I just received my 300 f/4 AFS and have both 1.4/1.7TC. I know a few of you are using this combo with a D800 to great success (Will, Birdie, etc.)
I am curious to see if some of you would be kind enough to share what you did to "dial it in." I have searched for specific links on this combo, or for long lens technique on the d800, but have not found much.
Not venturing into BIF just yet, I am still working on birds on the ground!
Living in Hawaii I have no shortage of chickens running around to practice with. If I send my 2 year old after them, they sometimes take to the air
Honestly, for me, most of the "dialing-in" was on the part of the photographer, not the camera.
All of the normal long lens technique should be employed - and if you are not experienced using long lenses, you will have to learn what it's like to handhold 400-500mm. Keep your shutter speed up, and practice good breathing. If you're not finding information on techniques, it's probably because you're looking for information in conjunction with the D800 - good technique is good technique, regardless of the camera body.
I have not needed to do any AF fine tuning with the 300mm f/4, but of course YMMV there. Typically I do a rough test with lenses - mount on a tripod, find a target, let it autofocus, and take a shot. Then use zoomed live view, manually focus, take a shot. When you look at the images, are they all the same sharpness? If so, then you're done. If not, you might have to fine tune.
I have searched using a generic "long lens technique" query, but not found much. I am taking it out today so I will get a chance to test my handheld skills.
I assume it is the same type of technique used when shooting handheld macro. A main difference will be outdoor available light vs the studio strobes I am used to.
Ill post up some results, if anything is post worthy later.
LL technique encompasses many things: proper breathing, adequate SS, the follow thru for the things that move.
Together with proper in camera AF settings and a well tuned lens, it's just practice...practice...practice. Start with
the naked lens and as your skills improve add the 1.4 rinse/repeat with the 1.7 Don't get frustrated, many of us
posting have been doing this for a long, long time. Shoot me a PM if I can be of any help, the D800 and I are one.
Great thread. I just bought the 300 and did a few motocross shot's, and was quite disappointed with the results. I have a crap tripod, I tried the dot tune, and ended up with +5? guess I'll have to get some more shots this Saturday, and go from there.
rd4tile wrote:
With the 1.7 onboard you are over f5.6 which disables everything but single point AF.
Rich, actually...here's the skinny onna D800:
If the maximum aperture of the lens or combo is f/8, the total number of properly-operating points is 11...with the center-most AF point retaining its cross-type sensitivity.
Think I've been trying to go about it backwards. I have been getting off some good shots with the 1.4 tc attached, but really haven't been doing a lot of shooting without it.
ScottHM wrote:
Think I've been trying to go about it backwards. I have been getting off some good shots with the 1.4 tc attached, but really haven't been doing a lot of shooting without it.
If you're doing okay with it, no reason to switch.
The problem is often that people are unused to hand-holding a long lens like the 300mm, but then they jump straight to 400mm or 500mm, and it becomes a lot more to troubleshoot if they experience issues. Is it technique? Is it autofocus tuning? Is it the teleconverter?
If you're solid @ 300mm with the naked lens, then you add the 1.4x, then add the 1.7x, you are eliminating sources of error as you go.
trenchmonkey wrote:
Rich, actually...here's the skinny onna D800:
If the maximum aperture of the lens or combo is f/8, the total number of properly-operating points is 11...with the center-most AF point retaining its cross-type sensitivity.
Got it Will, but that's why he lost the 3D / dynamic 51 pt modes right? So you can select any of the eleven available points but is it still single point AF only? (I've never tried it, I just leave it at single center point when I'm using a lens over f5.6.)
Got it Will, but that's why he lost the 3D / dynamic 51 pt modes right? So you can select any of the eleven available points but is it still single point AF only? (I've never tried it, I just leave it at single center point when I'm using a lens over f5.6.)
That's correct 3D/51 point lost (personally never use 'em) The TC-17E II is shy of a true f8 so I put the TC-20E III on
for grins. It'll track in AF-C 9 pt just shot a horse off my back deck...the tail swished and my center point jumped
over one. On playback it'll show up but you can only see the one point selected in the VF. Pretty damn cool!
So it's...
XXX
XCX
XXX
...looks like the 2 add'l (far left and far right of the middle row) aren't in the mix, I'll try on my P.O. run
Ok, tried a couple o' grabs at the De Chavez Rookery...f8 AF tracks just fine
FWIW these were handheld SOOC, and since I never use the TC-20E III with this lens...no fine tuning
There was no AF fine tuning for the BIF shots above...here's a couple tuned with the TC-20E III.
I do my tuning in the field...target on dirt, grass, or gravel...look fore and aft for critical sharpness
in the rocks or blades and make appropriate adjustments. I've even made on the fly adjustments
shootin' multiple BIF, it's really fast and easy to dial in close enough and the bonus with my technique
is you're already at your working distance for the day with that specific combination of glass & TC.
just shot a horse off my back deck...the tail swished and my center point jumped 
adjustments
