Tele-Converters: I would like to use a teleconverter on a Nikon 200-500mm but I see the tciii 1.7 and 2.0 does not allow autofocus. Do any fellow Hoggers have an opinion? Would like to...

jodo4138 Loc: Long Island NY

I would like to use a teleconverter on a Nikon 200-500mm but I see the tciii 1.7 and 2.0 does not allow autofocus. Do any fellow Hoggers have an opinion? Would like to get the furthest reach possible for birds and nature shots. Any opinions on the Nikon tciii 1.4?

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

My recommendation is that you maximize your image quality with the lens and body that you have and CROP and use pixel enlargement if necessary. Your AF will thank you.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I have the 200-500 and a TCiii1.4. Rarely will I use it if I am looking for the better eye shots or detail. Just my opinion from some testing that was enough to confirm that I suffered some detail degradation. Fine on other subjects that I am not as fussy with or it could mean not getting a shot without it. I have no problems focusing with this on my D500,7100 or 810.

One more remark. No matter how far out I reach, I would like just a little more because I know that it would make a big difference.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

My recommendation is that you maximize your image quality with the lens and body that you have and CROP and use pixel enlargement if necessary. Your AF will thank you.

ed b photo

One thing out there is a nikon coverter, its a doubler and very high price. Starting at $649.00 and does allow for apc format. I have and older ai coupler which is sharp an I do use it on my 500 f8 but then the lose is 2 stops further out. But if I use a tripod no big deal. Action is slow yet very sharp. If you can think manuel settings which I use, then no biggy. Is it that important to have the auto setting focus link up? No if your eyes are good. Yes if you depend on auto settings. My DX3 works great with fixed lens set up an doubler if I need one. Just look into B&H photo. Many places in San Francisco has one.
Fulkners is a huge photo supply. Their used department is vast.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

jodo4138 wrote:

I would like to use a teleconverter on a Nikon 200-500mm but I see the tciii 1.7 and 2.0 does not allow autofocus. Do any fellow Hoggers have an opinion? Would like to get the furthest reach possible for birds and nature shots. Any opinions on the Nikon tciii 1.4?

It makes a big difference what body you use it on, the 1.4x will also not AF on many bodies. It will on all full frames except the D610, but only on D7100, D7200 and D500 crop sensor bodies. It's always best to just use the lens bare, especially an F5.6 lens like the Nikon 200-500. If you need more reach then opt for the Tamron 150-600 G2 model which has 20% more reach already, at exactly the same price.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

jodo4138 wrote:

I would like to use a teleconverter on a Nikon 200-500mm but I see the tciii 1.7 and 2.0 does not allow autofocus. Do any fellow Hoggers have an opinion? Would like to get the furthest reach possible for birds and nature shots. Any opinions on the Nikon tciii 1.4?

For that (lens + TC), you obviously need a fast lens ($$$)!

jodo4138 Loc: Long Island NY

BTW
I'm shooting with a Nikon d750

Bill_de Loc: US

The bodies are rated for the smallest aperture they are designed to auto focus at. Older camera are usually F5.6 while newer ones are mostly rated at F8.0. I'm referring to Nikon as I'm not familiar with others.

Whatever the rating, you can often push it a stop on a bright day if you stick to single, center point focusing.

---

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

if you are not afraid of manually focusing, then a third party 1.7 or 2x might work for you. be prepared to learn how to get the most out of a tc.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

jodo4138 wrote:

I would like to use a teleconverter on a Nikon 200-500mm but I see the tciii 1.7 and 2.0 does not allow autofocus. Do any fellow Hoggers have an opinion? Would like to get the furthest reach possible for birds and nature shots. Any opinions on the Nikon tciii 1.4?

My 200-500 gives me 300-750 on my D500. I hand hold at 1/1600 sec. and up and am filling the frame. For me that is all I ever have needed.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

DaveO wrote:

One more remark. No matter how far out I reach, I would like just a little more because I know that it would make a big difference.

Right! That's why I've limited myself to 300mm.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

jodo4138 wrote:

I would like to use a teleconverter on a Nikon 200-500mm but I see the tciii 1.7 and 2.0 does not allow autofocus. Do any fellow Hoggers have an opinion? Would like to get the furthest reach possible for birds and nature shots. Any opinions on the Nikon tciii 1.4?

I don't know much about Nikon cameras but I do know that they are making newer bodies that can auto-focus at f/8, a lot of people don't care for tele-converters because they can degrade image quality but I think that the newest class of TC's have much improved as have the newer lenses. Here is a link to some pelican shots that I took last weekend with a Canon 100-400 and a 1.4X III extender, if you download and expand the images, even the ones with 6 or 7 birds I think that you will find little to complain about in regards to image quality, even the eagle shot is significantly cropped and was shot from well over 300 feet away as he was on a sand bar across the water.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-446052-1.html#7501338

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

billnikon wrote:

My 200-500 gives me 300-750 on my D500. I hand hold at 1/1600 sec. and up and am filling the frame. For me that is all I ever have needed.

aflundi Loc: Albuquerque, NM

MT Shooter wrote:

[ ... ] It will on all full frames except the D610, [ ... ]

A small nit -- I think the D600/D610 can autofocus at f/8 on 7 central AF points -- at least that's what page 287 in the D600 and D610 manuals says.