Teleconverters: I’m looking at Nikon’s AF-S TC-20E III teleconverter. Will use it on their AF-S 70-200 f2.8 lens. Anybody use a teleconverter? Any downside to them? I know I’ll use a...

jm76237

I’m looking at Nikon’s AF-S TC-20E III teleconverter. Will use it on their AF-S 70-200 f2.8 lens. Anybody use a teleconverter? Any downside to them? I know I’ll use a couple stops. Will be in Wyoming and Yellowstone photographing wildlife.

ClarkG Loc: Southern Indiana USA

My experiences are that they do NOT deliver sharp photos. Any one else have different results?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You might want to consider renting a longer lens specifically for this trip.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

ClarkG wrote:

My experiences are that they do NOT deliver sharp photos. Any one else have different results?

Depends on the lens and TC.
There are lens and TC combinations that do not lose quality even zooms that do not lose quality.
Perhaps this combination does not lose quality. I do not own this combination but have a combination with a 2x where there is no loss of quality.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

jm76237 wrote:

I’m looking at Nikon’s AF-S TC-20E III teleconverter. Will use it on their AF-S 70-200 f2.8 lens. Anybody use a teleconverter? Any downside to them? I know I’ll use a couple stops. Will be in Wyoming and Yellowstone photographing wildlife.

Both are top quality optics and should do very very well.
I do not have this combo but the Nikon lenses I have are pretty phenomenal so I would not hesitate to use your combo.
Have fun there love the area and so many photo opportunities.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

jm76237 wrote:

I’m looking at Nikon’s AF-S TC-20E III teleconverter. Will use it on their AF-S 70-200 f2.8 lens. Anybody use a teleconverter? Any downside to them? I know I’ll use a couple stops. Will be in Wyoming and Yellowstone photographing wildlife.

You may contemplate renting a longer lens for Yellowstone depending upon your expectations/subjects.

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

jm76237 wrote:

I’m looking at Nikon’s AF-S TC-20E III teleconverter. Will use it on their AF-S 70-200 f2.8 lens. Anybody use a teleconverter? Any downside to them? I know I’ll use a couple stops. Will be in Wyoming and Yellowstone photographing wildlife.

Which camera model do you have? Full frame or crop sensor?

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

jm76237 wrote:

I’m looking at Nikon’s AF-S TC-20E III teleconverter. Will use it on their AF-S 70-200 f2.8 lens. Anybody use a teleconverter? Any downside to them? I know I’ll use a couple stops. Will be in Wyoming and Yellowstone photographing wildlife.

Look here to see compatability fo Nikon teleconverters and lens: https://cdn-5.nikon-cdn.com/Assets/Common-Assets/Images/Teleconverter-Compatibility/EN_Comp_chart.html

Do note that if your camera does not AF at f/8 you will be manual focus with any extender.
As to image quality - I can only tell you that my Canon 100-400L II and Canon 1.4x III work great together and the images are still very sharp, just not quite as sharp as without.

Properframe Loc: US Virginia

You can probably be happy with the TC 1.4 III. The 2.0 is really asking a lot. I tend to not be happy with the 1.4 results and everyone else says it is great.
A 70-200 is not a good wildlife lens for WY and Ystone. I would rent a longer lens for the trip.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

robertjerl wrote:

Look here to see compatability fo Nikon teleconverters and lens: https://cdn-5.nikon-cdn.com/Assets/Common-Assets/Images/Teleconverter-Compatibility/EN_Comp_chart.html

Do note that if your camera does not AF at f/8 you will be manual focus with any extender.
As to image quality - I can only tell you that my Canon 100-400L II and Canon 1.4x III work great together and the images are still very sharp, just not quite as sharp as without.

Doubling a f/2.8 lens shouldn't present an AF problem to any camera given the effective f/5.6 max aperture configuration ...

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

CHG_CANON wrote:

Doubling a f/2.8 lens shouldn't present an AF problem to any camera given the effective f/5.6 max aperture configuration ...

That warning is on the Nikon site, I just paraphrased it.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

It might be a thought to rent a couple extenders and form your own opinion.

Then think about renting a 200-500 or a 150-600.

MW

Depends. Generic third party TCs can be a compromise. Deficated made By the lens maker for specific lns can be very good. I’m thinking of Fuji in particular but I’ll bet it applies to Canon and Nikon as well.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

MW wrote:

Depends. Generic third party TCs can be a compromise. Deficated made By the lens maker for specific lns can be very good. I’m thinking of Fuji in particular but I’ll bet it applies to Canon and Nikon as well.

The Canon 1.4x and 2.0x III series were designed for the II series L lenses but turned out to also be great with the I series.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

jm76237 wrote:

I’m looking at Nikon’s AF-S TC-20E III teleconverter. Will use it on their AF-S 70-200 f2.8 lens. Anybody use a teleconverter? Any downside to them? I know I’ll use a couple stops. Will be in Wyoming and Yellowstone photographing wildlife.

All teleconverters will negatively impact image quality, with the exception of some dedicated converters - like the Nikkor 1.4X TC that is mated to the 180-400 F4. Some lenses are so sharp that even with the 25% hit from a 2X TC will still return better than acceptable sharpness.

If you are using the current FL version of the 70-200, a 1.4 and a 1.7X TC is ok, but the 2X will not be great.