Olympus M Zuiko MC-20 2x Teleconverter

The Olympus M.Zukio MC-20 2x Teleconverter is the newest lens added to the Olympus micro four-thirds system. Is it any good? Well lets find out.
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[@floyd101954]

Great informative video. Just ordered the Pixco Extension tubes to try out on my Oly 60mm with the MC20. Until your video I didn’t know this could be done. Thanks

[@Thegbiggamerz]

Nice video also that tip about using spacers... Genius! I can use it with other OLY lenses. Thank you coming from a youngster to this to an OG

[@ridealongwithrandy]

Awesome video, absolutely brilliant using the macro extenders for the 2x and the macro lens, going to give that a try for sure :)

[@jonerikrolf2029]

This is the second review that I have seen where the Olympus 40-150mm lens is paired with the Olympus 40-150mm lens. (The first I saw was by Robin Wong photographing birds at a zoo.) For bird/wildlife photographers, excellent fur and feather detail is imperative. Putting a 2x tele-extender on any lens often sacrifices those fine details. Putting a 2x on a complex zoom usually makes things worse. The 2x added to the 40-150mm f/2.8 produces very surprisingly good images with plenty of fine details but not great detail as with the 1.4x. Where the 2x produces splendid results is when it is paired with the prime 300mm f/4 that gives the equivalent of 1200mm f/8. At f/8 the combo still focuses very quickly and accurately and provides plenty of DOF to get nearly the entire bird in sharp focus. I own both the 1.4x (2copies) and the 2.0x as well as the 300f/4 and the 40-150 f/2.8. During my bird photography forays, I often have a 1.4x attached to both lenses for increased reach for small birds without loss of feather detail and micro contrast.

[@nicokremers7150]

@Jon Erik Rolf . Do your math. Using the 2x converter on the 300mm f4 for m43 is equivalent to a 1200mm f16 full frame lens. Not f8.

[@jonerikrolf2029]

Nico Kremers I emphatically disagree with your “math”. When I stand with my 300mm f/4 m43 next to my full frame photographer friends with their 600mm f/4 lenses and we both have set the same ISO, shutter speed, and f/4 aperture - we get the same exposure in our images; F/4 = F/4 and 1/1600 = 1/1600 shutter speed. When I was photographing eagles in Alaska, I could begging photographing 20 minutes bef

[@jonerikrolf2029]

...before the others with their f/4 and f/5.6 lenses because my lens was a f/2.8 180-500mm equivalent lens.

[@earlteigrob9211]

@@nicokremers7150 This fake news pro-pored by some famous youtubers so everyone buys this nonsense. At any given aperture, both FF and MFT have exactly the same amount of light per given sensor area. the fact that FF has more surface area in irrelevant. The only way that F8 on MTF is equivalent to FF at F16 is in terms of DOF and that is because the MTF shooter has to get back further to take the same shot. If both FF and MTF shooter shoot the same subject from the same location with the same aperture, the DOF is identical. People seem to think that if you put a lens that is two stops slower on a full frame camera, that they are equal, but that is not even close. A soon as you use a slower lens on any size sensor camera, light intake is reduces for viewing and focusing and this becomes very problematic.

[@dennisjg51]

Ian, just found this video by accident & yet today I purchased the Olympus 40-150mm lens! Hence your commentary is so much more meaningful and relevant. May I suggest you edit your topic & add reference to the lens. Am sure it will add to possible views & maybe even subscriptions. Best wishes & thanks Dennis

[@mick8586]

great video Ian, can't wait to see your macro video

[@ianhrp]

Thanks it’s in the works!

[@alanlewis1593]

Hi Ian Enjoyed your video, very informative, I'll look forward to your next one. Alan.

[@colingift8912]

I have both the Olympus 40 - 150 and the Pana leica 100 - 400... I bought the MC - 20 when it first became available here in the States. While the Olympus and the 1.4 teleconverter gave me approximately 400 mm with excellent image quality @f:4 I found that with the two times converter on my OMD EM1 mk 2 things got a little soft. Since the Leica lens gave me 200mm more reach on top, at pretty much the same aperture range with excellent sharpness, the MC - 20 went back to the dealer. I am giving up a few things such as pro capture low and dual image stabilization with the Leica, but the trade-off is worth it for me. My 40 - 150 does not get a lot of use anymore... Preferring to carry the 12 - 100 f:4 Pro plus the Leica as my walk about kit. Pretty good chance I'll be selling the 40 - 150 Olympus in the near future.

[@Gijz74]

Nice review. A few quality comparisons of sharpness with and without the TC mounted would have been nice. I don't mean zooming in 400% and do the good old peeking but a few side by side to get a general idea of the quality degradation (if noticeable at all). Still in doubt if I should pick one up. Expensive but also very versatile. I also own the 40-150 Pro and it's fantastic but a bit more reach is welcome. Oh and a tip: in Lightroom the Slash button toggles between the original image and you edit. Great way to check how your edit is going along every now and then.

[@ianhrp]

Thanks for the tip!

