D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

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Archive 2012 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

DennisC
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p.1 #1 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

The D800 will AF at f8, right? So, anyone tried this combo?

I ask since Thom Hogan says the TC20 III and 200-400/4 "optical performance [is] superb." He also states AF is "haphazard"; however, this review was written before the D800.

Thanks.

May 30, 2012 at 12:39 PM

AMaji
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p.1 #2 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

I would also love to hear some opinions on this combo. I would like to use the TC20 III on my D800 and 200-400VR.

Thank you.

May 30, 2012 at 02:53 PM

fpimentel
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p.1 #3 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

DennisC wrote:
The D800 will AF at f8, right? So, anyone tried this combo?

I ask since Thom Hogan says the TC20 III and 200-400/4 "optical performance [is] superb." He also states AF is "haphazard"; however, this review was written before the D800.

Thanks.

I may be wrong but the D800 will not AF at f/8. That is the case for the D4 only that has an enhanced AF system. I have used the 200-400mm f/4 with the TC2X III (and a D3s) and you can have AF under the bright sun but it does not keep it all the way and you need to play with the manual focus ring to keep it. Regarding IQ is not that different than when you use the TC 1.7X (also under bright sun light) and the same lens. Based on my experience with that lens, the best choice of a TC for the 200-400mm is the TC1.4X in A mode at f/11 (and in good light). The truth is that TC's work much better with prime lenses (I have used them with a 400mm f/2.8 and my current 600mm VR f/4).

FP

This is a picture that I took with the Nikon 200-400mm VR and the TC2.X III when I got the new Nikon TC in Spring 2010. The camera that I was using was a D300. As you can see, under good light you can keep the sharpness and the details of the subject.

NIKON D300 800 mm f/8.0 1/1600 sec 1250 ISO 0.0 EV

Edited on May 30, 2012 at 04:33 PM · View previous versions

May 30, 2012 at 03:46 PM

Bruce Sawle
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p.1 #4 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

fpimentel wrote:
DennisC wrote:
The D800 will AF at f8, right? So, anyone tried this combo?

I ask since Thom Hogan says the TC20 III and 200-400/4 "optical performance [is] superb." He also states AF is "haphazard"; however, this review was written before the D800.

Thanks.

I may be wrong but the D800 will not AF at f/8. That is the case for the D4 only that has an enhanced AF system. I have used the 200-400mm f/4 with the TC2X III (and a D3s) and you can have AF under the bright sun but it does not keep it all the way and you need to play with the manual focus ring to keep it. Regarding IQ is not that different than when you use the TC 1.7X (also under bright sun light) and the same lens. Based on my experience with that lens, the best choice of a TC for the 200-400mm is the TC1.4X in A mode at f/11 (and in good light). The truth is that TC's work much better with prime lenses (I have used them with a 400mm f/2.8 and my current 600mm VR f/4).

FP

According to Nikon Literature and review sites the D4 and d800 can both focus at F8 with center focus points. Both cams share the same auto focus system.

May 30, 2012 at 03:54 PM

tdong
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p.1 #5 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

Focus at F8 at all cross type sensor (11) of them. D4 and D800 has identical AF system

May 30, 2012 at 04:21 PM

fpimentel
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p.1 #6 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

tdong wrote:
Focus at F8 at all cross type sensor (11) of them. D4 and D800 has identical AF system

If that is the case, I am very happy since I ordered the D800 (instead of the D4) and I want to be able to have AF at f/8 with my long lenses. Anyway, I will double check about this feature.

FP

May 30, 2012 at 04:36 PM

gugs
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p.1 #7 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

I could even have the J1 focus correctly with the TC on the 200-400VR. I didn't expect this to work but it did !

Guy

May 30, 2012 at 04:47 PM

fpimentel
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p.1 #8 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

gugs wrote:
I could even have the J1 focus correctly with the TC on the 200-400VR. I didn't expect this to work but it did !

Guy

I assume that it happened under excellent light since you need a FT 1 adapter to connect/mount F Nikon lenses to those Nikon J1 mirrorless cameras.

FP

May 30, 2012 at 05:03 PM

rd4tile
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p.1 #9 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

I've used the 2X III on my D800 & 200-400, the AF works fine albeit a bit slow. Focus limiter makes a big difference in how much it hunts.

May 30, 2012 at 06:38 PM

gugs
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p.1 #10 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

fpimentel wrote:
gugs wrote:
I could even have the J1 focus correctly with the TC on the 200-400VR. I didn't expect this to work but it did !

Guy

I assume that it happened under excellent light since you need a FT 1 adapter to connect/mount F Nikon lenses to those Nikon J1 mirrorless cameras.

FP

Not exactly excellent light, but excellent contrast, I used that combo to shoot the moon. This is an example (no crop, this is the actual picture OOC) BTW, when using the FT1 adapter, ONLY the center sensor is active on the Nikon One.

