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Archive 2014 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

jasonpatrick
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

My wildlife combo is a 5D3 and a 300mm f/2.8 IS II lens with a 2x III on it. I'm typically shooting birds - all sizes and shapes. Sometimes they're flying sometimes they aren't. I stop down a bit, and I get results that I'm more than satisfied with. I have the 1.4 III converter, but I don't use it often. When I do, it's usually because I want the extra stop of light. Occasionally I'd love to have more reach...thus the post.

I'm considering selling the 1.4 III to pick up a Kenko Pro 1.4 teleconverter - because I want to try stacking it with the 2xIII. I realize this is an abomination for some of you here

, but curiosity has me thinking and 840mm (if it's usable) could add even more flexibility. Has anyone tried this? What kind of success did you have? I would anticipate stopping down a full stop and shooting the combo on a tripod. I'd also love to hear what your experience is with the Kenko Teleconverter as a stand alone. From what I understand the Kenko 1.4 is very good - probably not up to the Canon III, but no slouch. Post images please!

Or should I scrap the idea and pick up a 7/70D? I've had a 7D two different times but sold them because I'm not the greatest post processor and I couldn't quite get the files where I wanted them...

This is the typical of the results I'm getting with the 300 + 2xIII combo. This was shot at 1/2000, f/8, ISO 1600 in manual. Crappy light, but that's all I've had

.

http://jasonpatrick.smugmug.com/Other/Birds/i-qcJ4LqV/0/XL/0J4A3697-XL.jpg

Mar 07, 2014 at 11:32 AM

howard
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

I only tried it once with the 2x III TC and a Kenko 1.4x Pro 300 TC (an older version, but top of its line in its generation). I found the combination cumbersome to use, the AF is slow like molasses, and with a quite a bit of chromatic aberration. I have not used it since.

Mar 07, 2014 at 11:38 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

I'll use one of the 1.4x III or 2x III. I also have a Kenko DG Pro, but I haven't done multiple-Extender stacking for many years.

Mar 07, 2014 at 11:58 AM

jasonpatrick
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

Jim - If you were so inclined as to stack them for a curious soul, I would forever be in your debt

. You could single handedly save me from anxiety, doubt, and obsession.

Mar 07, 2014 at 12:16 PM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

why not just stack the 2 Canon TCs?

Mar 07, 2014 at 03:25 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

Ed Sawyer wrote:
why not just stack the 2 Canon TCs?

Because they won't stack?

Mar 07, 2014 at 03:51 PM

jasonpatrick
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

yeah, Ed. I should have clarified. The two Canon mk III extenders won't stack together. The opening isn't big enough.

Mar 07, 2014 at 03:52 PM

gocolts
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

Not to muddy the waters...but since you have a 5D3 that'll AF to f/8, and your 300mm f/2.8 II is worth quite a chunk of cash...and you mostly use it with a 2x TC...have you thought about picking up a v1 of the 500mm f/4? Then you've have 500mm, 700mm, and 1,000mm lenses, which would all AF without any issue with your 5D3.

Short of that, my next best piece of advice would be to sit tight and see if a 7D2 comes out this century. I have a 7D & 6D, and understand your hesitation on the 7D due to post-processing....the 6D just makes life so much easier, and I have no doubt the 5D3 is the same way.

Mar 07, 2014 at 04:06 PM

howard
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

jasonpatrick wrote:
yeah, Ed. I should have clarified. The two Canon mk III extenders won't stack together. The opening isn't big enough.

You just need an extension tube.

Mar 07, 2014 at 04:17 PM

jasonpatrick
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

Howard, any clue what that will do to my focus? Most of the things I'm focusing on are going to be some distance...thus the thoughts toward 840mm.

Mar 07, 2014 at 04:32 PM

jasonpatrick
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

No muddying here. I used to have the 500mm f/4 IS and sold it to get this lens. For me, the priority was handholding/weight vs extra mm's. I hike a lot with my big lens and the 500 was going to do me in eventually. I used the 500 a lot with the 1.4 mk III teleconverter, but I didn't get very good results with the 2x (tripod, 2x and stopped down on a 1dIII), so I gave that up. My thoughts were if I can handhold and be at 600mm, that's better than being stuck on a tripod for an extra 100mm (500+1.4).

gocolts wrote:
Not to muddy the waters...but since you have a 5D3 that'll AF to f/8, and your 300mm f/2.8 II is worth quite a chunk of cash...and you mostly use it with a 2x TC...have you thought about picking up a v1 of the 500mm f/4? Then you've have 500mm, 700mm, and 1,000mm lenses, which would all AF without any issue with your 5D3.

