1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

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paulfeng
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p.1 #1 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

For those of you with a 1D-series body that focuses at f/8, do you have experience with the 100-400 and a 1.4x extender? Specifically, how is the AF for tracking moving objects (sports, birds...)? Even more specifically, compared to a 7D with the bare lens (no teleconverter)?

I ask because I am contemplating getting a 5DIII, but might need to sell my 7D and various lenses to fund it. The premise of my question is that the 5DIII, when the new firmware comes out, will hopefully do as well at f/8 as prior bodies. Using the 1.4x extender would essentially restore the pixels-per-duck that the 7D can achieve w/out an extender. I suppose there is the risk that the f/8 AF will only work decently for particular lens/TC combinations - presumably the latest super-teles with latest extenders will be the best supported.

And - the 5DIII would be an all-purpose camera for me. Telephoto capability is just one aspect of performance I am considering (so in other words, I already understand that if I ONLY wanted to shoot long, that the 5DIII w/teleconverter might not be my first choice).

Anyhow, any insight that anyone can shed will be appreciated.

Note: I am posting another related question about the 70-200 II under a different topic.

Dec 31, 2012 at 08:14 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #2 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

I found the 7D and bare 100-400 would focus faster and better than a 1DMk4 with 100-400 & TC. Whether that would be the same case with a 5DIII, I don't know. Two other options you might want to consider are a used 1DsMk3 or wait maybe a year for a rumored 7D2.

Dec 31, 2012 at 08:51 PM

marklankton
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p.1 #3 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

I've used the 100-400+1.4TC on a 1D Mark III a lot. Focusing is not instant but not bad; I used it on birds in flight with some pretty good results. Whether the 5DIII will work as well with that combination remains to be seen, I guess. When the new firmware is available it will be an easy test, but until then it's a bit uncertain. TCs always slow down focusing, but whether it is bad or not sort of depends what you are comparing it to.
Mark

Dec 31, 2012 at 09:00 PM

scalesusa
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p.1 #4 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

I used my 100-400mm L and 5D MK III with a Kenko 1.4X TC. I was suprised at how fast it focused, even indoors in less than perfect light, it was reasonably fast.

Dec 31, 2012 at 09:08 PM

paulfeng
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p.1 #5 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

Thank you all for your feedback. scalesusa, did you try shooting any action with that combo, or just static tests?

Dec 31, 2012 at 09:40 PM

furqanfazal
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p.1 #6 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

I have used a 5D Mark III + 100-400 @400mm + Kenko 1.4x extender combination quite a bit, even for birds-in-flight (BIF). I have a thread on POTN with my observations:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=15316479&postcount=54
In summary I am happy with this combination and use it whenever I am focal-length limited (which is most of the time). However f/8.0 really doesn't let much light in so I don't use it close to sunset (I limit my ISO to 6400), which is a shame as the lighting is best then.

Jan 01, 2013 at 01:16 AM

Liquidstone
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p.1 #7 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

Paul, for active subjects with predictable trajectories (e. g. surfers, cars, large BIFs), my 1D4/1D2 + 100-400 + 1.4x has adequate AF speed and responsiveness, albeit only the center AF point works. At erratically moving subjects, even the bare 100-400 on a 1D body struggles.

I'd say the 7D + bare 100-400 is faster focusing than my 1D4 at f/8.

Jan 01, 2013 at 01:35 AM

Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #8 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

1D IV + 100-400L + 1.4x does pretty well for AF speed and will focus in light levels where you often are at ISO 6400+ to keep decent shutter speeds of ~ 1/500. However, as Romy says, you will need to stick to more predicitable targets, although not necessarily slow ones. This is the main weakness of the 100-400L and the AF speed is the main thing in need of improvement in a new version.

Jan 01, 2013 at 02:42 AM

coppertop
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p.1 #9 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

Back when I had a 100-400mm it worked great paired with a 1.4x converter and the 1D Mark III.

No complaints whatsoever with image quality or AF speed.

Jan 01, 2013 at 05:52 AM

paulfeng
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p.1 #10 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

Thank you all again (or for the first time) for your observations and comments.

I have not shot BIF lately, but in the past I have targeted Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles, so not the fastest most erratic subjects. I have tried other targets but have experienced the focus speed limitations of the 100-400.

As for losing a stop, I figure that on a 5DIII the IQ with the extender (at least in terms of the amount of light hitting the sensor and sensor quality, but of course not considering abberrations introduced by the extender) should be at least as good as the 7D w/out extender. So maybe the 5DIII with extender can serve as a decent replacement for the 7D.

furqanfazal, thank you for your observations regarding this combination (with the Kenko). All cross-type points work, eh? I suppose that the new firmware and the Canon 1.4x might be a step down then, if only the center point is (artificially) allowed to work.

Jan 01, 2013 at 06:03 AM

furqanfazal
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p.1 #11 · 1D series f/8 AF with 100-400 & 1.4x?

paulfeng wrote:
Thank you all again (or for the first time) for your observations and comments.

furqanfazal, thank you for your observations regarding this combination (with the Kenko). All cross-type points work, eh? I suppose that the new firmware and the Canon 1.4x might be a step down then, if only the center point is (artificially) allowed to work.

Try out the Kenko extender - you may be pleasantly surprised with the results. It's not a replacement for a fast supertelephoto lens, but it works well with the 100-400mm. Why wait for the new firmware which might offer no advantages, and may in fact be a step down? And the version I have (Kenko 1.4X PRO 300 Teleconverter DGX) can be purchased brand new from ebay for ~$180.
The one annoying thing with the Kenko is that the camera doesn't recognize the extender being present, only the lens (but records the correct aperture). As such I don't know of a way of storing the microadjustment values of the lens with and without the extender. My lens without the extender needs no microadjustment, but with the extender requires -8 at 400mm. I change the microadjustment values manually when switching in or out the extender, but it's annoying and I've forgotten to do so a couple of times (and the difference is noticeable to me).

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:41 PM

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