The Polaroid conversion lenses use the filter screw thread on the main lens to hold them in front of existing the camera lens. The focal length of the main lens is altered by the multiplier of the conversion lenses. For example: the Polaroid 2.2x telephoto conversions lens mounted on the front of a 18-55mm Digital SLR kit lens transforms it into an 40-123mm telephoto zoom lens.
Aperture Remains the Same
DSLR teleconverters mount in the camera body then the main lens mounts on the teleconverter. This technique reduces the effective aperture of the main lens by the focal length multiplier of the teleconverter. With the lens aperture set at f7 when using a 2x teleconverter the effective aperture becomes f14.
The Polaroid front mounted conversion lens do not do this and the effective aperture remains the same as the aperture set on the main lens.
Polaroid Conversion Lens Travel Kits
The Polaroid Studio Series 2.2x Telephoto & 0.43x Wide Angle Lens Travel Kit comes in two basic sizes to fit for cameras with different front diameter lenses. Even then there are still a wider variety of lens diameters so the kits come with step down adaptor rings.
The 58mm kit has 52mm and 55mm adapter rings so the conversion lens can mount on lenses with a filter thread size smaller than 58mm. These sizes are compatible with the common DSLR kit lenses for Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Olympus.
The 37mm Travel Kit is for digital still and camcorders with smaller diameter lenses and includes adaptor ring sizes of 30mm, 30.5mm and 43mm making it compatible with cameras that have threads for screw in filters on the front of their lenses.
"Polaroid is known to offer innovative, intuitive and easy-to-use products that help both hobbyists and professionals take their photographs to the next level," said Scott W. Hardy, President of Polaroid.
"We're thrilled to offer photographers of all skill levels high-quality lenses that help bring creative visions to life, at an affordable price."
The main lens handles the aperture and focus operations leaving a conversion lens as a simple piece of equipment. This gives the conversion lens approach one of its major advantages, an affordable price. Both the Polaroid travel kits include a 2.2x telephoto and the 0.43x wide angle conversion lenses, with a recommended price of $US49.99.
Apart from the price advantage, the conversion lenses are also smaller and lighter than most conventional lenses of similar focal length capabilities. This is why Polaroid call them Travel kits as they are a serious consideration for photographers traveling light.
Fish Eye Conversion Lens
The range includes the Polaroid Studio Series 0.3X HD Ultra Fisheye Lens Adapter that is also available to fit lenses with filter threads for 37mm and 58mm (which also includes a 52mm ring). The low recommended priced of $269.99 makes it suitable for photographers wanting to experiment with extreme wide angle photography. Polaroid says the lens produces a 180 degree view through a circle that exaggerates depth, pulls nearby objects closer and causes straight lines to curve.
Polaroid 900mm Mirror Lens
This is not a conversion lens but a full lens designed to mount on DSLR and other interchangeable lens cameras. Mirror lenses are also known as Catadioptric lenses. They use a combination of conventional refraction lens and mirrors to create a super telephoto focal length lens that is much smaller than a conventional lens of the same focal length.The recommended price for the Polaroid 900mm mirror lens is $US299.99.
One of the compromises needed to make trade a lens of this extreme focal length at a reasonable price is the lack of a variable aperture. The Polaroid 900 has a fixed aperture of f8 that is normal for this class of lens. This is slower, or smaller, than the maximum aperture for conventional super telephoto lenses.
The Polaroid 900 mirror lens does not have any autofocus capability and is manual focus only. There is no image stabilisation(IS) built into the lens. This lack of IS (or VR ) should worry photographers using DSLRs with the IS system built into the camera body.
The Polaroid 900mm lens mounts onto cameras using a T mount adaptor system. The lens has a standard fitting on the camera end and this mates with an adaptors designed to the different DSLR lens mounts. Polaroid have T mount adaptors for a range of DSLRs. The Dx lettering on the lens body may mean this lens is not suitable for full frame cameras, see the picture below.
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