[@jamespayne4759]

What program are you using on your computer in this video ?? I am looking for a nice program and this looks to be what I am looking for. "Thank you", J. Payne, Charlotte, N.C. U.S.A. 2/26/2021.

[@kurtrombough4062]

Would you be able to point me in the direction of those Pixco macro extension tubes? I didn't see them on the Pixco website and I'm not seeing the specific product you mentioned from any other vender.... Thanks very much for the helpful video either way!

[@ianhrp]

Got mine of eBay here's a link rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F372796787255

[@kurtrombough4062]

@@ianhrp Thanks very much!

[@taair6270]

Hi great video I baught this setup 40-150 with the mc20 this combination with lens works great but I’ve found when I first tried to fit the mc20 on my EM1 mk iii it’s a very tight fit and very hard to get it to lock in place I was assured it was compatible with my camera so not sure why it doesn’t fit properly any ideas what could be wrong?? cheers.

[@whynotdecor7810]

FF eqiv is 160-600mm with 2x on.

[@steveknight1314]

What setting did you set your 60mm macro lens to on the side of the lens had trouble trying to get it to Auto focus with the Pixco extension tubes on. i was using the 1.4 tele converter have not purchased the 2x yet wanted to see if it worked first,or did you manual focus. Did you try the Viltrox extension tubes at all. Thanks for the video.

[@ianhrp]

Thanks for the comment. I tend to use the manual focus or a macro rail when I am using the extension tubes as it will struggle to use the auto focus. I have the volt Roz tubes but found the 1.4 and 2x will not fit with those.

[@ianhrp]

Thanks for the comment. I tend to use the manual focus or a macro rail when I am using the extension tubes as it will struggle to use the auto focus. I have the volt Roz tubes but found the 1.4 and 2x will not fit with those.

[@onthemove301]

Really useful video.

[@steveknight1314]

Hi ian have you found any problem when fitting the 2x converter on the camera. Mate of mine has this converter and said he had to make sure the 2x had to be fitted to the camera first then the lens as he found it wouldn't work. What are your thoughts have you found any problems. Thanks Steve

[@steveknight1314]

Hoping to pick up a 2x for my 300mm olympus pro at sometime i am off to Kenya Safari later this year. Have seen this 2x for £328 from Japan, but going to the Photography show at NEC in Birmingham see if anyone is doing a deal on it first.

[@gerardg1950]

I liked your comment on pixel peepers

[@daiwangel]

good afternoon ask one thing, this Pixco Auto Focus Macro Extension Tube Adapter 10 16mm for Micro 4/3 Lens E-PL6 with MC-20x put Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 can it or not, I little clumsy english

[@ianhrp]

I would imagine so, not hot that lens any more so not sure what results you would get.

[@HeathBlythe]

I'm unsure of what do you actually consider full frame equivalent... 40-150mm is the technical spec of the lens, its angle of view is equivalent of an 80-300mm on a full frame sensor. If you're talking 40-150mm, you're talking M43 numbers. 40-150mm turns into 80-300mm full-frame equivalent. With the TC, it turns into 160-600mm f5.6. When talking about M4/3 lenses, I find it way more useful using full frame equivalent numbers, than the M4/3 numbers, it confuses people a lot less.

[@davehollander6543]

Yes! I was thinking the same. Plus, my understanding is that one has to double the aperture values as well so that with the 300/4 is a FF-effective 600/8 and, with the 2xtc, would be a FF-effective 1200/16. That last aperture value scares me a bit.

[@alexreay4164]

Hi Dave, you double the focal length but not the speed, so f4 is still f4. The MFT 300mm f4 is a 35mm 'full frame' equivalent of 600mm f4. Add the 2x TC, it becomes 1200mm f8. A common misconception that FF users have is they think the speed of the lens doubles. It doesn't. Observed depth of field is different, but speed isn't. See Jon Erik Wolf's comment higher up which has a good explanation of his shooting and same exposure values alongside FF users.

[@ridealongwithrandy]

I prefer using "35mm equivalent" instead of full frame, as my Olympus camera is using its full frame for photos :O

[@terrywbreedlove]

@@davehollander6543 Light gathering you get the same exposure settings as a FF 1200 F8 not bad. of course your IQ will not be as good but that is the price you pay for a smaller less costly Kit. And at 300mm or FF eq 1200 with 2x extender the extra depth of field is handy. I find when shooting my 300mm F4 at F4 I have lots of trouble with the depth of field being to shallow. Especially when shooting large animals such as the Elk we have here. But even with birds I have to put the focus point right on the eye or it will be soft because of shallow depth of field at F4.

[@photosteph2877]

can i use it with a m43 lumix gh4?

[@ianhrp]

Yes it will fit any Micro Four Thirds camera but will only work with the Olympus 40-150 and 300mm pro lens. Hope that helps 👍🏻

[@ridealongwithrandy]

Just ordered the MC-20, this is what I got tonight with the MC-14: www.flickr.com/photos/98163474@N04/49969096591/in/dateposted/

[@ianhrp]

Very nice envious of the 300mm pro lens!