Hila 2.2x High Grade Telephoto 18-135mm

The Hila 2.2x Telephoto doubles your focal length for $159, but the optical quality is the worst we've ever tested. Stabilization and macro performance are decent, but soft images and mediocre autofocus kill the experience. Only worth it if you're broke and desperate to try telephoto shooting.

The optical score is the elephant in the room. One percentile. That's not a typo. With just three elements in three groups, this thing introduces softness, chromatic aberration, and a general lack of sharpness that will make you squint at your photos. The constant f/3.5 aperture sounds nice, but it's the converter's own spec, not what your base lens actually delivers. Autofocus lands right in the middle of the pack, which means it works but hunts more than you'd like. Stabilization is decent, sitting in the upper-middle range, and that helps when you're handholding a doubled focal length. Macro performance is surprisingly strong for a converter, and bokeh is above average too. But none of that matters if the image looks like it was shot through a foggy window.

Stacked against the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS, the Hila is a toy. The Sony is a native lens with real optics, sharp results, and reliable autofocus. The Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 gives you actual telephoto reach with proper glass and weather resistance. Even the Sigma Contemporary 23mm f/1.4, which isn't a telephoto at all, destroys this converter in image quality. The Hila's only edge is price and the fact that it works with lenses you already own. That's it. Every competitor here is a real lens. This is an accessory pretending to be one.

At $159 USD, this is a budget play. A real telephoto lens costs way more, so if you just want to try wildlife or sports photography without committing, the price is tempting. But you're not getting a lens, you're getting a compromise bolted onto a lens you already own. The image quality hit is so severe that you'll probably end up frustrated and shopping for a proper telephoto anyway. If you have zero budget and low expectations, fine. Otherwise, save your money.

The Hila 2.2x High Grade Telephoto is a screw-on converter that sits on top of your existing lens and multiplies the focal length by 2.2x. Slap it on a Canon EF-S 18-135mm and you get roughly a 40-297mm reach. That sounds great on paper for wildlife and sports shooters who don't want to drop serious cash on a dedicated telephoto.

But here's the catch. This is a three-element converter with no weather sealing, and our optical score puts it dead last among every lens we've tested. The versatility ranking is high because it technically works with lots of lenses, not because it works well. You're trading image quality for reach, and the trade is steep.

Skip this if you care about sharpness, shoot in challenging weather, or need reliable autofocus for fast-moving subjects. Wildlife photographers will hate the soft results, and anyone with a modern mirrorless camera should just buy a native telephoto. If you've ever zoomed into a photo and cringed at the quality, this converter will make you cringe constantly.

This is for the curious hobbyist who wants to dip a toe into telephoto shooting without spending real money. If you're okay with soft images, chromatic aberration, and occasional autofocus frustration, you'll get some fun out of it. If you care about image quality at all, skip it. The Hila 2.2x is a cheap experiment, not a serious tool.