Sony VCL-DH2630 Telephoto Conversion Lens for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.6 x 2.3 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00022VZ0U
• Item model number: VCLDH2630
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 20, 2006

Product Description

pZoom in closer than ever before with the Sony VCL-DH2630 super telephoto conversion lens. The VCL-DH2630 features an incredible 2.6x magnification, bringing you right into the action like never before./p

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

192 of 195 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a zoom telephoto, works as a fixed 300mm lens, December 14, 2004

By 

DarthRad (United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony VCL-DH2630 Telephoto Conversion Lens for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras (Electronics)

Several things you need to know before you decide to buy this lens:

1. It requires the VAD-WA conversion adapter in order to fit onto the Sony DSCP73/93/100/150 & DSCW1 Digital Cameras for which it was designed. That's another $25 or so.

2. These Sony cameras have a zoom capability, but since the VCL-DH2630 telephoto conversion lens is attached to the adapter and not directly to the zoom lens itself, the view you get as the zoom lens pulls back into a wider field of view is that of a round porthole, not the full picture frame. You only get the full frame picture when the zoom lens is extended maximally. Thus, on my DSCW1 camera, the telephoto converter has an effective magnification of 3 x 2.6 or 7.8x total. This is equivalent to a 296.4mm telephoto lens for standard 35mm film cameras. So this is essentially a fixed 300mm telephoto lens. Note: shooting your camera at the maximum zoom will set the aperture at the smallest opening, which for the DSCW1 is an aperture of 5.2.

3. There are no threads on the 40mm front end of this telephoto lens. So no way to put a protective lens cover or lens filter on.

4. You also won't need any 30mm lens filters for the VAD-WA adapter. The VCL-DH2630 screws directly onto the VAD-WA. Unless you buy the whole set of three Sony lenses, you might as well keep the two pieces together.

5. The minimum focusable distance increases to approximately 10-12 feet (about 5-6 feet in Macro mode) with this telephoto lens attached.

On the plus side, this is about the only way to get a tiny palm sized point and shoot digital camera like the DSCW1 to shoot telephoto pictures. The photos are quite sharp with little distortion.

I used to love to shoot telephoto pictures with my Pentax 35mm SLR, using a Soligor 85-300mm zoom lens. Then one day I accidentally dropped the lens, and it didn't focus anymore. By then, with three kids in the family, it didn't make sense to lug a heavy camera around for family photos, and I got used to using this Olympus point and shoot 35mm camera that had a telephoto zoom lens.

You could certainly get one of the larger and more expensive digicams with interchangeable lenses, or something like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20K with 12x zoom. But, besides being larger and more expensive, all of these other digicams use proprietary lithium batteries, which I hate, because they are just death for spontaneous family photos (lithium batteries are never charged when you need them!).

First and foremost, I wanted to get the best point and shoot camera that runs on AA batteries currently on the market, and this, IMHO, is the Sony DSCW1. Second, I wanted the ability to take telephoto shots, and Sony is one of the few that even makes telephoto lenses for their point and shoot digicams. So for all of the flaws that I pointed out about this telephoto lens, it's still a pretty good accessory for the DSCW1.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Lens, January 8, 2006

By 

TNT "TNT" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony VCL-DH2630 Telephoto Conversion Lens for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras (Electronics)

I just got the Sony DSC-W7 before the Holidays. After I opened the box, I realized that I could adapt a Telephoto lens and a Wide Angle lens made by sony, with the VAD adapter. And other lenses on the market with a 30mm thread.

The Telephoto lens is a good lens, but it is true that at wide position, all you see is a pinhole, so this lens really does not work until you have it at 3x zoom, up to 7.2. Also, you do need to have a steady hand or a tripod to take sharp pictures; when steady the lens gives off high quality pictures...The 0.7 wide angle lens works really nice too...

The one negative I have with this lens, it is a bit expensive. After I brought it, I realized that with the adapter I could fit other 30mm lenses on the market that were much cheaper, for example: I found a 2x lens by "Cokin" at Best-Buy with a 30mm thread, made for camcorders and fitted the lens to the VAD adapter with a step up ring included with the lens and it works great and it was only $37 bucks, though it did not come with lens caps.

The Sony 2.6x telephoto is a nice lens and it will allow you to get closer to the action, but is a bit expensive.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice build quality, shame about the zoom..., February 21, 2006

By 

Gary Thomas (Indianapolis) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VCL-DH2630 Telephoto Conversion Lens for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras (Electronics)

Although the build quality is excellent, when used with my DSC-P200 there is a keyhole effect until the camera is set to around 2x zoom or above. This is a real disappointment as I had hoped for the zoom to be multiplied over the whole range. Despite this it works well at the higher zoom levels, though on reflection I should have bought a digital SLR and kept the P200 for what it is really intended - point and shoot...