GX200 & TC1 (135mm tele extension lens)

[odklizec]

I finally got a chance (thanks to Ricoh Europe) to try the TC1 tele extension lens for GX100/200 cameras. This extension lens expands the GX100/200 zoom from 72mm to 135mm (35mm equivalent). As each Ricoh extension lens, TC1 is a very well build lens with minimum optical distortions and defects. I'm still amazed how good results can be delivered with Ricoh extension lenses. Usually, any additional lens element put in front of the camera lens, and which is not an integral part of the main lens, more or less degrades the image sharpness, adds or pronounces the chromatic aberration or corner softness/vignetting. Neither is the case of TC1.


The TC1, as each extensions lens, makes the camera much bigger. I'm afraid, it can no longer be called "compact" or "pocketable". On the positive note, it's still smaller than any DSLR/EVIL camera setup with similarly specified lens. And if you detach the lens, you can still keep the camera and lens in the separate pockets. The TC1 comes with integrated lens hood. All you need to do is to pull it on, which is very easy process. Although integrated, it does not wobbly and the hood lock/release mechanism is very snappy.



So, what's the main advantage of this lens? Aside the longer focal length, it allows to produce some blurry background, which is usually very hard to achieve with small sensor camera. Sure, one can produce some background in macro mode. But only if the camera is very close to the photographed subject, which is a bit impractical for portraits and candid shots With TC1 you can make some nice portraits with separated background even at 1-2m distance. Sure, it does not match the quality of the blurry background produced by the DSLR with bright portrait lens starting at f1.4. But it's still useful and I'm personally pleased with the results.

The only other downside of this lens (aside the size of GX+TC1 setup) is that the starting F number at the camera tele end is f4.4. This + relative long zoom makes this lens practically unusable under bad lightning conditions (with shutter speeds under 1/40 or so). Also, the f4.4 at the tele end is not the sharpest GX100/200 aperture so it's better to stop it down a bit (f5.6 is great).

My conclusion is that this lens is great addition for everyone seeking longer zoom and nice portrait lens. TC1 is exactly what you look for. It's great lens under the ideal or almost ideal lightning conditions. But don't expect miracles when it comes to badly lit rooms. Also, the camera with attached TC1 is less than pocketable.

Here are some real world samples:

 

[b3ar]

Thanks for the review. It helps.

 

[Prognathous]

This is very interesting a very interesting review. Though I do have to wonder about the colors and contrast. They look very subdued. Is that due to the optics of the converter or your image settings?

BTW, I also set the camera to minimum contrast, but I always adjust levels in post-processing, so the resulting pictures look fine.

Prog.

 

[socket]

I tried using the TC-1 on my GX100 to take distance shots of animals in a zoo and always found that they had moved 'out of shot' by the time the photo was recorded.

Do I need to use only manual focus in this situation? (There was plenty of light and I assume it was an auto-focus issue.)

 

[rui fernandes]

Pavel, now you've got me thinking about TC-1 too ;-)

Not that I needed any help, of course, but having HA-2, why not? Now I'm checking what's available, if someone's interested in getting rid of it, give me a call :mrgreen:

Oh, a very helpful review, thanks!!

 

[nad75]

Dear Pavel,

I read somewhere that there is a need to update GX 100 in order to use the TC1 tele extension lens.
Is that really so ? :roll:
If yes, where can I find this update and how do I install it on my GX100 ?
Thanks for your help.
Nad75

 

[odklizec]

Hi Nad75,

The GX100 firmware with TC-1 support can be found here:
http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firmware/gx100/

Then follow the update steps here:
http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firm ... edure.html

Basically, you need to extract the firmware files (slaunch3 and slaunch7) from the archive file downloaded from Ricoh web. Then upload the extracted files to SD card that you want to use for upgrading your camera (you can use the same card as you already using in your gx100). The files can be uploaded with a card reader. Eventually, you can upload them via the USB cable connected to camera. There is no need to install any of the supplied Ricoh programs for USB transfer. Just switch the camera USB mode to [MASS STR]. Then switch the camera mode to Movie mode, press and hold the [Mode button] and [Playback button] and follow the instructions on the LCD. That's all.

Hope this helps?

 

[samot1234]

Nice! DOF is more tha acceptable! I thought that was imposible...

 

[kase]

so very nice! the DOF and the tone and the composition!

 

[bakagh]

so nice pictures.
and it also makes me think about buying this lens.
I have one question: are this pictures unedited ones or not?

 

[Wiener]

Hi Pavel,
I should dig mine out of the cupboard again, now that the days are getting longer and brighter!
I have not yet set up my GX100 to take, so until now I have used it only in conjunction with the S10.
It is a very well made piece of 'kit' though!
I'm guessing that, like the S10, vignetting appears at any setting other than maximum tele?
All the best,
Andy

 

[rui fernandes]

Pavel, you've got me thinking about this so badly that I've had to put one in my Christmas sock ;-)

This topic remembered my first tests with it. Here they are, comparing 24mm to 72mm to TC1 135mm. I took this shots in some quite bad conditions, dim/poor day light, backlit, and cat hair... the only edit was to resize the full image, and a 100% crop to show detail.






The last one has some edit (curves/contrast/resize/high pass filter), just to play a little bit ;-)

Oh, all JPEG, BTW.

 

[ZDP-189]

That's good work. I would never have guessed those photos came off a GX.

 

[odklizec]

so nice pictures.
and it also makes me think about buying this lens.
I have one question: are this pictures unedited ones or not?

Hi bakagh and welcome here! All pictures were converted from RAW (using Silkypix) and yes, there is applied some processing over them (just color noise reduction and my favorite RGB curves magic and fine color tunning). Hope this helps?

 

[odklizec]

Hi Pavel,
I should dig mine out of the cupboard again, now that the days are getting longer and brighter!
I have not yet set up my GX100 to take, so until now I have used it only in conjunction with the S10.
It is a very well made piece of 'kit' though!
I'm guessing that, like the S10, vignetting appears at any setting other than maximum tele?
All the best,
Andy

Hi Andy,

The TC-1 is unbelievably sharp extension lens. It's not very common to see such sharp and so long (nearly 2x) extension lens. Chromatic aberration is very low too. True, part of this magic lies in very good construction of the GX/S10 zoom lens As for the vignetting, you are right. It works best only at maximum tele. I'm sure you will find some good targets for your combo!

 

[odklizec]

Pavel, you've got me thinking about this so badly that I've had to put one in my Christmas sock ;-)

This topic remembered my first tests with it. Here they are, comparing 24mm to 72mm to TC1 135mm. I took this shots in some quite bad conditions, dim/poor day light, backlit, and cat hair... the only edit was to resize the full image, and a 100% crop to show detail.

Good test Rui! It clearly shows the TC-1 sharpness, despite somewhat unhappy GX200 JPEG engine. It seems Sergey's friend got a competition?

 

[dgilmour]

Yes, she's really good competitor And very impressive results for extension lens. It seems I did someway skipped this topic previously.

 

[Scobra]

I have had good success with my GX200/TC-1 combo. Best of all, I bought the TC-1 brand new on eBay for peanuts, a camera store was cleaning out stock. Here is a panorama made up of bracketed, tone-mapped jpgs using the TC-1 that turned out quite nicely http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/125064/snapshots/319346

 

[33dollars]

http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/125064/snapshots/319346

Nice stuff Scobra, you do love your HDR.
If we could find that 80 to 90 mm zone for all our panos.
I shoot mine wide. But you have opened my eyes to what that longer focal length can do.
Thank you for sharing.