COLANN Loc: Pahiatua Tararua New Zealand

May I get some help from fellow hoggers,

I have a Canon 600d, ie 3ti. which i find for my needs to be fine, also a 70x300 is usm lens, not the L version, do you think if i had a 1.4 of 2.0 extender. i would have any good improvement.in my zoom. or would it not be a good idea?
at present i get around 460mm from my lens, and if i had say the 1.4 ex. i think i would get around 640mm which for bird photos would be much better, any comments please, Thanks.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Just understand that the TC does have it's faults. You will lose a certain number of f/stops on your aperture with it. I don't know what the loss is on Canon but with Nikon, there is NO compatible Nikon TC for most of thier zoom lenses. This is because the front element on the Nikon Teleconverters and the back element on most of Nikon's Zoom lenses would bump into each other resulting in damage to the 2 lenses. Nikon provides a compatibility sheet on their website for their Teleconverters and I imagine that Canon would do the same. In addition, there are 3rd party TC's but I can not vouch or speculate on their value. I am one that tends to say, use the lens as it was designed and don't try to make it do something that it wasn't designed for. Having said that, I do know that there are several on this site that have gotten good results with TCs. And I do know that Nikon's TC's work fine with many Non-Zoom (prime) lenses. This is a major reason that many Nikon Professionals use both Full Frame and Dx (crop frame) cameras. All of the Nikon lenses fit and work on both Full frame and upper (those beyond the D3xxx and D5xxx) Nikon DX bodies and you get an immediate 1.5 and 2 x extension of your lenses without losing f/stops in aperture. One Dx body is cheaper than buying a 1.5 and a 2 x Nikon teleconverter that will ONLY work on certain lenses. In Canon, I don't know the options but I would investigate carefully and don't just ask the guy at Best Buy or some other store. This is a good place to start but research to see what you are giving up.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

My experience with TC's is that they work least well with slow zooms. There are multiple issues - inability to autofocus, light loss, and IQ. Photos taken with slow zooms tend to be very soft.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Here is Nikon's compatibility table for their Teleconverters.. Understand that this is for their TC's on Their lenses and other brands of TC's and other lenses may be different. The reason for this list is that the front element of the TC will often rub against the back element of the lens causing damage to one or both.
http://www.nikonusa.com/en_INC/IMG/Assets/Common-Assets/Images/Teleconverter-Compatibility/EN_Comp_chart.html


Again, in Nikon, this is one reason that many pro's will go to a DX camera for some subjects. If you notice, the DX camera is probably about the same price as the 1.5x and 2x TC and you have much more flexibility on your lenses with no loss of aperture.

haroldross Loc: Walthill, Nebraska

I have tried both Kenko and Vivitar 1.4x and 2.0x TCs on that particular lens on a T2i. I was not pleased with the performance of either on. There was not AF on the 2x and the 1.4x sometimes had AF other times not. The image quality was not very good either. I waste my time with a TC on this lens.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

There is only one way to get more zoom-- Viagra. Deeply sorry but sometimes I just can"t help my self

A. J. Loc: PA. USA

I believe it is the kind of lens, with a 70-300 4.56 lens a 1.4 extender might work well, but a 2.0 extender would require more light which the 70-300 4.56 would not be able to handle.
For a 2.0 extender would need a 2.8 lens, that excepts more light and 2.8 lens can be very expensive.
A 4.56 lens would not let enough light in for a 2.0 extender.

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

At thee cost of a Nikon converter, I'd skip it and get another either Tamron of Sigma lens that gave me the reach I wanted.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Colann, that lens will not accept a multiplier, at least NOT a Canon brand one. ;-)
SS

COLANN Loc: Pahiatua Tararua New Zealand

Thank you everyone for your replies to my question, it seems like you have saved me money and time, and above all Disapointment should i have bought a extender,, think the only way to go it something like a 150x600 , when i can afford it,

thanks again to everyone, Colin

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

I thought about doing the same thing with the same lens on a crop sensor camera. Went to my local camera store and they steered me away. Sorry I can't remember the specifics.

Buildrt Loc: Sarasota Fl

I use a 1.4 converter with my sigma 150-600 on my Nikon D7100. It works great including AF.

haroldross Loc: Walthill, Nebraska

Here is a good reference for the Canon AF systems describing the AF points and aperture limits for AF for various camera models.

http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/16399/what-apertures-are-required-to-enable-autofocus-including-cross-type-or-high-pr

ole sarg Loc: south florida

Have you considered buying a new pair of hiking shoes so that you can get closer?

custodian Loc: New York

Your so dumb!! I mean that in a good way, that sounds like something my husband would say!! Men cant live with them cant live without them!! You did make me laugh with that comment, now im gonna be laughing and grinning all day hubby is gonna think im losing it!!!