Question for you digital experts: Of the 3 senerios listed which would yield the highest quality image? The lens is a Nikon 300mm PF. The object of the photo requires 450mm to fill the...

TerryVS

Of the 3 senerios listed which would yield the highest quality image?

The lens is a Nikon 300mm PF.
The object of the photo requires 450mm to fill the frame.

Here are the options:

1) Nikon D850 and 300mm lens,then crop in post.

2) Nikon D850, a 1.4x teleconverter on 300mm lens with mild crop in post.

3) Nikon D500 (DX) with the 300mm lens.

Thoughts?
Thanks!
Terry

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

I bet you will get all three of the answers as being the best . Such is life, and 'Experts' being what they are.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Hard to say since I do not own these. If I was going to purchase, it would be the D850 alone for best quality with the D850 & 1.4 coming in at a close second.

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

TerryVS wrote:

Of the 3 senerios listed which would yield the highest quality image?

The lens is a Nikon 300mm PF.
The object of the photo requires 450mm to fill the frame.

Here are the options:

1) Nikon D850 and 300mm lens,then crop in post.

2) Nikon D850, a 1.4x teleconverter on 300mm lens with mild crop in post.

3) Nikon D500 (DX) with the 300mm lens.

Thoughts?
Thanks!
Terry

Please define "highest quality" - this is a wide open question and not knowing what constitutes highest quality for you makes it hard to respond with anything meaningful. Also, knowing what subject you are shooting, what the lighting looks like, and what the image viewing conditions will help.

Shooting with a 450mm (actual lens), even if it is with a 1.4 TC will have different depth of field compared to the crop camera with a 300mm lens. There is a small sharpness loss using a TC, but I am not sure it will be all that noticeable - again, knowing the subject will definitely help here. It's quite possible that the D500 with a 300mm will be almost indistinguishable from the D850 cropped to the same composition.

If you have these 4 items - why don't you test and report back.

steve49 Loc: massachusetts

I don't have any of that gear but put me down for the simplicity and ease of crop in post with the 850.

In the end nobody will be able to tell the difference I thk.

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

If your goal is to view on a computer and blow up to 100% or more to observe “quality” You might find the D850 with teleconverter the best option. But if you are making prints smaller than 16x20 just do the crop with the straight 300mm lens. There is more than enough pixels available for a top quality image.

SHWeiss

To get max sharpness you need a heavy sturdy tripod and head, base ISO, remote or self timer, mirror up delay And accurate focus (manual or AF target calibrated lens). f/stop Set about 2 more closed then base setting ( often f/8-11).

All that said pixel peeping would likely favor the D850 with TC

Electric Gnome Loc: Norwich UK

D850 with 300mm lens, set the D850 on crop mode so you basically have a D500. This would lose the edges from the FF lens (usually the weakest) and still give you about the same number of megapixels as the D500. If you used a D850 with the 300mm and cropped you would end up with very similar results, losing the edges of the lens this time by cropping. A TC would be my last option. I have the D850 and had a D7100 DX so I have some experience between the two, but pixel peepers may disagree.
Below a full image from the D850 and below a very tight crop from the same image.

(Download)

jgm

TerryVS wrote:

Of the 3 senerios listed which would yield the highest quality image?

Take a look at the "AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Image Thread" in the Nikon Forum section at fredmiranda.com. You'll see many excellent images with a variety of configurations.

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1346257

The 300pf/1.4xtc on a D850 is my walk-about nature combo. Great close-ups and more than acceptable lens for some types of birding.

leftyD500 Loc: Ocala, Florida

TerryVS wrote:

Of the 3 senerios listed which would yield the highest quality image?

The lens is a Nikon 300mm PF.
The object of the photo requires 450mm to fill the frame.

Here are the options:

1) Nikon D850 and 300mm lens,then crop in post.

2) Nikon D850, a 1.4x teleconverter on 300mm lens with mild crop in post.

3) Nikon D500 (DX) with the 300mm lens.

Thoughts?
Thanks!
Terry

I shoot with the 300PF the 1.4 teleconverter mounted on a D610, and the results are awesome! I try to crop before I shoot, by using my feet as a cropping factor.

twice_shooter

In general, there will be a loss in sharpness with the tc, even if only slightly. The D850 has a BSI sensor and the D500 does not. The image “quality” should be better on the D850. If I had to guess, I would say option 1 would be preferred. That said, given good technique and a foundation in lighting and composition, you can create a stellar image with any of the 3.

Dr J Loc: NE Florida

I have all three and would avoid the TC unless a huge crop is needed (and knowing you loosen f-stop). I don't think anyone would be able to tell the difference between the D850 significantly cropped to the size of the APS-C sensor and the D500 minimally cropped. Leave the tele out as it is another variable?….. however, you can't miss with any of the three.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

An ex-pert is nothing but a drip under pressure.:)

Festus Loc: North Dakota

Pablo8 wrote:

I bet you will get all three of the answers as being the best . Such is life, and 'Experts' being what they are.

Best answer he will get!

Wilhan

I have the Nikon D850 and use it with my 300mm PF f4 lens combined with the AF-S TC-14E III teleconverter which gives me a combined focal length of 420mm. I find that there is very little optical quality loss using the teleconverter and I'm very happy with the combination.

(Download)