I recall someone (Bob Israel?) started a similar thread but I couldn't find it so I am starting this one, my apology.
After reading about the 1.4 TC's heavy vignetting at the long end of the FE 100-400 GM, I tested mine, lo and behold my 1.4 TC had the same issue. I called Sony and was told that the serial number was within the problematic batch, or something like that. They sent me a pre-paid label to send it to Sony to exchange for a new one, but after they received it, they ran out of stock so they sent me a check ($549) to buy back the TC. Fast forward, I was able to buy another new one in May. Tried it on the 100-400 GM last weekend and noticed it behaved the same. Call Sony again yesterday and gave them the serial #, today they asked me to send it back to them to exchange for a new one.
I am wondering how wide spread this issue is? I wouldn't have tested my first one if I hadn't read Bob's report on this issue.
My 1.4x vignettes just like that and I bought it recently. Vignette starts at 100 something and becomes impossible to correct by 400mm. Pretty useless.
elimoss wrote:
My 1.4x vignettes just like that and I bought it recently. Vignette starts at 100 something and becomes impossible to correct by 400mm. Pretty useless.
Did you call Sony? I remember when I called them for my first one, the rep said the 1.4 TCs with last four digit numbers above (or below? don't remember) 5000 had this issue. I bought my first one about 6 months ago and the second one a month ago.
AGeoJO wrote:
Douglas,
For whatever it is worth, my TC, SN 1800455, that I bought early on when it first became available, doesn't have any vignetting issue.
My first bad one's serial # is 1805517, second bad one's is 1808665. If the first Sony rep I talked to is correct, maybe the ones with the last four digit numbers above 5000 have this issue?
I went back and look at images captured with that combo. Let me put it this way, I could see vignetting although not as severe as yours if the image has an even and bright background, like in the first image here, but definitely and significantly less noticeable if the background is busy, like foliage inside a forest or so, like in the second and third image.
These are just samples to illustrate my point and pretty much straight out of the camera and without any cropping. I lightened the first image a bit though. And both had the profile setting in LR for the lens.
Thanks Joshua. The sample I posted had no profile correction done in Lightroom, even I tried the profile correction, the picture was brightened up a bit but the vignetting was still there, albeit a little less severe. I believe Bob is in Iceland right now. Hope when he comes back he can share what Sony did with his TC.
I didn't call Sony yet. I wonder what is going on optically here? Does it have to do with exit pupil? Is it mechanical light blocking or something to do with image circle not being able to cover the sensor?
I received my TC about 3 weeks ago. I have been shooting birds against a bright blue Florida sky at 560mm. I reviewed a number of my shots, including from this morning and didn’t see vignetting. My TC SN is1809784.
Iman113 wrote:
I received my TC about 3 weeks ago. I have been shooting birds against a bright blue Florida sky at 560mm. I reviewed a number of my shots, including from this morning and didn’t see vignetting. My TC SN is1809784.
Thanks for the report. Which body did you use it on? Can you post an unprocessed picture at 560mm. Thanks,
Douglas, have you tried taken an image using that lens at 400mm of just sky and see whether there is vignetting and how bad?
Mine showed vignetting although not bad for my taste. I had a Canon 100-400mm before and even without TC ist showed more vignetting than the the Sony GM with TC as above. Again, the vignetting is definitely visible under those circumstances but negligible under real life shooting conditions in my case as I showed in the other two images. However, I understand your position since you are taking pictures more of “iron birds” where the background is mostly even blue sky while in my case, the surrounding of my target birds has more foliage, minimizing the vignetting.
AGeoJO wrote:
Douglas, have you tried taken an image using that lens at 400mm of just sky and see whether there is vignetting and how bad?
Mine showed vignetting although not bad for my taste. I had a Canon 100-400mm before and even without TC ist showed more vignetting than the the Sony GM with TC as above. Again, the vignetting is definitely visible under those circumstances but negligible under real life shooting conditions in my case as I showed in the other two images. However, I understand your position since you are taking pictures more of “iron birds” where the background is mostly even blue sky while in my case, the surrounding of my target birds has more foliage, minimizing the vignetting. ...Show more →
Hi Joshua, thanks for the advice! I sent both the 100-400 GM (occasional AF freezing) and the TC to Precision Camera (Sony's warranty shop) for them to look at, so I can't do the test now as you suggested. It puzzles me why some don't have that issue at all.
Cheers,
Douglas
Actually I did have some shots at 400mm, here is one of them. There is a bit vignetting but one click in LR profile correct it was gone, nothing like adding the TC.
kimknapp wrote:
Here are shots of the sky with and without TC at 400 mm (560 mm with TC).
The only thing done was the "built in lens correction" in LightRoom.
Let me notice that there are clear traces of the vignette correction in the corners of the first picture (with TC).
