BigMike

I am using the Nikon D500 with a 70-200 tamron zoom.(not the new G2). Will any tamron 1.4TC work with this lens? Also being a crop sensor would my max with the 1.4TC be 420mm? Thanks in advance.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You really have to check with the TC maker because not all lenses can accept all TCs. Having said that, I'm sure someone will post a definitive answer.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Yes, and lens with TC = 280mm which = 420mm equivalent/compared to full frame FOV - which is meaningless for most people unless you are interested/have full frame or were/are a film shooter of old times.
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amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Physically, it will probably work. But you should confirm with Tamron. There may be info on their website.... or a phone number or email where you can contact them.

You will need to know the EXACT model of teleconverter. There have been many different teleconverters made over the years, by Tamron and everyone else. For example, Tamron made a lens system called "Adaptall" years ago, which included some superb manual focus lenses and excellent teleconverters that fitted between the lens and it's interchangeable mount. Good stuff and pretty easy to find used at attractive prices. HOWEVER, those Adaptall teleconverters won't fit and work with any modern autofocus Tamron lenses.

It will increase odds of them working together, if both lens and teleconverter are from Tamron. But they still also need to be designed to work together.



No, the lens plus teleconverter will make for an "effective" 98-280mm combo.

The camera's sensor format doesn't matter... lens focal length doesn't somehow magically change. 70mm is still 70mm, 200mm is 200mm, etc. regardless of the camera's format.

That's ESPECIALLY true in a case like this, where you would be using the lens with and without the teleconverter on the same camera with the same sensor format. Just because a 200mm lens on a D500 "acts like" a 300mm lens would "behave" on a D750 doesn't mean anything... unless you're also using a D750 or switching back and forth between DX and FX formats with other cameras.

In other words a 200mm lens on a D500 acts like a 200mm lens on a D500.

With the teleconverter added, the lens will be "magnified" 1.4X on your camera.... I.e., it becomes an "effective" 98-280mm zoom. And that's what it will be, on your DX camera.

Your wishful "420mm" would be 2.1X magnification.... But no such teleconverter exists. A 2X teleconverter would get you close, providing up to 400mm effective focal length when combined with that lens. HOWEVER, with a 2X teleconverter there would be a heftier hit to image quality, too. Adding a teleconverter always "costs" some image quality. Less with a "weaker" 1.4X than with a 2X. Typically you can expect a 5 to 15% loss of quality with a 1.4X... and more like 15 to 30% loss with the stronger magnification of a 2X.

Loss of image quality varies a lot and is hard to predict. It depends upon the quality of the lens, the quality of the teleconverter and how well the two work together. There are millions of possible combos, so unless you can find someone using the exact combo you're considering... even using it on the same camera as you... it will be hard to predict the results. There also can be some variation from copy to copy, of both lens and teleconverter. Not to mention, it also depends upon how you'll be using the images... small, lower resolution online display can tolerate a lot more loss of quality than a large print would. It also depends upon what you personally find acceptable in terms of image quality losses.

CaliforniaDreamer

The way I think of "crop factor" is that the lens produces the same image, the sensor is only capturing a part of that image in the center. As others have stated the lens does not change when moving to a different camera. The advantage of thinking of effective focal length is to compare it with 35mm film or sensor cameras that a lot of people have experience with. In my early film days my lens trio were prime 35, 50, and 135 mm lenses. I have a lot of experience with those and can compare to my present two cameras. BTW I often get a better image on my full frame camera (5D Mark IV) than with my crop frame (80D) even if I crop the full frame size to the same size as he crop frame.

Carl S

I've had bad experience using a Nikon teleconverter on a Nikon lens, and was told by Tamron that their
lens were not compatible with Nikon teleconverters. And at that time, they did not make one that worked with the then current Tamron SP 150-600, model AO11. This is probably the last Tamron lens I'll own.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Tamron has a short list of 4 lenses that are compatible with the TC-X14 and while the G2 version of your lens is compatible, they do not list the G1 version, so be careful. I have found the Nikon 1.4x III teleconverter will not physically fit Tamron glass. The teleconverter lens is in the front of the teleconverter and can physically touch the rear lens of my Tamron lenses - at least the ones I tried. So I would highly recommend staying with the lens manufacturer's TC after looking at their compatibility tables.

Carl S

At the time I talked with Tamron, there were no teleconverters available from them that would fit my lens. This lens is on my short list to be replaced as my wife and I enjoy wildlife photography, so compatibility is important to us. This week we are headed back to Lake Clark to spend time with coastal brown bears, and later in the summer we are headed to South Africa, Botswana, and Kenya.

Tony Bryan

The Tamron 150-600 G2 will not autofocus with the TC-X14 after about 450mm unless you can get the f-stop down to f8. I shoot with a Canon 7D-2 and was completely dissatisfied with this teleconverter. Tamron told me it would work with a 1-DX and I told them if I could afford a 1-DX I probably wouldn't shoot with Tamron lenses. I'm completely satisfied with the lens but sent the teleconverter back. I'll just have to get closer to the bears.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Totally agree. On rare occasions, I have used a 1.4x teleconverter with the Tamron 150-600mm G2 zoom beyond f/8 and went to manual focus to get the shot. Not a good situation as the viewfinder gets less light, but you can go to LV, brighten and zoom the display to maximum to manually focus. Another issue with the Tamron G2 is even though it is rated at f/5-6.3, the transmission is more like t/5.6 - 6.7. I have used a Nikon 1.4x teleconverter with my Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 on both the D850 (f/8) and D500 (420-1050mm equivalent at f/8) and it works, but the viewfinder is a bit dim and AF is a bit slower, but a much better situation than using a 1.4x with the G2. Now, I do use both a Tamron 1.4x and 2.0x with a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 with no problems other than a slight loss of sharpness / contrast.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

1.4X NEEDS an f4 lens ......2X NEEDS a 2.8 lens. If you do not have the required lens, maximize your IQ and CROP and use well applied pixel enlargement.
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Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

BigMike if you need to go out to 400mm on your Nikon D500 you might look at the AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens... B&H has it refurbished on sale for $1,699...
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1006489-REG/nikon_2208b_af_s_nikkor_80_400mm_f_4_5_5_6g.html

this is a well balance piece of kit and can be hand held... I know a sports shooter who uses this combo rather effectively...

Mixing your D500 with non Nikkors may not end well...
primary concern are focus issues... do your research VERY carefully, k?

Hope this helps or is at least food for thought...