What is the general consensus on Teleconverters? Are they worth the price? How do they perform?
Bill
All teleconverters degrade the image resolution at least a little. The ones made by the same manufacturer as the lens it is used with (Nikon TC for Nikon, Fuji TC for Fuji, etc) have the least degradation. Some such as Fuji’s works only with certain specific lenses and may damage others. Third party TC’s as a practical mater have to work with a wider range on lenses.
Many years ago I used a 2x one (Sigma??) quite a lot in a semi-macro capacity to photograph flowers and such. The benefits outweighed the disadvantages. Note that I’m talking a bout a TC and NOT a screw on macro filter!
Thank you for the info.
Bill
I’ve had some third party ones in the past, and the resolution/sharpness was so poor I hardly ever used them. But I have a Canon 70-200mm L lens, and Canon makes a 1.4 converter for it that I have. I find it hard to believe the sharpness and resolution I get, even if I choose to crop in post processing. So I guess the answer for you is, it depends. I have read a lot on this forum and others think that a teleconverter (or extender) that is made by the lens manufacturer to mate with their own lens, is the way to go. Good luck! JimR
JimRPhoto wrote:
I’ve had some third party ones in the past, and the resolution/sharpness was so poor I hardly ever used them. But I have a Canon 70-200mm L lens, and Canon makes a 1.4 converter for it that I have. I find it hard to believe the sharpness and resolution I get, even if I choose to crop in post processing. So I guess the answer for you is, it depends. I have read a lot on this forum and others think that a teleconverter (or extender) that is made by the lens manufacturer to mate with their own lens, is the way to go. Good luck! JimR
I’ve had some third party ones in the past, and th... (
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I agree - I also have used a third party extender with miserable performance, I have a Canon branded one comming to use with my 100-400 L lens. Hopefully it will show the results Jim got.
Do the converters actually double the zoom distance?
Mac
Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.
Lawmanb2 wrote:
What is the general consensus on Teleconverters? Are they worth the price? How do they perform?
Bill
I use a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14 III 1.4x with my AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED VR with great results. That is the only TC I use and I only use it on that lens.
Mac
Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.
Lawmanb2 wrote:
Do the converters actually double the zoom distance?
A 2x teleconverter will double the focal length.
Thanks, Mac...I am sure getting a lesson on this topic.
Bill
Lawmanb2 wrote:
Do the converters actually double the zoom distance?
They
magnify the effective focal length of the attached lens. If familiar with the effect of using a cropped sensor, the use of teleconverters / extenders is similar. The image circle from the lens is magnified over the sensor where the sensor then 'sees / crops' a portion the enlarged image circle. The resulting image is then compared to the field of view of a longer focal length lens for the equivalent focal length.
Mac
Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.
Not all TCs are compatible with all lenses. Before you purchase a TC be sure it is compatible with your lens (and camera).
Lawmanb2 wrote:
Do the converters actually double the zoom distance?
The usual sizes are 1.4x and 2x, the 1.4 is the lens times 1.4 so a 400 becomes equivalent to 560. With a 2x it becomes 800. With a 1.4 you lose 1 full f stop of light, with a 2x you lose 2 full f stops.
Lawmanb2 wrote:
What is the general consensus on Teleconverters? Are they worth the price? How do they perform?
Bill
I spent about $500 on a Nikon 1.4 TC the I never use.
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