SMC Pentax AF Adapter 1.7x TC from EBAY

Hello

This is my first post to the forum; I've been lurking for a while - and finally decided to register and post.

I'd been reading up on the 1.7 TC and keeping an eye on ebay for one to come up. Jin Finance, who other posters had previously bought from, had a few more come in a couple of weeks ago and I managed to get one which was great.

Reassuringly fast delivery and goods as described. So I am now trying to master it with the K7 and DA* 300mm lens.

As an aside, and interestingly about the lens I was curious as to where they were coming from as there had been some debate on the forums about this. The box that the adapter was sent in has a sticker added to the box (presumably after the box was printed) saying "Hoya Corporation - Assembled in Vietnam"). There was also a piece of paper in the box in with the lens from Hoya Pentax explaining about the Corporation name changes and status. This suggests that these are new stock - or at least officially repackaged old stock.

The lens case was the same design as the (inadequate) one that my 300mm lens originally came in - a padded plastic black sleeve with a velcro tab on it.

So it really looks like that at the least these lenses have been packaged this year, even if they weren't manufactured then.

Very happy with the service and will post pictures to my Flickr account when I have taken some.

for anyone interested in the lens keep checking Ebay regularly as they seem to come up every three months or so

regards

KFxposure

Hi and welcome to the forum. I wondered about mine when it arrived from Jin Finance. My first thought was that it must be a copy, but the quality of the images say no.

Watched one on eBay two days back. I was tempted but I have only two lenses that I might use it with, a 200mm f/2.5 and a A*300mm f/4.

Regards

An interesting first post, KFXP. Might I ask what you paid for the item?

G

I think you will find a few people that think it works well with the DA*300

Seems a lot to outlay to achieve a 510mm f/8, we are talking 200 plus or there abouts?

I do not doubt the quality at all but loosing two stops is a bit of an issue.

Regards

You are going to lose a stop or two going to a 500mm lens anyway. Or, a few thousand pounds.

G

Sure - is a bit of an outlay. One of the key gains for me is that it is a tiny piece of extra kit to carry - so rather than humping around a massive lens that, to be honest I could not source, afford, justify or carry, I can carry the adapter for (especially) wildlife which is just a little too far off for the 300mm. Having spent the last part of the Summer in northern Canada, I found the 300mm was fine for most of what I was doing, and got superb, sharp pictures of large mammals at a reasonable distance. The K7 with a 300mm coped fine on hand-held and balanced on the front of a Zodiac, and I wouldn't have got away with the TC then I shouldn't think. But there were a few times, trying to get pictures of eagles in trees for example, where the TC would have come in to its own.

I'll see how I get on with it and get back to you all. In all honesty, I've made plenty of mistakes buying lenses. Don't think this is one of them at the moment...but will have to wait and see.

all best

£232 - at the exchange rate at the time; goods were posted from Japan - and arrived very promptly; good communincation from Jin - when the ad went up on Ebay he said he had ten; and when I bought he said there were two left at that time.

TBH wasn't too daunted by the price - I think it's one of those things that will hold its resale value if i don't want it.

Feels like i spend that much each time I want to replace a set of ink cartidges!!

Kf

It will hold it's value! I did not want to play down the combination.

You are happy with it and that's all that matters.

When your happy with kit, you get more out of it.

Best regards

It works very well on the A* 300mm f2.8

Does anybody have experience with a 1.7 TC and the DA*60-250?

It ought to be OK. F4 is fast enough, and 250mm is not too long. But I would expect it to be better at the long end. T/Cs are usually going to be used on longish lenses.

G

Thanks George, yes the long end is where my interest lies. I've been wondering about one of these for quite a while.