( 12 reviews )
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Posted: 12-25-2008
I wanted the EC14 1.4x teleconverter primarily to extend the range of my 70-300 mm lens for bird photography. I'd read all the reviews, critiques and forums beforehand, asked for advice and practical tips and knew what I was getting myself into: more zoom, one stop less of light, meaning 840 mm reach (the four thirds system used by Olympus automatically doubles the range of any lens because of sensor peculiarities) and f/8.0 with the lens fully extended. There's no denying I had my qualms before closing the deal. For that price I could get a decent shorter lens instead, or save up towards another zoom lens. But what sold me on the EC14 was the prospect of getting closer to the birds without lugging a ton of equipment around. So I bought it... ...And waited for a week before a bright, sunny day came along. I attached it to the E-520 and the 70-300 mm (it couldn't be easier and more fool-proof) and set out to test it. The results were beyond my expectations. I got sharp, bright, close photos of birds and anything else at which I pointed my camera, the lens behaved exactly as it usually does, focus was as good as it is without the teleconverter and f/8.0 was just fine for the light conditions. In fact, the photo geeks always say that the 70-300 mm's "sweet spot" -- the setup in which this lens will produce its sharpest images -- is exactly f/8.0, and now I have to agree with them (at 300 mm I always used this lens at its minimum aperture, 5.6, to get faster shutter speeds). I am really, really happy with the EC14, and having this range with a setup that is still light and easy to carry around the whole day is a dream come true.
