Yes the Nikon models perform better. I had the TC-14E after lots of research the only difference I could find between it and the TC-14E II was the finish, optically they are the same.
If you fine tune focus on your lens the camera will save settings for the lens and the lens plus TC separately.
az-dave wrote:
Yes the Nikon models perform better. I had the TC-14E after lots of research the only difference I could find between it and the TC-14E II was the finish, optically they are the same.
If you fine tune focus on your lens the camera will save settings for the lens and the lens plus TC separately.
Dave
Thanks, Dave. I could not find any info saying version 2 was better than version 1, so I will try and find a version 1.
The Nikon converters fit a much more limited set of lenses than the third party converters because their front elements protrude into the lens barrel. which lenses are you planning to use with the converter?
While I have the TCEII 1.4/1.7, I also have the KenkoPro 1.4 (for my T90 and 80-200 2r) and while the nikkors certainly seem more solidly built, the KenkPro is very good optically.
Imagemaster wrote:
Does the Nikon TC-14E II perform better than the TC-14E?
The TC-14E and TC-14E II are optically, mechanically and functionally 100% identical. The only difference is external cosmetics. The TC-14E cosmetics and styling match the older manual focus TC-14A and TC-14B teleconverters. The TC-14E II cosmetics match the crinkle finish on the AF-S super-telephotos. The TC-14E is marked "AF-I Teleconverter" (since there were no AF-S lenses when it was introduced), but it also drives AF-S lenses. The TC-14E II is marked "AF-S Teleconverter", but it also drives the older AF-I lenses.
One sure difference you can count on is that a TC-14E II will always be "newer", but given that the only moving parts are the stopdown lever and AI ridge linkages, that hardly matters.
As to whether the Nikon teleconverters perform better than the Kenko or Tamron converters, I suspect that's probably going to depend a lot on what master lens is mounted in front of the converter. I have a Tamron AF SP 1.4X (identical to Kenko Pro 300 1.4X) and in some quick tests with an AF 80~200/2.8D this past summer I didn't see a lot of difference between the Tamron and my Nikon TC-14E (which is modified to fit the AF-D lens). That was a bit of a surprise to me as I expected the Nikon to perform noticeably better. But another master lens with the TC-14E and the Tamron/Kenko might give very different results in favour of the Nikon teleconverter.
I'm pretty sure that I will only be using the TC on newer AF-S lenses, unless a great deal came up on an older 300 f2.8, at which point I would just get a different TC for just that lens.
