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Archive 2005 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS

  
 
JonB
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


Hi, All. Having gotten tired of waiting for Nikon's D2x and jumping ship to Canon instead (short-term pain for long-term gain, I hope), I replaced my D100 and 80-400 VR with the 20D and the 100-400 IS. I'd also like to replace my Kenko 1.4 teleconverter (for the Nikon) with one for the Canon. I have a question about using one with the 20D and this lens.

In the Nikon world, they state that autofocus will be lost with any lens with an effective aperture narrower than F5.6 (F5.6 + 1.4x = F8). This isn't completely true, as I know by experience, with the 80-400 and a 1.4 teleconverter - the (already slow) AF just slows down more, and you need bright light. Is it the same with the 20D, the Canon 1.4x extender, and the 100-400? Or are just just plain out of luck? If the Canon doesn't allow AF, do the Kenko or Tamron extenders allow AF with this body/lens combo?

Thanks for whatever info you can give me.

- Jon



Jan 22, 2005 at 09:28 AM
uz2work
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


With a 20D, putting the 1.4x on the 100-400 will lock out AF. You can put a small piece of clear tape over the 3 pins on the front side of the 1.4x that communicate between the lens and the tc. When you do that, the camera will not know that the 1.4x is on board, and it will try to AF. The results that you get are likely to be mixed. If the light is good and you have a subject with good contrast, it will lock in, but more slowly. If light and contrast are not good, it will just hunt and not lock in. Of the longer glass I have, the 100-400 does not take to a teleconverter as well as other lenses do.
Les



Jan 22, 2005 at 09:59 AM
vbacon
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


I have the 100-400 and the 1.4x. I tried using them together a few times and the results weren't very exciting. A crop without the 1.4x was about the same quality as with the 1.4x.

From my experience, and what I've read on these boards, the 1.4x works fine with primes like the 135/2 or the 500/4. The loss of quality from using the extender is minimal. Using the 2x with anything is difficult and the quality loss becomes noticeable. You can get good results but it's not easy. Using the 1.4x with zooms does not prodcut great results.

Overall, extenders can be nice but don't rely on them. Never buy a lens thinking the extender can give you the extra range you want. For example, don't think the 70-200/2.8 can double as a 140-400/5.6 using the 2x. You would be disappointed. If you really want to shoot at 400 (i.e. birds), buy the 100-400.



Jan 22, 2005 at 10:19 AM
khiromu
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


Cheap Tamron TCs are blind to the camera body. So the body still try to focus even though the effective f is above 5.6. And I think, Kenko no-pro version TCs (black ones) are the same as Tamron black TCs, but cannot be sure.


Jan 22, 2005 at 11:17 AM
JonB
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


I'll get the Canon extender and try the tape trick (thanks, Les). Does it kill any of the other features? Specifically IS?

Thanks.



Jan 22, 2005 at 04:19 PM
uz2work
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


JonB wrote:
I'll get the Canon extender and try the tape trick (thanks, Les). Does it kill any of the other features? Specifically IS?

Thanks.


Jon,
Everything else, including IS, works fine, but you may not be happy with the focusing speed, and the image quality may or may not satisfy you.
The way you tape the pins is like this. With the front end of the 1.4x facing you and with the pins on the top, identify the three pins furthest to the left. Just put a small piece of clear tape over them, being careful not to cover any of the others. Working space is small, and using a pair of tweezers can help.
Les



Jan 22, 2005 at 04:39 PM
kundababy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


I tried taping with a D60 and 100-400 IS. No luck - still wouldn't AF successfully!

Although I am very happy with my copy of the 100-400 I have stopped trying to use with the 1.4 TC.

On the other hand, the 1.4 TC works like a dream with my new 300 F4 and is never off it!



Jan 24, 2005 at 07:04 AM
vbacon
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


"Although I am very happy with my copy of the 100-400 I have stopped trying to use with the 1.4 TC."

Agreed. While the tape trick may work for some, I just don't see one getting great results.

"On the other hand, the 1.4 TC works like a dream with my new 300 F4 and is never off it!"

I have the 500 and do mainly birds. The 1.4 hasn't been off my lens in a while. I do keep the caps in my pocket just in case, but it's been a long time since I've found the need for less range when trying to shoot wildlife. And yes, I still get mainly tack sharp photos that continue to amaze me.



Jan 24, 2005 at 10:46 AM
pjken
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


I just ordered a Tamron cheapo 1.4x to see if it really is transparent to the camera. Worst comes to worst it isn't going to be my largest financial blunder.



Jan 24, 2005 at 12:20 PM
rockit
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


vbacon wrote:
Using the 1.4x with zooms does not prodcut great results.



i disagree. the canon 1.4 on a 70-200 2.8 is a beautiful combination. autofocus is retained and the results are still very sharp. i use this combo frequently and are rarely, if ever, dissapointed.



Jan 24, 2005 at 03:34 PM
SJMD
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


Call me stupid, but I was wondering, what do the three pins that you tape over actually do and why are they not need, or perhpas why do they need to be covered?
I was just wondering why. Thanks in advance for your answer. sjm



Feb 02, 2005 at 02:51 PM
uz2work
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


SJMD wrote:
Call me stupid, but I was wondering, what do the three pins that you tape over actually do and why are they not need, or perhpas why do they need to be covered?
I was just wondering why. Thanks in advance for your answer. sjm

The 3 extra pins are just on the end of the TC that connects to the lens and they tell the lens that the TC is there. The lens, in turn, communicates that information to the camera body, and the camera body uses that information to decide whether or not to attempt AF. That is the only purpose for the pins. Cheap TC's don't have them and will attempt to AF regardless of the
aperture and may, then, end up hunting instead of locking into a focus.
Les



Feb 02, 2005 at 03:29 PM
Phil McNeil
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


rockit wrote:
i disagree. the canon 1.4 on a 70-200 2.8 is a beautiful combination. autofocus is retained and the results are still very sharp. i use this combo frequently and are rarely, if ever, dissapointed.


Agreed, the 70-200 2.8 with a 1.4X TC is fantastic, in my case every bit as good as the 300 f/4 IS I had.

I found the 100-400 with taped pins and TC to be pretty much useless, terrible time getting it to lock AF. Sharpness was very nice when I used the combo in MF mode.



Feb 02, 2005 at 09:40 PM
Tom_W
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon 1.4x Teleconverter and 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS


The 100-400 doesn't seem to take well to taped contacts. I had a bad time with that combination on my 10D. However, on the 1-series, the 1.4X works fairly well with the 100-400. No, its not as fast focusing as the zoom alone, but much more sure to focus than with taped pins on a camera that isn't set up for autofocus at f/8.


Feb 02, 2005 at 10:00 PM





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