Moonshot with the Nikon 1 by gugs, on Flickr

Guy

May 30, 2012 at 06:49 PM

fpimentel
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p.1 #11 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

I am impressed by the IQ of the J1. The picture is quite good!

FP

May 30, 2012 at 09:13 PM

Tanegashima
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p.1 #12 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

fpimentel wrote:
gugs wrote:
I could even have the J1 focus correctly with the TC on the 200-400VR. I didn't expect this to work but it did !

Guy

I assume that it happened under excellent light since you need a FT 1 adapter to connect/mount F Nikon lenses to those Nikon J1 mirrorless cameras.

FP

The FT1 adapter isn't a converter, it doesn't have glass, so you get the full light, thus, all there is no loss to AF performance.

May 31, 2012 at 12:16 AM

gugs
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p.1 #13 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

Tanegashima wrote:
fpimentel wrote:
gugs wrote:
I could even have the J1 focus correctly with the TC on the 200-400VR. I didn't expect this to work but it did !

Guy

I assume that it happened under excellent light since you need a FT 1 adapter to connect/mount F Nikon lenses to those Nikon J1 mirrorless cameras.

FP

The FT1 adapter isn't a converter, it doesn't have glass, so you get the full light, thus, all there is no loss to AF performance.
Correct but just to make things clear the combo consisted of
J1 + FT1 adapter + Nikkor TC + 200-400VR

Guy

May 31, 2012 at 08:05 PM

elkhornsun
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p.1 #14 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

With the D3 AF even with the 70-200mm f2.8 VR II lens and the TC-20E III was not possible. The camera would not even hunt and it was manual focus most of the time. It was OK for bright sunlight with large high contrast subjects as with sports photography but poor for wildlife photography.

This has changed completely with the D800. The new AF system of the D800 is a lot more sophisticated than the one provided on the D3 models and I am only starting to learn how to use it to best advantage in different situations. But with the TC-20E III and the 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens the autofocus seems to be as good as when the TC is not in place. It surprised me just how good the AF is with the D800 and how much better it is than that of the D3 cameras.

With the 200-400mm zoom the autofocus is slow but it works and it works even with low contrast subjects with bad autofocus backgrounds like dense foliage. If I can focus on a brown bird on a branch in an oak tree where there are dozens of leaves and thin branches in the same plane the AF system is very good indeed.

In the past I used the 1.4x TC 80% of the time with the 200-400mm lens and 15% with the 1.7x and 5% (using manual focus) with the 2x TC. Now I can see using the 1.7x and the 2x teleconverters with greater frequency in more situations thanks to the D800's AF system.

Jun 03, 2012 at 10:05 PM

AMaji
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p.1 #15 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

Thank you elkhornsun for your detailed reply.

Jun 03, 2012 at 10:18 PM

Rodolfo Paiz
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p.1 #16 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

gugs wrote:
Correct but just to make things clear the combo consisted of
J1 + FT1 adapter + Nikkor TC + 200-400VR

You're referring to the 2.0 v3, right?

Jun 03, 2012 at 10:35 PM

rd4tile
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p.1 #17 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

Here's some random shots from the V1, which I just got, & 200-400. These were handheld with little (make that no) effort towards good long lens technique. The VR is so good I'd say it's a reasonably usable set-up. The IQ seems on par initially with the D800 / 200-400 & 2XIII (which I'm not too enthusiastic about) For long range stationary subjects this combo has some interesting possibilities.

2013 © rd4tile

NIKON 1 V1 380 mm f/4.0 1/1000 sec 200 ISO 0.0 EV

Jun 04, 2012 at 12:58 AM

DennisC
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p.1 #18 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

Anyone else care to chime in re: D800, 200-400/4, and TC20 III?

Jun 04, 2012 at 11:01 AM

Chris Dees
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p.1 #19 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

I do have this gear (D800E, 200-400VRI, TC20E III) but never used it.
IMHO the 200-400 is not good with TC's. I only use the 1.4 and only when I have no other options.
This was with the D3(s) and/or D700, I did not tried it with my D800E yet.
If weather clears I will give it a go.

Jun 04, 2012 at 11:20 AM

Kerry Pierce
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p.1 #20 · D800 200-400/4 TC20 III

elkhornsun wrote:
With the D3 AF even with the 70-200mm f2.8 VR II lens and the TC-20E III was not possible. The camera would not even hunt and it was manual focus most of the time. It was OK for bright sunlight with large high contrast subjects as with sports photography but poor for wildlife photography.

That's interesting. That combo makes an f/5.6 lens, like the 80-400 VR. It should work fine.

I just bought a used TC-20EII, not III, to use on my 70-200 VR I. It arrived a few days ago and I put it on the lens and tested it with my d3s and d7000. The tests were just shots of my dogs and other stuff around my yard, in all kinds of light from deep shade to bright sunlight. I didn't notice any problems with AF. Indeed, the combo worked better/faster than the 80-400, which is the reason I bought the TC. I would have thought that your newer versions would work at least as well.

Kerry

Jun 04, 2012 at 03:37 PM

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