2026-06-06 Using a Video Tele Conversion Lens on a Canon "Kit" Zoom Lens

This is a "Tele Conversion Lens 1.5X", originally developed for the legions of video camera people who just needed a little more zoom reach. It is a lens that screws into 58 mm threads.

It came with two adapter rings. One is 52 mm to 58 mm and the other is 49 mm to 58 mm.

It so happens the Canon zoom lens for Rebel cameras has a 58 mm front thread.
Thinking the original lens extenders—that fit between the lens and the camera— came in 1.4x, 2x and 3x strengths, it seemed worth trying the 1.5 accessory lens screwed onto the Canon 18-55 mm lens on a Canon Rebel T5.

You get the advantage the conversion 1.5x has no light loss, when all the lens extenders cost 1 to 3 stops. The extender light loss gives you both a dimmer view and less light getting to the sensor.

Keep in mind the entire 18-55 mm zoom weighs 193 g, while the 1.5x lens weighs 350 g. You have to be careful when the accessory lens is mounted. It would be easy to tear the entire zoom lens in two.

Not surprisingly the zoom at its widest setting shows vignetting.

When set at 24 mm the zoom shows no signs of vignetting.

And finally set at 55 mm the zoom is as tight as the combination of most telephoto setting of the zoom and multiplying the range by 1.5x can give you.

Realizing you haven’t seen what the zoom at the telephoto end by itself in the proceeding series we will rectify that with this flower shot using just the zoom at 55 mm.

This is roughly the same position using the zoom at 55 mm with the 1.5x added.

In case you need a full range of what is available with the 18-55 mm zoom, this is the zoom all by itself at 18 mm. Remember you can’t add the 1.5x accessory lens at this zoom setting without those black vignetted corners.

This is the view when you shoot with both the zoom (at 24 mm) and the added accessory 1.5x lens.

Now the view using the straight zoom set to 55 mm.

And finally the closest combination of the zoom at 55 mm with the 1.5x added.

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