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on Mar 22, 2015 15:49:22 GMT
Posted: Mar 22, 2015 15:49:22 GMT
After waiting a very long time to find the Yashica 2x Auto Tele Converter, I finally managed to grab an unused one from a guy in the USA.
I was surprised to see that it was stamped 'Made in HongKong'. The TeleCon looks exactly like a ML lens both in terms of coatings and cosmetic appearance and uses metal for the body and mount; it enjoys a high build quality.
So, I paid 6 Euros + P&P for a brand new Yashica tele-converter and I paid 106 Euros a year ago for a mint Zeiss Mutar I; how would they compare? I took them out today with a Zeiss 50 1.7 Planar and found a very bright bit of stonework and shot a few piccies on an old Olympus E-PL1. I thought that such light (no polarising filter was used) would really show any deficiencies in the set up - the result is shown below - the Yashica has much lower contrast than the Zeiss though it is only marginally softer. I will also take some shots using a more even light to see how they both compare under less extreme conditions - I'm also trying to buy a YUS 2x Tele Converter and if successful, will test that too. I suppose, you get what you pay for....
 
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on Mar 23, 2015 2:40:06 GMT
Posted: Mar 23, 2015 2:40:06 GMT
Zeiss the clear winner here.
PF
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on Mar 26, 2015 18:25:47 GMT
Posted: Mar 26, 2015 18:25:47 GMT
One just keeps on learning....
I decided to get hold of the YUS 2x Auto Tele Converter and assumed it would be a simple matter of finding one (quite easy) and buying it (very easy). So, given there has only been one Yashica Tele Converter (C/Y mount), I was surprised to find three variants of the YUS version although I suspect they all share the same optical formula.
I've just bought the most unusual one and am waiting to hear from the US seller of the most common version as to the condition of its release lock and will report back if and when I have them all. At least the Yashica US tele-converters are made in Japan - I wonder if they'll be sharper and have more contrast than the Hong-Kong Yashica model? More later...
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on Apr 3, 2015 21:21:12 GMT
Posted: Apr 3, 2015 21:21:12 GMT
I agree, the Mutar is clearly the better. If the Y teleconverter is marked 'Made in Hong Kong', then the only association it may have with Yashica is the brand name, which Kyocera sold outright to a Chinese outfit called Jebsen. So it's quite likely just a badge marketing exercise on a run-of-the-mill piece of kit which will have other names painted on it for other customers. I always figure that if I'm going to use a teleconverter, it should be the best available, because it's going to be the weakest link in the optical chain.
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on Apr 3, 2015 23:47:41 GMT
Posted: Apr 3, 2015 23:47:41 GMT
I agree, the Mutar is clearly the better. If the Y teleconverter is marked 'Made in Hong Kong', then the only association it may have with Yashica is the brand name, which Kyocera sold outright to a Chinese outfit called Jebsen. So it's quite likely just a badge marketing exercise on a run-of-the-mill piece of kit which will have other names painted on it for other customers. I always figure that if I'm going to use a teleconverter, it should be the best available, because it's going to be the weakest link in the optical chain. Absolutely, Alex. Still, the asking price of the Zeiss Mutar has always been a tad too high for my personal budget. Besides, I've never seen such an overwhelming need for a teleconverter as to justify this investment. Instead, I've used a 2x Kenko converter on some occasions and found its performance more than satisfactory. Though it may be no match for the Mutar, it definitely outperforms the Chinese Yashica version... Michael |
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on Apr 4, 2015 7:30:22 GMT
Posted: Apr 4, 2015 7:30:22 GMT
Michael,
I do agree, and I've heard positive things about the Kenko converter. The Mutar is expensive, but I bought mine to match with a Zeiss tele, where it would seem absurd to have chosen a top flight lens then put a third-party piece of glass in the same light path. Unfortunately the Mutar can be more expensive than you think, because there's three of them, and different lenses in the Zeiss Contax range need to be matched with a specific one of the three!
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on May 19, 2015 21:42:01 GMT
Posted: May 19, 2015 21:42:01 GMT
One just keeps on learning.... I decided to get hold of the YUS 2x Auto Tele Converter and assumed it would be a simple matter of finding one (quite easy) and buying it (very easy). So, given there has only been one Yashica Tele Converter (C/Y mount), I was surprised to find three variants of the YUS version although I suspect they all share the same optical formula. I've just bought the most unusual one and am waiting to hear from the US seller of the most common version as to the condition of its release lock and will report back if and when I have them all. At least the Yashica US tele-converters are made in Japan - I wonder if they'll be sharper and have more contrast than the Hong-Kong Yashica model? More later... At long last I have the three C/Y Yashica tele-converters that were made and as you can see, they show significant differences. The major curiosity is why the late version YUS (Yashica US) shows such significant differences from its siblings; it must have its own optical formula judging from its size and also, the lens release button acts on a completely different part of the mount. I hope to have the opportunity to test them against each other and a Mutar I and, if the results are interesting, I'll post some images for your consideration.
The photo shows them in chronological order from left to right; both the YUS versions are made in Japan while, as we know, the Yashica version was produced in Hong Kong. 
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on May 20, 2015 2:24:12 GMT
Posted: May 20, 2015 2:24:12 GMT
I've got the two end ones, though I may have the middle one in a box around here somewhere.
PF
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on May 20, 2015 12:28:02 GMT
Posted: May 20, 2015 12:28:02 GMT
I've got the two end ones, though I may have the middle one in a box around here somewhere. PF Not surprisingly, the YUS ones don't turn up in Europe very often. I'm keeping an eye on US sites for another (ideally damaged) of the smaller YUS versions that I can take apart to have a look at the optical configuration; the problem is always that once you add on the cost of international shipping, it ends up being quite expensive for a low value item. However, curiosity usually wins over prudence.... |
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on Jan 15, 2018 4:03:11 GMT
Posted: Jan 15, 2018 4:03:11 GMT
Did you ever get a chance to test the yus teleconverters?
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on Jan 15, 2018 11:58:51 GMT
Last Edit: Jan 15, 2018 11:59:36 GMT by Deleted
(...) Yashica is the brand name, which Kyocera sold outright to a Chinese outfit called Jebsen. I bet the traditional Chinese name of Jebsen, or rather Jeb Sen, dates back to the early days of the Ming Dynasty (明朝)...  |
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