thelazya Loc: Wendell, MN

Just wondering if anyone has compared a Tamron@600 on a FF camera like a Canon 6D to the Canon @ 200 with the TC 2Xlll on a Canon 7D. Each will be aprox. 600 with the Canon @ 5.6, but maybe slower AF. Not sure, but I have the 7D and maybe adding the 6D with the Tamron.

nikonkelly Loc: SE Michigan

If you have the 70-200 or a 200 prime, both with a 2xtc... it will only be 400mm on a Full Frame camera and 600mm so there would be no comparison. To get to the equivalent of the 600mm you would need to put it on a crop sensor camera.

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

I shoot a sony a-850 so I have the option of switching between aps-c and full frame. I would be willing to match my Minolta maxxum 70-200mm apo G hi-speed plus my 2.0x Minolta maxxum teleconverter against the tamron 150-600mm zoom. I might loose auto focus but I can deal with that.

amehta Loc: Boston

The crop sensor camera doesn't help, because the field of view of the Tamron is also different.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Don't understand your comment. The Tamron is a FF lens... 150-600MM.

The 200 +2X TC + 1.5 (Nikon) Crop = 600. The crop sensor camera definitely helps.

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

These comments are apples and oranges. The Tamron is convenient and easy to use, though still of unproven quality for most of us. The Canon is a proven lens, but one of the proven points is the relatively poor image quality of the TC2. Moving to a crop sensor further limits quality in large prints, though probably OK for small prints.

amehta Loc: Boston

There is no change in focal length because a lens is a full frame or APS-C lens. So
1. Canon 70-200mm + 2x TC = 140-400mm
2. Canon 150-600mm = 150-600mm

If you want to consider the field of view change because of the crop sensor:
1. 400mm & 1.6x FoV factor --> 640mm FoV
2. 600mm & 1.6x FoV factor --> 960mm FoV

It does not matter whether the Tamron is a FF/APS-C lens, or if the Canon is a FF/APS-C lens. But both are FF lenses.


EDIT: Sorry joer, I did not read the OP's question correctly, that they were considering two different cameras. You are right, my first comment does not make sense.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

The 7D will not autofocus with a 2x teleconverter on it. Only the newer model camera bodies will autofocus. My 5D III and 1D IV will but they are much slower to autofocus. Trust me, I have all three bodies, the 70-200 and a 2x III.

But you are correct in assuming that:

70-200 x 2 = 400 x 1.6 = 640 effective reach on your crop body

150-600 x 1 (ff body) = 600 effective reach on your ff body

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

bullcrap, the top of the line canon,nikon, sony, and other aps-c cameras were producing great large prints before full frame digitals came on the scene.

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

In spite of the invective, full frame cameras produce significantly better quality large images than cropped frame cameras.

amehta Loc: Boston

Before full frame digitals came on the scene, top of the line Canon and Nikon cameras were being overshadowed by the full frame analogs. At no point were APS-C cameras ever considered to have the best image quality with the SLR form factor.

thelazya Loc: Wendell, MN

I have the 7D now with the 70-200 and Canon 2XTC111. I don't have a problem with auto focusing what so ever. Just really wondering if anyone has checked with both cameras and lenses for Image Quality between the two.

dlbzone Loc: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Hi thelazya! Great question.

I have the 5DmarkIII and new Tamron 70-200mm + 2x TC to get to 400mm. I shoot my son's soccer games and really need about 600mm to get the full field without cropping photos too much. I get a mixture of sharp and not-so-sharp photos from the setup. I do see some AF inconsistencies with tripod testing where camera will front or back focus enough to blur the intended subject, so I think it is camera or lens and not always user error.

I have the Tamron 150-600mm on order, but was also considering getting a 7D or 70D instead which would get me 224-640mm with current lens setup at about the same price. I would love to hear from someone who has tried both options. I am leaning towards the Tamron 150-600mm since 5D3 should have a better AF system than the crop bodies, and the camera technology is changing faster than the lens technology, so the lens should be a better investment over time I think.

Also, in reviewing teleconverters, many experts say the 2x should only be used on 400, 500, or 600mm primes as image quality suffers too much on zooms and especially below 400mm.

Please post here if you find someone who has done the comparison. Thanks!

amehta Loc: Boston

There is no doubt that the 5D Mark III has a better AF system than any less expensive Canon DSLR. If you use an APS-C body like the 7D, the advantage is not "reach", but pixel density. If the player will be 10mm on the sensor using a particular lens, it does not matter if you are using the 5D Mark III or 7D, he's still just 10mm tall. The 7D gives you more pixels in that 10mm, by a factor of 1.5x, which does matter if you want to print bigger than 8x12" or so. But for smaller prints or online use, I think having fewer pixels in focus is better than having more pixels out of focus.

If/when the 7D Mark II comes out, the best option may change...