mm on the 35mm still format.

 

Cheers. Dave

[Ken OSullivan]

Hi Ken,

 

first all change your user name to your first and last name as per forum rules!

 

Well, here comes the important question: do you need 400-500mm on the video lens or are you looking for the field of view of said focal length on your 35mm stills camera? Because 116mm is quite a lot on the tiny 1/3" chip of the Z1, i.e. 116mm yields a FOV of around 4° diagonally which equals a 600mm on the 35mm still format.

 

Cheers. Dave

 

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for pointing that out about the username.

 

In practical terms what I'm trying to do is film wild birds from a cliff top, I'd guess they are about 100 metres below (they don't like people:) and this is the closest I can physically get to them. With the 2X teleconvertor I'm still too far to get a 'close-up' shot of them. I know the Z1 is not ideal for this and I take your point about the chipset, just wondering if there is a lens available that would give me enough magnification to fill say 1/4 of the screen with the bird and given the limitation of the Z1 you have pointed out, would the picture quality be acceptable. I know the word acceptable is subjective :)

 

I don't understand how tele/magnification is calculated into 35mm terms, but I have used a stills Digiatal SLR with a 600m lens and it gave more magnification than the 2X I'm using.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Cheers

Ken

[Varun Nayar]

well it all depends upon the size of the imaging sensor. as david was saying, the Z1 CCD and your DSLR CCD or CMOS are way smaller in size compared to a 35mm frame...so putting on a 2X converter in a Z1 gives you almost twice the 2X focal length in 35 mm terms...the only way to get longer focal lengths is to buy an adaptor of letus or similar which lets you add external tele lens :ph34r: