Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 2x Teleconverter For Canon EOS Review

Handling and Features
Performance
Verdict
Specification

This 2x teleconverter from Kenko fits between your camera and a lens, increasing the focal length of the lens by a factor of two and reducing the maximum aperture by two stops. New, updated electronics have been used to help record more accurate EXIF data in files produced by the camera with the converter. At the moment, it is only available to fit Canon EOS cameras. This converter currently costs around £275. In this review, we’ll take a look at how it performs.

Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 2x Handling and Features

With a weight of only 157g, this 2x converter is an ideal lightweight solution for adding extra telephoto reach to your existing kit. The converter sports good build quality, with a combination of metal and high-quality plastics used in the construction, however, no claims are made about this converter’s resistance to dust and moisture.

The full complement of electronic contacts to support compatible EOS for lenses are present and the camera reports a maximum aperture two stops slower than that of the attached lens. It is easy to fit the converter, and the minimum focusing distance of the mounted lens remains unaffected, allowing more of the frame to be filled with less of your subject. Kenko recommends that you check their website to ensure the lens you wish to use with the converter is fully compatible.

When used with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, focus speeds are only a touch slower with the Canon EOS 6D body used for testing, even in relatively low light conditions, although the difference in speed in good light will barely be noticeable. 

Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 2x Performance

To test the converter, we checked the clarity produced with the 70-200mm lens at 70mm, with the converter as well as without to see how much effect it has on image quality.

Overall, sharpness is reduced compared to using the lens on its own, especially towards the edges of the frame at maximum aperture. In this case, sharpness towards the edges of the frame is reduced from being just below excellent levels down to fairly poor levels of clarity at maximum aperture. Performance in the centre holds up better, but is still reduced from excellent to very good levels of sharpness. As the aperture is stopped down, sharpness across the frame evens up with performance hovering around very good levels across the frame at f/11.

Kenko 2x + Canon70-200mm @70mm MTF

How to read our charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges. Averaging them out gives the red weighted column.

The scale on the left side is an indication of actual image resolution. The taller the column, the better the lens performance. Simple.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Canon EOS 6D using Imatest.

Levels of chromatic aberrations are actually reduced with the combination of converter and lens keeping levels of fringing well under half a pixel width.

Kenko 2x + Canon 70-200mm @70mm CA
 

How to read our charts

Chromatic aberration is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Canon EOS 6D using Imatest.

Falloff of illumination towards the corners of the frame is increased. Without the converter, the corners of the frame are 0.8 stops darker than the image centre at 70mm and maximum aperture. With the converter, this is increased to 1.1 stops.

Pincushion distortion actually reduced to virtually negligible levels of only 0.25% present with the converter. Without the converter, Imatest detected 0.97% pincushion distortion at 70mm.

With the converter in place, contrast is reduced slightly, especially when shooting into the light at fast apertures.

Kenko TelePlus HD 2.0X DGX Sample Photos

Value For Money

Currently, this teleconverter can be picked up for around £275, which isn’t quite bargain-basement territory, but is still less expensive than Canon’s EF Extender 2x III, which costs £300.

Those shopping around for a bargain may consider the Kenko 2x Teleplus Pro 300 DGX converter as an alternative, as it can be picked up for only £160. We've also recently reviewed the Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 1.4x teleconverter which can be picked up for around £215. 

Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 2x Verdict

Although the use of a teleconverter can be a compromise, in terms of optical performance and maximum aperture, this converter makes a good lightweight option for increasing available focal length without too much of a hit on clarity in images. The very good levels of sharpness achieved by the tested combination should be good enough to satisfy the needs of most photographers, especially when the small amount of weight added to your kit bag is taken into consideration, as well as the relative low cost.

Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 2x Pros

	The Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 2x makes a good lightweight option for increasing available focusl lens without too much of a hit on clarity on clarity in images.

Good build quality 
Reasonably lightweight 
Compact
 

Kenko Teleplus HD DGX 2x Cons

Reduction in clarity at maximum aperture may be noticeable, especially towards the edges of the frame
Not weather sealed

FEATURES
HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
VERDICT

Kenko TelePlus HD 2.0X DGX Specifications

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