Just receive the new Canon extender 1.4X III. Unfortunatly, it is pitch dark outside. I shall do some test on my first vacation day this Thursday.
In the nea time, here are some shots comparaison with the version II. They seem same size, same lenght and about same weight. The new one being a bit slimmer at the base. The new one is on the left.
wickerprints wrote:
Can you show us a comparison of the front and rear mount surfaces of each? My understanding is that the new versions are more robustly constructed.
wickerprints
I won't show you shots of front and back: 1, it's late and 2 they are exactly the same. Same contact, same rubber, same screws, same everythig in the exterior. The main change is inside: the glass and the faster chip allowing, I hope faster focus and better Servo autofocus.
The only difference is that there is no more date code on the new one. I have heard about Canon stopping date codes on new lens, well they have started with this one at least.
skibum5 wrote:
canon claims that it focuses with the same speed and precision as the old version unless used with a super-tele IS MkII sorry to say
Please do not be. It is true for the autofocus but the glass better quality ( chromatic aberration, contrast and precision) will be present with the older glass.
John Daniel wrote:
I won't show you shots of front and back: 1, it's late and 2 they are exactly the same. Same contact, same rubber, same screws, same everythig in the exterior. The main change is inside: the glass and the faster chip allowing, I hope faster focus and better Servo autofocus.
The only difference is that there is no more date code on the new one. I have heard about Canon stopping date codes on new lens, well they have started with this one at least.
JD
Reason 1 is understandable
From the images you posted, and for which we are grateful, we can see that the lock knob is different. There should also be more screws on the mount side in the new one, even if the screw type is the same.
From the images you posted, and for which we are grateful, we can see that the lock knob is different. There should also be more screws on the mount side in the new one, even if the screw type is the same.
Thank you for caring about reaspn 1
For the lock knob, it is true but we were talking about top and bottom shots. The lock indeed has been modified for a bigger one but with the unrepairable approach( you cannot remove screws on each sides of the lock since they are now non existant)
From what I recall(I am at the office), both mount sides are identical, same number of screws, positioned at the same place...but I will double check tonight.
alundeb wrote:
From the images you posted, and for which we are grateful, we can see that the lock knob is different. There should also be more screws on the mount side in the new one, even if the screw type is the same.
Not easy for an engineer to ignore the trivial construction detail, eh ?
However, I think we'd primarily like to hear an assessment of the IQ impact the new TC makes. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
I will be interested in your side by side. I may have missed it but what lens will you be using?? I read Canon's website and left with the impression that optically and in terms of AF ability, these new extenders will only yield improved (over the II TCs that is) results when used with the new Mk II super telephotos that will be released next year!
Maybe I misread but that was my strong impression.
I'm just gonna put this out there as a whimsical prediction, so that when various results do come in, I might be able to refer back to this post to see how accurate my predictions were.
First, I'm going to predict that the visible differences between the 1.4x II and 1.4x III are going to be very, small. On the 300/2.8L IS (I), the center will be very nearly unchanged in sharpness. The periphery will likely see a small improvement in lateral CA, but not eliminated.
Overall, Mark I telephoto primes won't see much improvement with the 1.4x III compared to the II; the most noticeable differences will be slightly better corner performance.
The 2x III, however, will be more noticeably improved over the 2x II. Corner performance in particular will be significantly better, with less CA and better resolving power. However, center performance again will be only marginally better. Overall, the improvements will be modest, but easily observable at 100% crop.
