Is a Mutar extender better that an off brand extender?

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2015

Is a Hasselblad Mutar 2x extender better that an off brand extender such as a Kenko? How much better? I will be using it with a f/8 C 500.

chriscrawfordphoto · Nov 14, 2015

I have not tried the Hasselblad Mutar, but I had a Vivitar 6 element 2x converter for my Hasselblad, and it turned the sharp, contrasty 150mm CF Sonnar into a low-contrast lens with somewhat soft detail rendering. I used it in the rare cases when I needed a 300mm lens, since I couldn't afford to buy a real 300mm for the Hassy. It worked, but was not the best in image quality.

These were both done with the Vivitar 2x and the 150mm CF Sonnar. I was able to fix the contrast a bit since these are scans from the Fuji Provia 100F transparencies, but the tonality is still not as good as I got with the 150mm by itself, and you can tell even in these small JPEGs that the image detail is not great.

RalphLambrecht · Nov 14, 2015

I used an old Mutar with a @59mm Sonnar once and was unserwhelmed but OK for the occasional use;better than buying a 50mm Sonnar

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2015

I suspect that the off brand extenders will soften the focus and reduce the contrast. I would expect losses in the corners.

Luis-F-S · Nov 14, 2015

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2015

But how much better? A lot ? A little? Please describe.

RobC · Nov 14, 2015

buy one and find out. Or you can go back and look at the advice given

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(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

The C500 lens is reputed to be an adequate lens, not great. So if you're starting with average and using what is probably not going to be as good as the zeiss mutar then expect average or less than average.

You should have got the CF 500 and zeiss mutar. I think mutars are not that expensive nowadays, if you search around.

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2015

RobC said:
buy one and find out. Or you can go back and look at the advice given

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

The C500 lens is reputed to be an adequate lens, not great. So if you're starting with average and using what is probably not going to be as good as the zeiss mutar then expect average or less than average.

You should have got the CF 500 and zeiss mutar. I think mutars are not that expensive nowadays, if you search around.

Thank you that helps a lot.

Is a Mutar extender better that an off brand extender?

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