What is a Tiffen 1.5x 37mm telephoto converter used for, and is it any good?

Asked 3/9/2024

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I have a Tiffen 1.5x telephoto converter with a 37mm front mount. What does this accessory do, what type of camera or lens is it meant for, and is the image quality generally worthwhile?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

2y ago

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It adds some "zoom" to a lens/camera by being attached in front of it using the filter thread.

37mm is quite small so this is likely for a compact camera or an action camera (but high zooms are rarely used on the latter).

These things have dubious value. The optical quality is rarely good and they "eat light" while being used on cameras with sensitivity-challenged sensors, so they can be used only in very good lighting conditions.

Tiffen ones aren't the worst but they aren't worth much (you find them for 10-15 dollarss on eBay).

Originally by user75947. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user75947

2y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

A 1.5x telephoto converter is a front-mounted accessory lens that screws into a 37mm filter thread and makes your camera’s lens appear about 1.5x longer, giving a narrower angle of view for more reach.

Because it uses a 37mm thread, it’s most likely intended for a compact camera or small-lens setup rather than a larger interchangeable-lens camera.

As for quality: these front-mounted converters are generally of limited value. They often reduce image quality compared with using the lens alone, and they can also reduce the amount of light reaching the camera, which makes them most usable in bright lighting. Tiffen versions are generally considered better than the worst no-name options, but they’re still not usually regarded as high-quality optics.

So yes, it can be used to add a bit of telephoto “zoom,” but don’t expect great sharpness or low-light performance.

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2y ago

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