Teleconverter for Tamron 100-400 lens (Page 3): Thanks. I've read a lot about teleconverters and they aren't ideal. However, in my case I might not have a choice if I want more reach.

Grace98 Loc: Waterlooville, Hampshire - United Kingdom

Thanks. I've read a lot about teleconverters and they aren't ideal. However, in my case I might not have a choice if I want more reach. I had rented the Tamron 150-600 G2 for 3 days to try it out. Amazingly sharp lens but couldn't hand-hold it when extended to 500/600. After 3 days, my back and neck ached. It's too heavy for me..so had to opt for the 100-400 and lots of cropping if subject is far.

pshane wrote:

I was considering the same purchase, (Lens, and Converter), so contacted Tamron. -

They replied that "Some functionality would be lost by using a Teleconverter".

(I have an older Canon 60D, and will still purchase the Lens. - (Actually, a Tamron 18-400mm)

As this is a 'Crop Sensor', not a Full Frame camera, it multiplies the lenses by 1.6 times, so 400mm becomes a 600mm,

and I'll be Happy with that! - Maybe the same for you?

Grace98 Loc: Waterlooville, Hampshire - United Kingdom

Thanks...that is what I have been doing i.e. cropping but I go to nature reserves to shoot birds but sometimes they are too far and when you crop, they're not very good.

imagemeister wrote:

I do not have the lens(es) but I will tell you that an f6.3 lens will be an f9.5 lens with a 1.4X TC (1-stop). IF you have any AF, it will be POOR. It will be much better for you to maximize your image quality at 350-400mm and f8 and CROP - and if necessary - use well applied pixel enlargement software.

..

Grace98 Loc: Waterlooville, Hampshire - United Kingdom

Thank you. I was reading some reviews and somebody said that Kenko are as good as Tamron and cheaper. They certainly are cheaper in the UK.

jwoj69 wrote:

Simple solution Kenko 2x teleconverter. I just got one for my 150-500mm Tamron and it works very well.

Grace98 Loc: Waterlooville, Hampshire - United Kingdom

Thanks. If I go for a teleconverter I will get the 1.4..560 is good enough for me.
Prime lenses are sharper than zoom and that is why they are so expensive. They're also bigger than me and very heavy!!

Bipod wrote:

TC-X14 Tamron 1.4x Tele Converter -- 6 elements i... (show quote)

Grace98 Loc: Waterlooville, Hampshire - United Kingdom

Thank you...

Gene51 wrote:

This is not accurate - you can get 1.4x, 1.7x and ... (show quote)

Bipod

Gene51 wrote:

This is not accurate - you can get 1.4x, 1.7x and ... (show quote)

The information I quoted came from the Tamon site. It only lists the 1.4x and 2.0x TCs for this lens.
I have no idea why.

I agree that putting a TC on a slow zoom will make it very slow. But zooms are slow and soft themselves compared to primes.
A prime telephoto is the sharpest lens in anybody's catalog (e.g., the Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM). Some soft and slow
is OK as long as it is also expensive and heavily marketed?

"Lenses are not built for manual focusing these days" --- so I guess AF is now infallible
and precise? Or do you restrict your photography to situations where AF works?

Maybe we should all pin large focus targets to our subjects...

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Bipod wrote:

The information I quoted came from the Tamon site.... (show quote)

Tamron, Kenko, Canon etc only make 1.4x and 2.0x - Nikon makes a 1.7x that works on a limited number of lenses.

It isn't the lenses that aren't built for Manual Focus, it is the cameras, I had 35mm and 120s that had split screen or even checkerboard focus screens for manual focus. Trying to MF on most DSLRs is a pain unless you have perfect eye sight and work under a hood using the rear screen.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

robertjerl wrote:

Tamron, Kenko, Canon etc only make 1.4x and 2.0x - Nikon makes a 1.7x that works on a limited number of lenses.

It isn't the lenses that aren't built for Manual Focus, it is the cameras, I had 35mm and 120s that had split screen or even checkerboard focus screens for manual focus. Trying to MF on most DSLRs is a pain unless you have perfect eye sight and work under a hood using the rear screen.

It is also the lenses - whose focus speed is way too high and undampened....and the focus collar can be very non-ergonmically placed.

Bipod

robertjerl wrote:

Tamron, Kenko, Canon etc only make 1.4x and 2.0x - Nikon makes a 1.7x that works on a limited number of lenses.

It isn't the lenses that aren't built for Manual Focus, it is the cameras, I had 35mm and 120s that had split screen or even checkerboard focus screens for manual focus. Trying to MF on most DSLRs is a pain unless you have perfect eye sight and work under a hood using the rear screen.

Good point.

It's a shame that camera manufactures removed the manual focusing aids
from DSLR viewfinders. How are you supposed to check on AF?
And if AF failed, how are you suppoed to manual focus accurately?

Magnify means you have to hunt around in the image for local contrast:
e,g, a sharp edge. Slow and frustrating.

It could all be wonderful: the camera knows when conditions are bad for AF--
it could warn you by turning on a light in the viewfinder. Then you could
use focusing aids to check that AF worked. But that would add a couple
parts bill-of-materials, and cost-cutting is king.

Result: you gotta trust AF, and don't find out there was a problem until you
get home and blow up the image: dang, it's out of focus!