First, a tiny bit of background.
In 2007 I met Chuck Westfall at a photography convention north of Atlanta, GA. He was cleaning sensors and had a table full of lenses too. We spoke for a moment and he asked that I try the 14mm L he had on the table. I put it on my camera, but since I am an architectural photographer, the first thing I noticed was the barrel distortion and of course the converging verticals that are the bane of those who shoot buildings and interiors.
Flippantly, but also hopefully, I said "If you really want to get my attention, you need to make an 18mm TS-E lens". Chuck looked at me as if I had two heads and said "Do you have any idea how much something like that would cost?". I said "No. But I know a lot of guys with their Sinars and Horseman's gathering dust in the closet who would probably gladly pay 3500.00 for one if it existed".
About two years later... the 17 TS-E was announced. I would like to think that my idea had at least something to do with that. After all, Chuck did not say "Well, we have a lot in development so just hold on." He thought I was nuts.
So, the NEW idea. A 1.2x teleconverter SPECIFICALLY designed for TS-E lenses. Why? Architectural shooters like to fill the frame with their compositions and there is just TOO large a gap between the 17 TS-E and the 24 TS-E II. Bear in mind, camera placement is often dictated by structures when you shoot interiors and buildings. Backing up is often not an option.
If Canon had a 1.2x teleconverter for these lenses, then anyone with the 17 and 24, by adding a 1.2x teleconverter, would also have a 20 and a 28 in their kit. That would cost a little bit in speed, but people shot shoot this kind of stuff work off a tripod.
Image degradation? Based upon my tests with the 1.4x III teleconverter... hardly going to be noticeable. However, sadly, there is no way to get to either a 20mm or 28mm focal length with the 1.4x. The only that that CAN be gained is turning the 24 into a 35 or having two 24's when shooting with multiple cameras (which I do all the time - shooting with 3 in fact).
I pitched to idea to Chuck two weeks ago and he responded that it he gave the idea to Japan. Hopefully, his memory was jogged when I reminded him of my hare-brained idea for that 18mm TS-E and this might actually be considered.
Not worthy of being a rumor yet... but I am keeping my ears and eyes open. A 1.2x teleconverter is likely a very easy thing to make compared to a 17 TS-E. I think they could sell a lot of them to those who are in my line of work.
In 2007 I met Chuck Westfall at a photography convention north of Atlanta, GA. He was cleaning sensors and had a table full of lenses too. We spoke for a moment and he asked that I try the 14mm L he had on the table. I put it on my camera, but since I am an architectural photographer, the first thing I noticed was the barrel distortion and of course the converging verticals that are the bane of those who shoot buildings and interiors.
Flippantly, but also hopefully, I said "If you really want to get my attention, you need to make an 18mm TS-E lens". Chuck looked at me as if I had two heads and said "Do you have any idea how much something like that would cost?". I said "No. But I know a lot of guys with their Sinars and Horseman's gathering dust in the closet who would probably gladly pay 3500.00 for one if it existed".
About two years later... the 17 TS-E was announced. I would like to think that my idea had at least something to do with that. After all, Chuck did not say "Well, we have a lot in development so just hold on." He thought I was nuts.
So, the NEW idea. A 1.2x teleconverter SPECIFICALLY designed for TS-E lenses. Why? Architectural shooters like to fill the frame with their compositions and there is just TOO large a gap between the 17 TS-E and the 24 TS-E II. Bear in mind, camera placement is often dictated by structures when you shoot interiors and buildings. Backing up is often not an option.
If Canon had a 1.2x teleconverter for these lenses, then anyone with the 17 and 24, by adding a 1.2x teleconverter, would also have a 20 and a 28 in their kit. That would cost a little bit in speed, but people shot shoot this kind of stuff work off a tripod.
Image degradation? Based upon my tests with the 1.4x III teleconverter... hardly going to be noticeable. However, sadly, there is no way to get to either a 20mm or 28mm focal length with the 1.4x. The only that that CAN be gained is turning the 24 into a 35 or having two 24's when shooting with multiple cameras (which I do all the time - shooting with 3 in fact).
I pitched to idea to Chuck two weeks ago and he responded that it he gave the idea to Japan. Hopefully, his memory was jogged when I reminded him of my hare-brained idea for that 18mm TS-E and this might actually be considered.
Not worthy of being a rumor yet... but I am keeping my ears and eyes open. A 1.2x teleconverter is likely a very easy thing to make compared to a 17 TS-E. I think they could sell a lot of them to those who are in my line of work.