Patent illustrations for a Viltrox 2.0x teleconverter have surfaced on Nikon Rumors, with ‘Z-Mount’ clearly visible on a couple of images. Should this come to fruition, it would be the first third-party teleconverter for Nikon Z-Mount.
Currently, only two teleconverters are available: the Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-2.0x and Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x. These optical accessories retail for $599.95 / £599 / A$1,199 and $549.95 / £579 / AU$1,099, respectively, so a more affordable alternative would certainly be welcome.
As always, patents aren’t concrete proof that the product in question will hit shelves, but it’s worth noting that this wouldn’t be the first teleconverter made by Viltrox. The Shenzhen-based outlet also produces the Viltrox C-AF II AF 2.0x EF-Mount Teleconverter, which retails for $115 / £73 / AU$153 (approx). Nikon has also allowed for third-party teleconverters in the past for F-Mount.
A teleconverter is used to increase the focal length of a lens, with a 2.0x teleconverter doubling the focal length, hence often being referred to as a ‘doubler’. So, attach a doubler to the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S and you’ll end up with a 140-400mm focal length. However, there are tradeoffs, with the maximum aperture also doubling, with the extra glass also affecting sharpness and focusing speeds.
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