Short of that, my next best piece of advice would be to sit tight and see if a 7D2 comes out this century. I have a 7D & 6D, and understand your hesitation on the 7D due...Show more →

Mar 07, 2014 at 04:36 PM

gocolts
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

jasonpatrick wrote:
No muddying here. I used to have the 500mm f/4 IS and sold it to get this lens. For me, the priority was handholding/weight vs extra mm's. I hike a lot with my big lens and the 500 was going to do me in eventually. I used the 500 a lot with the 1.4 mk III teleconverter, but I didn't get very good results with the 2x (tripod, 2x and stopped down on a 1dIII), so I gave that up. My thoughts were if I can handhold and be at 600mm, that's better than being stuck on a tripod for...Show more →

Yea, being stuck on a tripod isn't optimal at all....and the 300 2.8 MKII is supposed to be very light all things considered.

Mar 07, 2014 at 04:49 PM

tntcorp
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

don't shoot canon but my comment may or may not be relevant since i'm a nikon shooter. my setup is a 300/2.8 + 2x + 1.7x. like any other lenses, there is a sweet point in term of distance to subject.

i stop down another half stop so i am losing 3, but i'm satisfied with the results so i'm in search of an old 800/5.6 to duplicate the stacking setup.

since you are shooting af, you will lose 2.5 stops. af may be of issues when shooting in low light, and you may need to lower the # of af sensor points and use single shot in lieu of continuous af-servo.

good luck!

Mar 07, 2014 at 04:53 PM

jasonpatrick
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

Thanks for chiming in tntcorp! The way it works with Canon is that you loose 1 stop for the 1.4 and 2 stops for the 2x, so I'd be loosing 3 stops anyway. This will put me at f/8, which will still autofocus on the 5D3, but only using the center point.

Mar 07, 2014 at 05:00 PM

howard
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

jasonpatrick wrote:
Howard, any clue what that will do to my focus? Most of the things I'm focusing on are going to be some distance...thus the thoughts toward 840mm.

Sorry, if you specifically how AF performs with the 1.4xIII and 2x III, I have no clue. I have not tried this combo (even though I have both TCs). I was just replying to your previous post, and I read on another thread that all you need is a 12mm extension tube to stack the two.

Mar 07, 2014 at 05:25 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

jasonpatrick wrote:
Jim - If you were so inclined as to stack them for a curious soul, I would forever be in your debt

. You could single handedly save me from anxiety, doubt, and obsession.

Hi Jason,

I can try it tomorrow. It's dark here now. Do you want 2x III + 1.4x Kenko? I can put in on a 1DX and 1DIV. I don't think the 6D will AF at f/8, although it might not know it's at f/8...

Mar 07, 2014 at 05:31 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

The Kenko Pro DGX versions (the only ones that allow AF with 5D3 and 70-300L) when used with Canon 300 2.8 IS (original version) and Canon 1.4x TC III or 2.0x TC III and 5D3 lock the AF up. TOTALLY. I mean to the point that even when you turn off the camera and remove all the TCs and put the lens back on and turn the camera back on the AF is still 100% frozen with the 300 2.8 IS! You have to remove the battery from the camera for ten seconds to give it a hard boot.

I was pretty freaked out at first, I thought my 300 2.8 IS AF system had broken (I didn't think it was the TCs I just thought the lens simply broke)! And I shuddered to imagine the repair cost for ANYTHING to do with it at all. But then I started thinking maybe the kenko froze it out super badly and I tried removing the battery.

Mar 07, 2014 at 05:39 PM

Nathan Hobbs
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

I have stacked the Canon two series teleconverters and found I was better off using one or the other and cropping to fit. Your pushing your glass through a lot of optics stacking like this.

If your really hurting for reach, a 1.6 companion body would be a great assest as its increased pixel density would be equivilant to a 1.6x teleconverter without the added chromatic aberation , loss of light from optical elements, difficulty focusing etc. A 300mm lens with a doubler on a 1.6 body would have the feild of veiw of a 960mm Full frame veiw .

Mar 07, 2014 at 05:46 PM

jasonpatrick
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

That would be great! I'd guess the 1dx is closer AF wise to the 5D3.

jcolwell wrote:
Hi Jason,

I can try it tomorrow. It's dark here now. Do you want 2x III + 1.4x Kenko? I can put in on a 1DX and 1DIV. I don't think the 6D will AF at f/8, although it might not know it's at f/8...

Mar 07, 2014 at 05:49 PM

Kathy White
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Anyone stacking converters on a 300mm f/2.8?

Ok just a kitty pic but I have 2 grandkids here with friends so kind of crazy here. That was the only thing in the yard. Taken with Canon 300 2.8 V1 and Kenko 1.4 300 Pro XG and Canon 2X III. It did AF ok after a bit of hunting. I think the bird would be in the next county by the time you got it focused for BIF. For some reason just the little bit of extra length changes the balance on the combination making it harder to handhold. I handhold the 2XIII and lens all the time. Crazy that just an inch makes it so much more awkward. I'm sure Jims trials tomorrow will be much more what you want to see. But it did work.

Mar 07, 2014 at 05:52 PM

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