Can I use a screw-on wide-angle converter on my Canon 50mm with a step-up ring?
Asked 8/11/2013
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I have a Canon 20D with a 50mm prime (52mm filter thread) and a 17-85mm zoom (67mm filter thread). I already use a 52mm-to-67mm step-up ring so my 67mm filters fit the 50mm lens.
I'm considering buying a screw-on "wide-angle lens" in 67mm and using it on the 50mm via the same step-up ring. Will that work well, or will it cause problems?
My goal is to get a wider field of view on the crop-sensor 20D, since the 50mm feels too tight.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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First off, although the sellers label it as a wide angle lens, in reality what you are considering purchasing is more properly called a wide angle conversion lens because it screws onto and converts your existing lens to cover a wider field-of-view. In general the products sold in this price range aren't very good, and that is putting it nicely. There are some more expensive wide angle conversion lenses, such as those made by Raynox, but the largest size I'm aware they make fits on 58mm threads. And even those involve a fairly significant compromise in image quality.
The step up adapter should work on your 50mm lens, but I would be very surprised if the image quality were even anywhere near as good as your 17-85mm zoom zoomed to around 35mm. The magnification provided by the conversion lens is listed as 0.45x which should produce a field of view of around a 33-35mm lens when combined with a 50mm lens. Remember magnification is expressed in terms of coverage area, not focal length. In return for that modest improvement in angle of view, you will almost certainly see a substantial increase in vignetting, distortion (the fish-eye effect), and chromatic aberration (color separation that makes objects near the edge of the picture look blurry). Here is a well written review of a similar lens that goes into far more detail and provides test shots comparing using a wide angle conversion lens with a wide angle lens.
You would probably be much happier with the images you get by saving up for something like the EF 35mm f/2. Although it has been replaced by a newer (and more expensive) IS version, it is still available from many online retailers (at least here in the U.S.). Even the very inexpensive Yongnuo 35mm f/2 for Canon EF mount should outperform an EF 50mm f/1.8 + wide angle conversion lens.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Physically, yes: a 67mm screw-on wide-angle converter should mount to your 50mm via a 52-67mm step-up ring.
But optically, it’s usually a poor solution. These are not true interchangeable wide-angle lenses; they’re front-mounted conversion lenses, and cheaper ones often reduce sharpness and overall image quality significantly. On a 50mm, the results are unlikely to be as good as simply using your 17-85mm zoom at its wider settings.
A screw-on wide converter is especially disappointing if you want good quality at wide apertures.
If you need wider coverage, the better option is a real wider lens rather than a front converter. If you specifically want a wider view with a fast aperture, you’d need an actual wider prime designed for that purpose.
So: it will probably fit, but it’s generally not recommended if image quality matters.
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